Loss of β-Arrestins or six Gα proteins in HEK293 cells caused Warburg effect and prevented progesterone-induced rapid proteasomal degradation of progesterone receptor membrane component 1

Hormonal dysregulation plays a significant role in the metabolic switching during malignant transformation. Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) is a single-pass transmembrane receptor activated by the binding of progesterone (P4), a sex hormone. In a previous study, P4 treatment caused rapid (within 30 min) induction of aerobic glycolysis in transformed HEK293 cells, a hallmark malignant phenotype known as the Warburg effect. This metabolic reprogramming was associated with the proteasomal degradation of a 70 kilodalton (kDa) PGRMC1. PGRMC1 interacts with a variety of proteins, including G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and P4-PGRMC1 signaling modulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. Therefore, we hypothesized that the P4-induced Warburg effect and proteasomal degradation of PGRMC1 involve G proteins and β-Arrestins (ARRBs). In the present study, we investigated P4-induced aerobic glycolysis, proteasomal degradation of p70 PGRMC1, as well as abundance and subcellular translocation of PGRMC1 along with two key glycolytic enzymes Hexokinase 1 (HK1) and Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GAPDH) in six Gα subunit (Gsix) proteins or ARRB1/2-deficient HEK293 cells. Loss of ARRB1/2 or Gsix proteins inhibited P4-induced p70 PGRMC1 degradation but failed to prevent the P4-induced Warburg effect. Also, deficiency of ARRB1/2 or Gsix proteins differentially affected the basal as well as P4-induced abundance and subcellular translocation of PGRMC1, HK1, and GAPDH proteins. Overall, the findings indicate that P4-PGRMC1-mediated metabolic reprogramming in HEK293 cells depends on β-Arrestins and Gα proteins suggesting the involvement of an underlying GPCR signal transduction pathway.