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[[beta].sub.2]-Adrenergic receptors ([[beta].sub.2]-AR) expressed on airway epithelial and smooth muscle cells regulate mucociliary clearance and relaxation and are the targets for [beta]-agonists in the treatment of obstructive lung disease. However, the clinical responses display extensive interindividual variability, which is not adequately explained by genetic variability in the 5'-flanking or coding region of the intronless [[beta].sub.2]-AR gene. The nonsynonymous coding polymorphism most often associated with a bronchodilator phenotype (Arg16) is found within three haplotypes that differ by the number of Cs (11, 12, or 13) within a 3'-untranslated region (UTR) poly-C tract. To examine potential effects of this variability on receptor expression, BEAS-2B cells were transfected with constructs containing the [[beta].sub.2]-AR (Arg16) coding sequence followed by its 3'-UTR with the various polymorphic poly-C tracts. [[beta].sub.2]Arg16-11C had 25% lower mRNA expression and 33% lower [[beta].sub.2]-AR protein expression compared with the other two haplotypes. Consistent with this lower steady-state expression, [[beta].sub.2]Arg 16-11C mRNA displayed more rapid and extensive degradation after actinomycin D treatment compared with [[beta].sub.2]Arg 16-12C and -13C. However, [[beta].sub.2]Arg16-12C underwent 50% less downregulation of receptor expression during [beta]-agonist exposure compared with the other two haplotypes. Thus these haplotypes direct a potential low-response phenotype due to decreased steady-state receptor expression combined with wild-type agonist-promoted downregulation ([[beta].sub.2]Arg16-11C) and a high-response phenotype due to increased baseline expression combined with decreased agonist-promoted downregulation ([[beta].sub.2]Arg16-12C). This heterogeneity may contribute to the variability of clinical responses to [beta]-agonist, and genotyping to identify these 3'-UTR polymorphisms may improve predictive power within the context of [[beta].sub.2]-AR haplotypes in pharmacogenetic studies. asthma; [beta]-agonist; transcription

Transcription factors represent a major mechanism by which cells establish basal and conditional expression of proteins, the latter potentially being adaptive or maladaptive in disease. The complement of transcription factors in two major structural cells of the lung relevant to asthma, airway epithelial and smooth muscle cells, is not known. A plate-based platform using nuclear extracts from these cells was used to assess potential expression by binding to oligonucleotide consensus sequences representing >300 transcription factors. Four conditions were studied: basal, [beta]-agonist exposure, culture under proasthmatic conditions (IL-13, IL-4, TGF-[beta], and leukotriene [D.sub.4]), and the dual setting of [beta]-agonist with proasthmatic culture. Airway epithelial cells expressed 70 transcription factors, whereas airway smooth muscle expressed 110. High levels of multiple transcription factors not previously recognized as being expressed in these cells were identified. Moreover, expression/binding patterns under these conditions revealed extreme discordance in the direction and magnitude of change between the cell types. Singular (one cell type displayed regulation) and antithetic (both cell types underwent expression changes but in opposite directions) regulation dominated these patterns, with concomitant regulation in both cell types being rare ( transcription; [beta]-agonist; asthma; inflammation

Multiple and paradoxical effects of airway smooth muscle (ASM) 7-transmembrane-spanning receptors activated during asthma, or by treatment with bronchodilators such as [β.sub.2]-adrenergic receptor ([β.sub.2]AR) agonists, indicate extensive receptor crosstalk. We [...]

The hypothesis that receptors form homo- and heterodimers and that the alpha(sub 2)A- alpha(sub 2)C heterodimer has unique properties is tested. Co-immunoprecipitation studies confirmed homo- and heterodimer formation while the presence of the alpha(sub 2C)adrenergic receptors [alpha(sub 2C)AR] within the heterodimer resulted in marked reduction in the level of GRK2- mediated alpha(sub 2)A AR phosphorylation, which is accompanied by a qualitative attenuation of beta-arrestin recruitment.

β2-Adrenergic receptors (β2-AR) expressed on airway epithelial and smooth muscle cells regulate mucociliary clearance and relaxation and are the targets for β-agonists in the treatment of obstructive lung disease. However, the clinical responses display extensive interindividual variability, which is not adequately explained by genetic variability in the 5′-flanking or coding region of the intronless β2-AR gene. The nonsynonymous coding polymorphism most often associated with a bronchodilator phenotype (Arg16) is found within three haplotypes that differ by the number of Cs (11, 12, or 13) within a 5′-untranslated region (UTR) poly-C tract. To examine potential effects of this variability on receptor expression, BEAS-2B cells were transfected with constructs containing the β2-AR (Arg16) coding sequence followed by its 5′-UTR with the various polymorphic poly-C tracts. β2Arg16-11C had 25% lower mRNA expression and 33% lower β2-AR protein expression compared with the other two haplotypes. Consistent with this lower steady-state expression, β2Arg16-11C mRNA displayed more rapid and extensive degradation after actinomycin D treatment compared with β2Arg16-12C and -13C. However, β2Arg16-12C underwent 50% less downregulation of receptor expression during β-agonist exposure compared with the other two haplotypes. Thus these haplotypes direct a potential low-response phenotype due to decreased steady-state receptor expression combined with wild-type agonist-promoted downregulation (β2Arg16-11C) and a high-response phenotype due to increased baseline expression combined with decreased agonist-promoted downregulation (β2Arg16-12C). This heterogeneity may contribute to the variability of clinical responses to β-agonist, and genotyping to identify these 5′-UTR polymorphisms may improve predictive power within the context of β2-AR haplotypes in pharmacogenetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimerization of seven transmembrane-spanning receptors diversifies their pharmacologic and physiologic properties. The α2-adrenergic receptor (α2AR) subtypes A and C are both expressed on presynaptic nerves and act to inhibit norepinephrine release via negative feedback. However, in vivo and in vitro studies examining the roles of the two individual α2A- and α2CAR subtypes are not readily reconciled. We tested the hypothesis that the receptors form homo- and heterodimers and that the α2A- α2C heterodimer has unique properties. SDS-PAGE of epitope-tagged receptors revealed potential oligomers including dimers. BRET of live HEK-293 cells transfected with the subtypes fused to Rluc or YFP revealed that both subtypes form dimers and the heterodimer. A lower BRET50 for the α2A-α2C heterodimer (0.79 ± 0.20) compared to that of the α2A or α2C homodimer (2.33 1 ± 0.44 or 3.67 ± 0.69, respectively) suggests that when both subtypes are expressed, there is a greater likelihood that the two receptors will form the heterodimer than homodimers. Co-immunoprecipitation studies confirmed homo- and heterodimer formation. The presence of the α2CAR within the heterodimer resulted in a marked reduction in the level of GRK2-mediated α2AAR phosphorylation, which was accompanied by a qualitative attenuation of β-arrestin recruitment. Signaling of the α2A-α2C heterodimer to the β-arrestin-dependent activation of Akt was decreased compared to that of the α2AAR homodimer, while p44/p42 MAP kinase activation was unaffected. Thus, the α2CAR alters α2AAR signaling by forming oligomers, and these complexes, which appear to be preferred over the homodimers, should be considered a functional signaling unit in cells in which both subtypes are expressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple and paradoxical effects of airway smooth muscle (ASM) 7-transmembrane-spanning receptors activated during asthma, or by treatment with bronchodilators such as beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (beta(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(alphaq)-coupled receptor. However, EP(1) activation markedly reduced the bronchodilatory function of beta(2)AR agonist, but not forskolin, indicating an early pathway interaction. Activation of EP(1) reduced beta(2)AR-stimulated cAMP in ASM but did not promote or augment beta(2)AR phosphorylation or alter beta(2)AR trafficking. Bioluminescence resonant energy transfer showed EP(1) and beta(2)AR formed heterodimers, which were further modified by EP(1) agonist. In cell membrane [(35)S]GTPgammaS binding studies, the presence of the EP(1) component of the dimer uncoupled beta(2)AR from G(alphas), 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 beta(2)AR, altering G(alphas) coupling via steric interactions imposed by the EP(1):beta(2)AR heterodimeric signaling complex and ultimately affecting beta(2)AR-mediated bronchial relaxation. This mechanism may contribute to beta-agonist resistance found in asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like other intronless G protein-coupled receptor genes, the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor (beta(2)AR) has minimal genetic space for population variability, and has attained such via multiple coding and noncoding polymorphisms. Yet most clinical studies use the two nonsynonymous polymorphisms of the coding region for association analysis despite low levels of linkage disequilibrium with some promoter and 5'UTR polymorphisms. To assess the potential for allele-specific transcription factor binding to beta(2)AR 5'-flanking sequence, 3'-biotin-labeled oligonucleotide duplexes were synthesized. Each was centered on variable sites representing major or minor alleles found in the human population with frequencies of 5% or greater (20 polymorphic sites). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were performed using human airway smooth muscle or airway epithelial cell nuclear extracts. Many of these polymorphisms resulted in an alteration in binding, and both major allele and minor allele dominance were observed. For example, in airway smooth muscle nuclear extracts, 10 polymorphisms decreased and 2 increased binding, whereas 5 showed no differences. Concordance between airway smooth muscle and epithelial cell nuclear extract binding to polymorphic alleles was found in only approximately 50% of cases. There was no tendency for the rare variants to be more likely to have altered nuclear extract binding compared to the more common variants. Taken together, these results provide potential mechanisms by which beta(2)AR 5'-flanking polymorphisms affect obstructive lung phenotypes.

Beta-agonists used for treatment of obstructive lung disease have a variety of different structures but are typically classified by their intrinsic activities for stimulation of cAMP, and predictions are made concerning other downstream signals based on such a classification. We generated modified beta(2)-adrenergic receptors with insertions of energy donor and acceptor moieties to monitor agonist-promoted conformational changes of the receptor using intramolecular bioluminescence resonance energy transfer in live cells. These studies suggested unique conformations stabilized by various agonists that were not based on their classic intrinsic activities. To address the cellular consequences of these differences, G(s)-coupling, G(i)-coupling (p44/p42 activation), G protein-coupled receptor kinase-mediated receptor phosphorylation, internalization, and down-regulation were assessed in response to isoproterenol, albuterol, terbutaline, metaproterenol, salmeterol, formoterol, and fenoterol. In virtually every case, agonists did not maintain the classic rank order, indicating that distinct signaling is evoked by beta-agonists of different structures, which is unrelated to intrinsic activity. The extensive pleiotropy of agonist responses shown here suggests that classification of agonists by cAMP-based intrinsic activity is inadequate as it pertains to other intracellular events and that it may be possible to engineer a beta-agonist that stabilizes conformations that evoke an ideal portfolio of signals for therapeutic purposes.