A role for Rho in receptor- and G protein-stimulated phospholipase C Reduction in phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate by Clostridium difficile toxin B

Receptors coupled to heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) activate phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2)-hydrolyzing phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes by activated alpha of free beta gamma subunits of the relevant G proteins. To study whether low molecular weight G proteins of the Rho family are involved in receptor signaling to PLC, we examined the effect of Clostridium difficile toxin B, which glucosylates and thereby inactivates Rho proteins, on the regulation of PLC activity in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells stably expressing the m3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtype. Toxin B treatment of HEK cells did not affect basal PLC activi…