Calmodulin dependence of presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor signaling.

Glutamatergic neurotransmission is controlled by presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). A subdomain in the intracellular carboxyl-terminal tail of group III mGluRs binds calmodulin and heterotrimeric guanosine triphosphate-binding protein (G protein) betagamma subunits in a mutually exclusive manner. Mutations interfering with calmodulin binding and calmodulin antagonists inhibit G protein-mediated modulation of ionic currents by mGluR 7. Calmodulin antagonists also prevent inhibition of excitatory neurotransmission via presynaptic mGluRs. These results reveal a novel mechanism of presynaptic modulation in which Ca(2+)-calmodulin is required to release G protein betagamma subunits from the C-tail of group III mGluRs in order to mediate glutamatergic autoinhibition.

G protein antagonists.

Heterotrimeric G proteins couple membrane-bound heptahelical receptors to their cellular effector systems (ion channels or enzymes generating a second messenger). In current pharmacotherapy, the input to G protein-regulated signalling is typically manipulated by targeting the receptor with appropriate agonists or antagonists and, to a lesser extent, by altering second messenger levels, most notably by inhibiting phosphodiesterases that hydrolyse cyclic nucleotides. When stimulated, G proteins undergo a cycle of activation and deactivation in which the alpha-subunits and the betagamma-dimers sequentially expose binding sites for their reaction partners (receptors, guanine nucleotides and effectors, as well as regulatory proteins). These domains can be blocked by inhibitors and this produces effects that cannot be achieved by receptor antagonists. Here, the structural and mechanistic information on G protein antagonists is summarized and an outline of the arguments supporting the hypothesis that G proteins per se are also potential drug targets is provided.

Dual signaling of human Mel1a melatonin receptors via G(i2), G(i3), and G(q/11) proteins.

Mel 1a melatonin receptors belong to the super-family of guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G protein)-coupled receptors. So far, interest in Mel 1a receptor signaling has focused mainly on the modulation of the adenylyl cyclase pathway via pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive G proteins. To further investigate signaling of the human Mel 1a receptor, we have developed an antibody directed against the C terminus of this receptor. This antibody detected the Mel 1a receptor as a protein with an apparent molecular mass of approximately 60 kDa in immunoblots after separation by SDS-PAGE. It also specifically precipitated the 2-[125I]iodomelatonin (125I-Mel)-labeled receptor from Mel 1a-transfected HEK 293 cells. Coprecipitation experiments showed that G(i2), G(i3), and G(q/11) proteins couple to the Mel 1a receptor in an agonist-dependent and guanine nucleotide-sensitive manner. Coupling was selective since other G proteins present in HEK 293 cells, (G(i1), G(o), G(s), G(z), and G12) were not detected in receptor complexes. Coupling of the Mel 1a receptor to G(i) and G(q) was confirmed by inhibition of high-affinity 125I-Mel binding to receptors with subtype-selective G protein alpha-subunit antibodies. G(i2) and/or G(i3) mediated adenylyl cyclase inhibition while G(q/11) induced a transient elevation in cytosolic calcium concentrations in HEK 293 cells stably expressing Mel 1a receptors. Melatonin-induced cytosolic calcium mobilization via PTX-insensitive G proteins was confirmed in primary cultures of ovine pars tuberalis cells endogenously expressing Mel 1a receptors. In conclusion, we report the development of the first antibody recognizing the cloned human Mel 1a melatonin receptor protein. We show that Mel 1a receptors functionally couple to both PTX-sensitive and PTX-insensitive G proteins. The previously unknown signaling of Mel 1a receptors through G(q/11) widens the spectrum of potential targets for melatonin.

G protein coupling of the rat A1-adenosine receptor--partial purification of a protein which stabilizes the receptor-G protein association.

A membrane protein identified in cortical brain membranes and termed 'coupling cofactor', modulates G protein-coupling of the A1-adenosine receptor by reducing the catalytic efficiency of the receptor. Coupling cofactor traps the A1-adenosine receptor in the high affinity complex and, thus, is responsible for the resistance of high affinity A1-agonist binding to modulation by guanine nucleotides. In the present work, this effect was used for assaying the activity of coupling cofactor by reconstituting guanine-nucleotide resistant agonist binding to rat A1-adenosine receptors in detergent extracted brain membranes or in membranes from 293 cells after stable transfection with receptor cDNA. Coupling cofactor was partially purified from porcine brain membranes. The specific activity was modestly enriched (approximately 5-fold) after three chromatographic steps (DEAE-Sephacel, AcA34, MonoQ pH 8). Rechromatography of coupling cofactor over MonoQ at pH 7 resulted in a loss in specific activity if membranes of 293 cells but not if brain membranes were used as acceptor membranes. In addition, the molecular mass estimated by gel filtration decreased from > 150 kDa in the initial stage of purification to 40-30 kDa after this fourth chromatographic step. These two observations suggest that coupling cofactor requires an additional component that is present in brain membranes and is lost in later stages of purification. The activity of partially purified preparations of coupling cofactor activity relied also on the abundance of G protein alpha-subunits in the membrane. The activity on reconstitution with brain membranes or pertussis toxin pretreated 293 membranes was supported by addition of Gi alpha (rank order of protency: alpha i1 > alpha i3 > alpha i2) but not of G(o alpha). The selectivity for G protein alpha-subunits suggests that coupling cofactor may provide for an additional level of specificity in organizing receptor-G protein coupling.

P2-, but not P1-purinoceptors mediate formation of 1, 4, 5-inositol trisphosphate and its metabolites via a pertussis toxin-insensitive pathway in the rat renal cortex.

1. The adenosine receptor (P1-purinoceptor) agonists N6-cyclopentyladenosine and N-5'-ethyl-carboxamidoadenosine at concentrations up to 10 mumols 1(-1) affected neither basal, nor noradrenaline- and angiotensin II-stimulated formation of inositol-1-phosphate, inositol-1,4-bisphosphate, and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate in slices of rat renal cortex. 2. In contrast, adenine nucleotides (P2-purinoceptor agonists) markedly stimulated inositol phosphate formation. The observed rank order of potency adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (EC50 39 mumols 1(-1] greater than adenosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (587) greater than or equal to 5'-adenylylimidodiphosphate (App(NH)p, 899) greater than adenylyl-(beta, gamma-methylene)-diphosphate (4,181) was consistent with the interaction of the compounds with the P2Y-subtype of P2-purinoceptors. AMP and the ADP analogue (alpha, beta-methylene)-adenosine-5'-diphosphate were ineffective. ATP and ADP (less than or equal to 10 mmol 1(-1] did not produce a consistent increase, owing to their hydrolytic degradation in the incubation medium. 3. Whereas the inositol phosphate response to App(NH)p was linear only up to 5 min incubation, the time-dependent stimulation of noradrenaline declined at a slower rate. Following pre-exposure of the renal cortical slices to App(NH)p, renewed addition of App(NH)p caused no further enhancement in the accumulation of inositol phosphates, whilst noradrenaline was still capable of eliciting a response. This suggests that the apparent loss of responsiveness to App(NH)p is not due to substrate depletion or enzymatic inactivation, but most likely attributable to homologous desensitization of the purinoceptor. 4. Pretreatment of the animals with pertussis toxin caused a substantial reduction of functional Gi-protein, as indicated by the lack of [32P]-NAD incorporation in a membrane preparation of the renal cortex. Nevertheless, the increase in inositol phosphate formation induced by noradrenaline, angiotensin II, and App(NH)p was not significantly impaired. 5. We conclude that P2 gamma-purinoceptors are present in the renal cortex; these receptors stimulate formation of inositol phosphates via a pertussis toxin-insensitive pathway and undergo homologous desensitization. On the other hand, our results suggest that renal A,-adenosine receptors do not use stimulation of phosphoinositide breakdown as a transmembrane signalling system.

Stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity via A2-adenosine receptors in isolated tubules of the rabbit renal cortex.

Adenylate cyclase activity in a tubular fraction obtained from rabbit renal cortex was stimulated by typical adenosine receptor agonists with a rank order of potency NECA (5'-(N-ethyl-carboxamido)-adenosine) (EC50 = 0.48 mumol/l) greater than R-PIA [(-)N6 (R-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine] (3.22 mumol/l). The stimulatory effect of NECA was competitively antagonized by 8-phenyltheophylline. Contamination of the tubular fraction with glomeruli and microvessels was less than 2%, as verified by tissue renin determination and could, therefore, be ruled out as being responsible for the observed effect. Tubular A2-adenosine receptors are probably involved in the control of renal electrolyte secretion and may represent the site of action of methylxanthines.

Differences in the GTP-regulation of membrane-bound and solubilized A1-adenosine receptors.

Using [3H]8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX), a 3H-labeled A1-selective adenosine antagonist with high affinity and extremely low non-specific binding, it was possible to quantitatively evaluate the effect of GTP on agonist binding. Competition experiments on [3H]DPCPX binding to guinea-pig cerebral cortical membranes in the absence of GTP showed a high- and a low-affinity state for adenosine receptor agonists (82/18% for N6-cyclopentyl-adenosine). Addition of 1 mmol/l GTP only partially converted the high-affinity state of the A1-adenosine receptor into a low-affinity state. This failure of complete conversion from high- to low-affinity state was also seen in membranes from rat testes under the same experimental conditions and, moreover, in guinea-pig brain membranes under different experimental conditions, such as in the presence of Na+ or when free Mg2+ has been reduced by EDTA. The only difference was that in the absence of Mg2+ the high-affinity state of the A1-receptor was markedly smaller than in the presence of Mg2+ (36% vs. 82%). By contrast, in the solubilized state of the receptor total conversion of all receptors into the low-affinity state was obtained upon addition of 1 mmol/l GTP. Reduction of binding of the agonist radioligand [125]iodo-N6-(4-hydroxyphenylisopropyl)-adenosine with increasing concentrations of GTP and Gpp(NH)p demonstrated that the guanine nucleotide affinity to the solubilized A1-receptor was more than 100-fold higher than to the membrane-bound receptor. Hence, the incomplete transition of the high-affinity into the low-affinity state of the membrane-bound A1-receptor upon addition of GTP may be attributable to the low affinity of the membrane-bound receptor-G-protein complex for GTP.

The role of a low beta 1-adrenoceptor selectivity of [3H]CGP-12177 for resolving subtype-selectivity of competitive ligands.

On the basis of saturation binding studies on rat cardiac microsomes, which contained a mixed population of beta-adrenoceptor subtypes, [3H]CGP-12177 is presumed to be a non-selective beta-adrenergic radioligand. However, saturation binding studies carried out in the presence of subtype-saturating concentrations of the beta 2-selective antagonist ICI 118,551 and the beta 1-selective antagonist ICI 89,406, respectively, revealed a KD for beta 1-adrenoceptors of 0.33 +/- 0.02 nmol/l and a KD for beta 2-adrenoceptors of 0.90 +/- 0.14 nmol/l. Competition experiments with the highly selective antagonists revealed greatly different competition binding curves in the presence of either [3H]CGP-12177 or (-)[125I]iodocyanopindolol (ICYP), a beta-adrenergic radioligand considered to be as non-selective as [3H]CGP-12177. The following results are further suggestive for a selectivity of [3H]CGP-12177 for beta 1-adrenoceptors: (1) Using non-linear regression analysis, a significantly lower selectivity (expressed as the ratio of the IC50 for beta 2-adrenoceptors to the IC50 for beta 1-adrenoceptors) as well as a larger proportion of beta 1-adrenoceptors were calculated by competition of the beta 1-selective antagonist ICI 89,406 with [3H]CGP-12177 binding than by competition of ICI 89,406 with ICYP binding; (2) reducing the [3H]CGP-12177 concentration from 2 to 0.4 nmol/l, competition experiments with ICI 89,406 led to an increase in the estimated selectivity of the competitor and in the estimated proportion of beta 1-adrenoceptors; (3) reverse findings were obtained with ICI 118,551, a beta 2-selective antagonist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Glomeruli and microvessels of the rabbit kidney contain both A1- and A2-adenosine receptors.

Rabbit renal cortices were fractionated by collagenase dispersion and glomeruli, microvessels and tubuli purified on a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Binding experiments with (-)[125I]N6-(4-hydroxyphenylisopropyl)-adenosine ([125I]HPIA) provided evidence for the presence of A1-adenosine receptors in the glomerular and microvascular fraction. With glomeruli, saturation isotherms for specific [125I]HPIA binding were mono-phasic with a KD of 1.3 nmol/l and a Bmax of 7.7 fmol/mg protein. In kinetic experiments, an association rate constant of 4.9 X 10(5) (mol/l-1 s-1 and a dissociation rate constant of 4.3 X 10(-4) s-1 were obtained, yielding a KD of 0.9 nmol/l. Adenosine analogs displaced [125I]HPIA binding with a rank order of potency typical of A1-adenosine receptors; furthermore, binding was inhibited by methylxanthines and modulated by GTP. Saturation experiments with the microvessels revealed a KD of 1.9 nmol/l and a Bmax of 13.4 fmol/mg protein. However, no inhibition of glomerular and microvascular adenylate cyclase activity could be demonstrated, but instead both 5'-N-ethylcarboxamido-adenosine (NECA) and N6-(R-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine (R-PIA) stimulated enzyme activity, with EC50 values of 0.14 mumol/l and 1.5 mumol/l, respectively. The concentration-response curve for NECA was shifted to the right (factor 9) by 10 mumol/l 8-phenyltheophylline. On the other hand, computer simulation of biphasic curves (adenylate cyclase inhibition in the presence of activation via a stimulatory receptor) indicates that the failure to observe an A1-adenosine receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of stimulatory adenosine receptors may be attributable to methodological constraints.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coupling cofactor--a novel regulatory component in G protein-mediated signalling?

The model for studying the mechanism of G protein-mediated signalling cannot account for the observation that high-affinity binding of agonists to many different receptors is not dissociated by the addition of high concentrations of guanine nucleotides. Using the cerebral A1-adenosine receptor as a model system, we have recently identified a component which is responsible for this phenomenon. This protein, termed the coupling cofactor, can be solubilized from brain membranes and chromatographically resolved from both the G proteins and the receptor. Following reconstitution into appropriate acceptor membranes, the coupling cofactor confers resistance of high-affinity agonist binding to guanine nucleotides. The coupling cofactor acts as a brake and limits receptor-dependent signal amplification; in addition, it is a candidate for participating in the higher level organization of receptors and G proteins in membranes and in the membrane-delimited cross-talk between individual receptors. Here, we present a working hypothesis on the possible biological roles of the coupling cofactor.

[Role of G protein-mediated signal transduction in molecular pharmacodynamics]. / Die Rolle der durch G Proteine vermittelten Signaltransduktion in der molekularen Pharmakodynamik.

Hormones, neurotransmitter and autacoid receptors, localized on the plasma membrane, do not interact directly with their respective downstream effector (i.e., an ion channel and/or an enzyme that synthesizes a second messenger), but control their target systems via activation of an intermediary guanine nucleotide binding protein on G protein, which serves as signal transducer. Traffic of these pathways is regulated via a GTP (on)-GDP (off) switch, which is triggered by the receptor. The combination of classical biochemistry and recombinant DNA technology has resulted in the discovery of many members of the G protein family. Receptor desensitization is a main criterion of G protein-coupled receptors with important pharmacological implications. Multiple mechanisms are responsible for the loss of sensitivity that follows against exposure. The process is initiated by uncoupling the receptor from its G protein, which is due to receptor phosphorylation by specific kinases. In the case of the beta-adrenergic receptor, two particular kinases - beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK) and protein kinase A--are involved. Further steps of desensitization are receptor sequestration or internalization, an event as rapid and transient as receptor uncoupling, and receptor downregulation, which requires more prolonged agonist exposure. Finally, antagonists are able to induce a receptor-G protein interaction in a reverse manner to agonists. Whereas agonists stimulate both, the GDP dissociation from the G protein and the association of GTP, antagonists markedly decrease GTP association. Moreover, in the turkey erythrocyte adenylyl cyclase system antagonists decrease the GTP-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity almost at basal levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Characterization of the beta-adrenoceptor blocking property of diprafenone in rats: stereoselective interaction, subtype specificity, and sensitization.

Because of their structural relationship to propranolol, propafenone and diprafenone display beta-adrenoceptor blocking activity in addition to their class Ic antiarrhythmic property. As demonstrated in membranes derived from rat ventricle (predominantly beta 1-adrenoceptors) and rat lung tissue (predominantly beta 2-adrenoceptors), the (-)-enantiomer of diprafenone was about four times more potent (Ki 6.6 nmol/L) than the (+)-enantiomer in displacing [125I]iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) binding. The Ki values for the (+)- and (-)-stereoisomer, racemic (+/-)-diprafenone, and 5-hydroxydiprafenone, the main metabolite of diprafenone in humans, were approximately 2.5 times lower in lung than in ventricular membranes, suggesting very low beta 2-selectivity for diprafenone. The regulatory effect of diprafenone on ventricular beta-adrenoceptors was studied in rats in vivo by prolonged i.p. administration of the drug. Density of beta-adrenoceptors was estimated by ICYP saturation binding after 2-day (4 or 20 mg/kg, b.i.d.) and after 7-day treatment (4 mg/kg, b.i.d.), respectively. For control purposes, different groups of animals were treated with propranolol (1.7 mg/kg, b.i.d., i.p.), isoprenaline (0.1 mg/kg/h via subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps), and vehicle (0.9% NaCl) only. Whereas propranolol and isoprenaline produced an increase (7-day treatment) and a decrease (2- and 7-day treatment) in beta-adrenoceptors, respectively, diprafenone did not produce any change in beta-adrenoceptor number, irrespective of the dose and duration of treatment used. Furthermore, the combined administration of diprafenone and isoprenaline did not antagonize isoprenaline-induced down-regulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Follow-up study of severely overweight adolescents 4 years following inpatient weight loss with a low calorie protein-carbohydrate diet]. / Follow-up-Untersuchung hochgradig übergewichtiger Jugendlicher 4 Jahre nach stationärer Gewichtsreduktion mit einer niederkalorischen Protein-Kohlenhydrat-Diät.

Very low calorie protein/carbohydrate diets have proved to be efficient and safe in the treatment of obesity in childhood and early adolescence. The follow-up study at issue shows that subsequent to short-term therapy no further reduction in weight is to be expected without adequate care following the diet. Between 1980 and 1983, 27 adolescent patients were treated for severe obesity (78.12% +/- 18.3% overweight, mean +/- s.e.m.) at the metabolic ward of the department of pediatrics, University of Vienna. The administration of a very low calorie protein/carbohydrate diet (VLCD) for 26 (+/- 7) days led to a considerable reduction in overweight (8.1 +/- 2.9 kg). On dismission the percentual overweight had decreased to 59.4 (+/- 24)%. After 4.4 (+/- 0.7) years the weight of 11 of the 27 patients could be controlled, 10 patients refused further cooperation and the remaining 6 could not be addressed. The body mass index (weight/height) had risen from 29.4 (+/- 1.2) to 43.0 (+/- 6.0) with 10 of 11 patients, corresponding to a percentual overweight of 88.2 (+/- 18.1)% at the follow-up date. Only one girl had reduced overweight by 45%, the BMI had fallen from 33.9 to 27.1. Furthermore, our data suggest that obesity induces a significant increase in blood pressure in adolescents. This rise is apparently independent of the age related increase in blood pressure and revertible by weight loss. The results we have to hand show that long-term weight reduction has only been achieved in 1 of 11 cases, with none of the adolescents having participated regularly in an outpatient after-care program.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Solubilization and characterization of the A2-adenosine receptor.

Binding of [3H]CGS 21680, an agonist radioligand selective for A2-adenosine receptors (A2AR), to membranes and solubilized preparations from bovine brain striatum revealed labelling of a single high affinity binding state. In membranes, guanine nucleotides per se were ineffective in modulating agonist binding whereas cations, Na+ and Mg++, had distinct effects. The addition of NaCl (200 mM) as well as the Mg(++)-free preparation of membranes led to a significant decrease in binding affinity and the number of binding sites. Moreover, the presence of Na+ was required for the demonstration of a guanine nucleotide effect, i.e. a decrease in maximal binding. Following solubilization, agonist-A2AR interactions were sensitive to guanine nucleotides even in the absence of Na+; guanine nucleotides and Na+ had additive effects in reducing the number of binding sites. Moreover, the effect of GTP was reversible, i.e. binding returned to control levels upon removal of the nucleotide. This suggests the A2AR and its G protein (presumably Gs) are solubilized as a functional unit and may not dissociate even in the presence of GTP following solubilization. We, therefore, believe that a "tight" association exists between receptor and G protein (Gs), and that guanine nucleotides and sodium act at different sites on the R-G complex. Drawing an analogy with similar observations on the avian beta-adrenergic receptor (Hertel et al, J. Biol. Chem. 265:17988-94, 1990; Parker & Ross, J. Biol. Chem. 266:9987-96, 1991) we postulate that the regulatory features of the A2AR can be attributed to a distinct receptor domain that interacts with cellular regulatory elements.

G proteins as drug targets.

The structure and function of heterotrimeric G protein subunits is known in considerable detail. Upon stimulation of a heptahelical receptor by the appropriate agonists, the cognate G proteins undergo a cycle of activation and deactivation; the alpha-subunits and the beta gamma-dimers interact sequentially with several reaction partners (receptor, guanine nucleotides and effectors as well as regulatory proteins) by exposing appropriate binding sites. For most of these domains, low molecular weight ligands have been identified that either activate or inhibit signal transduction. These ligands include short peptides derived from receptors, G protein subunits and effectors, mastoparan and related insect venoms, modified guanine nucleotides, suramin analogues and amphiphilic cations. Because compounds that act on G proteins may be endowed with new forms of selectivity, we propose that G protein subunits may therefore be considered as potential drug targets.

A different desensitization pattern of cardiac beta-adrenoceptor subtypes by prolonged in vivo infusion of isoprenaline.

(-)Isoprenaline was continuously administered to rats at a rate of 0.4 mg/kg/h for 7 days via subcutaneously (s.c.) implanted osmotic minipumps. This treatment induced cardiac hypertrophy and a marked decrease in basal as well as catecholamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a ventricular plasma membrane fraction. The total number of beta-adrenoceptors was downregulated by one-half the amount of the receptor sites obtained in a control group. However, in the isoprenaline-treated group, the beta 2-adrenoceptors constituted a significantly smaller proportion of the total beta-adrenoceptor population (28%) than in the control group (50%). Transformation of these relative into absolute values indicates that prolonged isoprenaline treatment induced a significantly higher downregulation of beta 2- than of beta 1-adrenoceptors. The fact of a different beta-adrenoceptor desensitization pattern in response to in vivo administration of nonselective beta-adrenergic agonists therefore must be taken into consideration when desensitization is used as a method for determination of subtype selectivity of an agonist per se. However, we were unable to detect the "lost" beta-adrenoceptors in a light vesicular fraction. In our study, this fraction was not separable from plasma membranes, as substantiated by levels of plasma membrane markers as high as in the plasma membrane fraction and by a guanine nucleotide-dependent adenylate cyclase activity.

The A2 adenosine receptor: guanine nucleotide modulation of agonist binding is enhanced by proteolysis.

Agonist binding to the A2 adenosine receptor (A2AR) and its regulation by guanine nucleotides was studied using the newly developed radioligand 125I-2-[4-(2-[2-[(4-aminophenyl)methylcarbonylamino] ethylaminnocarbonyl]ethyl)phenyl]ethylamino-5'-N- ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (125I-PAPA-APEC) and its photoaffinity analog 125I-azido-PAPA-APEC. A single protein of Mr 45,000, displaying the appropriate A2AR pharmacology, is labeled in membranes from bovine striatum, PC12 cells, and frog erythrocytes. In DDT1 MF2 cells the labeled protein has a slightly lower molecular weight. Incorporation of 125I-azido-PAPA-APEC into membranes from rabbit striatum, however, reveals two specifically labeled peptides (Mr approximately 47,000 and 38,000), both of which display A2AR pharmacology. Inhibition of protease activity leads to a decrease in the amount of the Mr 38,000 protein, with only the Mr 47,000 protein remaining. This suggests that the Mr 38,000 peptide is a proteolytic product of the Mr 47,000 A2AR protein. In membranes containing the intact undigested A2AR protein, guanine nucleotides induce a small to insignificant decrease in agonist binding, which is atypical of stimulatory GS-coupled receptors. This minimal effect is observed in rabbit striatal membranes prepared in the presence of protease inhibitors, as well as in the other tissues studied. Binding to rabbit striatal membranes that possess the partially digested receptor protein, however, reveals a 50% reduction in maximal specific agonist binding upon addition of guanine nucleotides. Inhibition of proteolysis in rabbit striatum, on the other hand, results in a diminished ability of guanine nucleotides to regulate agonist binding. Thus, the enhanced effectiveness of guanine nucleotides in rabbit striatal membranes is associated with the generation of the Mr 38,000 peptide fragment. Guanosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imido)triphosphate reduces photoaffinity labeling by 55% in the Mr 38,000 protein, whereas the labeling is decreased by only 28% in the Mr 47,000 receptor protein. Our data, therefore, suggest that, unless proteolysis occurs, the A2AR in all tissues studied is tightly associated with the GS protein and displays minimal guanine nucleotide modulation of agonist binding, which makes the A2AR an atypical stimulatory receptor.

Structural and functional characterization of the interaction between 2',3'-dialdehyde guanine nucleotide analogues and the stimulatory G protein alpha-subunit.

We have searched for irreversible ligands which target the guanine nucleotide binding pocket of G protein alpha-subunits by testing the ability of periodate-oxidized 2',3'-dialdehyde guanine nucleotide analogues of GTP (oGTP) and GTP gamma S (oGTP gamma S) to bind to the recombinant alpha-subunit of the stimulatory G protein, rGs alpha-s. oGTP and oGTP gamma S bind to rGs alpha-s in a quasi-irreversible manner via formation of a Schiff's base, which can be reduced with borhydrid resulting in covalent incorporation of [alpha-32P]oGTP and [35S]oGTP gamma S into rGs alpha-s. When bound to rGs alpha-s, oGTP is hydrolyzed and traps the protein in the inactive conformation, while oGTP gamma S persistently activates rGs alpha. Thus, oGTP and oGTP gamma S act as irreversible G protein antagonist and agonist, respectively, and represent a pair of nucleotide analogues suitable as functional and structural tools. Cleavage of covalently labeled rGs alpha-s with cyanogen bromide generates several labeled fragments. Labeled fragments were assigned to the G1 and G4 region of the guanine nucleotide binding pocket using sequence-specific antisera. An additional, labeled fragment was identified by amino-terminal sequencing and corresponded to the helix alpha A in the recently determined crystal structure of the transducin alpha-subunit (Noel, J. P., Hamm, H. E., and Sigler, P. B. (1993) Nature 366, 654-663). In the oGDP-liganded conformation, incorporation occurs predominantly into the G1-fragment, while [35S]oGTP gamma S labels the additional fragments to a similar extent indicating tight packing around the guanine nucleotide binding pocket in the active conformation. Furthermore, rGs alpha-s contains a single acid cleavable bond (Asp317-Pro318), such that formic acid releases a carboxyl-terminal fragment from [alpha-32P]oGTP- and [35S]oGTP gamma S-liganded rGs alpha-s. This fragment contains a single lysine residue (Lys324) which is only labeled by [35S]oGTP gamma S. Lys324 is unique to Gs alpha and lies within its effector binding region. Hence, during the switch from the inactive to the active state, this region undergoes a major conformational change that moves it closer to the nucleotide binding pocket.