5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) can produce both vasoconstrictor and vasorelaxant effects in human coronary arteries and the response to 5-HT can be influenced by the presence of disease. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the 5-HT receptor subtypes responsible for mediating 5-HT-evoked contraction of human coronary arteries using pharmacological, molecular and immunocytochemical approaches. Normal human coronary arteries, with intact endothelium, were mounted in tissue baths, and the vascular responses to 5-HT and 5-HT receptor agonists were studied. The effects of 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptor antagonists on these responses were also studied. Expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) encoding different 5-HT receptors in human coronary arteries, atrium, ventricle wall and epicardium was determined using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot analysis. The expression of 5-HT1B or 5-HT1D receptor protein was studied using subtype selective antibodies and standard immunocytochemical techniques. The rank order of 5-HT receptor agonist potency in causing vasoconstriction was 5-carboxamido tryptamine, (5-CT) > zolmitriptan = BW183C91 (N10-desmethyl zolmitriptan) = alpha-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (alpha-CH3-5-HT) = 5-HT = sumatriptan > 2-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (2-CH3-5-HT) = 8-hydroxy-DPAT (8-OH-DPAT). Alpha-CH3-5-HT, 5-CT, 5-HT, zolmitriptan and BW 183C91 were significantly more potent (approximately 3-fold) than sumatriptan and 2-CH3-5-HT, which in turn were more potent than 8-OH-DPAT. Ketanserin and methiothepin (5-HT2 and 5-HT1 receptor antagonists, respectively) caused parallel rightward shifts of the concentration-effect curves to alpha-CH3-5-HT or 5-CT, respectively, without changing the maximum contractile response. In human coronary arteries, atrium. ventricle and epicardium. RT-PCR products corresponding to the human 5-HT2A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1F receptors were expressed in high levels, mRNAs coding for 5-HT7, 5-HT1A and 5-HT1D receptors were only weakly expressed. No 5-HT1F receptor mRNA was detected. In coronary arteries there was a differential expression of 5-HT1B versus 5-HT1D receptor mRNAs, with 5-HT1B mRNAs being found in greater abundance. Dense 5-HT1B-immunoreactivity was detected on smooth muscle layer within coronary artery, however, 5-HT1D-immunoreactivity was not detected. It is concluded that 5-HT-evoked contraction of human coronary arteries is most probably mediated via the activation of both 5-HT1B and 5-HT2A receptors.

NPY is a 36-amino acid peptide which exerts its physiological effects through the activation of a family of G-protein coupled receptors. In vivo and in vitro characterization of the recently cloned rat Y5 receptor suggests that it is a primary mediator of NPY-induced feeding (Gerald et al., Nature 1996;382:168-171). We now report the molecular cloning and pharmacological characterization of the human, dog and mouse homologs of the Y5 receptor. With the exception of a 21 amino acid repeat in the amino terminus of the mouse Y5 receptor, the sequence of the four species homologs appear to be highly conserved, with 88% to 97% amino acid identities between any two species. Similarly, the pharmacological profiles of the four species homologs as determined in porcine 125I-PYY binding assays show a great deal of conservation, with the following rank order of affinity: human or porcine NPY, PYY, [Leu31,Pro34]NPY, NPY(2-36), human PP > human [D-Trp32]NPY > rat PP, C2-NPY. Northern blot analysis reveals that the Y5 receptor is widely distributed in the human brain, with the strongest signals detected in the cortex, putamen and caudate nucleus. The chromosomal localization of the human Y5 receptor, previously shown to be overlapping and in the opposite orientation to the Y1 receptor, is determined to be 4q31, the same locus as previously demonstrated for the human Y1 receptor (Herzog et al., J Biol Chem 1993;268:6703-6707), suggesting that these receptors may be coregulated. These Y5 species homologs along with corresponding animal models may be useful in the search for novel therapeutics in the treatment of obesity and related feeding disorders.

Functional characterization of the recombinant human 5-hydroxytryptamine7(a) (h5-HT7(a)) receptor isoform was performed using stably transfected LM(tk-) cells. Expression levels of the h5-HT7(a) receptor determined from saturation studies using either a labeled agonist ([3H]5-HT) or antagonist ([3H]LSD) were very similar (Bmax = 160-190 fmol/mg protein), suggesting that all receptors may exist in the high affinity (G protein-coupled) state. In intact cells, 5-HT produced a concentration-dependent elevation of intracellular cAMP levels ([cAMP]i) with an EC50 value of 80 nM and a maximal response of 5-fold increase above basal levels. The rank order of agonist potencies in the second messenger assay paralleled their rank order of binding affinities: 5-carboxamidotryptamine > 5-hydroxytryptamine >/= 5-methoxytryptamine > 8-hydroxy N,N-dipropyl aminotetralin > sumatriptan. Agonist potencies (EC50 values) to stimulate [cAMP]i were more than 25-fold lower relative to their respective binding affinities (Ki values) obtained in [3H]5-HT competition assays. In contrast, antagonist potencies (Kb values) to block 5-HT-stimulated [cAMP]i were in close agreement with their corresponding Ki values. These data may indicate low efficiency of receptor-effector coupling to adenylate cyclase stimulation. Pretreatment of stably transfected cells with cholera toxin abolished the 5-HT-mediated elevation of [cAMP]i, indicating that the 5-HT7(a) subtype directly interacts with Galphas protein(s) to activate adenylate cyclase(s). Clonal cell lines stably expressing h5-HT7 receptor isoforms will serve as valuable cellular models to study their function and regulation, as well as assist in the development of selective 5-HT7 receptor agents to uncover the biological roles and potential therapeutic applications of this novel receptor subtype.

The neuropeptide galanin has been implicated in the regulation of processes such as nociception, cognition, feeding behavior, and hormone secretion. Multiple galanin receptors are predicted to mediate its effects, but only two functionally coupled receptors have been reported. We now report the cloning of a third galanin receptor distinct from GALR1 and GALR2. The receptor, termed GALR3, was isolated from a rat hypothalamus cDNA library by both expression and homology cloning approaches. The rat GALR3 receptor cDNA can encode a protein of 370 amino acids with 35% and 52% identity to GALR1 and GALR2, respectively. Localization of mRNA, by solution hybridization/RNase protection demonstrates that the GALR3 transcript is widely distributed, but expressed at low abundance, with the highest levels in the hypothalamus and pituitary. We also isolated the gene encoding the human homologue of GALR3. The human GALR3 receptor is 90% identical to rat GALR3 and contains 368 amino acids. Binding of porcine I-125-galanin to stably expressed rat and human GALR3 receptors is saturable (rat K-D = 0.98 nM and human K-D = 2.23 nM) and displaceable by galanin peptides and analogues in the following rank, order: rat galanin, porcine galanin similar or equal to M32, M35 similar or equal to porcine galanin-(-7 to +29), galantide, human galanin > M40, galanin-(1-16) > [D-Trp(2)]galanin-(1-29), galanin-(3-29). This profile resembles that of the rat GALR1 and GALR2 receptors with the notable exception that human galanin, galanin-(1-16), and M40 show lower affinity at GALR3. In Xenopus oocytes, activation of rat and human GALR3 receptors co-expressed with potassium channel subunits GIRK1 and GIRK4 resulted in inward K+ currents characteristic of G(i)/G(o)-coupled receptors, These data confirm the functional efficacy of GALR3 receptors and further suggest that GALR3 signaling pathways resemble those of GALR1 in that both can activate potassium channels linked to the regulation of neurotransmitter release.

We present the molecular cloning and characterization of the human galanin receptor, hGALR2. hGALR2 shares 85%, 39%, and 57% amino acid identities to rGALR2, hGALR1, and hGALR3, respectively. hGALR2, along with rGALR2, can be distinguished from the other cloned galanin receptors by a tolerance for both N-terminal extension and C-terminal deletion of galanin, as well as by a primary signaling mechanism involving phosphatidyl inositol hydrolysis and calcium mobilization. By RT-PCR, GALR2 mRNA was abundant in human hippocampus, hypothalamus, heart, kidney, liver, and small intestine. A weak GALR2 mRNA signal was detected in human retina, and no signal was detected in cerebral cortex, lung, spleen, stomach, or pituitary.

In the race to identify high quality drug targets from the enormous amount of information generated by the Human Genome Project, many companies are focussing their efforts on proteins already known to be good therapeutic targets. The G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the most common class of therapeutic target. In this review we explore the sequence attributes of GPCRs and outline how these might be applied to focused database searches for novel GPCRs and to efficiently evaluate these new gene products pharmacologically.

The neuropeptide galanin is widely distributed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and participates in the regulation of processes such as nociception, cognition, feeding behavior, and insulin secretion. Multiple galanin receptors are predicted to underlie its physiological effects, We now report the isolation by expression cloning of a rat galanin receptor cDNA distinct from GALR1. The receptor, termed GALR2, was isolated from a Pat hypothalamus cDNA library using a I-125-porcine galanin (I-125-pGAL) binding assay. The GALR2 cDNA encoded a protein of 372 amino acids exhibiting 38% amino acid identity with rat GALR1. Binding of I-125-pGAL to transiently expressed GALR2 receptors was saturable (K-D = 0.15 naa) and displaceable by galanin peptides and analogues in rank order: porcine galanin similar or equal to M32 similar or equal to M35 similar or equal to M40 greater than or equal to galanin-(1-16) similar or equal to M15 similar or equal to [D-Trp(2)]galanin-(1-29) > C7 much greater than galanin-(3-29). This profile resembles that of the rat, GALR1 receptor with the notable exception that [D-Trp(2)]galanin exhibited significant selectivity for GALR2 over GALR1, Activation of GALR2 receptors with porcine galanin and other galanin analogues increased inositol phospholipid turnover and intracellular calcium levels in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells and generated calcium-activated chloride currents in Xenopus oocytes, suggesting that the rat. GALR2 receptor is primarily coupled to the activation of phospholipase C.

We cloned and expressed the rat Y4 receptor for pancreatic polypeptide (PP). Structure-activity profiles derived from I-125-PP binding assays and [cAMP] radioimmunoassays reveal a selective receptor interaction with rat PP vs. neuropeptide Y (NPY) or peptide YY (PYY). Rat and human Y4 receptor clones share 75% amino acid identity. Based on [cAMP] radioimmunoassay, the human Y4 receptor exhibits a less selective interaction with rat PP vs. NPY or PYY and a greater dependence on N-terminal PP residues, relative to rat Y4. Differences in sequence and structure-activity profiles suggest the rat be used with caution to model human Y4 receptor function. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.