Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 splice variants mGluR1a and mGluR1b combine in mGluR1a/b dimers in vivo

TRPC Channels Activated by G Protein-Coupled Receptors Drive Ca2+ Dysregulation Leading to Secondary Brain Injury in the Mouse Model

Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) non-selective cation channels, particularly those assembled with TRPC3, TRPC6, and TRPC7 subunits, are coupled to Gαq-type G protein-coupled receptors for the major classes of excitatory neurotransmitters. Sustained activation of this TRPC channel-based pathophysiological signaling hub in neurons and glia likely contributes to prodigious excitotoxicity-driven secondary brain injury expansion. This was investigated in mouse models with selective Trpc gene knockout (KO). In adult cerebellar brain slices, application of glutamate and the class I metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist (S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine to Purkinje neurons expressing the GCaMP5g Ca2+ reporter demonstrated that the majority of the Ca2+ loading in the molecular layer dendritic arbors was attributable to the TRPC3 effector channels (Trpc3KO compared with wildtype (WT)). This Ca2+ dysregulation was associated with glutamate excitotoxicity causing progressive disruption of the Purkinje cell dendrites (significantly abated in a GAD67-GFP-Trpc3KO reporter brain slice model). Contribution of the Gαq-coupled TRPC channels to secondary brain injury was evaluated in a dual photothrombotic focal ischemic injury model targeting cerebellar and cerebral cortex regions, comparing day 4 post-injury in WT mice, Trpc3KO, and Trpc1/3/6/7 quadruple knockout (TrpcQKO), with immediate 2-h (primary) brain injury. Neuroprotection to secondary brain injury was afforded in both brain regions by Trpc3KO and TrpcQKO models, with the TrpcQKO showing greatest neuroprotection. These findings demonstrate the contribution of the Gαq-coupled TRPC effector mechanism to excitotoxicity-based secondary brain injury expansion, which is a primary driver for mortality and morbidity in stroke, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy.

Protein Networks Associated with Native Metabotropic Glutamate 1 Receptors (mGlu1) in the Mouse Cerebellum

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGlu1) plays a pivotal role in synaptic transmission and neuronal plasticity. Despite the fact that several interacting proteins involved in the mGlu1 subcellular trafficking and intracellular transduction mechanisms have been identified, the protein network associated with this receptor in specific brain areas remains largely unknown. To identify novel mGlu1-associated protein complexes in the mouse cerebellum, we used an unbiased tissue-specific proteomic approach, namely co-immunoprecipitation followed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Many well-known protein complexes as well as novel interactors were identified, including G-proteins, Homer, δ2 glutamate receptor, 14-3-3 proteins, and Na/K-ATPases. A novel putative interactor, KCTD12, was further investigated. Reverse co-immunoprecipitation with anti-KCTD12 antibodies revealed mGlu1 in wild-type but not in KCTD12-knock-out homogenates. Freeze-fracture replica immunogold labeling co-localization experiments showed that KCTD12 and mGlu1 are present in the same nanodomain in Purkinje cell spines, although at a distance that suggests that this interaction is mediated through interposed proteins. Consistently, mGlu1 could not be co-immunoprecipitated with KCTD12 from a recombinant mammalian cell line co-expressing the two proteins. The possibility that this interaction was mediated via GABAB receptors was excluded by showing that mGlu1 and KCTD12 still co-immunoprecipitated from GABAB receptor knock-out tissue. In conclusion, this study identifies tissue-specific mGlu1-associated protein clusters including KCTD12 at Purkinje cell synapses.

Structural and Molecular Determinants for Isoform Bias at Human Histamine H3 Receptor Isoforms

The human histamine H₃ receptor (hH₃R) is predominantly expressed in the CNS, where it regulates the synthesis and release of histamine and other neurotransmitters. Due to its neuromodulatory role, the hH₃R has been associated with various CNS disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Markedly, the hH₃R gene undergoes extensive splicing, resulting in 20 isoforms, of which 7TM isoforms exhibit variations in the intracellular loop 3 (IL3) and/or C-terminal tail. Particularly, hH₃R isoforms that display variations in IL3 (e.g., hH₃R-365) are shown to differentially signal via Gα_i-dependent pathways upon binding of biased agonists (e.g., immepip, proxifan, imetit). Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying biased agonism at hH₃R isoforms remain unknown. Using a structure-function relationship study with a broad range of H₃R agonists, we thereby explored determinants underlying isoform bias at hH₃R isoforms that exhibit variations in IL3 (i.e., hH₃R-445, -415, -365, and -329) in a Gα_i-dependent pathway (cAMP inhibition). Hence, we systematically characterized hH₃R isoforms on isoform bias by comparing various ligand properties (i.e., structural and molecular) to the degree of isoform bias. Importantly, our study provides novel insights into the structural and molecular basis of receptor isoform bias, highlighting the importance to study GPCRs with multiple isoforms to better tailor drugs.

Kinetic fingerprinting of metabotropic glutamate receptors

Dimeric metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are abundantly expressed in neurons. In mammals, eight subunit isoforms, mGluR1-8, have been identified, forming the groups I, II, and III. We investigated receptor dimerization and kinetics of these mGluR isoforms in excised membrane patches by FRET and confocal patch-clamp fluorometry. We show that 5 out of 8 homodimeric receptors develop characteristic glutamate-induced on- and off-kinetics, as do 11 out of 28 heterodimers. Glutamate-responsive heterodimers were identified within each group, between groups I and II as well as between groups II and III, but not between groups I and III. The glutamate-responsive heterodimers showed heterogeneous activation and deactivation kinetics. Interestingly, mGluR7, not generating a kinetic response in homodimers, showed fast on-kinetics in mGluR2/7 and mGluR3/7 while off-kinetics retained the speed of mGluR2 or mGluR3 respectively. In conclusion, glutamate-induced conformational changes in heterodimers appear within each group and between groups if one group II subunit is present.

Membrane trafficking and positioning of mGluRs at presynaptic and postsynaptic sites of excitatory synapses

The plethora of functions of glutamate in the brain are mediated by the complementary actions of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). The ionotropic glutamate receptors carry most of the fast excitatory transmission, while mGluRs modulate transmission on longer timescales by triggering multiple intracellular signaling pathways. As such, mGluRs mediate critical aspects of synaptic transmission and plasticity. Interestingly, at synapses, mGluRs operate at both sides of the cleft, and thus bidirectionally exert the effects of glutamate. At postsynaptic sites, group I mGluRs act to modulate excitability and plasticity. At presynaptic sites, group II and III mGluRs act as auto-receptors, modulating release properties in an activity-dependent manner. Thus, synaptic mGluRs are essential signal integrators that functionally couple presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms of transmission and plasticity. Understanding how these receptors reach the membrane and are positioned relative to the presynaptic glutamate release site are therefore important aspects of synapse biology. In this review, we will discuss the currently known mechanisms underlying the trafficking and positioning of mGluRs at and around synapses, and how these mechanisms contribute to synaptic functioning. We will highlight outstanding questions and present an outlook on how recent technological developments will move this exciting research field forward.

Subsynaptic Distribution, Lipid Raft Targeting and G Protein-Dependent Signalling of the Type 1 Cannabinoid Receptor in Synaptosomes from the Mouse Hippocampus and Frontal Cortex

Numerous studies have investigated the roles of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Here, we used the cell-type-specific CB1 rescue model in mice to gain insight into the organizational principles of plasma membrane targeting and Gαi/o protein signalling of the CB1 receptor at excitatory and inhibitory terminals of the frontal cortex and hippocampus. By applying biochemical fractionation techniques and Western blot analyses to synaptosomal membranes, we explored the subsynaptic distribution (pre-, post-, and extra-synaptic) and CB1 receptor compartmentalization into lipid and non-lipid raft plasma membrane microdomains and the signalling properties. These data infer that the plasma membrane partitioning of the CB1 receptor and its functional coupling to Gαi/o proteins are not biased towards the cell type of CB1 receptor rescue. The extent of the canonical Gαi/o protein-dependent CB1 receptor signalling correlated with the abundance of CB1 receptor in the respective cell type (glutamatergic versus GABAergic neurons) both in frontal cortical and hippocampal synaptosomes. In summary, our results provide an updated view of the functional coupling of the CB1 receptor to Gαi/o proteins at excitatory and inhibitory terminals and substantiate the utility of the CB1 rescue model in studying endocannabinoid physiology at the subcellular level.

mGluR1 signaling in cerebellar Purkinje cells: Subcellular organization and involvement in cerebellar function and disease

The cerebellum is essential for the control, coordination, and learning of movements, and for certain aspects of cognitive function. Purkinje cells are the sole output neurons in the cerebellar cortex and therefore play crucial roles in the diverse functions of the cerebellum. The type 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1) is prominently enriched in Purkinje cells and triggers downstream signaling pathways that are required for functional and structural plasticity, and for synaptic responses. To understand how mGluR1 contributes to cerebellar functions, it is important to consider not only the operational properties of this receptor, but also its spatial organization and the molecular interactions that enable its proper functioning. In this review, we highlight how mGluR1 and its related signaling molecules are organized into tightly coupled microdomains to fulfill physiological functions. We also describe emerging evidence that altered mGluR1 signaling in Purkinje cells underlies cerebellar dysfunction in ataxias of human patients and mouse models.

International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. CXI. Pharmacology, Signaling, and Physiology of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors respond to glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, mediating a modulatory role that is critical for higher-order brain functions such as learning and memory. Since the first mGlu receptor was cloned in 1992, eight subtypes have been identified along with many isoforms and splice variants. The mGlu receptors are transmembrane-spanning proteins belonging to the class C G protein-coupled receptor family and represent attractive targets for a multitude of central nervous system disorders. Concerted drug discovery efforts over the past three decades have yielded a wealth of pharmacological tools including subtype-selective agents that competitively block or mimic the actions of glutamate or act allosterically via distinct sites to enhance or inhibit receptor activity. Herein, we review the physiologic and pathophysiological roles for individual mGlu receptor subtypes including the pleiotropic nature of intracellular signal transduction arising from each. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties of prototypical and commercially available orthosteric agonists and antagonists as well as allosteric modulators, including ligands that have entered clinical trials. Finally, we highlight emerging areas of research that hold promise to facilitate rational design of highly selective mGlu receptor-targeting therapeutics in the future. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The metabotropic glutamate receptors are attractive therapeutic targets for a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Over the past three decades, intense discovery efforts have yielded diverse pharmacological tools acting either competitively or allosterically, which have enabled dissection of fundamental biological process modulated by metabotropic glutamate receptors and established proof of concept for many therapeutic indications. We review metabotropic glutamate receptor molecular pharmacology and highlight emerging areas that are offering new avenues to selectively modulate neurotransmission.

Mutations in Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1 Contribute to Natural Short Sleep Trait

Sufficient and efficient sleep is crucial for our health. Natural short sleepers can sleep significantly shorter than the average population without a desire for more sleep and without any obvious negative health consequences. In searching for genetic variants underlying the short sleep trait, we found two different mutations in the same gene (metabotropic glutamate receptor 1) from two independent natural short sleep families. In vitro, both of the mutations exhibited loss of function in receptor-mediated signaling. In vivo, the mice carrying the individual mutations both demonstrated short sleep behavior. In brain slices, both of the mutations changed the electrical properties and increased excitatory synaptic transmission. These results highlight the important role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 in modulating sleep duration.

New Features on the Expression and Trafficking of mGluR1 Splice Variants Exposed by Two Novel Mutant Mouse Lines

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) couple to G-proteins to modulate slow synaptic transmission via intracellular second messengers. The first cloned mGluR, mGluR1, regulates motor coordination, synaptic plasticity and synapse elimination. mGluR1 undergoes alternative splicing giving rise to four translated variants that differ in their intracellular C-terminal domains. Our current knowledge about mGluR1 relates almost entirely to the long mGluR1α isoform, whereas little is known about the other shorter variants. To study the expression of mGluR1γ, we have generated by means of the CRISPR/Cas9 system a new knock-in (KI) mouse line in which the C-terminus of this variant carries two short tags. Using this mouse line, we could establish that mGluR1γ is either untranslated or in amounts that are undetectable in the mouse cerebellum, indicating that only mGluR1α and mGluR1β are present and active at cerebellar synapses. The trafficking and function of mGluR1 appear strongly influenced by adaptor proteins such as long Homers that bind to the C-terminus of mGluR1α. We generated a second transgenic (Tg) mouse line in which mGluR1α carries a point mutation in its Homer binding domain and studied whether disruption of this interaction influenced mGluR1 subcellular localization at cerebellar parallel fiber (PF)-Purkinje cell (PC) synapses by means of the freeze-fracture replica immunolabeling technique. These Tg animals did not show any overt behavioral phenotype, and despite the typical mGluR1 perisynaptic distribution was not significantly changed, we observed a higher probability of intrasynaptic diffusion suggesting that long Homers regulate the lateral mobility of mGluR1. We extended our ultrastructural analysis to other mouse lines in which only one mGluR1 variant was reintroduced in PC of mGluR1-knock out (KO) mice. This work revealed that mGluR1α preferentially accumulates closer to the edge of the postsynaptic density (PSD), whereas mGluR1β has a less pronounced perijunctional distribution and, in the absence of mGluR1α, its trafficking to the plasma membrane is impaired with an accumulation in intracellular organelles. In conclusion, our study sets several firm points on largely disputed matters, namely expression of mGluR1γ and role of the C-terminal domain of mGluR1 splice variants on their perisynaptic clustering.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor trafficking

The metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu receptors) are G protein-coupled receptors that bind to the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and are important in the modulation of neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and plasticity in the central nervous system. Trafficking of mGlu receptors in and out of the synaptic plasma membrane is a fundamental mechanism modulating excitatory synaptic function through regulation of receptor abundance, desensitization, and signaling profiles. In this review, we cover the regulatory mechanisms determining surface expression and endocytosis of mGlu receptors, with particular focus on post-translational modifications and receptor-protein interactions. The literature we review broadens our insight into the precise events defining the expression of functional mGlu receptors at synapses, and will likely contribute to the successful development of novel therapeutic targets for a variety of developmental, neurological, and psychiatric disorders.

The Class-A GPCR Dopamine D2 Receptor Forms Transient Dimers Stabilized by Agonists: Detection by Single-Molecule Tracking

Whether class-A G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) exist and work as monomers or dimers has drawn extensive attention. A class-A GPCR dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) is involved in many physiological and pathological processes and diseases, indicating its critical role in proper functioning of neuronal circuits. In particular, D2R homodimers might play key roles in schizophrenia development and amphetamine-induced psychosis. Here, using single-molecule imaging, we directly tracked single D2R molecules in the plasma membrane at a physiological temperature of 37 °C, and unequivocally determined that D2R forms transient dimers with a lifetime of 68 ms in its resting state. Agonist addition prolonged the dimer lifetime by a factor of ~1.5, suggesting the possibility that transient dimers might be involved in signaling.

Age and gender effects of 11C-ITMM binding to metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1 in healthy human participants

We examined possible age- and gender-related changes in binding of the selective antagonist N-[4-[6-(isopropylamino)pyrimidin-4-yl]-1,3-thiazol-2-yl]-4-¹¹C-methoxy-N-methylbenzamide (¹¹C-ITMM) to metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1 in healthy human brains. Dynamic ¹¹C-ITMM positron emission tomography scans (90 min) with serial arterial blood sampling were performed in 15 young and 24 older healthy adult volunteers. The total distribution volume (V_T) of several brain regions was estimated with 2-tissue compartment model analysis. The V_Ts of the cerebellar cortex, parietal cortex, putamen, amygdala, and hippocampus in older adult participants were significantly higher than in young participants. The age-related V_T increase was only observed in male participants. Our data suggest that an age-dependent increase in metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1 availability in several brain regions may exist predominantly in males.

Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 form a protein complex in mouse hippocampus and cortex

The group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5 (mGluR1/5) have been implicated in mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and may serve as potential therapeutic targets in autism spectrum disorders. The interactome of group 1 mGluRs has remained largely unresolved. Using a knockout‐controlled interaction proteomics strategy we examined the mGluR5 protein complex in two brain regions, hippocampus and cortex, and identified mGluR1 as its major interactor in addition to the well described Homer proteins. We confirmed the presence of mGluR1/5 complex by (i) reverse immunoprecipitation using an mGluR1 antibody to pulldown mGluR5 from hippocampal tissue, (ii) coexpression in HEK293 cells followed by coimmunoprecipitation to reveal the direct interaction of mGluR1 and 5, and (iii) superresolution microscopy imaging of hippocampal primary neurons to show colocalization of the mGluR1/5 in the synapse.

SGIP1 alters internalization and modulates signaling of activated cannabinoid receptor 1 in a biased manner

Many diseases of the nervous system are accompanied by alterations in synaptic functions. Synaptic plasticity mediated by the endogenous cannabinoid system involves the activation of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R). The principles of CB1R signaling must be understood in detail for its therapeutic exploration. We detected the Src homology 3-domain growth factor receptor-bound 2-like (endophilin) interacting protein 1 (SGIP1) as a novel CB1R partner. SGIP1 is functionally linked to clathrin-mediated endocytosis and its overexpression in animals leads to an energy regulation imbalance resulting in obesity. We report that SGIP1 prevents the endocytosis of activated CB1R and that it alters signaling via the CB1R in a biased manner. CB1R mediated G-protein activation is selectively influenced by SGIP1, β-arrestin associated signaling is changed profoundly, most likely as a consequence of the prevention of the receptor's internalization elicited by SGIP1.