Angiotensin II AT2 receptors are functionally coupled to protein tyrosine dephosphorylation in N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells.

Murine N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells are shown to express a single class of angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors that display all the pharmacological properties defining the Ang II receptor subtype 2 (AT2): high affinity for 125I-labelled AT2-selective agonist CGP 42112 (Kd 91 +/- 19 pM); expected rank order of potency (CGP 42112 = (Sar1,Ile8)Ang II > or = Ang II > PD 123319 >> DUP 753) for several Ang II analogues; increased binding in the presence of the reducing reagent dithiothreitol (DTT); and insensitivity to analogues of GTP. Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding AT2 receptors from N1E-115 cells reveals nucleotide sequence identity with the AT2 subtype expressed in fetal tissue. Murine AT2 receptors transiently expressed in COS cells display the same pharmacological profile as endogenous Ang II receptors of N1E-115 cells. Taken together, these data reveal the exclusive presence of the AT2 receptor subtype in N1E-115 cells. Incubation of N1E-115 cells with Ang II leads to a marked decrease in the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins with apparent molecular masses of 80, 97, 120, 150 and 180 kDa respectively. Tyrosine dephosphorylation of the same set of proteins is observed after treatment with the AT2-specific agonist CGP 42112. The response to both effectors is rapid and transient, showing a maximum between 5 and 10 min, and returning to basal levels after 20-30 min. In both cases, tyrosine dephosphorylation can be prevented by co-incubation with an excess of the antagonist Sarile. These data thus establish that AT2 receptor activation leads to protein tyrosine dephosphorylation in N1E-115 cells, and support a possible role for AT2 receptors in the negative regulation of cell proliferation.

Characterization of a membrane glycoprotein having pharmacological and biochemical properties of an AT2 angiotensin II receptor from human myometrium.

The angiotensin II receptors of human myometrial tissue were characterized using ligand binding, cross-linking with radioactive label, detergent solubilization and partial purification by lectin-affinity chromatography. Human myometrial membrane preparations contained variable amount (5-650 fmol/mg protein) of high affinity (Kd = 44-65 pM) binding sites for 125I-CGP42112, a ligand specific for the AT2 subtype of angiotensin II receptors. Competition studies with AT1-specific and AT2-specific compounds indicated that angiotensin II receptors on these membranes were exclusively of the AT2 subtype. The binding sites for 125I-CGP42112 were efficiently solubilized by the detergent Chaps, albeit with a marked decrease in affinity (Kd = 1.2 nM). The proteins in the myometrial membrane preparation were cross-linked to 125I-[Sar1, Ile8]angiotensin II (Sarile) with disuccinimidyl suberate. When low concentrations of cross-linker were used, a single radiolabelled band of about 66-70 kDa was revealed on SDS/PAGE. At higher concentrations additional bands of about 105-120 kDa and 200 kDa were labelled. The 66-70-kDa and 105-120-kDa bands were separated by electroelution of SDS/PAGE gel slices and submitted to trypsin cleavage. The tryptic-peptide maps were identical for both products, suggesting that the additional bands are homodimers and trimers of the labelled polypeptide. The Chaps-solubilized receptor was retained on wheat-germ-agglutinin-Sepharose and specifically eluted by the competing sugar triacetylchitotriose, leading to a fivefold purification factor. Treatment of the 125I-Sarile-labelled protein with N-glycanase caused a shift in its apparent molecular mass on SDS/PAGE from 66-70 kDa to 33 kDa.

Molecular characterization and chromosome localization of a human angiotensin II AT2 receptor gene highly expressed in fetal tissues.

The gene encoding the human angiotensin II (AT2) receptor exists as a single copy and contains no intron in its coding region. Its nucleotide sequence is identical to that of cDNA clones isolated from human myometrial library. In addition, binding properties of the corresponding receptor expressed in COS cells are identical to those of endogenous AT2 receptors from human myometrium. The human AT2 receptor gene translates into a polypeptide of 363 amino-acid residues that belongs to the seven transmembrane domains receptor superfamily. This polypeptide shows 92% amino-acid sequence homology and the same pharmacological profile as AT2 receptors recently isolated from rat and mouse. The AT2 receptor gene maps to the X chromosome in man (region Xq24-q25) as well as in mouse (region XA2-A4). These findings open new perspectives regarding a potential involvement of AT2 receptors in X-linked congenital diseases. Expression of AT2 receptor mRNA is found in human myometrium, fallopian tubes and adrenals, and at extremely high levels in fetal kidney and intestine. These results indicate that AT2 receptor gene expression is regulated during human embryonic development, and support the hypothesis that AT2 receptors may play a role in organogenesis.

The promoter and intron/exon structure of the human and mouse beta 3-adrenergic-receptor genes.

Transcription-start sites for the mouse and human beta 3-adrenergic-receptor mRNA have been localized in a region comprised between 150 and 200 nucleotides 5' from the ATG translation-start codon. Motifs potentially implicated in heterologous regulation of beta 3-adrenergic-receptor expression by glucocorticoids and by beta-adrenergic agonists have been identified upstream from these cap sites. In mouse, a second mRNA initiation region is postulated to exist further upstream. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the 3' end of the human and mouse beta 3-adrenergic-receptor genes to those of the corresponding cDNA revealed that in contrast to beta 1 and beta 2 adrenergic receptors, the beta 3-adrenergic-receptor genes comprise several exons. A large exon (1.4 kb) encodes the first 402 and 388 amino-acid residues of the human and mouse beta 3 adrenergic receptor, respectively. In man, a second exon (700 bp) contains the sequence coding for the six carboxy-terminal residues of the receptor and the entire mRNA 3' untranslated region. In mouse, a second exon (68 bp) codes for the 12 carboxy-terminal residues of the receptor and a third exon contains the beta 3-adrenergic-receptor mRNA 3' untranslated region. The use of alternate acceptor splice sites generates two forms of exon 3 (600 bp and 700 bp), yielding two beta 3-adrenergic-receptor transcripts which are differentially expressed in white and brown adipose tissues. Human beta 3-adrenergic-receptor transcripts with different 3' untranslated regions are produced by continuation of transcription beyond termination signals. Together, our results suggest that utilization of alternate promoters and/or 3' untranslated regions may allow tissue-specific regulation of beta 3-adrenergic-receptors expression.

The human beta 3-adrenergic receptor: relationship with atypical receptors.

Atypical beta-adrenergic receptors (beta AR), different from beta 1 and beta 2ARs, have been suggested to modulate energy expenditure. We have characterized a gene coding for a third human beta AR, beta 3AR, whose sequence is 402 amino acids long and is 50.7% and 45.5% homologous to that of the human beta 1 and beta 2AR, respectively. The KD of [125I]-iodocyanopindolol for beta 3AR is 10-fold higher than for beta 1 or beta 2AR. The receptor has an apparent molecular weight of 65,000. Agonists for the beta 3AR induce cyclic AMP accumulation. Among 11 beta antagonists tested, only ICI118551 and CGP20712A, previously classified as, respectively, beta 1 and beta 2 selective, inhibit this effect. The beta 1 and beta 2 antagonists pindolol, oxprenolol, and CGP12177 are agonists of the beta 3AR. The potency order of beta agonists at beta 3 sites correlates with that for stimulation of lipolysis in rat fat tissues. Moreover, because beta 3AR mRNA was detected in rodent adipose tissues, liver, and muscle, we propose that the beta 3AR participates to the control by catecholamines of energy expenditure.

Expression of three human beta-adrenergic-receptor subtypes in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells.

The genes coding for three pharmacologically distinct subtypes of human beta-adrenergic receptors (beta 1 AR, beta 2 AR and beta 3 AR) were transfected for expression in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Stable cell lines expressing each receptor were analyzed by ligand binding, adenylate cyclase activation and photoaffinity labeling, and compared to beta AR subtypes observed in previously described tissues, primary cultures and transfected cell lines. Each of the three receptor subtypes displayed saturable [125I]iodocyanopindolol-binding activity. They showed the characteristic rank order of potencies for five agonists, determined by measuring the accumulation of intracellular cAMP. These recombinant cell lines express a homogeneous population of receptors and display the known pharmacological properties of beta 1 AR and beta 2 AR, in human tissues. It is therefore likely that the pattern of ligand binding and adenylate cyclase activation, mediated by the new beta 3 AR in CHO cells, also reflects the yet-undetermined pharmacological profile in humans.

Glycosidase activities in alveolar macrophages from guinea pigs stimulated with a glyco-proteic complex extracted from Klebsiella pneumoniae.

An increased resistance of laboratory animals to pulmonary infections following per os administration of a glyco-proteic complex extracted from Klebsiella pneumoniae has been reported. This was associated with an increased phagocytic capacity of alveolar macrophages (AM). In this report, the effect of treating guinea pigs with this extract on the alveolar macrophage (AM) glycosidase machinery has been studied. AM were collected by bronchoalveolar lavage, the cells were pelleted by centrifugation and AM were purified by adherence on plastic dishes. Sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D glucosaminidase activities were measured in the AM homogenate. In order to evaluate an extracellular release of these enzymes, they were also assayed in the cell free lavage fluid. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was assayed as a control for cell lysis. In treated animals, the total number of cells as well as the number of AM increased by 25% (ns). The protein concentration was slightly reduced in the cell homogenate and unchanged in the lavage fluid. The only significant change was a decreased sialidase activity, in AM homogenate (p less than or equal to 0.01) and in lavage fluids (ns). The LDH activity was not increased in the lavage fluids.

Differential regulation of beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptor protein and mRNA levels by glucocorticoids during 3T3-F442A adipose differentiation.

The regulation by dexamethasone of beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptor expression during the adipose differentiation of 3T3-F442A cells was investigated at the receptor protein and mRNA level. Preadipocytes were poorly responsive to beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) agonists and expressed few beta-ARs (approximately 3,000 sites/cell) solely of beta 1 subtype. Differentiation increased adrenergic sensitivity and total beta-AR number (approximately 16,000 sites/cell) with a beta 1/beta 2 ratio of approximately 90/10. Long term exposure of either differentiating cells or mature adipocytes to dexamethasone induced down-regulation of (-)-isoproterenol-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity which paralleled a 2- to 3.5-fold decrease in beta-ARs, while the beta 1/beta 2 ratio switched to approximately 20/80. The ratios of beta 1/beta 2 binding sites were always consistent with the rank order of potency of beta-adrenergic agonists in stimulating the adenylate cyclase system. The action of steroid agonists and antagonist suggested a glucocorticoid receptor-mediated mechanism. The beta 1-AR mRNA (3.2 kilobases) was stimulated 3-4.7 times in differentiated cells, as compared with preadipose cells; this beta 1-AR transcript was repressed in dexamethasone-treated cells. The beta 2-AR mRNA species (2.3 kilobases), absent in preadipocytes, was expressed at low levels in untreated adipocytes, but reached 11-fold this level in dexamethasone-exposed cells. The switch in receptor subtype protein and mRNA levels elicited by dexamethasone demonstrates the differential genetic control by glucocorticoids of beta-AR subtype expression in 3T3-F442A cells. We suggest that this regulation of beta-AR gene expression requires interactions of glucocorticoid receptors with specific DNA targets and with one (or several) transcription factor(s) that are cell- and differentiation state-dependent.

Molecular characterization of the human beta 3-adrenergic receptor.

Since the classification of beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) into beta 1 and beta 2 subtypes, additional beta-ARs have been implicated in the control of various metabolic processes by catecholamines. A human gene has been isolated that encodes a third beta-AR, here referred to as the "beta 3-adrenergic receptor." Exposure of eukaryotic cells transfected with this gene to adrenaline or noradrenaline promotes the accumulation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate; only 2 of 11 classical beta-AR blockers efficiently inhibited this effect, whereas two others behaved as beta 3-AR agonists. The potency order of beta-AR agonists for the beta 3-AR correlates with their rank order for stimulating various metabolic processes in tissues where atypical adrenergic sites are thought to exist. In particular, novel beta-AR agonists having high thermogenic, antiobesity, and antidiabetic activities in animal models are among the most potent stimulators of the beta 3-AR.