β-Arrestin–dependent activation of Ca2+/calmodulin kinase II after β1–adrenergic receptor stimulation

Ca(2+)/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) plays an important role in cardiac contractility and the development of heart failure. Although stimulation of beta(1)-adrenergic receptors (ARs) leads to an increase in CaMKII activity, the molecular mechanism by which beta(1)-ARs activate CaMKII is not completely understood. In this study, we show the requirement for the beta(1)-AR regulatory protein beta-arrestin as a scaffold for both CaMKII and Epac (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP). Stimulation of beta(1)-ARs induces the formation of a beta-arrestin-CaMKII-Epac1 complex, allowing its recruitment to the plasma membrane, whereby interaction with cAMP leads to CaMKII activation. beta-Arrestin binding to the carboxyl-terminal tail of beta(1)-ARs promotes a conformational change within beta-arrestin that allows CaMKII and Epac to remain in a stable complex with the receptor. The essential role for beta-arrestin and identification of the molecular mechanism by which only beta(1)-ARs and not beta(2)-ARs activate CaMKII significantly advances our understanding of this important cellular pathway.