β-arrestin-dependent regulation of the cofilin pathway downstream of protease-activated receptor-2

beta-Arrestins are pleiotropic molecules that mediate signal desensitization, G-protein-independent signaling, scaffolding of signaling molecules, and chemotaxis. Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), a G alpha(q/11)-coupled receptor, which has been proposed as a therapeutic target for inflammation and cancer, requires the scaffolding function of beta-arrestins for chemotaxis. We hypothesized that PAR-2 can trigger specific responses by differential activation of two pathways, one through classic G alpha(q)/Ca2+ signaling and one through beta-arrestins, and we proposed that the latter involves scaffolding of proteins involved in cell migration and actin assembly. Here we demonstrate the following. (a) PAR-2 promotes beta-arrestin-dependent dephosphorylation and activation of the actin filament-severing protein (cofilin) independently of G alpha(q)/Ca2+ signaling. (b) PAR-2-evoked cofilin dephosphorylation requires both the activity of a recently identified cofilin-specific phosphatase (chronophin) and inhibition of LIM kinase ( LIMK) activity. ( c) beta-Arrestins can interact with cofilin, LIMK, and chronophin and colocalize with them in membrane protrusions, suggesting that beta-arrestins may spatially regulate their activities. These findings identify cofilin as a novel target of beta-arrestin-dependent scaffolding and suggest that many PAR-2-induced processes may be independent of G alpha(q/11)-protein coupling.