The delta e13 isoform of the calcitonin receptor forms a six-transmembrane domain receptor with dominant-negative effects on receptor surface expression and signaling

The CTRdelta e13 splice variant of the rabbit calcitonin receptor, which lacks the 14 amino acids of the seventh transmembrane domain (TMD) that are encoded by exon 13, is poorly expressed on the cell surface, fails to mobilize intracellular calcium or activate Erk, and inhibits the cell surface expression of the full-length C1a isoform. Nuclear magnetic resonance- and fluorescence-activated cell sorter-based experiments showed that the residual seventh TMD of CTRdelta e13 fails to partition into the lipid bilayer, resulting in an extracellular C terminus. Truncating the receptor after residue 397 to delete the cytoplasmic tail resulted in reduced cell surface expression and an inability to mobilize intracellular calcium or activate Erk, but the truncated receptor did not inhibit C1a cell surface expression. In contrast, when the receptor was truncated after residue 374 to eliminate the entire seventh TMD domain and the C-terminal domain, the resulting receptor reduced the cell surface expression of C1a in a manner similar to that of CTRdelta e13. Thus, normal cell surface expression, mobilization of intracellular calcium, and Erk activation requires the cytoplasmic C-terminal tail of the CTR, whereas the absence of the seventh TMD in the transmembrane helical bundle causes the dominant-negative effect on the surface expression of C1a.     

A novel splice variant of Gαq-coupled Bombyx CAPA-PVK receptor 1 functions as a specific Gαi/o-linked receptor for CAPA-PK

Alternative splicing enables G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) genes to greatly increase the number of structurally and functionally distinct receptor isoforms. However, the functional role and relevance of the individual GPCR splice variants in regulating physiological processes are still to be assessed. A naturally occurring alternative splice variant of Bombyx CAPA-PVK receptor, BomCAPA-PVK-R1-Δ341, has been shown to act as a dominant-negative protein to regulate cell surface expression and function of the canonical CAPA-PVK receptor. Herein, using functional assays, we identify the splice variant Δ341 as a specific receptor for neuropeptide CAPA-PK, and upon activation, Δ341 signals to ERK1/2 pathway. Further characterization demonstrates that Δ341 couples to Gαi/o, distinct from the Gαq-coupled canonical CAPA-PVK receptor, triggering ERK1/2 phosphorylation through Gβγ-PI3K-PKCζ signaling cascade. Moreover, our ELISA data show that the ligand-dependent internalization of the splice variant Δ341 is significantly impaired due to lack of GRKs-mediated phosphorylation sites. Our findings highlight the potential of this knowledge for molecular, pharmacological and physiological studies on GPCR splice variants in the future.     

Functionally diverse complement of large conductance calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channel (BK) alpha-subunits generated from a single site of splicing

The pore-forming alpha-subunits of large conductance calcium- and voltage-activated potassium (BK) channels are encoded by a single gene that undergoes extensive alternative pre-mRNA splicing. However, the extent to which differential exon usage at a single site of splicing may confer functionally distinct properties on BK channels is largely unknown. Here we demonstrated that alternative splicing at site of splicing C2 in the mouse BK channel C terminus generates five distinct splice variants: ZERO, e20, e21(STREX), e22, and a novel variant deltae23. Splice variants display distinct patterns of tissue distribution with e21(STREX) expressed at the highest levels in adult endocrine tissues and e22 at embryonic stages of mouse development. deltae23 is not functionally expressed at the cell surface and acts as a dominant negative of cell surface expression by trapping other BK channel splice variant alpha-subunits in the endoplasmic reticulum and perinuclear compartments. Splice variants display a range of biophysical properties. e21(STREX) and e22 variants display a significant left shift (>20 mV at 1 microM [Ca2+]i) in half-maximal voltage of activation compared with ZERO and e20 as well as considerably slower rates of deactivation. Splice variants are differentially sensitive to phosphorylation by endogenous cAMP-dependent protein kinase; ZERO, e20, and e22 variants are all activated, whereas e21 (STREX) is the only variant that is inhibited. Thus alternative pre-mRNA splicing from a single site of splicing provides a mechanism to generate a physiologically diverse complement of BK channel alpha-subunits that differ dramatically in their tissue distribution, trafficking, and regulation.     

Phosphorylation-independent regulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2

The accepted paradigm for G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK)-mediated desensitization of G protein-coupled receptors involves GRK-mediated receptor phosphorylation followed by the binding of arrestin proteins. Although GRKs contribute to metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) inactivation, beta-arrestins do not appear to be required for mGluR1 G protein uncoupling. Therefore, we investigated whether the phosphorylation of serine and threonine residues localized within the C terminus of mGluR1a is sufficient to allow GRK2-mediated attenuation of mGluR1a signaling. We find that the truncation of the mGluR1a C-terminal tail prevents mGluR1a phosphorylation and that GRK2 does not contribute to the phosphorylation of an mGluR1 splice variant (mGluR1b). However, mGluR1a-866Delta- and mGluR1b-stimulated inositol phosphate formation is attenuated following GRK2 expression. The expression of the GRK2 C-terminal domain to block membrane translocation of endogenous GRK2 increases mGluR1a-866Delta- and mGluR1b-stimulated inositol phosphate formation, presumably by blocking membrane translocation of GRK2. In contrast, expression of the kinase-deficient GRK2-K220R mutant inhibits inositol phosphate formation by these unphosphorylated receptors. Expression of the GRK2 N-terminal domain (residues 45-185) also attenuates both constitutive and agonist-stimulated mGluR1a, mGluR1a-866Delta, and mGluR1b signaling, and the GRK2 N terminus co-precipitates with mGluR1a. Taken together, our observations indicate that attenuation of mGluR1 signaling by GRK2 is phosphorylation-independent and that the interaction of the N-terminal domain of GRK2 with mGluR1 contributes to the regulation of mGluR1 G protein coupling.     

The truncated ghrelin receptor polypeptide (GHS-R1b) acts as a dominant-negative mutant of the ghrelin receptor

The dimerization properties of the ghrelin receptor (GRLN-R) and its non-signalling, naturally occurring, truncated splice variant (GHS-R1b) have been investigated in human embryonic kidney 293 cells heterologously expressing these proteins. Using the techniques of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer and co-immunoprecipitation, we detected the formation of GRLN-R homodimers and GRLN-R/GHS-R1b heterodimers, but ghrelin-induced conformational changes were only detected in the GRLN-R homodimers. When the expression of GHS-R1b exceeded that of GRLN-R, there was a decrease in the cell surface expression of GRLN-R with a consequent decrease in constitutive activation of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). Furthermore, there was no change in ghrelin affinity, and the efficacy of cell signalling as measured by stimulation of PI-PLC and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 was unchanged. Cellular localization studies suggest that GRLN-R is normally distributed between the plasma membrane and cytosolic fractions, but in the presence of GHS-R1b, GRLN-R is localized to the nucleus. Therefore, we propose that the decrease in GRLN-R constitutive signalling was due to translocation of GRLN-R to the nucleus due to the formation of GRLN-R/GHS-R1b heterodimers. Therefore, GHS-R1b appears to act as a dominant-negative mutant of the full-length GRLN-R.     

Respective roles of calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR) and receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMP) in cell surface expression of CRLR/RAMP heterodimeric receptors

Receptor activity modifying proteins RAMP1, RAMP2, and RAMP3 are responsible for defining affinity to ligands of the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR). It has also been proposed that receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMP) are molecular chaperones required for CRLR transport to the cell surface. Here, we have studied the respective roles of CRLR and RAMP in transporting CRLR/RAMP heterodimers to the plasma membrane by using a highly specific binding assay that allows quantitative detection of cell surface-expressed CRLR or RAMP in the Xenopus oocytes expression system. We show that: (i) heterodimer assembly is not a prerequisite for efficient cell surface expression of CRLR, (ii) N-glycosylated RAMP2 and RAMP3 are expressed at the cell surface and their transport to the plasma membrane requires N-glycans, (iii) RAMP1 is not N-glycosylated and is transported to the plasma membrane only upon formation of heterodimers with CRLR, and (iv) introduction of N-glycosylation sites in the RAMP1 sequence (D58N/G60S, Y71N, and K103N/P105S) allows cell surface expression of these mutants at levels similar to that of wild-type RAMP1 co-expressed with CRLR. Our data argue against a chaperone function for RAMP and identify the role of N-glycosylation in targeting these molecules to the cell surface.     

Activation of syntaxin 1C, an alternative splice variant of HPC-1/syntaxin 1A, by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) suppresses glucose transport into astroglioma cells via the glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1)

Syntaxin 1C is an alternative splice variant lacking the transmembrane domain of HPC-1/syntaxin 1A. We found previously that syntaxin 1C is expressed as a soluble protein in human astroglioma (T98G) cells, and syntaxin 1C expression is enhanced by stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). However, the physiological function of syntaxin 1C is not known. In this study, we examined the relationship between syntaxin 1C and glucose transport. First, we discovered that glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) was the primary isoform in T98G cells. Second, we demonstrated that glucose uptake in T98G cells was suppressed following an increase in endogenous syntaxin 1C after stimulation with PMA, which did not alter the expression levels of other plasma membrane syntaxins. We further examined glucose uptake and intracellular localization of GLUT-1 in cells that overexpressed exogenous syntaxin 1C; glucose uptake via GLUT-1 was inhibited without affecting sodium-dependent glucose transport. The value of Vmax for the dose-dependent uptake of glucose was reduced in syntaxin 1C-expressing cells, whereas there was no change in Km. Immunofluorescence studies revealed a reduction in the amount of GLUT-1 in the plasma membrane in cells that expressed syntaxin 1C. Based on these results, we postulate that syntaxin 1C regulates glucose transport in astroglioma cells by changing the intracellular trafficking of GLUT-1. This is the first report to indicate that a syntaxin isoform that lacks a transmembrane domain can regulate the intracellular transport of a plasma membrane protein.     

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor splice variant NR1-4 C-terminal domain. Deletion analysis and role in subcellular distribution.

The intracellular C-terminal domain of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunits 1 (NR1) and 2 (NR2) are important, if not essential, to the process of NMDAR clustering and anchoring at the plasma membrane and the synapse. Eight NR1 splice variants exist, four of which arise from alternative splicing of the C-terminal exon cassettes. Alternative splice variants may display a differential ability to interact with synaptic anchoring proteins, and splicing of C-terminal exon cassettes may alter the mechanism(s) of subcellular localization and targeting. The NR1-4 isoform has a significantly different C-terminal composition than the prototypic NR1-1 isoform. Whereas the NR1-1 C terminus is composed of C0, C1, and C2 exon cassettes, the NR1-4 C terminus is composed of the C0 and C2' cassettes. In the present study, we address the importance of the NR1-4 C-terminal exon cassettes (C0C2') in subcellular localization in differentiated pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, in organotypic cultures of dorsal root ganglia, and also in heterologous cells. NR1-4-green fluorescent protein chimeras were created with deletion of either C0, C2', or both cassettes to address their importance in subcellular distribution and cell surface expression of the NR1-4 subunit. These experiments demonstrate that the NR1-4 splice variant found predominantly in the spinal cord uses the C0 cassette, to a large degree, to organize the subcellular distribution of this receptor subunit. Although the role of the C2' subunit is less clear, it may be involved in subunit clustering. However, this clustering is not always as efficient as that attributed to C0 alone or to the natural combination of C0C2'. Finally, although an intact C-terminal domain is neither necessary for interaction with the NR2A subunit nor surface expression of the NR1-4 subunit, the C-terminal domain fragment alone blocks surface expression of native NR1-4, in a dominant negative fashion, when the two are coexpressed.     

The β2-microglobulin-free heterodimerization of rhesus monkey MHC class I A with its normally spliced variant reduces the ubiquitin-dependent degradation of MHC class I A

The MHC class I (MHC I) molecules play a pivotal role in the regulation of immune responses by presenting antigenic peptides to CTLs and by regulating cytolytic activities of NK cells. In this article, we show that MHC I A in rhesus macaques can be alternatively spliced, generating a novel MHC I A isoform (termed "MHC I A-sv1") devoid of α(3) domain. Despite the absence of β2-microglobulin (β2m), the MHC I A-sv1 proteins reached the cell surface of K562-transfected cells as endoglycosidase H-sensitive glycoproteins that could form disulfide-bonded homodimers. Cycloheximide-based protein chase experiments showed that the MHC I A-sv1 proteins were more stable than the full-length MHC I A in transiently or stably transfected cell lines. Of particular interest, our studies demonstrated that MHC I A-sv1 could form β2m-free heterodimers with its full-length protein in mammalian cells. The formation of heterodimers was accompanied by a reduction in full-length MHC I A ubiquitination and consequent stabilization of the protein. Taken together, these results demonstrated that MHC I A-sv1 and MHC I A can form a novel heterodimeric complex as a result of the displacement of β2m and illustrated the relevance of regulated MHC I A protein degradation in the β2m-free heterodimerization-dependent control, which may have some implications for the MHC I A splice variant in the fine tuning of classical MHC I A/TCR and MHC I A/killer cell Ig-like receptor interactions.     

Structural determinants critical for localization and signaling within the seventh transmembrane domain of the type 1 corticotropin releasing hormone receptor: lessons from the receptor variant R1d

The type 1 CRH receptor (CRH-R1) plays a fundamental role in homeostatic adaptation to stressful stimuli. CRH-R1 gene activity is regulated through alternative splicing and generation of various CRH-R1 mRNA variants. One such variant is the CRH-R1d, which has 14 amino acids missing from the putative seventh transmembrane domain due to exon 13 deletion, a splicing event common to other members of the B1 family of G protein-coupled receptors. In this study, using overexpression of recombinant receptors in human embryonic kidney 293 and myometrial cells, we showed by confocal microscopy that in contrast to CRH-R1alpha, the R1d variant is primarily retained in the cytoplasm, although some cell membrane expression is also evident. Use of antibodies against the CRH-R1 C terminus in nonpermeabilized cells showed that membrane-expressed CRH-R1d contains an extracellular C terminus. Interestingly, treatment of CRH-R1d-expressing cells with CRH (100 nM) for 45-60 min elicited functional responses associated with a significant reduction of plasma membrane receptor expression, redistribution of intracellular receptors, and increased receptor degradation. Site-directed mutagenesis studies identified the cassette G356-F358 within transmembrane domain 7 as crucial for CRH-R1alpha stability to the plasma membrane because deletion of this cassette caused substantial intracellular localization of CRH-R1 alpha. Most importantly, coexpression studies between CRH-R1d and CRH-R2beta demonstrated that the CRH-R2beta could partially rescue CRH-R1d membrane expression, and this was associated with a significant attenuation of urocotrin II-induced cAMP production and ERK1/2 and p38MAPK activation, suggesting that CRH-R1d might specifically induce heterologous impairment of CRH-R2 signaling responses. This mechanism appears to involve accelerated CRH-R2beta endocytosis.     

Oxytocin and vasopressin V1a and V2 receptors form constitutive homo- and heterodimers during biosynthesis

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) oligomerization is a growing concept that has emerged from several studies suggesting that GPCRs can form both homo- and heterodimers. Using both coimmunoprecipitation and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) approaches, we established that the vasopressin V1a, V2, and the oxytocin receptors exist as homo- and hetero-dimers in transfected human embryonic kidney 293T cells. Each receptor protomer had a similar propensity to form homo- and heterodimers, indicating that their relative expression levels may determine the homo-/heterodimer ratio. The finding that immature forms of the receptor can be immunoprecipitated as homo- and heterodimers and the detection by BRET of such oligomer in endoplasmic reticulum-enriched fractions suggest that the oligomerization processes take place early during biosynthesis. Treatment with agonists or antagonists did not modify the BRET among any of the vasopressin and oxytocin receptor pairs studied, indicating that the dimerization state of the receptors is not regulated by ligand binding once they have reached the cell surface. Taken together, these results strongly support the notion that GPCR dimerization is a constitutive process.     

Receptor activity modifying proteins

Our understanding of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) function has recently expanded to encompass novel protein interactions that underlie both cell-surface receptor expression and the exhibited phenotype. The most notable examples are those involving receptor activity modifying proteins (RAMPs). RAMP association with the calcitonin (CT) receptor-like receptor (CRLR) traffics this receptor to the cell surface where individual RAMPs dictate the expression of unique phenotypes. A similar function has been ascribed to RAMP interaction with the CT receptor (CTR) gene product. This review examines our current state of knowledge of the mechanisms underlying RAMP function.     

Cytoskeleton-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of the p130(Cas) family member HEF1 downstream of the G protein-coupled calcitonin receptor. Calcitonin induces the association of HEF1, paxillin, and focal adhesion kinase.

HEF1 is a recently described p130(Cas)-like docking protein that contains one SH3 domain and multiple SH2 binding motifs. In B cells, HEF1 is phosphorylated by a cytoskeleton-dependent mechanism that is triggered by integrin ligation. However, the induction of HEF1 phosphorylation by G protein-coupled receptors has not been reported. We found that HEF1, but not p130(Cas), is tyrosine-phosphorylated following stimulation of the rabbit C1a calcitonin receptor stably expressed in HEK-293 cells. The calcitonin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of HEF1 increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin had little or no effect on HEF1 phosphorylation, and the protein kinase A inhibitor H89 failed to detectably inhibit the response to calcitonin, indicating that the G(s)/cAMP/protein kinase A pathway does not mediate the calcitonin effect. Pertussis toxin, which selectively blocks G(i/o) signaling, also had no effect. Increasing cytosolic Ca(2+) with ionomycin stimulated HEF1 phosphorylation and preventing any calcitonin-induced change in cytosolic calcium by a combination of BAPTA and extracellular EGTA completely blocked the calcitonin-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of HEF1. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate also induced HEF1 tyrosine phosphorylation, and the protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C completely inhibited both calcitonin- and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated HEF1 phosphorylation. Calcitonin also induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of paxillin and focal adhesion kinase, and the association of these two proteins with HEF1. Pretreatment with cytochalasin D, which disrupts actin microfilaments, prevented the calcitonin-induced HEF1 and paxillin phosphorylation. In conclusion, the calcitonin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of HEF1 is mediated by calcium- and protein kinase C-dependent mechanisms and requires the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton.     

A splice variant of the human luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor modulates the expression of wild-type human LH receptor

We previously reported a splice variant form of human LH receptor [hLHR(exon 9)] that lacks exon 9, coding the N-terminal extracellular region close to the first transmembrane domain. Several recent studies suggest that G protein-coupled receptors are able to form dimerization or oligomerization of the receptor, suggesting an intermolecular interaction between hLHR(exon 9) and the wild-type LH receptor (hLHR). The aim of this study, using coimmunoprecipitation, is to examine whether hLHR forms an association with hLHR(exon 9). An interaction between hLHR(exon 9) with the immature band (68 kDa) of hLHR and not with the mature band (85 kDa) was seen. When hLHR and hLHR(exon 9) were coexpressed, the density of hLHR expression was significantly reduced, compared with hLHR expressed alone. The human chorionic gonadotropin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in the cells expressing hLHR(exon 9) was also impaired, compared with the cells expressing hLHR. In this study, we demonstrated that hLHR is capable of forming receptor complexes. Our findings may expand the possibility of a splice variant of hLHR specifically modulating the functional property of the wild-type hLHR.     

Binding of filamin to the C-terminal tail of the calcitonin receptor controls recycling

Many G protein-coupled receptors undergo endocytosis, but the mechanisms involved in endocytic sorting and recycling remain to be fully elucidated. We found that the G protein-coupled calcitonin receptor (CTR) undergoes tonic internalization and accumulates within the cell. Using a fluorescence loss in photobleaching assay, we classified these vesicles functionally as recycling vesicles. In a two-hybrid screening, we found that the actin-binding protein filamin interacted with the C-terminal tail of the CTR. The degradation of the receptor was profoundly increased in the absence of filamin or the CTR-filamin interaction. The absence of filamin was also associated with a marked decrease in recycling of the receptor from the endosomes to the cell surface. In contrast, calcitonin-induced inhibition of spontaneous filamin proteolysis was associated with increased recycling of the receptor to the cell surface and decreased degradation of the CTR, suggesting an important role for filamin in the endocytic sorting and recycling of the internalized CTR.