Use of protein knobs to characterize the position of conserved alpha-subunit regions in lutropin receptor complexes

Structural biology of glycoprotein hormones and their receptors: insights to signaling

This article reviews the progress made in the field of glycoprotein hormones (GPH) and their receptors (GPHR) by several groups of structural biologists including ourselves aiming to gain insight into GPH signaling mechanisms. The GPH family consists of four members, with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) being the prototypic member. GPH members belong to the cystine-knot growth factor superfamily, and their receptors (GPHR), possessing unusually large N-terminal ectodomains, belong to the G-protein coupled receptor Family A. GPHR ectodomains can be divided into two subdomains: a high-affinity hormone binding subdomain primarily centered on the N-terminus, and a second subdomain that is located on the C-terminal region of the ectodomain that is involved in signal specificity. The two subdomains unexpectedly form an integral structure comprised of leucine-rich repeats (LRRs). Following the structure determination of hCG in 1994, the field of FSH structural biology has progressively advanced. Initially, the FSH structure was determined in partially glycosylated free form in 2001, followed by a structure of FSH bound to a truncated FSHR ectodomain in 2005, and the structure of FSH bound to the entire ectodomain in 2012. Comparisons of the structures in three forms led a proposal of a two-step monomeric receptor activation mechanism. First, binding of FSH to the FSHR high-affinity hormone-binding subdomain induces a conformational change in the hormone to form a binding pocket that is specific for a sulfated-tyrosine found as sTyr 335 in FSHR. Subsequently, the sTyr is drawn into the newly formed binding pocket, producing a lever effect on a helical pivot whereby the docking sTyr provides as the 'pull & lift' force. The pivot helix is flanked by rigid LRRs and locked by two disulfide bonds on both sides: the hormone-binding subdomain on one side and the last short loop before the first transmembrane helix on the other side. The lift of the sTyr loop frees the tethered extracellular loops of the 7TM domain, thereby releasing a putative inhibitory influence of the ectodomain, ultimately leading to the activating conformation of the 7TM domain. Moreover, the data lead us to propose that FSHR exists as a trimer and to present an FSHR activation mechanism consistent with the observed trimeric crystal form. A trimeric receptor provides resolution of the enigmatic, but important, biological roles played by GPH residues that are removed from the primary FSH-binding site, as well as several important GPCR phenomena, including negative cooperativity and asymmetric activation. Further reflection pursuant to this review process revealed additional novel structural characteristics such as the identification of a 'seat' sequence in GPH. Together with the 'seatbelt', the 'seat' enables a common heteodimeric mode of association of the common α subunit non-covalently and non-specifically with each of the three different β subunits. Moreover, it was possible to establish a dimensional order that can be used to estimate LRR curvatures. A potential binding pocket for small molecular allosteric modulators in the FSHR 7TM domain has also been identified.

Follitropin receptors contain cryptic ligand binding sites

Human choriogonadotropin (hCG) and follitropin (hFSH) have been shown to contact different regions of the extracellular domains of G-protein coupled lutropin (LHR) and follitropin (FSHR) receptors. We report here that hCG and hFSH analogs interact with different regions of an FSHR/LHR chimera having only two unique LHR residues and that binds both hormones with high affinity. hCG and hFSH analogs dock with this receptor chimera in a manner similar to that in which they bind LHR and FSHR, respectively. This shows that although the FSHR does not normally bind hCG, it contains a cryptic lutropin binding site that has the potential to recognize hCG in a manner similar to the LHR. The presence of this cryptic site may explain why equine lutropins bind many mammalian FSHR and why mutations in the transmembrane domain distant from the extracellular domain enable the FSHR to bind hCG. The leucine-rich repeat domain (LRD) of the FSHR also appears to contain a cryptic FSH binding site that is obscured by other parts of the extracellular domain. This will explain why contacts seen in crystals of hFSH complexed with an LRD fragment of the human FSHR are hard to reconcile with the abilities of FSH analogs to interact with membrane G-protein coupled FSHR. We speculate that cryptic lutropin binding sites in the FSHR, which are also likely to be present in thyrotropin receptors (TSHR), permit the physiological regulation of ligand binding specificity. Cryptic FSH binding sites in the LRD may enable alternate spliced forms of the FSHR to interact with FSH.

The antigen binding sites of various hCG monoclonal antibodies show homology to different domains of LH receptor

The common feature of receptors and antibodies against the ligand is that both display very specific, high affinity binding towards the ligand. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that the paratope of antibodies may exhibit homology with distinct domains of the receptor. By locating the hormone epitopes and determining the structure of the paratopes, it should be possible to identify the contact points between the ligand and the receptor. This hypothesis has been tested using hCG monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) recognizing different epitopes and having different effects on hormone binding and response. The beta subunit and heterodimer specific antibodies inhibited both hormone binding and response, while the alpha subunit specific antibodies inhibited response without affecting binding. The single chain fragment variables (ScFvs) produced from these antibodies also retained the properties of the parent antibodies. The amino acid sequences of the ScFvs exhibited homology to different regions of the receptor; the beta subunit specific antibody being homologous to the concave surface of the leucine rich repeats (LRR) of the receptor, particularly the concave surface of the LRRs, while the heterodimer specific antibody showed homology to the hinge region. The alpha subunit specific antibody showed homology to the transmembrane domain of the receptor. The exact locations of the epitopes of the monoclonal antibodies in the hormone molecule have also been identified. The data presented here also support the model of glycoprotein hormone-receptor interaction in which the hormone binds to the extracellular domain through the beta subunit and then the alpha subunit is brought in contact with the transmembrane domain leading to signal transduction.

Molecular pharmacology of gonadotropins

Gonadotropins have been studied in biological systems for decades and many of their properties are well defined. These include pharmacological properties such as affinity, stability, and pharmacokinetics also used to characterize drugs. Technologies applied to research on gonadotropins have led to the creation of hormone analogs with alterations to one or more of these proper-ties. Some of these analogs have potential therapeutic applications. A challenge to realizing this potential is the accurate prediction of how these compounds will perform in humans. This could be facilitated by advances in biological models and the understanding of specific effects of the hormones on their receptors.

Models of glycoprotein hormone receptor interaction

The glycoprotein hormones regulate reproduction and development through their interactions with receptors in ovarian, testicular, and thyroid tissues. Efforts to design hormone agonists and antagonists useful for treat-ing infertility and hyperthyroidism would benefit from a molecular understanding of hormone-receptor interaction. The structure of a complex containing FSH bound to a fragment of its receptor has been determined at 2.9 Angstroms resolution, but this does not explain several observations made with cell-surface G protein receptors and may reflect the manner in which FSH binds a short alternate spliced receptor form. We discuss observations that must be explained by any model of the cell-surface G protein-coupled glycoprotein hormone receptors and suggest structures for these receptors that satisfy these requirements. Glycoprotein hormones appear to contact two distinct sites in the extracellular domains of their receptors, not just the leucine-rich repeat domain. These dual contacts contribute to ligand binding specificity and appear to be essential for signal transduction. As outlined in this minireview, differences in the manners in which these ligands contact their receptors explain why some ligands and ligand analogs interact with more than one class of receptor and why some receptors and receptor analogs bind more than one ligand. The unique manner in which these ligands appear to interact with their receptors may have facilitated hormone and receptor co-evolution during early vertebrate speciation.

Only a Portion of the Small Seatbelt Loop in Human Choriogonadotropin Appears Capable of Contacting the Lutropin Receptor

Twenty residues of the human choriogonadotropin (hCG) beta-subunit that are wrapped around alpha-subunit loop 2 like a "seatbelt" stabilize the heterodimer and enable the hormone to distinguish lutropin (LHR), follitropin, and thyrotropin receptors. The N-terminal portion of the seatbelt contains a small disulfide-stabilized loop needed for heterodimer assembly and is thought to mediate hCG-LHR interactions. To test the latter notion, we compared the LHR binding and signal transduction activities of hCG analogs in which the alpha-subunit C terminus (alphaCT) was cross-linked to residues in the small seatbelt loop. Analogs having an intersubunit disulfide between a cysteine in place of alphaCT residue alphaSer-92 and cysteines substituted for loop residues betaArg-94, betaArg-95, or betaSer-96 had high activities in LHR binding and signaling assays despite the fact that both portions of the hormone are thought to be essential for hCG activity. Use of a larger probe blocked hormone activity when the alphaCT was cross-linked to cysteines in place of residues betaArg-95 and betaAsp-99, but not to cysteines in place of residues betaArg-94, betaSer-96, or betaThr-97. This suggested that the side chains of residues betaArg-95 and betaAsp-99, which face in the same outward direction from the heterodimer, are nearer than the others to the LHR interface. The finding that residue 95 can be cross-linked to small alphaCT probes without eliminating hormone activity indicates its side chain does not participate in essential LHR contacts. We suggest that contacts between the small seatbelt loop and the LHR, if any, involve its backbone atoms and possibly the side chain of residue betaAsp-99.

Model of Glycoprotein Hormone Receptor Ligand Binding and Signaling

Studies described here were initiated to develop a model of glycoprotein hormone receptor structure and function. We found that the region that links the lutropin receptor leucine-rich repeat domain (LRD) to its transmembrane domain (TMD) has substantial roles in ligand binding and signaling, hence we term it the signaling specificity domain (SSD). Theoretical considerations indicated the short SSDs in marmoset lutropin and salmon follitropin receptors have KH domain folds. We assembled models of lutropin, follitropin, and thyrotropin receptors by aligning models of their LRD, TMD, and shortened SSD in a manner that explains how substitutions in follitropin and thyrotropin receptors distant from their apparent ligand binding sites enable them to recognize lutropins. In these models, the SSD is parallel to the concave surface of the LRD and makes extensive contacts with TMD outer loops 1 and 2. The LRD appears to contact TMD outer loop 3 and a few residues in helices 1, 5, 6, and 7. We propose that signaling results from contacts of the ligands with the SSD and LRD that alter the LRD, which then moves TMD helices 6 and 7. The positions of the LRD and SSD support the notion that the receptor can be activated by hormones that dock with these domains in either of two different orientations. This would account for the abilities of some ligands and ligand chimeras to bind multiple receptors and for some receptors to bind multiple ligands. This property of the receptor may have contributed significantly to ligand-receptor co-evolution.