Structure and sequence of the mouse V1a and V1b vasopressin receptor genes

Subcellular localization and internalization of the vasopressin V1B receptor

Only limited information is available on agonist-dependent changes in the subcellular localization of vasopressin V1B receptors. Our radioligand binding study of membrane preparations and intact cells revealed that a large fraction of the V1B receptor is located in the cytoplasm in unstimulated CHO cells, which is in contrast to the plasma membrane localization of the V1A and V2 receptors. Moreover, when the affinity of radiolabeled arginine-vasopressin ([3H]AVP) was compared between membrane preparations and intact cells, the affinity of [3H]AVP to the cell surface V1B receptors, but not the V1A receptors, was significantly reduced. Although the number and affinity of cell surface V1B receptors decreased, they became extensively internalized upon binding with [3H]AVP. Approximately 87% of cell surface-bound [3H]AVP was internalized and became resistant to acid wash during incubation with 1 nM [3H]AVP. By contrast, less ligand (35%) was internalized in the cells expressing the V1A receptor. Extensive internalization of the V1B receptors was partially attenuated by inhibitors of cytoskeletal proteins, siRNA against β-arrestin 2, or the removal of sodium chloride from the extracellular buffer, indicating that this internalization involves clathrin-coated pits. Together, these results indicate that the mechanism that regulates the number and affinity of V1B receptors in the plasma membrane is markedly distinct from the corresponding mechanisms for the V1A and V2 receptors and plays a critical role under stress conditions, when vasopressin release is augmented.

Pharmacological lineage analysis revealed the binding affinity of broad-spectrum substance P antagonists to receptors for gonadotropin-releasing peptide

A group of synthetic substance P (SP) antagonists, such as [Arg(6),D-Trp(7,9),N(Me)Phe(8)]-substance P(6-11) and [D-Arg(1),D-Phe(5),D-Trp(7,9),Leu(11)]-substance P, bind to a range of distinct G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family members, including V1a vasopressin receptors, and they competitively inhibit agonist binding. This extended accessibility enabled us to identify a GPCR subset with a partially conserved binding site structure. By combining pharmacological data and amino acid sequence homology matrices, a pharmacological lineage of GPCRs that are sensitive to these two SP antagonists was constructed. We found that sensitivity to the SP antagonists was not limited to the Gq-protein-coupled V1a and V1b receptors; Gs-coupled V2 receptors and oxytocin receptors, which couple with both Gq and Gi, also demonstrated sensitivity. Unexpectedly, a dendrogram based on the amino acid sequences of 222 known GPCRs showed that a group of receptors sensitive to the SP antagonists are located in close proximity to vasopressin/oxytocin receptors. Gonadotropin-releasing peptide receptors, located near the vasopressin receptors in the dendrogram, were also sensitive to the SP analogs, whereas α1B adrenergic receptors, located more distantly from the vasopressin receptors, were not sensitive. Our finding suggests that pharmacological lineage analysis is useful in selecting subsets of candidate receptors that contain a conserved binding site for a ligand with broad-spectrum binding abilities. The knowledge that the binding site of the two broad-spectrum SP analogs partially overlaps with that of distinct peptide agonists is valuable for understanding the specificity/broadness of peptide ligands.

The oxytocin/vasopressin receptor family has at least five members in the gnathostome lineage, inclucing two distinct V2 subtypes

The vertebrate oxytocin and vasopressin receptors form a family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that mediate a large variety of functions, including social behavior and the regulation of blood pressure, water balance and reproduction. In mammals four family members have been identified, three of which respond to vasopressin (VP) named V1A, V1B and V2, and one of which is activated by oxytocin (OT), called the OT receptor. Four receptors have been identified in chicken as well, but these have received different names. Until recently only V1-type receptors have been described in several species of teleost fishes. We have identified family members in several gnathostome genomes and performed phylogenetic analyses to classify OT/VP-receptors across species and determine orthology relationships. Our phylogenetic tree identifies five distinct ancestral gnathostome receptor subtypes in the OT/VP receptor family: V1A, V1B, V2A, V2B and OT receptors. The existence of distinct V2A and V2B receptors has not been previously recognized. We have found these two subtypes in all examined teleost genomes as well as in available frog and lizard genomes and conclude that the V2A-type is orthologous to mammalian V2 receptors whereas the V2B-type is orthologous to avian V2 receptors. Some teleost fishes have acquired additional and more recent gene duplicates with up to eight receptor family members. Thus, this analysis reveals an unprecedented complexity in the gnathostome repertoire of OT/VP receptors, opening interesting research avenues regarding functions such as regulation of water balance, reproduction and behavior, particularly in reptiles, amphibians, teleost fishes and cartilaginous fishes.

High variability and non-neutral evolution of the mammalian avpr1a gene

Background

The arginine-vasopressin 1a receptor has been identified as a key determinant for social behaviour in Microtus voles, humans and other mammals. Nevertheless, the genetic bases of complex phenotypic traits like differences in social and mating behaviour among species and individuals remain largely unknown. Contrary to previous studies focusing on differences in the promotor region of the gene, we investigate here the level of functional variation in the coding region (exon 1) of this locus.

Results

We detected high sequence diversity between higher mammalian taxa as well as between species of the genus Microtus. This includes length variation and radical amino acid changes, as well as the presence of distinct protein variants within individuals. Additionally, negative selection prevails on most parts of the first exon of the arginine-vasopressin receptor 1a (avpr1a) gene but it contains regions with higher rates of change that harbour positively selected sites. Synonymous and non-synonymous substitution rates in the avpr1a gene are not exceptional compared to other genes, but they exceed those found in related hormone receptors with similar functions.

Discussion

These results stress the importance of considering variation in the coding sequence of avpr1a in regards to associations with life history traits (e.g. social behaviour, mating system, habitat requirements) of voles, other mammals and humans in particular.

Monitoring ligand-mediated internalization of G protein-coupled receptor as a novel pharmacological approach

Agonist activation of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) results in the redistribution of the receptor protein away from the cell surface into internal cellular compartments through a process of endocytosis known as internalization. Visualization of receptor internalization has become experimentally practicable by using fluorescent reagents such as green fluorescent protein (GFP). In this study, we examined whether the ligand-mediated internalization of a GPCR can be exploited for pharmacological evaluations. We acquired fluorescent images of cells expressing GFP-labeled GPCRs and evaluated the ligand-mediated internalization quantitatively by image processing. Using beta2-adrenoceptor and vasopressin V1a receptor as model GPCRs that couple to Gs and Gq, respectively, we first examined whether these GFP-tagged GPCRs exhibited appropriate pharmacology. The rank order of receptor internalization potency for a variety of agonists and antagonists specific to each receptor corresponded well with that previously observed in ligand binding studies. In addition to chemical ligand-induced internalization, this cell-based fluorescence imaging system successfully monitored the internalization of the proton-sensing GPCR TDAG8, and that of the free fatty acid-sensitive GPCR GPR120. The results show that monitoring receptor internalization can be a useful approach for pharmacological characterization of GPCRs and in fishing for ligands of orphan GPCRs.

V1a vasopressin receptors maintain normal blood pressure by regulating circulating blood volume and baroreflex sensitivity

Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is a hormone that is essential for both osmotic and cardiovascular homeostasis, and exerts important physiological regulation through three distinct receptors, V1a, V1b, and V2. Although AVP is used clinically as a potent vasoconstrictor (V1a receptor-mediated) in patients with circulatory shock, the physiological role of vasopressin V1a receptors in blood pressure (BP) homeostasis is ill-defined. In this study, we investigated the functional roles of the V1a receptor in cardiovascular homeostasis using gene targeting. The basal BP of conscious mutant mice lacking the V1a receptor gene (V1a-/-) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower compared to the wild-type mice (V1a+/+) without a notable change in heart rate. There was no significant alteration in cardiac functions as assessed by echocardiogram in the mutant mice. AVP-induced vasopressor responses were abolished in the mutant mice; rather, AVP caused a decrease in BP, which occurred in part through V2 receptor-mediated release of nitric oxide from the vascular endothelium. Arterial baroreceptor reflexes were markedly impaired in mutant mice, consistent with a loss of V1a receptors in the central area of baroreflex control. Notably, mutant mice showed a significant 9% reduction in circulating blood volume. Furthermore, mutant mice had normal plasma AVP levels and a normal AVP secretory response, but had significantly lower adrenocortical responsiveness to adrenocorticotropic hormone. Taken together, these results indicate that the V1a receptor plays an important role in normal resting arterial BP regulation mainly by its regulation of circulating blood volume and baroreflex sensitivity.

Vasopressin stimulates insulin release from islet cells through V1b receptors: a combined pharmacological/knockout approach

Vasopressin receptor subtype(s) responsible for stimulation of insulin release from pancreatic beta cells were investigated by using subtype-selective antagonists and mice that were genetically lacking either V1a or V1b receptors. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) increased insulin release from isolated mouse islet cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with a submaximal response at 100 nM. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis detected V1b and oxytocin, but not V1a or V2, receptor transcripts in mouse islet cells. We characterized the recently synthesized vasopressin receptor subtype antagonists (2S)1-[(2R 3S)-(5-chloro-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-(3,4-dimethoxybenzene-sulfonyl)-3-hydroxy-2,3-difydro-1H-indole-2-carbonyl)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxamide] (SR49059), 1-[1-[4-(3-acetylaminopropoxy)benzoyl]-4-piperidyl]-3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinolinone (OPC-21268), and (2S,4R)-1-[5-chloro-1-[(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)sulfonyl]-3-(2-methoxy-phenyl)-2-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-3-yl]-4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-2-pyrrolidine carboxamide (SSR149415) using human embryonic kidney 293 cells stably expressing the three cloned mouse vasopressin receptors (V1a, V1b, and V2). A radioligand binding study showed that SR49059 and OPC-21268 potently inhibited [3H]AVP binding to the cloned mouse V1a receptor, with Ki values of 27 and 510 nM, respectively, whereas SSR149415 potently inhibited [3H]AVP binding to the cloned mouse V1b receptor with a Ki value of 110 nM. The inhibitory effects of vasopressin antagonists on AVP-induced insulin release correlate well with the rank order of potency to inhibit [3H]AVP binding to the V1b receptor; pancreatic islet cells were significantly inhibited by SSR149415 but not by SR49059 or OPC-21268. Furthermore, the AVP effect on insulin release was entirely lost in mice lacking the V1b receptor but was preserved in mice lacking the V1a receptor. Our study, which combined pharmacological and knockout approaches, clearly demonstrates that vasopressin-stimulated insulin release from islet cells is mediated via V1b receptors.

The vasopressin V1b receptor critically regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity under both stress and resting conditions

The neurohypophyseal peptide [Arg(8)]-vasopressin (AVP) exerts major physiological actions through three distinct receptor isoforms designated V1a, V1b, and V2. Among these three subtypes, the vasopressin V1b receptor is specifically expressed in pituitary corticotrophs and mediates the stimulatory effect of vasopressin on ACTH release. To investigate the functional roles of V1b receptor subtypes in vivo, gene targeting was used to create a mouse model lacking the V1b receptor gene (V1bR-/-). Under resting conditions, circulating concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone were lower in V1bR-/- mice compared with WT mice (V1bR+/+). The normal increase in circulating ACTH levels in response to exogenous administration of AVP was impaired in V1bR-/- mice, while corticotropin-releasing hormone-stimulated ACTH release in the V1bR-/- mice was not significantly different from that in the V1bR+/+ mice. AVP-induced ACTH release from primary cultured pituitary cells in V1bR-/- mice was also blunted. Furthermore, the increase in ACTH after a forced swim stress was significantly suppressed in V1bR-/- mice. Our results clearly demonstrate that the V1b receptor plays a crucial role in regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. It does this by maintaining ACTH and corticosterone levels, not only under stress but also under basal conditions.

Identification of the glycosylation sites utilized on the V1a vasopressin receptor and assessment of their role in receptor signalling and expression

Most of the large family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) possess putative N-glycosylation sites within their N-termini. However, for the vast majority of GPCRs, it has not been determined which, if any, of the consensus glycosylation sites are actually utilized or what the functional ramifications are of modification by oligosaccharide. The occurrence and function of glycosylation of the V(1a) vasopressin receptor (V(1a)R) has been investigated in this study. Using a combination of translation systems that are either glycosylation-competent or do not support glycosylation, we established that of the four putative N-glycosylation sites at Asn(14), Asn(27), Asn(198) and Asn(333) only the first three sites are actually modified by carbohydrate. This was confirmed by disruption of consensus sites by site-directed mutagenesis, individually and in combination. The V(1a)R is not O-glycosylated. The functionality of a series of glycosylation-defective V(1a)R constructs was characterized after expression in HEK 293T cells. It was found that carbohydrate moieties are not required for the receptor to bind any of the four classes of ligand available, or for intracellular signalling. The glycosylation status of the V(1a)R did, however, regulate the level of total receptor expression and also the abundance of receptor at the cell surface. Furthermore, the nature of this regulation (increased or decreased expression) was dictated by the locus of the oligosaccharide modification. Modification of any one of the consensus sites alone, however, was sufficient for wild-type expression, indicating a redundancy within the glycosylation sites. A role for the carbohydrate in the correct folding or stabilization of the V(1a)R is indicated. Glycosylation is not required, however, for efficient trafficking of the receptor to the cell surface. This study establishes the functional importance of N-glycosylation of the V(1a)R.