Identification of the G protein-coupled receptor kinase phosphorylation sites in the human beta2-adrenergic receptor

Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of dynamin is required for beta2-adrenergic receptor internalization and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling

Some forms of G protein-coupled receptor signaling, such as activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade as well as resensitization of receptors after hormone-induced desensitization, require receptor internalization via dynamin-dependent clathrin-coated pit mechanisms. Here we demonstrate that activation of beta2-adrenergic receptors (beta2-ARs) leads to c-Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of dynamin, which is required for receptor internalization. Two tyrosine residues, Tyr231 and Tyr597, are identified as the major phosphorylation sites. Mutation of these residues to phenylalanine dramatically decreases the c-Src-mediated phosphorylation of dynamin following beta2-AR stimulation. Moreover, expression of Y231F/Y597F dynamin inhibits beta2-AR internalization and the isoproterenol-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Thus, agonist-induced, c-Src-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of dynamin is essential for its function in clathrin mediated G protein-coupled receptor endocytosis.

Identification of serine 356 and serine 363 as the amino acids involved in etorphine-induced down-regulation of the mu-opioid receptor

Agonist-induced internalization of G protein-coupled receptors is influenced by many structural determinants including the carboxyl tail. To investigate the role of serine and threonine residues within the carboxyl tail, several mutants were constructed by truncating the carboxyl tail of the hemagglutinin-tagged mu-opioid receptor, thereby removing serines and threonines systematically. Neuro2A cells stably expressing the truncated receptors did not exhibit a significant alteration in the affinity of [3H]diprenorphine or etorphine for the receptor or the potency of etorphine to inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity. Chronic etorphine treatment resulted in a time-dependent down-regulation of all the truncated receptors, except MOR1TAG355D, thus revealing the importance of the four amino acids between Ser355 and Glu359 (STIE). Surprisingly, deletion of the STIE sequence resulted in a receptor that down-regulated the same as the wild-type receptor. The involvement of multiple amino acids within the carboxyl tail was demonstrated by combining alanine substitutions of several putative G-protein-coupled receptor kinase phosphorylation sites. Systematic analysis of these receptors indicated that mutation of Ser356 and Ser363 to alanine attenuated agonist-mediated down-regulation. The magnitude of etorphine-induced phosphorylation of this mutant receptor, however, was similar to that of the wild-type mu-opioid receptor. Thus, phosphorylation of the carboxyl tail of the mu-opioid receptor is not an obligatory event for etorphine-induced down-regulation of the receptor.

Agonist-induced phosphorylation of the angiotensin AT1a receptor is localized to a serine/threonine-rich region of its cytoplasmic tail

The agonist-induced phosphorylation sites of the rat AT1a angiotensin receptor were analyzed using epitope-tagged mutant receptors expressed in Cos-7 cells. Angiotensin II-stimulated receptor phosphorylation was unaffected by truncation of the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor at Ser342 (Delta342) but was abolished by truncation at Ser325 (Delta325). Truncation at Ser335 (Delta335), or double-point mutations of Ser335 and Thr336 to alanine (ST-AA), reduced receptor phosphorylation by approximately 50%, indicating that in addition to Ser335 and/or Thr336, amino acids within the Ser326-Thr332 segment are also phosphorylated. Agonist-induced phosphorylation of the ST-AA and Delta335 receptors was partially inhibited by staurosporine, suggesting that the single protein kinase C consensus site in the Ser326-Thr332 segment (Ser331) is phosphorylated. The impairment of receptor phosphorylation was broadly correlated with the attenuation of agonist-induced internalization rates (Delta325 < Delta335 < ST-AA < Delta342 < wild-type) and with the increasing rank order of magnitude of inositol phosphate production normalized to an equal number of receptors (Delta325 > Delta335 > ST-AA = Delta342 > wild-type). These results demonstrate that agonist-induced phosphorylation of the AT1a receptor is confined to an 11-amino-acid serine/threonine-rich segment of its carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic tail and implicate this region in the mechanisms of receptor internalization and desensitization.

Identification of phosphorylation sites in the G protein-coupled receptor for parathyroid hormone. Receptor phosphorylation is not required for agonist-induced internalization

In some G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), agonist-dependent phosphorylation by specific GPCR kinases (GRKs) is an important mediator of receptor desensitization and endocytosis. Phosphorylation and the subsequent events that it triggers, such as arrestin binding, have been suggested to be regulatory mechanisms for a wide variety of GPCRs. In the present study, we investigated whether agonist-induced phosphorylation of the PTH receptor, a class II GPCR, also regulates receptor internalization. Upon agonist stimulation, the PTH receptor was exclusively phosphorylated on serine residues. Phosphoamino acid analysis of a number of receptor mutants in which individual serine residues had been replaced by threonine identified serine residues in positions 485, 486, and 489 of the cytoplasmic tail as sites of phosphorylation after agonist treatment. When serine residues at positions 483, 485, 486, 489, 495, and 498 were simultaneously replaced by alanine residues, the PTH receptor was no longer phosphorylated either basally or in response to PTH. The substitution of these serine residues by alanine affected neither the number of receptors expressed on the cell surface nor the ability of the receptor to signal via Gs. Overexpression of GRK2, but not GRK3, enhanced PTH-stimulated receptor phosphorylation, and this phosphorylation was abolished by alanine mutagenesis of residues 483, 485, 486, 489, 495, and 498. Thus, phosphorylation of the PTH receptor by the endogenous kinase in HEK-293 cells occurs on the same residues targeted by overexpressed GRK2. Strikingly, the rate and extent of PTH-stimulated internalization of mutated PTH receptors lacking phosphorylation sites were identical to that observed for the wild-type PTH receptor. Moreover, overexpressed GRK2, while enhancing the phosphorylation of the wild-type PTH receptor, had no affect on the rate or extent of receptor internalization in response to PTH. Thus, the agonist-occupied PTH receptor is phosphorylated by a kinase similar or identical to GRK2 in HEK-293 cells, but this phosphorylation is not requisite for efficient receptor endocytosis.

Structural basis of agonist-induced desensitization and sequestration of the P2Y2 nucleotide receptor. Consequences of truncation of the C terminus

Molecular determinants of P2Y2 receptor desensitization and sequestration have been investigated. Wild-type P2Y2 receptors and a series of five C-terminal truncation mutants of the receptor were epitope-tagged and stably expressed in 1321N1 cells. These constructs were used to assess the importance of the intracellular C terminus on 1) UTP-stimulated increases in intracellular calcium concentration, 2) homologous desensitization of the receptor, and 3) agonist-induced decreases in cell-surface density (receptor sequestration) of epitope-tagged receptors using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The potency and efficacy of UTP were similar for the wild-type and all mutant P2Y2 receptors. Truncation of 18 or more amino acids from the C terminus increased by approximately 30-fold the concentration of UTP necessary to desensitize the receptor. Both the rate and magnitude of UTP-induced receptor sequestration were decreased with progressively larger truncations of the C terminus. Furthermore, the recovery from sequestration was slower for the most extensively truncated receptor. Complete desensitization was obtained with >50% of the original receptor complement remaining on the cell surface. Protein kinase C activation, which desensitizes the P2Y2 receptor, had no effect on sequestration, consistent with the ideas that desensitization and sequestration are discrete events and that agonist occupancy is required for receptor sequestration.

G protein-coupled receptor kinases

G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) constitute a family of six mammalian serine/threonine protein kinases that phosphorylate agonist-bound, or activated, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as their primary substrates. GRK-mediated receptor phosphorylation rapidly initiates profound impairment of receptor signaling, or desensitization. This review focuses on the regulation of GRK activity by a variety of allosteric and other factors: agonist-stimulated GPCRs, beta gamma subunits of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins, phospholipid cofactors, the calcium-binding proteins calmodulin and recoverin, posttranslational isoprenylation and palmitoylation, autophosphorylation, and protein kinase C-mediated GRK phosphorylation. Studies employing recombinant, purified proteins, cell culture, and transgenic animal models attest to the general importance of GRKs in regulating a vast array of GPCRs both in vitro and in vivo.

Expression and recovery of functional G-protein-coupled receptors using baculovirus expression systems

Baculovirus expression systems have been used for more than ten years as the tool of choice to over-express G-protein-coupled receptors. Although this expression system has also been used to study the signaling mechanisms of the receptors at the cellular level, it was found to be a most useful method to produce large quantities of receptors for biochemical and biophysical studies. Methods that allow easy and selective recovery of properly folded and mature receptors in viral particles open new perspectives for such applications.

A C-terminal motif found in the beta2-adrenergic receptor, P2Y1 receptor and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator determines binding to the Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor family of PDZ proteins

The Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor (NHERF) binds to the tail of the beta2-adrenergic receptor and plays a role in adrenergic regulation of Na+/H+ exchange. NHERF contains two PDZ domains, the first of which is required for its interaction with the beta2 receptor. Mutagenesis studies of the beta2 receptor tail revealed that the optimal C-terminal motif for binding to the first PDZ domain of NHERF is D-S/T-x-L, a motif distinct from those recognized by other PDZ domains. The first PDZ domain of NHERF-2, a protein that is 52% identical to NHERF and also known as E3KARP, SIP-1, and TKA-1, exhibits binding preferences very similar to those of the first PDZ domain of NHERF. The delineation of the preferred binding motif for the first PDZ domain of the NHERF family of proteins allows for predictions for other proteins that may interact with NHERF or NHERF-2. For example, as would be predicted from the beta2 receptor tail mutagenesis studies, NHERF binds to the tail of the purinergic P2Y1 receptor, a seven-transmembrane receptor with an intracellular C-terminal tail ending in D-T-S-L. NHERF also binds to the tail of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, which ends in D-T-R-L. Because the preferred binding motif of the first PDZ domain of the NHERF family of proteins is found at the C termini of a variety of intracellular proteins, NHERF and NHERF-2 may be multifunctional adaptor proteins involved in many previously unsuspected aspects of intracellular signaling.

Acute desensitization of phospholipase C-coupled muscarinic M3 receptors but not gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors co-expressed in alphaT3-1 cells: implications for mechanisms of rapid desensitization

In the present study we have expressed the muscarinic M3 receptor in an immortalized mouse pituitary cell line (alphaT3-1), which expresses an endogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor, to examine potential differences in acute receptor regulation. Both of these receptors couple to the activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) in these cells and we demonstrate that, despite expression in the same cell background, acute desensitization is a feature of muscarinic M3 receptors but not of GnRH receptors. We show that, when the concentrations of GnRH and methacholine are matched to give approximately equivalent maximal elevations of Ins(1,4,5)P3, the GnRH receptor is able to sustain PLC activity at the initial rate, whereas the muscarinic M3 receptor cannot. Thus PLC-activating G-protein-coupled receptors are able to undergo rapid desensitization in this cell line, indicating that the desensitization profile is receptor-specific rather than cell-specific. This argues strongly that post-receptor regulatory features do not have a prominent role in mediating rapid desensitization in these cells. Furthermore GnRH receptor-mediated PLC activity is sustained despite a marked and persistent depletion in the steady-state level of PtdIns(4,5)P2. In contrast, activation of muscarinic receptors is not sustained despite only a transient decrease in PtdIns(4,5)P2 concentration. Thus, whereas the contribution of PtdIns(4,5)P2 depletion to the temporal profile of receptor-mediated PLC signalling has been difficult to assess, the present results demonstrate that this is unlikely to be of importance in these cells. We suggest that unique structural features of the GnRH receptor result in a lack of appropriate regulatory phospho-acceptor sites and that the absence of agonist-dependent phosphorylation might underlie the lack of acute regulation.

Cardiac protein phosphorylation: functional and pathophysiological correlates

Protein phosphorylation acts a pivotal mechanism in regulating the contractile state of the heart by modulating particular levels of autonomic control on cardiac force/length relationships. Early studies of changes in cardiac protein phosphorylation focused on key components of the excitation-coupling process, namely phospholamban of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and myofibrillar troponin I. In more recent years the emphasis has shifted towards the identification of other phosphoproteins, and more importantly, the delineation of the mechanistic and signaling pathways regulating the various known phosphoproteins. In addition to cAMP- and Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent kinase processes, these have included regulation by protein kinase C and the ever-emerging family of growth factor-related kinases such as the tyrosine-, mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinases. Similarly, the role of protein dephosphorylation by protein phosphatases has been recognized as integral in modulating normal cardiac cellular function. Recent studies involving a variety of cardiovascular pathologies have demonstrated that changes in the phosphorylation states of key cardiac regulatory proteins may underlie cardiac dysfunction in disease states. The emphasis of this comprehensive review will be on discussing the role of cardiac phosphoproteins in regulating myocardial function and pathophysiology based not only on in vitro data, but more importantly, from ex vivo experiments with corroborative physiological and biochemical evidence.

The role of receptor kinases and arrestins in G protein-coupled receptor regulation

G protein-coupled receptors (GPRs) play a key role in controlling hormonal regulation of numerous second-messenger pathways. However, following agonist activation, most GPRs rapidly lose their ability to respond to hormone. For many GPRs, this process, commonly referred to as desensitization, appears to be primarily mediated by two protein families: G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) and arrestins. GRKs specifically bind to the agonist-occupied receptor, thereby promoting receptor phosphorylation, which in turn leads to arrestin binding. Arrestin binding precludes receptor/G protein interaction leading to functional desensitization. Many GPRs are then removed from the plasma membrane via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Recent studies have implicated endocytosis in the resensitization of GPRs and have linked both GRKs and arrestins to this process. In this review, we discuss the role of GRKs and arrestins in regulating agonist-specific signaling and trafficking of GPRs.

Desensitization of beta2-adrenergic receptors with mutations of the proposed G protein-coupled receptor kinase phosphorylation sites

Tentative identification of the G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 and 5 (GRK2 and GRK5) sites of phosphorylation of the beta2-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) was recently reported based on in vitro phosphorylation of recombinant receptor (Fredericks, Z. L., Pitcher, J. A., and Lefkowitz, R. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 13796-13803). Phosphorylated residues identified for GRK2 were threonine 384 and serines 396, 401, and 407. GRK5 phosphorylated these four residues as well as threonine 393 and serine 411. To determine if mutation of these sites altered desensitization, we have constructed betaARs in which the threonines and serines of the putative GRK2 and GRK5 sites were substituted with alanines. These constructs were further modified to eliminate the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) consensus sites. Mutants betaARs were transfected into HEK 293 cells, and standard kinetic parameters were measured following 10 microM epinephrine treatment of cells. The mutant and wild type (WT) receptors were all desensitized 89-94% after 5 min of 10 microM epinephrine stimulation and 96-98% after a 30-min pretreatment. There were no significant changes observed for any of the mutant betaARs relative to the WT in the extent of 10 microM epinephrine-induced internalization (77-82% after 30 min). Epinephrine treatment for 1 min induced a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of the GRK5 and PKA- mutant betaARs as well as the WT. We conclude that sites other than the GRK2 and GRK5 sites identified by in vitro phosphorylation are involved in mediating the major effects of the in vivo GRK-dependent desensitization of the betaAR.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of the beta-adrenergic receptor is regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of beta-arrestin1

beta-Arrestins serve a dual regulatory role in the life cycle of G protein-coupled receptors such as the beta2-adrenergic receptor. First, they mediate rapid desensitization by binding to G protein-coupled receptor kinase-phosphorylated receptors. Second, they target the receptors for internalization into endosomal vesicles, wherein receptor dephosphorylation and resensitization occur. Here we report that phosphorylation of a carboxyl-terminal serine (Ser-412) in beta-arrestin1 regulates its endocytotic but not its desensitization function. Cytoplasmic beta-arrestin1 is constitutively phosphorylated and is recruited to the plasma membrane by agonist stimulation of the receptors. At the plasma membrane, beta-arrestin1 is rapidly dephosphorylated, a process that is required for its clathrin binding and receptor endocytosis but not for its receptor binding and desensitization. Once internalized, beta-arrestin1 is rephosphorylated. Thus, as with the classical endocytic adaptor protein complex AP2, beta-arrestin1 functions as a clathrin adaptor in receptor endocytosis which is regulated by dephosphorylation at the plasma membrane.

Characterization of the phosphorylation sites involved in G protein-coupled receptor kinase- and protein kinase C-mediated desensitization of the alpha1B-adrenergic receptor

Catecholamines as well as phorbol esters can induce the phosphorylation and desensitization of the alpha1B-adrenergic receptor (alpha1BAR). In this study, phosphoamino acid analysis of the phosphorylated alpha1BAR revealed that both epinephrine- and phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation predominantly occurs at serine residues of the receptor. The findings obtained with receptor mutants in which portions of the C-tail were truncated or deleted indicated that a region of 21 amino acids (393-413) of the carboxyl terminus including seven serines contains the main phosphorylation sites involved in agonist- as well as phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation and desensitization of the alpha1BAR. To identify the serines invoved in agonist- versus phorbol ester-dependent regulation of the receptor, two different strategies were adopted, the seven serines were either substituted with alanine or reintroduced into a mutant lacking all of them. Our findings indicate that Ser394 and Ser400 were phosphorylated following phorbol ester-induced activation of protein kinase C, whereas Ser404, Ser408, and Ser410 were phosphorylated upon stimulation of the alpha1BAR with epinephrine. The observation that overexpression of G protein-coupled kinase 2 (GRK2) could increase agonist-induced phosphorylation of Ser404, Ser408, and Ser410, strongly suggests that these serines are the phosphorylation sites of the alpha1BAR for kinases of the GRK family. Phorbol ester-induced phosphorylation of the Ser394 and Ser400 as well as GRK2-mediated phosphorylation of the Ser404, Ser408, and Ser410, resulted in the desensitization of alpha1BAR-mediated inositol phosphate response. This study provides generalities about the biochemical mechanisms underlying homologous and heterologous desensitization of G protein-coupled receptors linked to the activation of phospholipase C.

The N-formyl peptide receptor: a model for the study of chemoattractant receptor structure and function

N-formyl peptides, such as fMet-Leu-Phe, are one of the most potent chemoattractants for phagocytic leukocytes. The interaction of N-formyl peptides with their specific cell surface receptors has been studied extensively and used as a model system for the characterization of G-protein-coupled signal transduction in phagocytes. The cloning of the N-formyl peptide receptor cDNA from several species and the identification of homologous genes have allowed detailed studies of structural and functional aspects of the receptor. Recent findings that the receptor is expressed in nonhematopoietic cells and that nonformylated peptides can activate the receptor suggest potentially novel functions and the existence of additional ligands for this receptor.

Cloning and expression of human 5-HT4S receptors. Effect of receptor density on their coupling to adenylyl cyclase

We have isolated a cDNA encoding the 5-HT4S receptor by RT-PCR on poly (A)+ RNA from both human heart and brain. The sequence homology with the rat and mouse 5-HT4 receptors was high: 93.8% of identity in the amino acid sequence. None of the 24 amino acid substitutions observed between rat and human receptors are at positions likely to modify their pharmacology. Comparing the pharmacological properties of six agonists and five antagonists on rat and human 5-HT4S receptors revealed no significant differences. We have analyzed the behavior of renzapride, a full and a partial agonist on mouse colliculi neurons and human heart biological responses respectively. The coupling efficiency of renzapride was two-fold lower than that of 5-HT for the stimulation of 5-HT4S receptors transfected in two different cell lines (LLC-PK1 and COS-7), but increasing the receptor density suppressed the partial agonist effect of renzapride.

Asp278 of human beta-adrenergic receptor kinase 1 is essential for phosphorylation activity

Asp278 of beta-adrenergic receptor kinase 1 (betaARK1) was suggested to play a key role in substrate recognition of beta2-adrenergic receptors in our previous study, in which a three-dimensional model of betaARK1 was studied in comparison with a crystal structure of PKA-PKI5-24 complex. In the present study, to confirm the molecular recognition mechanism at Asp278 of betaARK1, two mutants of betaARK1, D278R and D278A, were designed based on molecular modeling studies and produced by Sf-9 cells. As predicted by the molecular modeling study, the mutants showed no kinase activities while wild type betaARK1 phosphorylated beta2-adrenergic receptors in a concentration-dependent manner. These results strongly suggest the involvement of Asp278 in substrate recognition by betaARK1. The results also suggest a high reliability of the three-dimensional model of betaARK1.

Agonist-induced desensitization of the mu opioid receptor is determined by threonine 394 preceded by acidic amino acids in the COOH-terminal tail

To identify the structural determinants necessary for mu opioid receptor desensitization, we serially ablated potential phosphorylation sites in the carboxyl tail of the receptor and examined their effects on [D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAMGO)-induced desensitization. First, we replaced Thr394 with alanine (T394A) and stably expressed this mutant receptor in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The T394A receptor did not desensitize after 1 h of treatment with DAMGO, indicating that Thr394 is required for agonist-induced early desensitization. To test whether Thr394 was the only residue necessary, we investigated the importance of 7 potential phosphorylation sites between residues 363 and 383, which were all replaced by alanines with the Thr394 maintained. This mutant (AT) showed partial loss of desensitization (30%), which was attributable to the Ala mutation at Thr383, since complete desensitization was achieved by restoring Thr383 (ATT). These results suggest that Thr394 is the primary recognition site for G protein-coupled receptor kinases, but Thr383 is also required for complete agonist-induced desensitization. The specificity of Thr394 as the primary initiation site appears to be dependent on the preceding acidic amino acid stretch, because in a mutant in which glutamic acid residues at 388, 391, and 393 were replaced by glutamines (EQ), agonist-induced desensitization was completely abolished, identical to the T394A mutant.

beta2-adrenergic receptor desensitization, internalization, and phosphorylation in response to full and partial agonists

Previous studies indicated that partial agonists cause less desensitization of the beta2-adrenergic receptor (betaAR) than full agonists; however, the molecular basis for this in intact cells has not been investigated. In the present work, we have determined the rates of desensitization, internalization, and phosphorylation caused by a series of betaAR agonists displaying a 95-fold range of coupling efficiencies. These studies were performed with HEK-293 cells overexpressing the betaAR with hemagglutinin and 6-histidine epitopes introduced into the N and C termini, respectively. This modified betaAR behaved identically to the wild type receptor with regard to agonist Kd, coupling efficiency, and desensitization. The coupling efficiencies for betaAR agonist activation of adenylyl cyclase relative to epinephrine (100%) were 42% for fenoterol, 4.9% for albuterol, 2.5% for dobutamine, and 1.1% for ephedrine. At concentrations of these agonists yielding >90% receptor occupancy, the rate and extent (0-30 min) of agonist-induced desensitization of betaAR activation of adenylyl cyclase followed the same order as coupling efficiency, i.e. epinephrine >/= fenoterol > albuterol > dobutamine > ephedrine. The rate of internalization of the betaAR with respect to these agonists also followed the same order as the desensitization and exhibited a slight lag. Like internalization and desensitization, betaAR phosphorylation exhibited a dependence on agonist strength. The two strongest agonists, epinephrine and fenoterol, provoked 11-13-fold increases in the level of betaAR phosphorylation after just 1 min, whereas the weak agonists dobutamine and ephedrine caused only 3-4-fold increases, similar to levels induced by cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation with forskolin. With longer treatment times, the level of betaAR phosphorylation declined with strong agonists, but it progressively increased with the weaker partial agonists, such that after 30 min the -fold elevation with epinephrine (6.2 +/- 0.82) was not appreciably different from ephedrine (5.0 +/- 0.96) and significantly less than that caused by albuterol (10.4 +/- 1.7). In summary, our results demonstrate an excellent proportionality between the agonist strength and agonist-induced desensitization, internalization, and the rapid initial phase of phosphorylation. The data support the hypothesis that increasing agonist-coupling efficiency primarily affects desensitization by increasing the rate of betaARK phosphorylation of the betaAR.

Carboxyl terminus of delta opioid receptor is required for agonist-dependent receptor phosphorylation

The wild-type delta opioid receptor (DOR) and a carboxyl terminus-truncated mutant DOR lacking the last 31 amino acids (DOR-T) were expressed in neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid NG108-15 cells to investigate the role of the carboxyl terminus of DOR in agonist-dependent receptor phosphorylation. Stimulation of the cells with delta specific agonists significantly induced DOR phosphorylation whereas no phosphorylation of DOR-T was detected under the same conditions. Neither overexpression of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRK2 or GRK5) nor activation of protein kinase C promoted agonist-induced phosphorylation of DOR-T, in contrast to their strong stimulatory effect on the agonist-dependent phosphorylation of DOR. Furthermore, DOR-T failed to be internalized after agonist stimulation, probably due to its inability to be phosphorylated. Our results indicate that the carboxyl terminus of DOR is required for agonist-dependent receptor phosphorylation and the phosphorylation site(s) of DOR is likely located at its carboxyl terminus.

GTP-binding-protein-coupled receptor kinases--two mechanistic models

Six vertebrate protein kinases (G-protein-coupled receptor kinases; GRKs) that regulate the function of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) were recently cloned; several distinct properties set them apart from conventional second-messenger regulated protein kinases. It appears that GRKs bind GPCR* through two separate sites: a high-affinity site, which involves intracellular loops of the activated receptor, and the lower-affinity site, encompassing the phosphorylation region. The high-affinity interaction may involve complementary structural elements of GRKs and GPCRs* rather than precise amino acid alignment, thus allowing broad and overlapping specificities of these kinases, in spite of differences in the sequences of GPCRs. In addition, GRK structures are modified by several posttranslational modifications, including phosphorylation, autophosphorylation, prenylation, carboxymethylation, and palmitoylation, probably affecting properties of these enzymes. While GRKs phosphorylate and inactivate receptor molecules which are engaged in G-protein activation, controversy surrounds whether GRKs might be activated and phosphorylate unstimulated GPCRs, leading to a desensitization of a larger population of the receptors. In this review, mechanistic aspects of GPCR* phosphorylation related to the distinct properties, regulation and modes of action of GRKs are described.

Phosphorylation of phospholipase C-coupled receptors

Early work on G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) phosphorylation focused on the adenylyl cyclase-linked beta-adrenoceptor, where phosphorylation at sites on the C-terminal tail and within the third intracellular loop results in receptor desensitisation. In recent years, intense research activity has revealed that a large number of GPCR subtypes exist as phosphoproteins, where the level of phosphorylation is dramatically increased subsequent to receptor stimulation. Among these receptor subtypes are those receptors coupled to phospholipase C (PLC). It appears, therefore, that regulation via receptor phosphorylation is a mechanism employed by all but a few GPCRs, including those coupled to PLC. Because the majority of GPCRs are coupled to the phosphoinositide signalling pathway, receptor phosphorylation of PLC-coupled receptors is a regulatory process with profound physiological significance for a huge array of biological responses. This review discusses the properties of homologous and heterologous phosphorylation of PLC-coupled receptors, together with the receptor kinases involved and the functional significance of receptor phosphorylation.

Phosphorylation and desensitization of human endothelin A and B receptors. Evidence for G protein-coupled receptor kinase specificity

Although endothelin-1 can elicit prolonged physiologic responses, accumulating evidence suggests that rapid desensitization affects the primary G protein-coupled receptors mediating these responses, the endothelin A and B receptors (ETA-R and ETB-R). The mechanisms by which this desensitization proceeds remain obscure, however. Because some intracellular domain sequences of the ETA-R and ETB-R differ substantially, we tested the possibility that these receptor subtypes might be differentially regulated by G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs). Homologous, or receptor-specific, desensitization occurred within 4 min both in the ETA-R-expressing A10 cells and in 293 cells transfected with either the human ETA-R or ETB-R. In 293 cells, this desensitization corresponded temporally with agonist-induced phosphorylation of each receptor, assessed by receptor immunoprecipitation from 32Pi-labeled cells. Agonist-induced receptor phosphorylation was not substantially affected by PKC inhibition but was reduced 40% (p << 0.03) by GRK inhibition, effected by a dominant negative GRK2 mutant. Inhibition of agonist-induced phosphorylation abrogated agonist-induced ETA-R desensitization. Overexpression of GRK2, -5, or -6 in 293 cells augmented agonist-induced ET-R phosphorylation approximately 2-fold (p << 0.02), but each kinase reduced receptor-promoted phosphoinositide hydrolysis differently. While GRK5 inhibited ET-R signaling by only approximately 25%, GRK2 inhibited ET-R signaling by 80% (p << 0.01). Congruent with its superior efficacy in suppressing ET-R signaling, GRK2, but not GRK5, co-immunoprecipitated with the ET-Rs in an agonist-dependent manner. We conclude that both the ETA-R and ETB-R can be regulated indistinguishably by GRK-initiated desensitization. We propose that because of its affinity for ET-Rs demonstrated by co-immunoprecipitation, GRK2 is the most likely of the GRKs to initiate ET-R desensitization.

The Drosophila G-protein-coupled receptor kinase homologue Gprk2 is required for egg morphogenesis

G protein signaling is a widely utilized form of extracellular communication that is mediated by a family of serpentine receptors containing seven transmembrane domains. In sensory neurons, cardiac muscle and other tissues, G protein-coupled receptors are desensitized through phosphorylation by a family of kinases, the G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs). Desensitization allows a cell to decrease its response to a given signal, in the continued presence of that signal. We have identified a Drosophila mutant, gprk2(6936) that disrupts expression of a putative member of the GRK family, the G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 gene (Gprk2). This mutation affects Gprk2 gene expression in the ovaries and renders mutant females sterile. The mutant eggs contain defects in several anterior eggshell structures that are produced by specific subsets of migratory follicle cells. In addition, rare eggs that become fertilized display gross defects in embryogenesis. These observations suggest that developmental signals transduced by G protein-coupled receptors are regulated by receptor phosphorylation. Based on the known functions of G protein-coupled receptor kinases, we speculate that receptor desensitization assists cells that are migrating or undergoing shape changes to respond rapidly to changing external signals.

Two homologous phosphorylation domains differentially contribute to desensitization and internalization of the m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

Short term exposure of m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (m2 mAChRs) to agonist causes a rapid phosphorylation of the activated receptors, followed by a profound loss in the ability of the m2 mAChR to activate its signaling pathways. We have used site-directed mutagenesis to identify two clusters of Ser/Thr residues in the third intracellular loop of the m2 mAChR that can serve as redundant targets for agonist-dependent phosphorylation. Mutation of both clusters of Ser/Thr residues to alanines abolished agonist-dependent phosphorylation, while wild-type levels of m2 mAChR phosphorylation were observed in mutant receptors with only one or the other cluster mutated. However, the functional effects of phosphorylation of these two "redundant" clusters were not equivalent. No receptor desensitization was observed in an m2 mAChR with residues Thr307-Ser311 mutated to alanine residues. In contrast, mutation of the other Ser/Thr cluster, residues Ser286-Ser290, to alanines produced a receptor that continued to desensitize. Internalization of the m2 mAChR was promoted by phosphorylation of either cluster, suggesting that distinct mechanisms with unique structural requirements act downstream of m2 mAChR phosphorylation to mediate receptor desensitization and receptor internalization.

Angiotensin II signal transduction in vascular smooth muscle: role of tyrosine kinases

In this review, the role of tyrosine kinases in angiotensin II-mediated signal transduction pathways in vascular smooth muscle is discussed. Angiotensin II was isolated by virtue of its vasoconstrictor abilities and has long been thought to play a critical role in hypertension. However, recent studies indicate important roles for angiotensin II in inflammation, atherosclerosis, and congestive heart failure. The expanding role of angiotensin II indicates that multiple signal transduction pathways are likely to be activated in a tissue-specific manner. Exciting recent data show that angiotensin II directly stimulates tyrosine kinases, including pp60(c-src) kinase (c-Src), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and Janus kinases (JAK2 and TYK2). Angiotensin II may activate receptor tyrosine kinases, such as Axl and platelet-derived growth factor, by as-yet-undefined autocrine mechanisms. Finally, unknown tyrosine kinases may mediate tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, Raf, and phospholipase C-gamma after angiotensin II stimulation. These angiotensin II-regulated tyrosine kinases appear to be required for angiotensin II effects, such as vasoconstriction, proto-oncogene expression, and protein synthesis, on the basis of studies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Thus, understanding angiotensin II-stimulated signaling events, especially those related to tyrosine kinase activity, may form the basis for the development of new therapies for cardiovascular diseases.

Heterogeneity in beta-adrenergic receptor kinase expression in the lung accounts for cell-specific desensitization of the beta2-adrenergic receptor

The principal mechanism of homologous desensitization of the beta-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) is phosphorylation of the receptor by the betaAR kinase (betaARK) or other closely related G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs). However, within a single organ such as the lung where many cell types express the receptor, the presence or extent of beta2AR desensitization in different cells has been noted to be highly variable. We hypothesized that such variability in desensitization is due to significant cell-type differences in betaARK expression and/or function. To approach this, in situ hybridization was carried out in the lung and indeed revealed heterogeneity in betaARK gene expression. Quantitative studies using ribonuclease protection assays with cell lines revealed that the level of betaARK mRNA in airway smooth muscle cells was approximately 20% of that in bronchial epithelial cells and approximately 11% of that in mast cells (6.65 +/- 0.96 versus 32.6 +/- 4.0 and 60.7 +/- 1.5 relative units, respectively, p < 0. 001). betaARK2 gene expression was not detected in any of these cells. At the protein level, betaARK expression in airway smooth muscle cells was nearly undetectable, being approximately 10-fold less than that expressed on mast cells. The activities of the GRKs in cell extracts were assessed in vitro by quantitating their ability to phosphorylate rhodopsin in the presence of light. Consistent with the gene and protein expression results, a marked discrepancy in activities was observed between extracts derived from mast cells (90.7 +/- 0.5 relative units) as compared to airway smooth muscle cells (9.28 +/- 0.6 relative units, p < 0.001). In contrast, the activities of protein kinase A (the other kinase that phosphorylates beta2AR) in these extracts were not different. We predicted, then, that airway smooth muscle beta2AR would undergo minimal short-term (5 min) agonist-promoted desensitization as compared to the beta2AR expressed on mast cells. Mast cell cAMP reached maximal levels after 90 s and did not further increase over time, indicative of receptor desensitization in this cell. In contrast, cAMP levels of airway smooth muscle cells did not plateau, increasing at a rate of 103 +/- 9% per min, consistent with little desensitization over the study period. We conclude that there is significant cell-type variation in expression of betaARK and that such variation is directly related to the extent of short-term agonist-promoted desensitization of the beta2AR.

Identification of an A2a adenosine receptor domain specifically responsible for mediating short-term desensitization

In an attempt to delineate the structural requirements necessary for agonist-induced desensitization, we have stably expressed wild-type and mutant A2a adenosine receptors (A2aARs) in Chinese hamster ovary cells and examined the effects of agonist pretreatment on adenylyl cyclase activity in subsequently isolated membranes. Deletion of 95 amino acids from the carboxyl-terminus of the A2aAR, thereby removing 10 potential phosphorylation sites, failed to alter radioligand binding, adenylyl cyclase activation, or functional desensitization parameters as compared with the wild-type receptor. However, simultaneous mutation of Thr 298 and Ser 305 to Ala residues attenuated the desensitization observed in response to short-term (30 min) agonist treatment while not blocking the ability to desensitize after long-term (24 h) agonist exposure. Individual mutation of these residues revealed that mutation of Thr 298 alone was sufficient to diminish both short-term desensitization and agonist-stimulated receptor phosphorylation. These data suggest that while the majority of the A2aAR carboxyl-terminus is dispensable with regard to observing functional desensitization, the integrity of Thr 298 is essential for observing agonist-stimulated receptor phosphorylation and short-term desensitization but not long-term desensitization of A2aAR function.

Phosphorylation of the V2 vasopressin receptor

The V2 vasopressin receptor undergoes ligand-induced sequestration and desensitization (Birnbaumer, M., Antaramian, A., Themmen, A. P. N., and Gilbert, S. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 11783-11788). The V2 receptor expressed in transfected cells labeled with [32P] orthophosphate was phosphorylated following the addition of 100 nM arginine vasopressin (AVP). Phosphorylation was complete 5 min after addition of AVP, and was not stimulated by increased levels of Ca2+ or cAMP. The half-maximal dose of AVP that stimulated phosphorylation was 2.4 +/- 0.4 nM, similar to the receptor KD of 4. 5 +/- 0.4 nM. The role of phosphorylation on receptor desensitization was investigated by studying two vasopressin receptors 14 and 27 amino acids shorter than the wild type receptor. The missing segments were not needed for normal ligand binding or coupling to Gs, but the last 14 amino acids were required for phosphorylation. The truncated receptors exposed to 100 nM AVP were sequestered and desensitized. The R137H V2R mutant receptor that binds vasopressin with wild type-like affinity and does not couple to Gs (Rosenthal, W., Antaramian, A., Gilbert, S., and Birnbaumer, M. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 13030-13033) was phosphorylated and subjected to ligand-induced sequestration. These results established that phosphorylation is not essential for sequestration and desensitization of the V2 vasopressin receptor. Furthermore, they revealed that the conformation acquired after ligand occupancy is necessary for receptor phosphorylation and sequestration, while coupling to Gs is not.

The role of sequestration in G protein-coupled receptor resensitization. Regulation of beta2-adrenergic receptor dephosphorylation by vesicular acidification

G protein-coupled receptor kinases phosphorylate the agonist occupied conformation of G protein-coupled receptors in the plasma membrane, leading to their desensitization. Receptor resensitization requires receptor dephosphorylation, a process which is mediated by a plasma and vesicular membrane-associated form of PP-2A. We present evidence that, like receptor phosphorylation, receptor dephosphorylation is tightly regulated, requiring a specific receptor conformation induced by vesicular acidification. In vitro, spontaneous dephosphorylation of phosphorylated receptors is observed only at acidic pH. Furthermore, in intact cells upon agonist stimulation, phosphorylated receptors traffic from the plasma membrane to vesicles where they become physically associated with the phosphatase and dephosphorylated. Treatment of cells with NH4Cl, which disrupts the acidic pH found in endosomal vesicles, blocks association of the receptors with the phosphatase and blocks receptor dephosphorylation. These findings suggest that a conformational change in the receptor induced by acidification of the endosomal vesicles is the key determinant regulating receptor dephosphorylation and resensitization.

Ligand-induced phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of the endogenous bradykinin B2 receptor from human fibroblasts

We have studied the ligand-induced phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of the bradykinin B2 receptor endogenously expressed in human HF-15 fibroblasts. An antiserum (AS346) to a synthetic peptide (CRS36), derived from the extreme carboxyl terminus of the human B2 receptor, precipitated the receptor from solubilized membranes of HF-15 cells that had been labeled with [32P]orthophosphate. A low basal level of B2 receptor phosphorylation was found in the absence of a ligand. Stimulation of the cells with the B2 receptor agonists bradykinin, [Lys0,Hyp3]bradykinin, kallidin, and T-kinin resulted in a rapid and efficient phosphorylation of the receptor. The B2 receptor antagonist HOE140 and the B1 receptor agonist des-Arg9-bradykinin failed to induce significant phosphorylation of the B2 receptor. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that the B2 receptor is phosphorylated on serine and threonine, but not on tyrosine residues. The ligand-induced phosphorylation of the receptor was concentration-dependent, with an apparent EC50 of 33 nM, and peaked at 1 min after challenge. The kinin-stimulated phosphorylation of the B2 receptor was rapid and transient and paralleled the kinetics of desensitization/resensitization of the receptor as followed by [Ca2+]i release and radioligand binding assay, respectively. The ligand-induced phosphorylation of the B2 receptor was independent of the protein kinase C pathway. In vitro experiments suggest betaARK1 (beta-adrenergic receptor kinase) as a candidate kinase that could mediate the homologous B2 receptor phosphorylation. Inhibitors of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A effectively blocked the dephosphorylation, but did not affect the internalization of the B2 receptor, whereas inhibitors of receptor internalization delayed its dephosphorylation. These finding point to a role of ligand-induced phosphorylation in the desensitization and redistribution of the bradykinin receptor in human fibroblasts.

Cloning, expression and pharmacology of the mouse 5-HT(4L) receptor

Since most of our knowledge on pharmacological properties of brain 5-HT4 receptors have been discussed for mouse colliculi neurons, we cloned the corresponding receptor using the RT-PCR approach. As expected, the homology with the already cloned rat 5-HT(4L) receptor was high, revealing only 16 differences at the amino-acid level. One of the differences, proline75 in mouse, alanine75 in the already published rat sequences was not confirmed. Therefore this proline is part of the consensus sequence present in all 5-HT receptor transmembrane domain II (LVMP). Comparing the affinities of 11 agonists and five antagonists for the cloned mouse receptor (5-HT(4L))expressed in LLCPK1 and the corresponding receptor in mouse colliculi shows an excellent correlation. The transfected mouse 5-HT(4L) receptor stimulated cAMP production. When expressed at high density, it exhibited intrinsic activity. In contrast to the previously described distribution, we found that mRNA encoding for both the short (5-HT(4S))and the long form (5-HT(4L)) of 5-HT4 receptors are expressed in all mouse and rat brain areas.