Ivone Gomes

G-protein-coupled receptor dimerization: Modulation of receptor function

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest family of transmembrane receptors in the human genome that respond to a plethora of signals, including neurotransmitters, peptide hormones, and odorants, to name a few. They couple to second messenger signaling cascade mechanisms via heterotrimeric G-proteins. Recently, many studies have revealed that GPCRs exist as dimers, which may be present as homo- or heterodimers/oligomers. These recent findings have been met with skepticism, since they are contradictory to the dogma that GPCRs function as monomers. Although the existence of GPCR dimers/oligomers was predicted from early pharmacological and biochemical studies, further studies to critically evaluate this phenomenon were impeded by the lack of appropriate reagents. The availability of cDNAs for GPCRs, of highly selective ligands and of antibodies for these receptors has made it possible to visualize and investigate the functional effects of GPCR oligomers. Pharmacological studies, along with biochemical techniques, such as cross-linking and immunoprecipitation with differentially epitope-tagged receptors, have been employed to demonstrate the oligomerization of a number of GPCRs. Moreover, recent biophysical techniques, such as bioluminescence and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, now make it possible to examine GPCR dimerization/oligomerization in living cells. In this review, we provide a brief overview of some of the techniques employed to describe GPCR dimers, and we discuss their respective limitations. We also examine the implications of dimerization/oligomerization on GPCR function. In addition, we discuss domains of the receptors that are thought to facilitate dimerization/oligomerization. Finally, we consider recent evidence for the subcellular localization of the dimer/oligomer assembly.

μ opioid and CB1 cannabinoid receptor interactions: reciprocal inhibition of receptor signaling and neuritogenesis

1 Several studies have described functional interactions between opioid and cannabinoid receptors; the underlying mechanism(s) have not been well explored. One possible mechanism is direct receptor–receptor interactions, as has been demonstrated for a number of G‐protein‐coupled receptors. 2 In order to investigate interactions between opioid and cannabinoid receptors, we epitope tagged μ, δ and κ opioid receptors with Renilla luciferase and CB1 cannabinoid or CCR5 chemokine receptors with yellow fluorescent protein and examined the extent of substrate hydrolysis induced bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) signal. 3 We find that coexpression of opioid receptors with cannabinoid receptors, but not with chemokine receptors, leads to a significant increase in the level of BRET signal, suggesting that the opioid–cannabinoid interactions are receptor specific. 4 In order to examine the implications of these interactions to signaling, we used GTPγS binding and mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation assays and examined the effect of receptor activation on signaling. 5 We find that the μ receptor‐mediated signaling is attenuated by the CB1 receptor agonist; this effect is reciprocal and is seen in heterologous cells and endogenous tissue expressing both receptors. 6 In order to explore the physiological consequences of this interaction, we examined the effect of receptor activation on the extent of Src and STAT3 phosphorylation and neuritogenesis in Neuro‐2A cells. 7 We find that the simultaneous activation of μ opioid and CB1 cannabinoid receptors leads to a significant attenuation of the response seen upon activation of individual receptors, implicating a role for receptor–receptor interactions in modulating neuritogenesis.

Hemopressin is an inverse agonist of CB1 cannabinoid receptors.

To date, the endogenous ligands described for cannabinoid receptors have been derived from membrane lipids. To identify a peptide ligand for CB1 cannabinoid receptors, we used the recently described conformation-state sensitive antibodies and screened a panel of endogenous peptides from rodent brain or adipose tissue. This led to the identification of hemopressin (PVNFKFLSH) as a peptide ligand that selectively binds CB1 cannabinoid receptors. We find that hemopressin is a CB1 receptor-selective antagonist, because it is able to efficiently block signaling by CB1 receptors but not by other members of family A G protein-coupled receptors (including the closely related CB2 receptors). Hemopressin also behaves as an inverse agonist of CB1 receptors, because it is able to block the constitutive activity of these receptors to the same extent as its well characterized antagonist, rimonabant. Finally, we examine the activity of hemopressin in vivo using different models of pain and find that it exhibits antinociceptive effects when administered by either intrathecal, intraplantar, or oral routes, underscoring hemopressins therapeutic potential. These results represent a demonstration of a peptide ligand for CB1 cannabinoid receptors that also exhibits analgesic properties. These findings are likely to have a profound impact on the development of novel therapeutics targeting CB1 receptors.

G protein coupled receptor dimerization: implications in modulating receptor function

Abstract Protein-protein interactions are involved in the regulation of a large number of biological processes. It is well established that a variety of cell surface receptors interact with each other to form dimers, and that this is essential for their activation. Although the existence of G protein coupled receptor dimers was predicted from early pharmacological and biochemical analysis, solid evidence supporting dimerization has come within the past few years following the cloning of G protein coupled receptor cDNAs. Using differential epitope tagging and selective immunoisolation of receptor complexes, dimerization of a number of G protein coupled receptors including members of the rhodopsin, secretin, and metabotropic glutamate receptor families have been reported. More recently fluorescence or bioluminescence resonance energy transfer techniques have been used to examine dimerization of these receptors in live cells. These studies have found that whereas in some cases there is an agonist induced increase in the level of dimers, in others there is a decrease or no change in dimer levels. Several recent studies have also reported the ability of related members of G protein coupled receptors to heterodimerize. These heterodimers exhibit distinct physical and functional properties. Examination of possible sites of interactions between receptors has implicated a role for extracellular, transmembrane and/or C-terminal region in dimerization. The functional consequences of dimerization, explored mainly using mutant receptors, have demonstrated a role in modulating agonist affinity, efficacy, and/or trafficking properties. Thus dimerization appears to be a universal phenomenon that provides an additional mechanism for modulation of receptor function as well as cross-talk between G protein coupled receptors.

D2 Receptors Regulate Dopamine Transporter Function via an Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases 1 and 2-Dependent and Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase-Independent Mechanism

The dopamine transporter (DAT) terminates dopamine (DA) neurotransmission by reuptake of DA into presynaptic neurons. Regulation of DA uptake by D2 dopamine receptors (D2R) has been reported. The high affinity of DA and other DAT substrates for the D2R, however, has complicated investigation of the intracellular mechanisms mediating this effect. The present studies used the fluorescent DAT substrate, 4-[4-(diethylamino)-styryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (ASP+) with live cell imaging techniques to identify the role of two D2R-linked signaling pathways, extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), and phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) in mediating D2R regulation of DAT. Addition of the D2/D3 receptor agonist quinpirole (0.1–10 μM) to human embryonic kidney cells coexpressing human DAT and D2 receptor (short splice variant, D2SR) induced a rapid, concentration-dependent and pertussis toxin-sensitive increase in ASP+ accumulation. The D2/D3 agonist (S)-(+)-(4aR, 10bR)-3,4,4a, 10b-tetrahydro-4-propyl-2H,5H-[1]benzopyrano-[4,3-b]-1,4-oxazin-9-ol hydrochloride (PD128907) also increased ASP+ accumulation. D2SR activation increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and Akt, a major target of PI3K. The mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor 2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (PD98059) prevented the quinpirole-evoked increase in ASP+ accumulation, whereas inhibition of PI3K was without effect. Fluorescence flow cytometry and biotinylation studies revealed a rapid increase in DAT cell-surface expression in response to D2R stimulation. These experiments demonstrate that D2SR stimulation increases DAT cell surface expression and therefore enhances substrate clearance. Furthermore, they show that the increase in DAT function is ERK1/2-dependent but PI3K-independent. Our data also suggest the possibility of a direct physical interaction between DAT and D2R. Together, these results suggest a novel mechanism by which D2SRautoreceptors may regulate DAT in the central nervous system.

Increased abundance of opioid receptor heteromers after chronic morphine administration.

The μ-δ opioid heteromer may be a target for alleviation of chronic pain. Drug-Induced Heteromers Opioid receptors are G protein–coupled receptors and are divided into μ, δ, and κ subtypes. Homomers of μ or δ receptors signal through a Gαi-mediated pathway; however, these receptor subtypes can also form heteromers that signal through Gαz- or β-arrestin2–mediated pathways. Although morphine analgesia is mediated primarily through the μ receptor, δ receptor ligands can potentiate μ receptor–mediated signaling, suggesting that the μ-δ heteromer may also be involved in morphine analgesia. Gupta et al. developed an antibody that selectively recognizes μ-δ heteromers and found that the abundance of the μ-δ heteromer in mice increased with chronic administration of morphine. These increases were detected in regions of the brain that are involved in the modulation of pain transmission. These results suggest that the μ-δ heteromer may be a candidate for therapies to alleviate chronic pain syndromes. The μ and δ types of opioid receptors form heteromers that exhibit pharmacological and functional properties distinct from those of homomeric receptors. To characterize these complexes in the brain, we generated antibodies that selectively recognize the μ-δ heteromer and blocked its in vitro signaling. With these antibodies, we showed that chronic, but not acute, morphine treatment caused an increase in the abundance of μ-δ heteromers in key areas of the central nervous system that are implicated in pain processing. Because of its distinct signaling properties, the μ-δ heteromer could be a therapeutic target in the treatment of chronic pain and addiction.

Novel endogenous peptide agonists of cannabinoid receptors

Hemopressin (Hp), a 9‐residue α‐hemoglobin‐derived peptide, was previously reported to function as a CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist (1). In this study, we report that mass spectrometry (MS) data from peptidomics analyses of mouse brain extracts identified N‐terminally extended forms of Hp containing either three (RVD‐Hpa) or two (VD‐Hpa) additional amino acids, as well as a β‐hemoglobin‐derived peptide with sequence similarity to that of hemopressin (VD‐Hpβ). Characterization of the α‐hemoglobin‐derived peptides using binding and functional assays shows that in contrast to Hp, which functions as a CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist, both RVD‐Hpa and VD‐Hpα function as agonists. Studies examining the increase in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 levels or release of intracellular Ca2+ indicate that these peptides activate a signal transduction pathway distinct from that activated by the endocannabinoid, 2‐arachidonoylglycerol, or the classic CB1 agonist, Hu‐210. This finding suggests an additional mode of regulation of endogenous cannabinoid receptor activity. Taken together, these results suggest that the CB1 receptor is involved in the integration of signals from both lipid‐ and peptide‐derived signaling molecules.—Gomes, I., Grushko, J. S., Golebiewska, U., Hoogendoorn, S., Gupta, A., Heimann, A. S., Ferro, E. S., Scarlata, S., Fricker, L. D., Devi, L. A. Novel endogenous peptide agonists of cannabinoid receptors. FASEB J. 23, 3020–3029 (2009). www.fasebj.org

Conformation State-sensitive Antibodies to G-protein-coupled Receptors

A growing body of evidence indicates that G-protein-coupled receptors undergo complex conformational changes upon agonist activation. It is likely that the extracellular region, including the N terminus, undergoes activation-dependent conformational changes. We examined this by generating antibodies to regions within the N terminus of μ-opioid receptors. We find that antibodies to the midportion of the N-terminal tail exhibit enhanced recognition of activated receptors, whereas those to the distal regions do not. The enhanced recognition is abolished upon treatment with agents that block G-protein coupling or deglycosylate the receptor. This suggests that the N-terminal region of μ receptors undergoes conformational changes following receptor activation that can be selectively detected by these region-specific antibodies. We used these antibodies to characterize μ receptor type-specific ligands and find that the antibodies accurately differentiate ligands with varying efficacies. Next, we examined if these antibodies can be used to investigate the extent and duration of activation of endogenous receptors. We find that peripheral morphine administration leads to a time-dependent increase in antibody binding in the striatum and prefrontal cortex with a peak at about 30 min, indicating that these antibodies can be used to probe the spatio-temporal dynamics of native μ receptors. Finally, we show that this strategy of targeting the N-terminal region to generate receptor conformation-specific antisera can be applied to other Gαi-coupled (δ-opioid, CB1 cannabinoid, α2A-adrenergic) as well as Gαs-(β2-adrenergic) and Gαq-coupled (AT1 angiotensin) receptors. Taken together, these studies describe antisera as tools that allow, for the first time, studies probing differential conformation states of G-protein-coupled receptors, which could be used to identify molecules of therapeutic interest.

AT1R–CB1R heteromerization reveals a new mechanism for the pathogenic properties of angiotensin II

The mechanism of G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) signal integration is controversial. While GPCR assembly into hetero‐oligomers facilitates signal integration of different receptor types, cross‐talk between Gαi‐ and Gαq‐coupled receptors is often thought to be oligomerization independent. In this study, we examined the mechanism of signal integration between the Gαi‐coupled type I cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) and the Gαq‐coupled AT1R. We find that these two receptors functionally interact, resulting in the potentiation of AT1R signalling and coupling of AT1R to multiple G proteins. Importantly, using several methods, that is, co‐immunoprecipitation and resonance energy transfer assays, as well as receptor‐ and heteromer‐selective antibodies, we show that AT1R and CB1R form receptor heteromers. We examined the physiological relevance of this interaction in hepatic stellate cells from ethanol‐administered rats in which CB1R is upregulated. We found a significant upregulation of AT1R–CB1R heteromers and enhancement of angiotensin II‐mediated signalling, as compared with cells from control animals. Moreover, blocking CB1R activity prevented angiotensin II‐mediated mitogenic signalling and profibrogenic gene expression. These results provide a molecular basis for the pivotal role of heteromer‐dependent signal integration in pathology.

Oligomerization of opioid receptors

Opioid receptors belong to the family of G-protein-coupled receptors characterized by their seven transmembrane domains. The activation of these receptors by agonists such as morphine and endogenous opioid peptides leads to the activation of inhibitory G-proteins followed by a decrease in the levels of intracellular cAMP. Opioid receptor activation is also associated with the opening of K(+) channels and the inhibition of Ca(2+) channels. A number of investigations, prior to the development of opioid receptor cDNAs, suggested that opioid receptor types interacted with each other. Early pharmacological studies provided evidence for the probable interaction between opioid receptors. More recent studies using receptor selective antagonists, antisense oligonucleotides, or animals lacking opioid receptors further suggested that interactions between opioid receptor types could modulate their activity. We examined opioid receptor interactions using biochemical, biophysical, and pharmacological techniques. We used differential epitope tagging and selective immunoisolation of receptor complexes to demonstrate homotypic and heterotypic interactions between opioid receptor types. We also used the proximity-based bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay to explore opioid receptor-receptor interactions in living cells. In this article we describe the biochemical and biophysical methods involved in the detection of receptor dimers. We also address some of the concerns and suggest precautions to be taken in studies examining receptor-receptor interactions.