LHR and Gαs trafficking drive sustained cAMP signalling from endosomes to control steroidogenesis

A growing number of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) signal through G proteins from intracellular compartments following endocytosis. While for few receptors the physiological relevance of such mechanism has been established, the relationships between the spatio-temporal organization of cellular signalling and the physiological responses are still to be elucidated for most receptors. Signalling by the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) is essential to regulate sex steroids production in gonads, but how G protein-dependent signals from endosomes are functionally important for steroidogenesis remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that transient LHR activation promotes a prolonged Gαs/cAMP signalling from endosomes, which requires ligand-induced independent receptor and Gαs trafficking. We show that endosomal trafficking is specifically required for ligand-induced cAMP accumulation in the nucleus and gene expression, as well as for steroids production in Leydig cells. Thus, this study contributes to further understand the molecular mechanisms by which LHR, through signalling compartmentalization, controls gonadal steroidogenesis.