Mechanical and chemical activation of GPR68 (OGR1) probed with a genetically-encoded fluorescent reporter

G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) 68 (GPR68, or OGR1) couples extracellular acidifications and mechanical stimuli to G protein signaling and plays important roles in vascular physiology, neuroplasticity and cancer progression. Here, we designed a genetically-encoded fluorescent reporter of GPR68 activation called “iGlow”. iGlow responds to known GPR68 activators including fluid shear stress, extracellular pH and the synthetic agonist ogerin. Remarkably, iGlow activation occurred from both primary cilia-like structures and from intracellular vesicles, showing iGlow senses extracellular flow from within the cell. Flow-induced iGlow activation is not eliminated by pharmacological modulation of G protein signaling, disruption of actin filaments, or the presence of GsMTx4, a non-specific inhibitor of mechanosensitive ion channels. Genetic deletion of the conserved Helix 8, proposed to mediate GPCR mechanosensitivity, did not eliminate flow-induced iGlow activation, suggesting GPR68 uses a hitherto unkonwn, Helix8-independent mechanism to sense mechanical stimuli. iGlow will be useful to investigate the contribution of GPR68-mediated mechanotransduction in health and diseases.