Dual agonist occupancy of AT1-R-α2C-AR heterodimers results in atypical Gs-PKA signaling

Nat Chem Biol. 2015 Apr;11(4):271-9. doi: 10.1038/nchembio.1766. Epub 2015 Feb 23.

Abstract

Hypersecretion of norepinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (AngII) is a hallmark of major prevalent cardiovascular diseases that contribute to cardiac pathophysiology and morbidity. Herein, we explore whether heterodimerization of presynaptic AngII AT1 receptor (AT1-R) and NE α2C-adrenergic receptor (α2C-AR) could underlie their functional cross-talk to control NE secretion. Multiple bioluminescence resonance energy transfer and protein complementation assays allowed us to accurately probe the structures and functions of the α2C-AR-AT1-R dimer promoted by ligand binding to individual protomers. We found that dual agonist occupancy resulted in a conformation of the heterodimer different from that induced by active individual protomers and triggered atypical Gs-cAMP-PKA signaling. This specific pharmacological signaling unit was identified in vivo to promote not only NE hypersecretion in sympathetic neurons but also sympathetic hyperactivity in mice. Thus, we uncovered a new process by which GPCR heterodimerization creates an original functional pharmacological entity and that could constitute a promising new target in cardiovascular therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Biophysics
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Dimerization
  • Drug Design
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Norepinephrine / chemistry
  • PC12 Cells
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Conformation
  • Rats
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / agonists*
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / chemistry
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Sympathetic Nervous System / drug effects

Substances

  • Adrenergic alpha-Agonists
  • Ligands
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1
  • Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Norepinephrine