MRAP2 Inhibits ß-Arrestin-2 Recruitment to the Prokineticin Receptor 2.

Melanocortin receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2) is a membrane protein that binds multiple G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) involved in the control of energy homeostasis, including prokineticin receptors. These GPCRs are expressed both centrally and peripherally, and their endogenous ligands are prokineticin 1 (PK1) and prokineticin 2 (PK2). PKRs couple all G-protein subtypes, such as Gαq/11, Gαs, and Gαi, and recruit ß-arrestins upon PK2 stimulation, although the interaction between PKR2 and ß-arrestins does not trigger receptor internalisation. MRAP2 inhibits the anorexigenic effect of PK2 by binding PKR1 and PKR2. The aim of this work was to elucidate the role of MRAP2 in modulating PKR2-induced ß-arrestin-2 recruitment and ß-arrestin-mediated signalling. This study could allow the identification of new specific targets for potential new drugs useful for the treatment of the various pathologies correlated with prokineticin, in particular, obesity.

Functional Interaction between Adenosine A2A and mGlu5 Receptors Mediates STEP Phosphatase Activation and Promotes STEP/mGlu5R Binding in Mouse Hippocampus and Neuroblastoma Cell Line.

(1) Background: Recently, we found that adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) stimulation results in an increase in STEP phosphatase activity. In order to delve into the mechanism through which A2AR stimulation induced STEP activation, we investigated the involvement of mGlu5R since it is well documented that A2AR and mGlu5R physically and functionally interact in several brain areas. (2) Methods: In a neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) and in mouse hippocampal slices, we evaluated the enzymatic activity of STEP by using a para-nitrophenyl phosphate colorimetric assay. A co-immunoprecipitation assay and a Western blot analysis were used to evaluate STEP/mGlu5R binding. (3) Results: We found that the A2AR-dependent activation of STEP was mediated by the mGlu5R. Indeed, the A2AR agonist CGS 21680 significantly increased STEP activity, and this effect was prevented not only by the A2AR antagonist ZM 241385, as expected, but also by the mGlu5R antagonist MPEP. In addition, we found that mGlu5R agonist DHPG-induced STEP activation was reversed not only by the mGlu5R antagonist MPEP but also by ZM 241385. Finally, via co-immunoprecipitation experiments, we found that mGlu5R and STEP physically interact when both receptors are activated (4) Conclusions: These results demonstrated a close functional interaction between mGlu5 and A2A receptors in the modulation of STEP activity.

Insight into the Role of the STriatal-Enriched Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase (STEP) in A2A Receptor-Mediated Effects in the Central Nervous System.

The STriatal-Enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase STEP is a brain-specific tyrosine phosphatase that plays a pivotal role in the mechanisms of learning and memory, and it has been demonstrated to be involved in several neuropsychiatric diseases. Recently, we found a functional interaction between STEP and adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR), a subtype of the adenosine receptor family widely expressed in the central nervous system, where it regulates motor behavior and cognition, and plays a role in cell survival and neurodegeneration. Specifically, we demonstrated the involvement of STEP in A2AR-mediated cocaine effects in the striatum and, more recently, we found that in the rat striatum and hippocampus, as well as in a neuroblastoma cell line, the overexpression of the A2AR, or its stimulation, results in an increase in STEP activity. In the present article we will discuss the functional implication of this interaction, trying to examine the possible mechanisms involved in this relation between STEP and A2ARs.

Prokineticin receptors interact unselectively with several G protein subtypes but bind selectively to ß-arrestin 2.

Prokineticin 1 (pk1) and prokineticin 2 (pk2) interact with two structurally related G-protein coupled receptors, prokineticin receptor 1 (PKR1) and prokineticin receptor 2 (PKR2). Cellular signalling studies show that the activated receptors can evoke Ca2+-mobilization, pertussis toxin-sensitive ERK phosphorylation, and intracellular cAMP accumulation, which suggests the partecipation of several G protein subtypes, such as Gq/11, Gi/o and Gs. However, direct interactions with these transduction proteins have not been studied yet. Here we measured by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) the association of PKR1 and PKR2 with different heterotrimeric Gα proteins in response to pk1 and pk2 activation. Using host-cell lines carrying gene deletions of Gαq/11 or Gαs, and pertussis toxin treatment to abolish the receptor interactions with Gαi/o, we determined that both receptors could couple with comparable efficiency to Gq/11 and Gi/o, but far less efficiently to Gs or other pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. We also used BRET methodology to assess the association of prokineticin receptors with ß-arrestin isoforms. Fluorescent versions of the isoforms were transfected both in HEK293 cells and in double KO ß-arrestin 1/2 mouse fibroblasts, to study receptor interaction with the reconstituted individual ß-arrestins without background expression of the endogenous genes. Both receptors formed stable BRET-emitting complexes with ß-arrestin 2 but not with ß-arrestin 1, indicating strong selectivity for the former. In all the studied transducer interactions and in both receptors, pk2 was more potent than pk1 in promoting receptor binding to transduction proteins.

Divergent agonist selectivity in activating ß1- and ß2-adrenoceptors for G-protein and arrestin coupling.

The functional selectivity of adrenergic ligands for activation of ß1- and ß2-AR (adrenoceptor) subtypes has been extensively studied in cAMP signalling. Much less is known about ligand selectivity for arrestin-mediated signalling pathways. In the present study we used resonance energy transfer methods to compare the ability of ß1- and ß2-ARs to form a complex with the G-protein ß-subunit or ß-arrestin-2 in response to a variety of agonists with various degrees of efficacy. The profiles of ß1-/ß2-AR selectivity of the ligands for the two receptor-transducer interactions were sharply different. For G-protein coupling, the majority of ligands were more effective in activating the ß2-AR, whereas for arrestin coupling the relationship was reversed. These data indicate that the ß1-AR interacts more efficiently than ß2-AR with arrestin, but less efficiently than ß2-AR with G-protein. A group of ligands exhibited ß1-AR-selective efficacy in driving the coupling to arrestin. Dobutamine, a member of this group, had 70% of the adrenaline (epinephrine) effect on arrestin via ß1-AR, but acted as a competitive antagonist of adrenaline via ß2-AR. Thus the structure of such ligands appears to induce an arrestin-interacting form of the receptor only when bound to the ß1-AR subtype.

Morphine-like opiates selectively antagonize receptor-arrestin interactions.

The addictive potential of opioids may be related to their differential ability to induce G protein signaling and endocytosis. We compared the ability of 20 ligands (sampled from the main chemical classes of opioids) to promote the association of mu and delta receptors with G protein or beta-arrestin 2. Receptor-arrestin binding was monitored by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) in intact cells, where pertussis toxin experiments indicated that the interaction was minimally affected by receptor signaling. To assess receptor-G protein coupling without competition from arrestins, we employed a cell-free BRET assay using membranes isolated from cells expressing luminescent receptors and fluorescent Gbeta(1). In this system, the agonist-induced enhancement of BRET (indicating shortening of distance between the two proteins) was G alpha-mediated (as shown by sensitivity to pertussis toxin and guanine nucleotides) and yielded data consistent with the known pharmacology of the ligands. We found marked differences of efficacy for G protein and arrestin, with a pattern suggesting more restrictive structural requirements for arrestin efficacy. The analysis of such differences identified a subset of structures showing a marked discrepancy between efficacies for G protein and arrestin. Addictive opiates like morphine and oxymorphone exhibited large differences both at delta and mu receptors. Thus, they were effective agonists for G protein coupling but acted as competitive enkephalins antagonists (delta) or partial agonists (mu) for arrestin. This arrestin-selective antagonism resulted in inhibition of short and long term events mediated by arrestin, such as rapid receptor internalization and down-regulation.

Delayed internalization and lack of recycling in a beta2-adrenergic receptor fused to the G protein alpha-subunit.

BACKGROUND: Chimeric proteins obtained by the fusion of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) sequence to the N-terminus of the G protein alpha-subunit have been extensively used to investigate several aspects of GPCR signalling. Although both the receptor and the G protein generally maintain a fully functional state in such polypeptides, original observations made using a chimera between the beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) and Galphas indicated that the fusion to the alpha-subunit resulted in a marked reduction of receptor desensitization and down-regulation. To further investigate this phenomenon, we have compared the rates of internalization and recycling between wild-type and Galphas-fused beta2AR. RESULTS: The rate of agonist-induced internalization, measured as the disappearance of cell surface immunofluorescence in HEK293 cells permanently expressing N-terminus tagged receptors, was reduced three-fold by receptor-G protein fusion. However, both fused and non-fused receptors translocated to the same endocytic compartment, as determined by dual-label confocal analysis of cells co-expressing both proteins and transferrin co-localization. Receptor recycling, determined as the reversion of surface immunofluorescence following the addition of antagonist to cells that were previously exposed to agonist, markedly differed between wild-type and fused receptors. While most of the internalized beta2AR returned rapidly to the plasma membrane, beta2AR-Galphas did not recycle, and the observed slow recovery for the fusion protein immunofluorescence was entirely accounted for by protein synthesis. CONCLUSION: The covalent linkage between beta2AR and Galphas does not appear to alter the initial endocytic translocation of the two proteins, although there is reduced efficiency. It does, however, completely disrupt the process of receptor and G protein recycling. We conclude that the physical separation between receptor and Galpha is not necessary for the transit to early endosomes, but is an essential requirement for the correct post-endocytic sorting and recycling of the two proteins.

Non-gonadotropin-releasing hormone-mediated transcription and secretion of large human glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit in human embryonic kidney-293 cells.

To identify genes that are most responsive to a sustained activation of a G(s) protein-coupled receptor, HEK293 cells were stably transfected with the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor and stimulated with agonist isoproterenol (1 mum). A microarray study indicated that the gene with the highest stimulation index (500-fold) encoded the common alpha-subunit of human glycoprotein hormones (GPHalpha). Induction of GPHalpha transcription in response to cAMP elevations resulted in a dramatic increase (600-fold) of protein secretion as shown by RT-PCR and a highly specific time-resolved immunofluorometric assay. Cloning and sequencing of the GPHalpha cDNA and mass spectrometric analysis of HPLC-purified GPHalpha derived from serum-free HEK293-beta(2)-adrenergic receptor-stimulated cells verified the nature of the molecule. Enzymatic deglycosylation with subsequent Western blots revealed that this was a large hyperglycosylated form of GPHalpha that had not been associated with a beta-subunit previously. This uncombined variant is known to be either cosecreted with GPHs from the pituitary, the placenta, and a variety of tumors or secreted without GPHs from APUD cells and rare tumors. Moreover, it is similar to GPHalpha found at high concentrations in seminal plasma. As shown by a panel of endogenous or transfected G protein-coupled receptors in HEK293 cells, the expression of large GPHalpha was controlled by G(s)- and G(q)- but not G(i)-dependent receptors and mediated via cAMP and Ca(++) release. This suggests that Gq- or G(s)-coupled receptors other than the classical GnRH receptor may play a role in the regulation of nonpituitary, nonplacental GPHalpha secretion under physiological and pathological conditions.

Functional complementation of high-efficiency resonance energy transfer: a new tool for the study of protein binding interactions in living cells.

Green bioluminescence in Renilla species is generated by a approximately 100% efficient RET (resonance energy transfer) process that is caused by the direct association of a blue-emitting luciferase [Rluc (Renilla luciferase)] and an RGFP (Renilla green fluorescent protein). Despite the high efficiency, such a system has never been evaluated as a potential reporter of protein-protein interactions. To address the question, we compared and analysed in mammalian cells the bioluminescence of Rluc and RGFP co-expressed as free native proteins, or as fused single-chain polypeptides and tethered partners of self-assembling coiled coils. Here, we show that: (i) no spontaneous interactions generating detectable BRET (bioluminescence RET) signals occur between the free native proteins; (ii) high-efficiency BRET similar to that observed in Renilla occurs in both fusion proteins and self-interacting chimaeras, but only if the N-terminal of RGFP is free; (iii) the high-efficiency BRET interaction is associated with a dramatic increase in light output when the luminescent reaction is triggered by low-quantum yield coelenterazine analogues. Here, we propose a new functional complementation assay based on the detection of the high-efficiency BRET signal that is generated when the reporters Rluc and RGFP are brought into close proximity by a pair of interacting proteins to which they are linked. To demonstrate its performance, we implemented the assay to measure the interaction between GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors) and beta-arrestins. We show that complementation-induced BRET allows detection of the GPCR-beta-arrestin interaction in a simple luminometric assay with high signal-to-noise ratio, good dynamic range and rapid response.

Autocrine-paracrine VEGF loops potentiate the maturation of megakaryocytic precursors through Flt1 receptor.

The expression/function of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors (VEGFR1/Flt1 and VEGFR2/KDR/Flk1) in hematopoiesis is under scrutiny. We have investigated the expression of Flt1 and kinase domain receptor (KDR) on hematopoietic precursors, as evaluated in liquid culture of CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) induced to unilineage differentiation/maturation through the erythroid (E), megakaryocytic (Mk), granulocytic (G), or monocytic (Mo) lineage. KDR, expressed on 0.5% to 1.5% CD34(+) cells, is rapidly downmodulated on induction of differentiation. Similarly, Flt1 is present at very low levels in HPCs and is downmodulated in E and G lineages; however, Flt1 is induced in the precursors of both Mo and Mk series; ie, its level progressively increases during Mo maturation, and it peaks at the initial-intermediate culture stages in the Mk lineage. Functional experiments indicate that Mk and E, but not G and Mo, precursors release significant amounts of VEGF in the culture medium, particularly at low O(2) levels. The functional role of VEGF release on Mk maturation is indicated by 2 series of observations. (1) Molecules preventing the VEGF-Flt1 interaction on the precursor membrane (eg, soluble Flt1 receptors) significantly inhibit Mk polyploidization. (2) Addition of exogenous VEGF or placenta growth factor (PlGF) markedly potentiates Mk maturation. Conversely, VEGF does not modify Mo differentiation/maturation. Altogether, our results suggest that in the hematopoietic microenvironment an autocrine VEGF loop contributes to optimal Mk maturation through Flt1. A paracrine loop involving VEGF release by E precursors may also operate. Similarly, recent studies indicate that an autocrine loop involving VEGF and Flt1/Flk1 receptors mediates hematopoietic stem cell survival and differentiation.