Many drugs that target G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) induce or inhibit their signal transduction with different strengths, which affect their therapeutic properties. However, the mechanism underlying the differences in the signalling levels is still not clear, although several structures of GPCRs complexed with ligands determined by X-ray crystallography are available. Here we utilized NMR to monitor the signals from the methionine residue at position 82 in neutral antagonist- and partial agonist-bound states of β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR), which are correlated with the conformational changes of the transmembrane regions upon activation. We show that this residue exists in a conformational equilibrium between the inverse agonist-bound states and the full agonist-bound state, and the population of the latter reflects the signal transduction level in each ligand-bound state. These findings provide insights into the multi-level signalling of β2AR and other GPCRs, including the basal activity, and the mechanism of signal transduction mediated by GPCRs.
G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ligands impart differing degrees of signaling in the G-protein and arrestin pathways, in phenomena called “biased signaling”. However, the mechanism underlying the biased signaling of GPCRs is still unclear, although crystal structures of GPCRs bound to the G protein or arrestin are available. In this study, we observed the NMR signals from methionine residues of the μ-opioid receptor (μOR) in the balanced- and biased-ligand-bound states. We found that the intracellular cavity of μOR exists in an equilibrium between closed and multiple open conformations with coupled conformational changes on the transmembrane helices 3, 5, 6, and 7, and that the population of each open conformation determines the G-protein- and arrestin-mediated signaling levels in each ligand-bound state. These findings provide insight into the biased signaling of GPCRs and will be helpful for development of analgesics that stimulate μOR with reduced tolerance and dependence.
G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) ligands impart differing degrees of signaling in the G-protein and arrestin pathways, in phenomena called "biased signaling". However, the mechanism underlying the biased signaling of GPCRs is still unclear,although crystal structures of GPCRs bound to the Gprotein or arrestin are available.I nt his study,w eo bserved the NMR signals from methionine residues of the m-opioid receptor (mOR) in the balanced-and biased-ligand-bound states.Wefound that the intracellular cavity of mOR exists in an equilibrium between closed and multiple open conformations with coupled conformational changes on the transmembrane helices 3, 5, 6, and 7, and that the population of eacho pen conformation determines the G-protein-and arrestin-mediated signaling levels in each ligand-bound state.T hese findings provideinsight into the biased signaling of GPCRs and will be helpful for development of analgesics that stimulate mOR with reduced tolerance and dependence.
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