cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase and Ca Influx through L-type Voltage-gated Calcium Channels Mediate Raf-independent Activation of Extracellular Regulated Kinase in Response to Glucagon-like Peptide-1 in Pancreatic -Cells*

Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP1) is a Gs-coupled receptor agonist that exerts multiple effects on pancreatic -cells, including the stimulation of insulin gene expression and secretion. In this report, we show that treatment of the mouse pancreatic -cell line MIN6 with GLP1 leads to the glucose-dependent activation of Erk. These effects are mimicked by forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase, and blocked by H89, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Additionally, we provide evidence that GLP1-stimulated activation of Erk requires an influx of calcium through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels and the activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. GLP1stimulated activation of Erk is blocked by inhibitors of MEK, but GLP1 does not induce the activation of A-Raf, B-Raf, C-Raf, or Ras. Additionally, dominant negative forms of Ras(N17) and Rap1(N17) fail to block GLP1stimulated activation of Erk. In conclusion, our results indicate that, in the presence of stimulatory concentrations of glucose, GLP1 stimulates the activation of Erk through a mechanism dependent on MEK but independent of both Raf and Ras. This requires 1) the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, 2) an influx of extracellular Ca through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, and 3) the activation of CaM kinase II.