The human ␤2-adrenergic receptor gene has multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), but the relevance of chromosomally phased SNPs (haplotypes) is not known. The phylogeny and the in vitro and in vivo consequences of variations in the 5 upstream and ORF were delineated in a multiethnic reference population and an asthmatic cohort. Thirteen SNPs were found organized into 12 haplotypes out of the theoretically possible 8,192 combinations. Deep divergence in the distribution of some haplotypes was noted in Caucasian, African-American, Asian, and Hispanic-Latino ethnic groups with >20-fold differences among the frequencies of the four major haplotypes. The relevance of the five most common ␤2-adrenergic receptor haplotype pairs was determined in vivo by assessing the bronchodilator response to ␤ agonist in asthmatics. Mean responses by haplotype pair varied by >2-fold, and response was significantly related to the haplotype pair (P ‫؍‬ 0.007) but not to individual SNPs. Expression vectors representing two of the haplotypes differing at eight of the SNP loci and associated with divergent in vivo responsiveness to agonist were used to transfect HEK293 cells. ␤2-adrenergic receptor mRNA levels and receptor density in cells transfected with the haplotype associated with the greater physiologic response were Ϸ50% greater than those transfected with the lower response haplotype. The results indicate that the unique interactions of multiple SNPs within a haplotype ultimately can affect biologic and therapeutic phenotype and that individual SNPs may have poor predictive power as pharmacogenetic loci.

Adrenergic receptors are expressed on virtually every cell type in the body and are the receptors for epinephrine and norepinephrine within the sympathetic nervous system. They serve critical roles in maintaining homeostasis in normal physiologic settings as well as pathologic states. These receptors are also targets for therapeutically administered agonists and antagonists. Recent studies have shown that at least seven adrenergic receptor subtypes display variation in amino acid sequence in the human population due to common genetic polymorphisms. Variations in potential regulatory domains in noncoding sequence are also present. Here, we review the consequences of these polymorphisms in terms of signaling, human physiology and disease, and response to therapy.

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Abstract-Abnormal calcium cycling, characteristic of experimental and human heart failure, is associated with impaired sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake activity. This reflects decreases in the cAMP-pathway signaling and increases in type 1 phosphatase activity. The increased protein phosphatase 1 activity is partially due to dephosphorylation and inactivation of its inhibitor-1, promoting dephosphorylation of phospholamban and inhibition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-pump. Indeed, cardiac-specific expression of a constitutively active inhibitor-1 results in selective enhancement of phospholamban phosphorylation and augmented cardiac contractility at the cellular and intact animal levels. Furthermore, the ␤-adrenergic response is enhanced in the transgenic hearts compared with wild types. On aortic constriction, the hypercontractile cardiac function is maintained, hypertrophy is attenuated and there is no decompensation in the transgenics compared with wild-type controls. Notably, acute adenoviral gene delivery of the active inhibitor-1, completely restores function and partially reverses remodeling, including normalization of the hyperactivated p38, in the setting of pre-existing heart failure. Thus, the inhibitor 1 of the type 1 phosphatase may represent an attractive new therapeutic target. Key Words: protein phosphatase 1 Ⅲ protein phosphatase 1 inhibitor 1 Ⅲ heart failure Ⅲ hypertrophy Ⅲ phospholamban Ⅲ gene therapy R eversible protein phosphorylation represents the cellular basis for integration of key signaling pathways, mediating a fine crosstalk between external effector molecules and intracellular events. In the heart, Ca 2ϩ cycling and contractility are controlled by a fine balance of protein kinase and phosphatase activities in response to various second messenger signals. Demands on the heart's pumping action, during fight-or-flight situations, can increase human cardiac output by nearly 5-fold. This is linked to ␤-adrenergic activation of the cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA). PKA then phosphorylates a set of key regulatory Ca 2ϩ handling proteins that control excitation-contraction coupling cycle, such as phospholamban, the ryanodine receptor, the L-type Ca 2ϩ channel, and troponin I. 1 The protein kinases and their phosphoprotein substrates underlying augmentation of the heart's pumping action have been well characterized. However, similar studies on the protein phosphatases, reversing the increased cardiac contractility, are less well developed. The major Ser/Thr phosphatases [type 1, type 2A, and type 2B (calcineurin)] stem from a common gene family and are highly homologous proteins (40% to 50%) that play critical roles in the control of cardiac contractility and hypertrophy.Overexpression of the catalytic subunit of the protein phosphatase 1 at similar levels observed in human heart failure was associated with dephosphorylation of phospholamban, depressed cardiac function, dilated cardiomyopathy, and premature mortality. 2 Furthermore, PP2A and PP2B (calcineurin) overexpressio...

The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a Gs protein-coupled receptor, plays an important role in human pigmentation. We investigated the regulation of expression and activity of the MC1R in primary human melanocyte cultures. Human beta defensin 3 (HBD3) acted as an antagonist for MC1R, inhibiting the α-melanocortin (α-MSH)-induced increase in the activities of adenylate cyclase, and tyrosinase, the rate-limiting enzyme for melanogenesis. α-Melanocortin and forskolin, which activate adenylate cyclase, and 12-o-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate, which activates PKC, increased, while exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) reduced, MC1R gene and membrane protein expression. Brief treatment with α-MSH resulted in MC1R desensitization, while continuous treatment up to 3 hours caused a steady rise in cAMP, suggesting receptor recycling. Pretreatment with agouti signaling protein or HBD3 prohibited responsiveness to α-MSH, but not forskolin, suggesting receptor desensitization by these antagonists. Melanocytes from different donors expressed different levels of the G-protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRK) 2, 3, 5, and 6, and β-arrestin 1. Therefore, in addition to MC1R genotype, regulation of MC1R expression and activity is expected to affect human pigmentation and the responses to UV.

epithelial cells, and the effects of its deletion on acid-base homeostasis. We observed GPR4 expression in the kidney cortex, in the outer and inner medulla, in isolated kidney collecting ducts, and in cultured outer and inner medullary collecting duct cells (mOMCD1 and mIMCD3). Cultured mOMCD1 cells exhibited pH-dependent accumulation of intracellular cAMP, characteristic of GPR4 activation; GPR4 knockdown attenuated this accumulation. In vivo, deletion of GPR4 decreased net acid secretion by the kidney and resulted in a nongap metabolic acidosis, indicating that GPR4 is required to maintain acid-base homeostasis. Collectively, these findings suggest that GPR4 is a pH sensor with an important role in regulating acid secretion in the kidney collecting duct. Daily changes in the amount of protein in the diet produce fluctuations in metabolic net acid production. The kidneys adjust to these daily variations, ensuring tight correlation between acid production and excretion. 1,2 In humans, net acid excretion significantly correlates with changes in blood P CO2 , pH, and bicarbonate levels. 2 Physiologic changes of P CO2 , pH, and bicarbonate concentrations can therefore regulate net acid excretion, but this regulation is poorly understood.The recently discovered family of "proton-activated" G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represents candidate pH sensors capable of relaying information about local and/or systemic pH to acidsecreting cells in the kidney. [3][4][5][6][7] Several investigators have demonstrated that GPR4 (G protein-coupled receptor 4), 4,8,9 OGR1 (ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1, GPR68), 4,10 -12 and TDAG8 (T cell death-associated gene 8, GPR65) can be stimulated by a reduction in extracellular pH to induce second messenger generation. [13][14][15][16] An elegant study by Ludwig et al. 4 demonstrated that mutation of specific putative proton-accepting histidine residues in OGR1 significantly impaired acid-stimulated phosphoinositide generation. Ex vivo studies from OGR1 knockouts indicate that OGR1 is the pH sensor, mediating the release of calcium from the bone during metabolic acidosis. 12 Analysis of aortic rings isolated from GPR4 knockout mice indicated that GPR4 acts as a pH sensor in blood vessels, regulating the outgrowth of new

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lethal progressive lung disease culminating in permanent airway obstruction and alveolar enlargement. Previous studies suggest CTL involvement in COPD progression; however, their precise role remains unknown. Here, we investigated whether the CTL activation receptor NK cell group 2D (NKG2D) contributes to the development of COPD. Using primary murine lung epithelium isolated from mice chronically exposed to cigarette smoke and cultured epithelial cells exposed to cigarette smoke extract in vitro, we demonstrated induced expression of the NKG2D ligand retinoic acid early transcript 1 (RAET1) as well as NKG2D-mediated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, a genetic model of inducible RAET1 expression on mouse pulmonary epithelial cells yielded a severe emphysematous phenotype characterized by epithelial apoptosis and increased CTL activation, which was reversed by blocking NKG2D activation. We also assessed whether NKG2D ligand expression corresponded with pulmonary disease in human patients by staining airway and peripheral lung tissues from never smokers, smokers with normal lung function, and current and former smokers with COPD. NKG2D ligand expression was independent of NKG2D receptor expression in COPD patients, demonstrating that ligand expression is the limiting factor in CTL activation. These results demonstrate that aberrant, persistent NKG2D ligand expression in the pulmonary epithelium contributes to the development of COPD pathologies.

Multiple and paradoxical effects of airway smooth muscle (ASM) 7-transmembrane-spanning receptors activated during asthma, or by treatment with bronchodilators such as β 2 -adrenergic receptor (β 2 AR) agonists, indicate extensive receptor crosstalk. We examined the signaling of the prostanoid-EP 1 receptor, since its endogenous agonist prostaglandin E 2 is abundant in the airway, but its functional implications are poorly defined. Activation of EP 1 failed to elicit ASM contraction in mouse trachea via this G αq -coupled receptor. However, EP 1 activation markedly reduced the bronchodilatory function of β 2 AR agonist, but not forskolin, indicating an early pathway interaction. Activation of EP 1 reduced β 2 AR-stimulated cAMP in ASM but did not promote or augment β 2 AR phosphorylation or alter β 2 AR trafficking. Bioluminescence resonant energy transfer showed EP 1 and β 2 AR formed heterodimers, which were further modified by EP 1 agonist. In cell membrane [ 35 S]GTPγS binding studies, the presence of the EP 1 component of the dimer uncoupled β 2 AR from G αs , an effect accentuated by EP 1 agonist activation. Thus alone, EP 1 does not appear to have a significant direct effect on airway tone but acts as a modulator of the β 2 AR, altering G αs coupling via steric interactions imposed by the EP 1 :β 2 AR heterodimeric signaling complex and ultimately affecting β 2 AR-mediated bronchial relaxation. This mechanism may contribute to β-agonist resistance found in asthma. IntroductionThe 7-transmembrane-spanning (7-TM-spanning) receptors represent the largest signaling family in the genome. We estimate that the lung expresses 25-50 7-TM receptors in airway epithelial cells, airway smooth muscle (ASM), pulmonary vasculature, alveolar walls, and resident immune cells (1). In regard to asthma, several 7-TM receptors play established roles in bronchoconstriction (e.g., M 3 -muscarinic receptor) and bronchodilation (e.g., β 2 -adrenergic receptor [β 2 AR]). Despite identification of the endogenous ligands and receptor localization, there are a number of 7-TM receptors expressed in the airway whose functions are unknown, or appear to function paradoxically, based on recombinantly expressed receptors in model cell systems. This lack of understanding of receptor function has impeded our ability to ascertain the role of these ligands (some of which are markedly increased in asthma) in the relaxation/contraction of ASM; thus the mechanistic basis of bronchial hyperreactivity and bronchoconstriction in asthma remains only partially understood. In many cases the basis for incomplete mechanistic information can be attributed to the nature of recombinant expression systems, which may not take