Two orphan leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptors were recently identified as targets for the relaxin family peptides relaxin and insulin-like peptide (INSL) 3. Human gene 2 relaxin is the cognate ligand for relaxin family peptide receptor (RXFP) 1, whereas INSL3 is the ligand for RXFP2. Constitutively active mutants of both receptors when expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells signal through G␣ s to increase cAMP. However, recent studies using cells that endogenously express the receptors revealed greater complexity: cAMP accumulation after activation of RXFP1 involves a time-dependent biphasic pathway with a delayed phase involving phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase C (PKC) , whereas the RXFP2 response involves inhibition of adenylate cyclase via pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins. The aim of this study was to compare and contrast the cAMP signaling pathways used by these two related receptors. In HEK293T cells stably transfected with RXFP1, preliminary studies confirmed the biphasic cAMP response, with an initial G␣ s component and a delayed response involving PI3K and PKC. This delayed pathway was dependent upon G-␥ subunits derived from G␣ i3 . An additional inhibitory pathway involving G␣ oB affecting cAMP accumulation was also identified. In HEK293T cells stably transfected with RXFP2, the cAMP response involved G␣ s and was modulated by inhibition mediated by G␣ oB and release of inhibitory G-␥ subunits. Thus, initially both RXFP1 and RXFP2 couple to G␣ s and an inhibitory G␣ oB pathway. Differences in cAMP accumulation stem from the ability of RXFP1 to recruit coupling to G␣ i3 , release G-␥ subunits and thus activate a delayed PI3K-PKC pathway to further increase cAMP accumulation.Relaxin is a two-chain peptide hormone that is structurally closely related to insulin. It belongs to the insulin-relaxin peptide family that includes the relaxins: human gene (H)1 (product of a gene duplication event in higher primates), H2 (major circulating form), and H3 (principally a neuropeptide); insulin; insulin-like growth factors I and II; and the relaxin/insulin-like factors INSL3, INSL4, INSL5, and INSL6. Although relaxin was first identified for its role in parturition in guinea pigs (Hisaw, 1926), it is now recognized as a hormone with pleiotropic effects. Relaxin has important functions in the heart, kidney, and brain in addition to roles in the regulation of nitric oxide production and neoangiogenesis (for review, see Bathgate et al., 2006). It is noteworthy that relaxin can also prevent the tissue remodeling observed in fibrosis with a conservation of endogenous tissue structure , and herein lies its potential as a therapeutic.Despite the length of time since the discovery of relaxin, its receptor remained elusive until the recent pairing of relaxin family peptides with two highly similar leucine-rich repeatcontaining GPCRs: LGR7 and LGR8 . LGR7 was subsequently identified as the relaxin receptor and LGR8 as the receptor for the related peptide ...