Distinct binding mode of 125I-AngII to AT1 receptor without the Cys18-Cys274 disulfide bridge.

Previous studies on angiotensin II (AngII) AT(1) receptor function have revealed that the N-terminal residues of AngII may modulate receptor activation by binding at the receptor extracellular site. A remarkable feature of this site is an insertion of 8 amino acids in the middle of the EC-3 loop including the Cys(274) residue that supposedly makes a disulfide bond with N-terminal Cys(18). As demonstrated by assays with Del(267-275)AT(1), the role of the Cys(18)-Cys(274) disulfide bridge is to keep a conformation of the inserted residues that allows a normal binding of the AngII N-terminal residues.

Role of the Cys18-Cys274 disulfide bond and of the third extracellular loop in the constitutive activation and internalization of angiotensin II type 1 receptor.

An insertion of residues in the third extracellular loop and a disulfide bond linking this loop to the N-terminal domain were identified in a structural model of a G-protein coupled receptor specific to angiotensin II (AT1 receptor), built in homology to the seven-transmembrane-helix bundle of rhodopsin. Both the insertion and the disulfide bond were located close to an extracellular locus, flanked by the second extracellular loop (EC-2), the third extracellular loop (EC-3) and the N-terminal domain of the receptor; they contained residues identified by mutagenesis studies to bind the angiotensin II N-terminal segment (residues D1 and R2). It was postulated that the insertion and the disulfide bond, also found in other receptors such as those for bradykinin, endothelin, purine and other ligands, might play a role in regulating the function of the AT1 receptor.

Angiotensin II AT1 receptor mutants expressed in CHO cells caused morphological change and inhibition of cell growth.

To assess the importance of the leucine residues in positions 262 and 265 of the angiotensin AT(1) receptor for signaling pathways and receptor expression and regulation, we compared the properties of CHO cells transfected with the wild type or the L262D or L265D receptor point mutants. It was found that the two mutants significantly increased the basal intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation in an agonist-independent mode. The morphology transformation of CHO cells was correlated with the increased cAMP formation, since forskolin, a direct activator of adenylate cyclase mimicked this effect on WT-expressing CHO cells.

Angiotensin II-mediated cellular responses: a role for the 3'-untranslated region of the angiotensin AT1 receptor.

We have previously demonstrated that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the angiotensin II AT1 receptor gene containing only the coding region, presented tachyphylaxis to the total inositol phosphate (InsPs) and Ca2+ responses mediated by angiotensin II and [2-lysine]angiotensin II ([Lys2]angiotensin II). Now we have evaluated the possible role of the 3'-untranslated region of the angiotensin AT1 receptor mRNA in modulating the angiotensin AT1 receptor-mediated cellular responses. The binding parameters, as well as the Ca2+ and InsPs responses induced by angiotensin II and [Lys2]angiotensin II were similar in cells transfected with the angiotensin AT1 receptor with or without the 3'-untranslated region sequence.