Showing papers by "Robert J. Lefkowitz published in 1985"

Molecular mechanisms of receptor desensitization using the β -adrenergic receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase system as a model

Abstract: Desensitization, the tendency of biological responses to wane over time despite the continuous presence of a stimulus of constant intensity, is observed in organisms as diverse as bacteria and mammals. Recently, new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena have emerged from the study of the receptors coupled to the ubiquitous second messenger-generating system adenylate cyclase. These mechanisms involve sequestration or down-regulation of the receptors from the cell surface as well as functionally significant covalent modifications of the receptors and / or guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins.

Phorbol esters promote alpha 1-adrenergic receptor phosphorylation and receptor uncoupling from inositol phospholipid metabolism.

Abstract: DDT1 MF-2 cells, which are derived from hamster vas deferens smooth muscle, contain alpha 1-adrenergic receptors (54,800 +/- 2700 sites per cell) that are coupled to stimulation of inositol phospholipid metabolism. Incubation of these cells with tumor-promoting phorbol esters, which stimulate calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase, leads to a marked attenuation of the ability of alpha 1-receptor agonists such as norepinephrine to stimulate the turnover of inositol phospholipids. This turnover was measured by determining the 32P content of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid after prelabeling of the cellular ATP pool with 32Pi. These phorbol ester-treated cells also displayed a decrease in binding affinity of cellular alpha 1 receptors for agonists with no change in antagonist affinity. By using affinity chromatography on the affinity resin Affi-Gel-A55414, the alpha 1 receptors were purified approximately equal to 300-fold from control and phorbol ester-treated 32Pi-prelabeled cells. As assessed by NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the Mr 80,000 alpha 1-receptor ligand-binding subunit is a phosphopeptide containing 1.2 mol of phosphate per mol of alpha 1 receptor. After phorbol ester treatment this increased to 3.6 mol of phosphate per mol of alpha 1 receptor. The effect of phorbol esters on norepinephrine-stimulated inositol phospholipid turnover and alpha 1-receptor phosphorylation showed the same rapid time course with a t1/2 less than 2 min. These results indicate that calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase may play an important role in regulating the function of receptors that are coupled to the inositol phospholipid cycle by phosphorylating and deactivating them.

Regulation of hormone receptors and adenylyl cyclases by guanine nucleotide binding N proteins.

Abstract: Publisher Summary Receptors that affect cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) are sub-classified into two subtypes: Rs receptors, which increase cAMP levels by stimulating the enzyme adenylyl cyclase, and Ri receptors, which decrease cAMP levels by inhibiting the cAMP-forming enzyme. This chapter discusses the transduction mechanism to which Rs- and Ri-type receptors couple to modulate adenylyl cyclase activity. At the center of this transduction mechanism are two oligomeric coupling proteins called N or G proteins. These proteins have properties to bind and hydrolyze guanosine triphosphate and regulate hormone affinity for receptors and the catalytic activity of the cAMP-forming enzyme. This complex receptor-coupling protein-adenylyl cyclase system is approached by first reviewing structural and functional aspects that regulate cAMP formation. The chapter also discusses the basic structure and regulation of adenylyl cyclase by nucleotides and magnesium. It also discusses action of hormones on the nucleotide-regulated system. It analyzes the known regulation of hormone-receptor interaction by the coupling proteins. The analysis of affinity regulation of receptors leads to conclusions that point toward the existence of at least two conformational states of receptors interacting with at least three conformational states or forms of the coupling proteins.

A role for Ni in the hormonal stimulation of adenylate cyclase.

Abstract: The best understood system for transduction of extracellular messages into intracellular signals is the hormone receptor-coupled adenylate cyclase. In such systems receptors are functionally coupled to the enzyme by two special proteins, termed the stimulatory and inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins (Ns and Ni, respectively). These proteins, thought to mediate, respectively, stimulatory and inhibitory influences on the adenylate cyclase, are members of a larger class of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins involved in membrane signal transduction. We have studied the interactions of the various components of the adenylate cyclase system by co-reconstituting pure beta-adrenergic receptors, pure Ns and Ni, and functionally resolved preparations of the catalyst in phospholipid vesicles. In the absence of Ni, beta-adrenergic receptor/Ns-mediated catecholamine stimulation of the enzyme is relatively modest (approximately 1.3-fold). Surprisingly, however, when Ni is also present, stimulation increases dramatically (up to 7-8-fold) because of a greater suppression of basal relative to agonist-stimulated enzyme activity. Thus, Ni may actually be required for maximal agonist stimulation as well as for inhibition of the adenylate cyclase.

The impact of aging on adrenergic receptor function: clinical and biochemical aspects.

Abstract: From this discussion, several conclusions can be drawn. First, with advancing age there is a decrease in cardiovascular responsiveness and, more specifically, there is a decrease in catecholamine-stimulated chronotropic and inotropic responses. This decreased function has its biochemical correlate in the observation that cyclic AMP levels are decreased in response to isoproterenol infusion in cells or tissues derived from aged organisms. Second, although most work on human circulating cells suggests that beta-adrenergic receptor densities are unchanged, measurements of beta-adrenergic receptor concentrations in various cells from various animals (predominantly rats) have yielded conflicting results. Some of this disparity could be due to the observation that local concentrations of norepinephrine, such as those found intramyocardially, may be very different from those in circulating plasma. Indeed, whereas circulating norepinephrine levels tend to rise with age, the intramyocardial norepinephrine levels tend to fall with senescence. Thus, circulating lymphocytes may or may not be an appropriate model to reflect the catecholamine milieu to which other tissues may be exposed. Accordingly, a note of caution must be entered in terms of extrapolating findings regarding the levels of human lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptors and cyclic AMP activity to those found, for example, in the human heart. Furthermore, it is likely that age-related changes in adrenergic function may be the result of changes in coupling of receptors to the adenylate cyclase system, as suggested by Feldman and co-workers, and/or changes in steps distal to cyclase activation, as suggested by Guarnieri and colleagues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Transducin and the inhibitory nucleotide regulatory protein inhibit the stimulatory nucleotide regulatory protein mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase in phospholipid vesicle systems.

Abstract: The adenylate cyclase coupled inhibitory nucleotide regulatory protein (Ni) and the bovine retinal nucleotide regulatory protein transducin (T) appear to share some common functional properties since their GTPase activity is stimulated to similar extents by the retinal photoreceptor rhodopsin. In the present work, we sought to assess whether these functional similarities might extend to their interaction with adenylate cyclase. This necessitated the development of reconstitution systems in which guanine nucleotide regulatory protein mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity could be demonstrated and characterized in a lipid milieu. In the absence of the pure human erythrocyte stimulatory nucleotide regulatory protein (Ns), the insertion into phospholipid vesicles of either pure Ni from human erythrocytes or pure bovine T with the resolved catalytic moiety of bovine caudate adenylate cyclase (C) does not establish GppNHp inhibition of either Mg2+- or forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase. However, the coinsertion into lipid vesicles of either Ni or T with Ns and resolved C results in an inhibition of Ns(GppNHp) stimulatable C activity. As is the case in intact membranes, the reconstituted inhibition of the Ns-stimulated C activity extends into the steady-state phase of time courses of activity. This inhibition is highly sensitive to the MgCl2 concentration. At 2 mM MgCl2, the inhibition is greater than 80% while at 50 mM MgCl2 it is only approximately 20%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Homologous desensitization of the beta-adrenergic receptor. Functional integrity of the desensitized receptor from mammalian lung.

Abstract: Previous work has demonstrated that injection of rats with isoproterenol is rapidly (10 min) followed by the development of a homologous form of desensitization of the beta-agonist-coupled adenylate cyclase in lung membranes. Half the receptor pool becomes sequestered in a light membrane fraction while the other half remains in the plasma membranes but becomes functionally uncoupled. In the present work we sought to assess whether "local sequestration" of the functionally intact receptor away from the effector adenylate cyclase in the plasma membrane contributes to the uncoupling of the beta-adrenergic receptor observed in the plasma membranes. We tested the functionality of the desensitized beta-adrenergic receptor in three different ways. We reconstituted the affinity chromatography purified control and "desensitized" receptors with pure Ns from human erythrocytes and assessed the ability to induce GTPase activity in Ns. Both control and desensitized beta-adrenergic receptors stimulate similar levels of GTPase activity in Ns (852 +/- 38 versus 738 +/- 49 fmol of Pi released/30 min (p greater than 0.05, n = 4). To further assess the relative ability of control and desensitized beta-adrenergic receptors to couple to another source of Ns we fused reconstituted beta-adrenergic receptors to Xenopus laevis erythrocytes, which contain Ns and adenylate cyclase but essentially no beta-adrenergic receptors. The functional interactions of control and desensitized beta-adrenergic receptor with the adenylate cyclase system of the acceptor cells was assessed by measuring the beta-agonist-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity and the agonist-induced formation of the high affinity state of the beta-adrenergic receptor (RH). Again both control and desensitized beta-adrenergic receptors appeared to interact with Ns to the same extent. To test if a local sequestration of the beta-adrenergic receptor away from Ns within the plasma membrane might contribute to the uncoupling of the beta-adrenergic receptors during desensitization, plasma membranes from control and desensitized lungs were treated with the fusogen polyethylene glycol to disrupt any compartmentalization of protein components within the plasma membrane. After polyethylene glycol treatment the previously uncoupled beta-adrenergic receptors could be recoupled to Ns as assessed by the formation of RH in agonist competition curves. These data suggest that in marked contrast to the heterologous type of desensitization, homologous desensitization may involve a local sequestration of a functionally intact beta-adrenergic receptor away from the adenylate cyclase effector system.

Reconstitution of the β-adrenergic receptor

Abstract: Of the several second messenger generating systems which serve to transmit signals across the plasma membrane the best characterized is the hormone-receptor-adenylate cyclase system (Lefkowitz, Stadel & Caron, 1983), Such systems consist of three distinct types of components which are portrayed schematically in Fig. 1. These components are: (i) a specific hormone receptor which may either stimulate or inhibit the enzyme; (ii) two special classes of regulatory proteins termed guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins which bind GTP and thereby mediate the hormone-receptor regulation of adenylate cyclase activity, and (iii) the catalytic moiety of adenylate cyclase itself. The two types of guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins denoted as Ns and Ni refer to distinct proteins which appear to couple respectively the stimulatory and the inhibitory receptors to the enzyme (Gilman, 1984). Many different types of receptors can affect the activity of the adenylate cyclase system. Several dozen stimulatory receptors and at least a dozen inhibitory receptors have been identified to date. Very little is known about the molecular characteristics of these receptors. Only the/3-adrenergic receptor for catecholamines has been purified and characterized to any extent. It is an integral membrane glycoprotein of Mr ~ 64,000 daltons as isolated from mammalian tissues (Lefkowitz et al., 1983). In contrast, the receptor from turkey erythrocytes appears to be of smaller size with two major peptides visualized by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These peptides are of about 40,000 and 50,000 daltons (Shorr et al., 1982). Such isolated receptor peptides can be shown to bind /3-

Covalent labeling of the beta-adrenergic ligand-binding site with para-(bromoacetamidyl)benzylcarazolol. A highly potent beta-adrenergic affinity label.

Abstract: para-(Bromoacetamidyl)benzylcarazolol (pBABC) was synthesized and found to be an extremely potent affinity label for beta-adrenergic receptors. Its interaction with mammalian (rabbit and hamster lung) and nonmammalian (turkey and frog erythrocyte) beta-adrenergic receptors was similar, displaying EC50 values of 400-900 pM for inhibiting 125I-cyanopindolol binding to these receptors. pBABC reduced the number of beta-adrenergic receptors in frog erythrocyte membranes, without any change in the affinity of the remaining sites for [125I]iodocyanopindolol. pBABC has been radioiodinated. As assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, this affinity probe specifically labeled the beta-adrenergic peptide of a purified preparation of hamster lung, with high efficiency (approximately 40%) and with a pharmacological specificity characteristic of an interaction at the beta 2-adrenergic receptor ligand-binding site. Comparison of the proteolyzed products derived from purified receptor labeled with [125I]pBABC and with the photoaffinity agent [125I]p-azidobenzylcarazolol suggested that covalent labeling of the beta-adrenergic receptor by these probes occurs at similar domains of the beta-adrenergic receptor. Because of the much higher level of incorporation of this affinity probe as opposed to photosensitive probes, pBABC should prove to be a useful tool for structural studies of purified beta-adrenergic receptors.

Adenylate-Cyclase-Coupled β- Adrenergic Receptors

Abstract: A wide variety of hormones initiate their effects on target cells by binding to specific cell surface receptors. In numerous systems, this interaction leads to the generation of the second messenger, cAMP, which initiates a cascade of events responsible for the ultimate response to that particular hormone. Catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine and various polypeptide hormones such as ACTH, glucagon, LH, and FSH are examples of hormones that stimulate responsive cells by binding to their specific receptors and by increasing the concentration of cAMP within the cells. However, prolonged exposure of target tissues to hormones results in a rapid rise followed by a decline in intracellular levels of cAMP. This phenomenon, termed “desensitization,” “refractoriness,” or “tachyphylaxis,” appears to be quite a general mechanism for regulation of cellular sensitivity to hormonal stimulation (for review see Lefkowitz et al., 1980; Perkins, 1983; Harden, 1983).

Sensitization of frog erythrocyte adenylate cyclase system by tumor-promoting phorbol diesters.

Abstract: Preincubation of frog erythrocyte lysates with tumor-promoting phorbol diesters leads to an increase in adenylate cyclase activity. This stimulatory effect of phorbol diesters was specific. Incubation with 12-O-tctradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate led to increases in basal (38%) and isoproterenol- (40%), fluoride- (25%), and Mn-stimulated (68%) adenylate cyclase activities compared with control. The inactive phorbol diesters (4α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate and β-phorbol) were ineffective in promoting increases in adenylate cyclase activity. The effect of active phorbol diesters was also observed on isolated frog erythrocyte membranes in the absence of cell supernatant, although to a much lesser extent than in the whole lysates. Addition of the cell supernatant or of purified protein kinase C to the membranes maximized the sensitization by the phorbol diesters. These data are consistent with the notion that some component(s) of the adenylate cyclase system is (are) phosphorylated by protein kinase C, resulting in...

The β-Adrenergic Receptor:Elucidation of Its Molecular Structure

Abstract: Neurotransmitters and drugs interact with specific receptors in order to produce a cellular response. This recognition of specific agonists by receptors is the first step in an amplification process resulting in physiological modulation of homeostasis. The concept of a receptor-mediated mechanism for drug action was first proposed by Langley (1878, 1905). In 1906, examination by Dale of the action of various ergot alkaloid compounds in physiological preparations led to the observation of a number of compounds which would inhibit the excitatory effects of epinephrine without affecting its inhibitory actions. These types of observations provided support for the earliest notions of specific sites for catecholamine receptor interactions. In 1948, Ahlquist categorically demonstrated using a series of several sympathomimetic amines one order of potency in stimulating vasoconstriction and excitation of the uterus and ureters, and a different order of potency for these compounds for stimulation of vasodilation, for inhibition of uterine tone, and for stimulation of the heart. Ahlquist (1948) proposed that these actions of catecholamines were in fact mediated by two distinct populations of receptors which he termed α and β, and that in many cases, both receptors are present in the same organ or tissue. This proposal of distinct populations of adrenergic receptors has been strongly supported by the synthesis of a large number of potent agonists and antagonists that are clearly specific for α- or β- receptor-mediated functions. More recent pharmacological studies have resulted in the further subclassification of these α- and β-receptors.