Hans-Jürgen Kreienkamp

Identification of melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) as the natural ligand for the orphan somatostatin-like receptor 1 (SLC-1).

To identify possible ligands of the orphan somatostatin‐like receptor 1 (SLC‐1), rat brain extracts were analyzed by using the functional expression system of Xenopus oocytes injected with cRNAs encoding SLC‐1 and G protein‐gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK). A strong inward current was observed with crude rat brain extracts which upon further purification by cation exchange chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) yielded two peptides with a high agonist activity. Mass spectrometry and partial peptide sequencing revealed that one peptide is identical with the neuropeptide melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), the other represents a truncated version of MCH lacking the three N‐terminal amino acid residues. Xenopus oocytes expressing the MCH receptor responded to nM concentrations of synthetic MCH not only by the activation of GIRK‐mediated currents but also by the induction of Ca2+ dependent chloride currents mediated by phospholipase C. This indicates that the MCH receptor can couple either to the Gi‐ or Gq‐mediated signal transduction pathway, suggesting that MCH may serve for a number of distinct brain functions including food uptake behavior.

Reverse physiology in drosophila: identification of a novel allatostatin-like neuropeptide and its cognate receptor structurally related to the mammalian somatostatin/galanin/opioid receptor family.

By using degenerate oligonucleotide primers deduced from the conserved regions of the mammalian somatostatin receptors, a novel G‐protein‐coupled receptor from Drosophila melanogaster has been isolated exhibiting structural similarities to mammalian somatostatin/galanin/opioid receptors. To identify the bioactive ligand, a ‘reverse physiology’ strategy was used whereby orphan Drosophila receptor‐expressing frog oocytes were screened against potential ligands. Agonistic activity was electrophysiologically recorded as inward potassium currents mediated through co‐expressed G‐protein‐gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK). Using this approach a novel peptide was purified from Drosophila head extracts. Mass spectrometry revealed an octapeptide of 925 Da with a sequence Ser‐Arg‐Pro‐Tyr‐Ser‐Phe‐Gly‐Leu‐NH2 reminiscent of insect allatostatin peptides known to control diverse functions such as juvenile hormone synthesis during metamorphosis or visceral muscle contractions. Picomolar concentrations of the synthesized octapeptide activated the cognate receptor response mediated through GIRK1, indicating that we have isolated the 394‐amino‐acid Drosophila allatostatin receptor which is coupled to the Gi/Go class of G proteins.

Somatostatin Receptor Interacting Protein Defines a Novel Family of Multidomain Proteins Present in Human and Rodent Brain

By using the yeast two-hybrid system we identified a novel protein from the human brain interacting with the C terminus of somatostatin receptor subtype 2. This protein termed somatostatin receptor interacting protein is characterized by a novel domain structure, consisting of six N-terminal ankyrin repeats followed by SH3 and PDZ domains, several proline-rich regions, and a C-terminal sterile α motif. It consists of 2185 amino acid residues encoded by a 9-kilobase pair mRNA; several splice variants have been detected in human and rat cDNA libraries. Sequence comparison suggests that the novel multidomain protein, together with cortactin-binding protein, forms a family of cytoskeletal anchoring proteins. Fractionation of rat brain membranes indicated that somatostatin receptor interacting protein is enriched in the postsynaptic density fraction. The interaction of somatostatin receptor subtype 2 with its interacting protein was verified by overlay assays and coimmunoprecipitation experiments from transfected human embryonic kidney cells. Somatostatin receptor subtype 2 and the interacting protein display a striking overlap of their expression patterns in the rat brain. Interestingly, in the hippocampus the mRNA for somatostatin receptor interacting protein was not confined to the cell bodies but was also observed in the molecular layer, suggesting a dendritic localization of this mRNA.

Differential expression and dendritic transcript localization of Shank family members: identification of a dendritic targeting element in the 3′ untranslated region of Shank1 mRNA

Shank proteins are scaffolding proteins in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain. In situ hybridization revealed that Shank1/SSTRIP and Shank2/ProSAP1 mRNAs are widely expressed early in postnatal brain development whereas Shank3/ProSAP2 expression increases during postnatal development especially in the cerebellum and thalamus. Shank1 and Shank3 (but not Shank2) mRNAs are present in the molecular layers of the hippocampus, consistent with a dendritic transcript localization. Shank1 and Shank2 transcripts are detectable in the dendritic fields of Purkinje cells, whereas Shank3 mRNA is restricted to cerebellar granule cells. The appearance of dendritic Shank mRNAs in cerebellar Purkinje cells coincides with the onset of dendrite formation. Expression of reporter transcripts in hippocampal neurons identifies a 200-nucleotide dendritic targeting element (DTE) in the Shank1 mRNA. The widespread presence of Shank mRNAs in dendrites suggests a role for local synthesis of Shanks in response to stimuli that induce alterations in synaptic morphology.

Functional Annotation of Two Orphan G-protein-coupled Receptors, Drostar1 and -2, from Drosophila melanogaster and Their Ligands by Reverse Pharmacology

By combining a Drosophila genome data base search and reverse transcriptase-PCR-based cDNA isolation, two G-protein-coupled receptors were cloned, which are the closest known invertebrate homologs of the mammalian opioid/somatostatin receptors. However, when functionally expressed in Xenopus oocytes by injection of Drosophila orphan receptor RNAs together with a coexpressed potassium channel, neither receptor was activated by known mammalian agonists. By applying a reverse pharmacological approach, the physiological ligands were isolated from peptide extracts from adult flies and larvae. Edman sequencing and mass spectrometry of the purified ligands revealed two decapentapeptides, which differ only by an N-terminal pyroglutamate/glutamine. The peptides align to a hormone precursor sequence of the Drosophila genome data base and are almost identical to allatostatin C from Manduca sexta. Both receptors were activated by the synthetic peptides irrespective of the N-terminal modification. Site-directed mutagenesis of a residue in transmembrane region 3 and the loop between transmembrane regions 6 and 7 affect ligand binding, as previously described for somatostatin receptors. The two receptor genes each containing three exons and transcribed in opposite directions are separated by 80 kb with no other genes predicted between. Localization of receptor transcripts identifies a role of the new transmitter system in visual information processing as well as endocrine regulation.

Somatostatin receptor subtype 1 modulates basal inhibition of growth hormone release in somatotrophs

Somatostatin (SST) inhibits the secretion of many peptide hormones including growth hormone (GH). The various functions of SST are mediated through at least five different receptor subtypes (SSTR1–5), their precise physiological roles have not been solved yet. Here we report on studies concerning the functional role of SSTR1 in the modulation of GH release from somatotrophs. Primary cell cultures from pituitaries of wild‐type SSTR1 mice exposed to the SSTR1 selective somatostatin analog CH‐275 show reduction of basal levels of GH secretion whereas somatotrophs isolated from SSTR1 null mutant mice did not respond to the agonist‐mediated effect. This suggests that SSTR1 is involved in modulating basal GH levels in primary pituitary cell cultures and, together with SSTR2, may control the secretion of GH in the body.

Postsynaptic Shank Antagonizes Dendrite Branching Induced by the Leucine-Rich Repeat Protein Densin-180

Leucine-rich repeat and PDZ [postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95)/Discs large/zona occludens-1] domain proteins such as scribble and Densin-180 have been implicated in the establishment of cell-cell contacts. Here, we show that Densin-180, which has been identified as a constituent of the postsynaptic density in excitatory synapses interacts with the postsynaptic scaffold protein shank (shank1-3). The interaction involves a two-point attachment of the C-terminal region of Densin-180 with the Src homology 3 domain and the N-terminal part of the proline-rich region of shank proteins. The N-terminal leucine-rich repeat region, which is not involved in binding shank, targets Densin-180 to the plasma membrane in transfected cells and to the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells. Nevertheless, coexpression of shank leads to a redirection of Densin-180 into intracellular clusters. In cultured hippocampal neurons, Densin-180 overexpression induces excessive branching of neuronal dendrites, which occurs at the expense of clusters for the postsynaptic marker PSD-95. Coexpression of shank3 abrogates branch formation and targets Densin-180 into postsynaptic clusters instead. Shank blocks binding of δ-catenin but not αCaM kinase II to Densin-180; because δ-catenin has been shown to induce branching and neurite formation, our data suggest a mechanism where shank could block the activation of a Densin-180-dependent signaling pathway by δ-catenin.

Coupling of rat somatostatin receptor subtypes to a G-protein gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel (GIRK1).

The five different rat somatostatin receptor subtypes (SSTR1–SSTR5) were coexpressed with a subunit of G‐protein gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel (GIRK1) in Xenopus oocytes. SSTR2–SSTR5, but not SSTR1 coupled efficiently to the activation of GIRK currents when stimulated by SST14 or SST28. A comparison of the dose‐response curves and of the maximum currents obtained indicates that SSTR2 couples most efficiently to this effector, supporting the notion that SSTR2 is involved in activation of potassium conductances by SST in vivo.

The Insulin Receptor Substrate IRSp53 Links Postsynaptic shank1 to the Small G-Protein cdc42☆

The multidomain shank/ProSAP/SSTRIP proteins are major scaffold proteins in glutamatergic synapses in the mammalian brain; expression of shank1/SSTRIP in hippocampal neurons induces morphological changes in dendritic spines, suggesting that shank1 is involved in synapse formation and activity-dependent changes of synaptic structure. Using part of the proline-rich region of shank1 in a yeast two hybrid screen, we identified the insulin receptor substrate IRSp53 as an interaction partner. Overlay assays verified a strong interaction between a proline-rich sequence (residues 911-940) in shank1 and the SH3 domain of IRSp53. When coexpressed in HEK cells, shank1 colocalizes with IRSp53 in intracellular structures, preventing targeting of IRSp53 to filopodia which are induced by IRSp53 expression in the absence of shank1. IRSp53 also binds to the activated form of the small G-protein cdc42. Interestingly, IRSp53 coprecipitates with shank1 from transfected HEK cells in a small G-protein-regulated manner. Thus, IRSp53 constitutes a cdc42-regulated ligand for shank1 which may provide a molecular basis for small G-protein mediated effects on the structure of the postsynaptic complex.

Insulin receptor substrate of 53 kDa links postsynaptic shank to PSD‐95

The insulin receptor substrate of 53 kDa (IRSp53) is a target of the small GTPase cdc42 which is strongly enriched in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. IRSp53 interacts with the postsynaptic shank1 scaffolding molecule in a cdc42 regulated manner. The functional significance of the cdc42/IRSp53 pathway in postsynaptic sites is however, unclear. Here we identify PSD‐95 as a second synaptic interaction partner of IRSp53. Interaction is mediated by a C‐terminal PDZ binding motif in IRSp53 and the second PDZ domain of PSD‐95. In HEK cells, overexpressed IRSp53 induces filopodia and targets PSD‐95 into these processes. Immunoprecipitation and immunocytochemistry experiments demonstrate that the interaction occurs at postsynaptic sites in the brain. By virtue of its PDZ‐binding and SH3 domains, IRSp53 is capable of inducing the formation of a triple complex (shank1/IRSp53/PSD‐95).