Synthesis of nitrodiazirinyl derivatives of neurotoxin II from Naja naja oxiana and their interaction with the Torpedo californica nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Five singly modified nitrodiazirine derivatives of neurotoxin II (NT-II) from Naja naja oxiana were obtained after NT-II reaction with N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of (2-nitro-4-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-3H-diazirin-3yl]phenoxy)acet ic acid followed by chromatographic separation of the products. To localize the label positions, each derivative was first UV-irradiated and then subjected to reduction, carboxymethylation, and trypsinolysis. Tryptic digests were separated by reversed phase-HPLC, the labeled peptides being identified by mass spectrometry. The derivatives containing the photolabel at the position Lys 25, Lys 26, Lys 44, or Lys 46 were [125I]iodinated by the chloramine T procedure. Each iodinated derivative was found to form photoinduced cross-links with the membrane-bound nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo californica. The pattern of labeling the receptor's alpha, beta, gamma, or delta subunits was dependent on the photolabel position in the NT-II molecule and differed from that obtained earlier with an analogous series of p-azidobenzoyl derivatives of NT-II. The results obtained indicate that (i) different sides of the neurotoxin molecule are involved in the AChR binding, and (ii) fragments of the different AChR subunits are located close together at the neurotoxin-binding sites.     

Relationship between the binding sites for an alpha-conotoxin and snake venom neurotoxins in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica

Photoinduced cross-links between the iodinated Lys26-p-azidobenzoyl derivative of neurotoxin II from Naja naja oxiana cobra venom and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica (AChR) have been studied in the presence of alpha-conotoxin GI from the marine snail C. geographus. Preincubation of the AChR-enriched membranes with increasing concentrations of alpha-conotoxin GI protects first the gamma subunit from photolabelling and then the delta subunit, the IC50 values being 0.76 and 5.01 microM, respectively. The results obtained, in view of the relevant data in literature, demonstrate that the (alpha + gamma) site, which is the high affinity site for d-tubocurarine, has also a higher affinity for an alpha-conotoxin than the (alpha + delta) containing site. The latter has a somewhat higher affinity than the (alpha + gamma) site towards some naturally occurring snake venom alpha-neurotoxins or their derivatives.     

Residues at the subunit interfaces of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that contribute to alpha-conotoxin M1 binding

The two binding sites in the pentameric nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of subunit composition alpha2 beta gamma delta are formed by nonequivalent alpha-gamma and alpha-delta subunit interfaces, which produce site selectivity in the binding of agonists and antagonists. We show by sedimentation analysis that 125I-alpha-conotoxin M1 binds with high affinity to the alpha-delta subunit dimers, but not to alpha-gamma dimers, nor to alpha, gamma, and delta monomers, a finding consistent with alpha-conotoxin M1 selectivity for the alpha delta interface in the intact receptor measured by competition against alpha-bungarotoxin binding. We also extend previous identification of alpha-conotoxin M1 determinants in the gamma and delta subunits to the alpha subunit interface by mutagenesis of conserved residues in the alpha subunit. Most mutations of the alpha subunit affect affinity similarly at the two sites, but Tyr93Phe, Val188Lys, Tyr190Thr, Tyr198Thr, and Asp152Asn affect affinity in a site-selective manner. Mutant cycle analysis reveals only weak or no interactions between mutant alpha and non-alpha subunits, indicating that side chains of the alpha subunit do not interact with those of the gamma or delta subunits in stabilizing alpha-conotoxin M1. The overall findings suggest different binding configurations of alpha-conotoxin M1 at the alpha-delta and alpha-gamma binding interfaces.     

Formation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding sites

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are activated by ACh binding to two sites located on different alpha subunits. The two alpha subunits, alpha gamma and alpha delta, are distinguished by their interface with gamma and delta subunits. We have characterized the formation of the ACh binding sites and found, contrary to the current model, that the sites form at different times and in a set order. The first site forms on alpha gamma subunits during the process of subunit assembly. Our data are consistent with the appearance of this site on alpha beta gamma delta subunit tetramers soon after the site for the competitive antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin has formed and delta subunits have assembled with alpha beta gamma trimers. The second site is located on alpha delta subunits and forms after AChR subunits have assembled into alpha2 beta gamma delta pentamers. By determining the order in which the ACh binding sites form, we have also identified the sites in which the delta and second alpha subunits associate during subunit assembly.     

A modified Harrington technique for scoliosis

Photoaffinity labeling is a powerful technique to identify ligand-binding proteins in a crude mixture and localize their binding-site. Benzophenone photophore has several favorable features compared with the classical photoreactive unit, aromatic azides, that is why its application is expanding. Benzophenone can easily be attached to biologically active ligands by using a tritiated heterobifunctional crosslinker reagent: [3H]-BZDC-NHS or a photoreactive amino acid; [3H]-4-benzoyl-L-phenylalanine. Tethered inositol polyphosphates and antimitotic agents were prepared first and reacted with the high specific activity photocrosslinker reagent in microscale. The photoactivatable ligands obtained were used for studying IP3 receptor, alpha-Trinozitol receptor, PLC delta enzime, beta-tubullin and glycoprotein P. Thrombin receptor was investigated by a short peptide antagonist containing the photoactivatable amino acid. The results demonstrate the versatility of photoaffinity labeling and prove that this technique has a potential providing much more information about the receptor and mechanism than simply identifying a single polypeptide: it contributed to solve the 3D structure of the IP3 binding domain and to reveal a unique activation of the PLC delta. The results confirmed the superiority of benzophenone. Using that photophore glycoprotein P, which is responsible for the MDR, and thrombin receptor were labelled at the first time.     

Ligand-gated ion channel subunit partnerships: GABAA receptor alpha6 subunit gene inactivation inhibits delta subunit expression

Cerebellar granule cells express six GABAA receptor subunits abundantly (alpha1, alpha6, beta2, beta3, gamma2, and delta) and assemble various pentameric receptor subtypes with unknown subunit compositions; however, the rules guiding receptor subunit assembly are unclear. Here, removal of intact alpha6 protein from cerebellar granule cells allowed perturbations in other subunit levels to be studied. Exon 8 of the mouse alpha6 subunit gene was disrupted by homologous recombination. In alpha6 -/- granule cells, the delta subunit was selectively degraded as seen by immunoprecipitation, immunocytochemistry, and immunoblot analysis with delta subunit-specific antibodies. The delta subunit mRNA was present at wild-type levels in the mutant granule cells, indicating a post-translational loss of the delta subunit. These results provide genetic evidence for a specific association between the alpha6 and delta subunits. Because in alpha6 -/- neurons the remaining alpha1, beta2/3, and gamma2 subunits cannot rescue the delta subunit, certain potential subunit combinations may not be found in wild-type cells.     

Absence of association between delta and gamma2 subunits in native GABA(A) receptors from rat brain

We investigated the possible association between delta and gamma2 subunits in native GABA(A) receptors, from different rat brain regions, using subunit-specific anti-delta and anti-gamma2 antibodies. Previous reports have provided somewhat controversial results, indicating both the presence and the absence of association between these two subunits in native receptors. Our results indicate the absence of co-localization between delta and gamma2 subunits. In immunoprecipitation experiments, anti-delta antibody consistently immunoprecipitated [3H]muscimol binding activity (GABA binding sites) from all brain areas tested (10-20% of the total binding). However, under the same conditions, no significant [3H]flumazenil or [3H]ethyl 8-azido-6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazol[1,5-a]-[1,4]benzodiazepine- 3-carboxylate (Ro15-4513) binding (benzodiazepine binding sites) activity was detected in the immunopellets. These results indicate the absence of association between delta and gamma2 subunits. This question was directly addressed by immunopurification and Western blot experiments. As expected, no gamma2 subunits were detected in anti-delta immunoaffinity purified receptors. Conversely, no delta subunits were identified in anti-gamma2 immunopurified receptors. Thus, these results demonstrate the absence of association between delta and gamma2 subunits in native GABA(A) receptors. Finally, our results also indicate the relevance of the solubilization conditions on the apparent association between different subunits of the native GABA(A) receptor complex.     

The gamma 2 subunit of the GABAA receptor is concentrated in synaptic junctions containing the alpha 1 and beta 2/3 subunits in hippocampus, cerebellum and globus pallidus

The gamma 2 subunit is necessary for the expression of the full benzodiazepine pharmacology of GABAA receptors and is one of the major subunits in the brain. In order to determine the location of channels containing the gamma 2 subunit in relation to GABA-releasing terminals on the surface of neurons, a new polyclonal antipeptide antiserum was developed to the gamma 2 subunit and used in high resolution, postembedding, immunoelectron-microscopic procedures. Dual immunogold labelling of the same section for two subunits, and up to three sections of the same synapse reacted for different subunits, were used to characterize the subunit composition of synaptic receptors. The gamma 2 subunit was present in type 2, "symmetrical" synapses in each of the brain areas studied, with the exception of the granule cell layer of the cerebellum. The gamma 2 subunit was frequently co-localized in the same synaptic junction with the alpha 1 and beta 2/3 subunits. The immunolabelling of synapses was coincident with the junctional membrane specialization of the active zone. Immunolabelling for the receptor often occurred in multiple clusters in the synapses. In the hippocampus, the gamma 2 subunit was present in basket cell synapses on the somata and proximal dendrites and in axo-axonic cell synapses on the axon initial segment of pyramidal and granule cells. Some synapses on the dendrites of GABAergic interneurones were densely labelled for the gamma 2, alpha 1 and beta 2/3 subunits. In the cerebellum, the gamma 2 subunit was present in both distal and proximal Purkinje cell dendritic synapses established by stellate and basket cell, respectively. On the soma of Purkinje cells, basket cell synapses were only weakly labelled. Synapses on interneuron dendrites were more densely labelled for the gamma 2, alpha 1 and beta 2/3 subunits than synapses on Purkinje or granule cells. Although immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence methods show an abundance of the gamma 2 subunit in granule cells, the labelling of Golgi synapses was much weaker with the immunogold method than that of the other cell types. In the globus pallidus, many type 2 synapses were labelled for the gamma 2 subunit together with alpha 1 and beta 2/3 subunits. The results show that gamma 2 and beta 2/3 subunits receptor channels are highly concentrated in GABAergic synapses that also contain the alpha 1 and beta 2/3 subunits. Channels containing the gamma 2 subunit are expressed in synapses on functionally distinct domains of the same neuron receiving GABA from different presynaptic sources. There are quantitative differences in the density of GABAA receptors at synapses on different cell types in the same brain area.     

Molecular and pharmacological characterization of GABAA receptors in the rat pituitary

Levels of mRNA for the major subunits of the GABAA receptor were assayed in the rat pituitary anterior and neurointermediate lobes by ribonuclease protection assay. alpha 1, beta 1, beta 2, beta 3, and gamma 2s were found to be the predominant subunits in the anterior lobe, whereas alpha 2, alpha 3, beta 1, beta 3, gamma 2s, and gamma 1 were the predominant subunits expressed in the neurointermediate lobe. alpha 5, alpha 6, and delta subunits were not detectable. Hill and Scatchard analysis of [3H] muscimol binding to anterior and neurointermediate lobe membranes showed high-affinity binding sites with dissociation constants of 5.6 and 4.5 nM, respectively, and Hill coefficients near 1. Muscimol sites were present at a maximum of 126 fmol/mg in the anterior lobe and 138 fmol/mg in the neurointermediate lobe. The central-type benzodiazepine antagonist [3H]Ro 15-1788 bound to a high-affinity site with a dissociation constant of 1.5 nM in both tissues, at a maximum of 60 fmol/mg in anterior pituitary and 72 fmol/mg in neurointermediate lobe. A Hill coefficient of 1 was measured for this site in both tissues. Assays of CL 218,872 displacement of Ro 15-1788 were consistent with a pure type I benzodiazepine site in the anterior lobe and a pure type II site in the intermediate lobe. These results are consistent with both tissue-specific expression of particular GABAA receptor subunits and receptor heterogeneity within individual cells in the pituitary.     

Expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits in the hippocampus of the rat after kainic acid-induced seizures

The GABA(A) receptor is a ligand gated chloride channel consisting of five membrane spanning proteins for which 13 different genes have been identified in the mammalian brain. The present review summarizes recent work from our laboratory on the characterization of the immunocytochemical distribution of these GABA(A) receptor subunits in the rat brain and changes in immunoreactivity and mRNA expression after kainic acid-induced status epilepticus. A heterogeneous distribution of immunoreactive GABA(A) receptor subunits was observed. The most abundant ones were: alpha1, alpha2, alpha4, alpha5, beta2, beta3, gamma2, and delta. Alpha1, beta2, and gamma2 were about equally distributed in all subfields of the hippocampus; alpha4- and delta-subunits were preferentially found in the dentate molecular layer and in CA1; alpha2 was localized to the dentate molecular layer and CA3; alpha5 was found in the dendritic areas of CA1 to CA3; and beta1 was preferentially seen in CA2. Alpha1, beta2, gamma2 and delta were highly concentrated in interneurons. Kainic acid-induced seizures caused acute and chronic changes in the expression of mRNAs and immunoreactive proteins. Acute changes included decreases in alpha2, alpha5, beta1, beta3, gamma2 and delta mRNA levels (by about 25-50%), accompanied by increases (by about 50%) in alpha1, alpha4, and beta2 messages in granule cells (after 6-12 h). Chronic changes, characterized by losses in mRNA and immunoreactive proteins in CA1 and CA3, are undoubtedly due to seizure-related cell damage. However, compensatory expression of alpha2 and beta3 subunits, especially in CA3b/c, was observed. Furthermore, increases in mRNAs and immunoreactive proteins were seen for alpha1, alpha2 alpha4, beta1, beta2, beta3 and gamma2 in granule cells and in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus at 7-30 days after kainic acid injection. The changes in the expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits, observed in practically all hippocampal subfields, may reflect altered GABA-ergic transmission during development of the epileptic syndrome. Increased expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits in the dendritic field of granule cells and CA3 suggest that GABA-ergic inhibition may be augmented at these levels. However, the lasting preservation of alpha1-, beta2-, and gamma2-subunits in interneurons could provide a basis for augmented inhibition of GABA-ergic interneurons, leading to net disinhibition.     

Asymmetry of the alpha subunit of the chloroplast ATP synthase as probed by the binding of Lucifer Yellow vinyl sulfone

The catalytic portion of the chloroplast ATP synthase (CF1) is structurally asymmetric. Asymmetry of the otherwise symmetrical alpha3beta3 heterohexamer is induced by the presence of tightly bound nucleotides and interactions with the single-copy, smaller subunits. Lucifer Yellow vinyl sulfone (4-amino-N-[3-(vinylsulfonyl)phenyl]naphthalimide-3,6-disulfonic acid) rapidly and covalently binds to lysine 378 on one alpha subunit [Nalin, C. M., Snyder, B., and McCarty, R. E., (1985) Biochemistry 24, 2318-2324] [Shapiro, A. B. (1991) Ph.D. Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY). The asymmetrical binding of Lucifer Yellow to CF1 provides a method to investigate the cause of asymmetry in the alpha subunits. The reaction of CF1 with Lucifer Yellow was monitored by total fluorescence of bound Lucifer Yellow as well as by quantitative determination of Lucifer Yellow bound to the tryptic peptide that contains lysine 378 of the alpha subunit. The total binding of Lucifer Yellow to CF1 was not affected by the presence of tightly bound nucleotides or nucleotide in the medium. Neither the total binding of Lucifer Yellow to CF1 nor the reaction of alpha-lysine 378 with Lucifer Yellow was changed by the removal of the epsilon subunit, the delta subunit, or both subunits. The extent of incorporation of Lucifer Yellow into lysine 378 of the alpha subunit in (alphabeta)n was about three times that of Lucifer Yellow incorporation into CF1. Reconstitution of (alphabeta)n with gamma restored the binding of one Lucifer Yellow per alpha3beta3gamma. Therefore, the interactions between gamma and the alphabeta heterohexamer are important in conferring asymmetry to the alpha subunits of CF1.     

Purification and reconstitution into proteoliposomes of the F1F0 ATP synthase from the obligately anaerobic gram-positive bacterium Clostridium thermoautotrophicum

The proton-translocating F1F0 ATP synthase from Clostridium thermoautotrophicum was solubilized from cholate-washed membranes with Zwittergent 3-14 at 58 degrees C and purified in the presence of octylglucoside by sucrose gradient centrifugation and ion-exchange chromatography on a DEAE-5PW column. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed ATP at a rate of 12.6 micromol min(-1) mg(-1) at 58 degrees C and pH 8.5. It was composed of six different polypeptides with molecular masses of 60, 50, 32, 19, 17, and 8 kDa. These were identified as alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, and c subunits, respectively, as their N-terminal amino acid sequences matched the deduced N-terminal amino acid sequences of the corresponding genes of the atp operon sequenced from Clostridium thermoaceticum (GenBank accession no. U64318), demonstrating the close similarity of the F1F0 complexes from C. thermoaceticum and C. thermoautotrophicum. Four of these subunits, alpha, beta, gamma, and epsilon, constituted the F1-ATPase purified from the latter bacterium. The delta subunit could not be found in the purified F1 although it was present in the F1F0 complex, indicating that the F0 moiety consisted of the delta and the c subunits and lacked the a and b subunits found in many aerobic bacteria. The c subunit was characterized as N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide reactive. The F1F0 complex of C. thermoautotrophicum consisting of subunits alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, and c was reconstituted with phospholipids into proteoliposomes which had ATP-Pi exchange, carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone-stimulated ATPase, and ATP-dependent proton-pumping activities. Immunoblot analyses of the subunits of ATP synthases from C. thermoautotrophicum, C. thermoaceticum, and Escherichia coli revealed antigenic similarities among the F1 subunits from both clostridia and the beta subunit of F1 from E. coli.     

Expression of a CD3 epsilon transgene in CD3 epsilon(null) mice does not restore CD3 gamma and delta expression but efficiently rescues T cell development from a subpopulation of prothymocytes

The TCR-associated CD3 complex consists of four subunits, i.e. CD3 gamma, delta, epsilon and zeta, which are expressed very early in T cell development prior to the expression of the TCR and the pre-TCR alpha chain. It is unclear whether the expression of each CD3 protein is independent of, or is influenced by, other CD3 subunits. To study whether CD3 epsilon regulates expression of CD3 gamma and delta genes, we generated a strain of CD3 epsilon-deficient mice termed CD3 epsilon(delta P/delta P) (epsilon(delta P)), in which the promoter of CD3E was disrupted, and subsequently reconstituted these mice with a CD3 epsilon transgene. In the epsilon(delta P) mice, T cell development is arrested at the double-negative stage and targeting the CD3 epsilon gene caused severe inhibition of CD3 gamma and delta gene expression. Introduction of the CD3 epsilon transgene did not restore CD3 gamma and delta expression. However, a very small fraction of prothymocytes that expressed CD3 gamma and delta was rescued upon reconstitution of the CD3 epsilon transgene. Remarkably, this rescue led to a very efficient differentiation and maturation of thymocytes, resulting in a significant T cell population in the periphery. These results demonstrate that CD3 epsilon does not regulate expression of CD3 gamma and delta genes, and underscore the capacity of each prothymocyte to give rise to a large number of mature peripheral T cells.     

Run-down of L-type Ca2+ channels occurs on the alpha 1 subunit

Run-down of L-type Ca2+ channels in CHO cells stably expressing alpha 1c, alpha 1c beta 1a, or alpha 1c beta 1a alpha 2 delta gamma subunits was studied using the patch-clamp technique (single channel recording). The channel activity (NPo) of alpha 1c channels was increased 4- and 8-fold by coexpression with beta 1a and beta 1a alpha 2 delta gamma, respectively. When membranes containing channels composed of different subunits were excised into basic internal solution, the channel activity exhibited run-down, the time-course of which was independent of the subunit composition. The run-down was restored by the application of calpastatin (or calpastatin contained in cytoplasmic P-fraction) + H-fraction (a high molecular mass fraction of bovine cardiac cytoplasm) + 3 mM ATP, which has been shown to reverse the run-down in native Ca2+ channels in the guinea-pig heart. The restoration level was 64.7, 63.5, and 66.4% for channels composed of alpha 1c, alpha 1c beta 1a, and alpha 1c beta 1a alpha 2 delta gamma, respectively, and was thus also independent of the subunit composition. We conclude that run-down of L-type Ca2+ channels occurs via the alpha 1 subunit and that the cytoplasmic factors maintaining Ca2+ channel activity act on the alpha 1 subunit.     

Identification of a structural element in phospholipase C beta2 that interacts with G protein betagamma subunits

To delineate the specific regions of phospholipase C beta2 (PLC beta2) involved in binding and activation by G protein betagamma subunits, we synthesized peptides corresponding to segments of PLC beta2. Two overlapping peptides corresponding to Asn-564-Lys-583 (N20K) and Glu-574-Lys-593 (E20K) inhibited the activation of PLC beta2 by betagamma subunits (IC50 50 and 150 microM, respectively), whereas two control peptides did not. N20K and E20K, but not the control peptides, inhibited betagamma-dependent ADP-ribosylation of Galphai1 by pertussis toxin and betagamma-dependent activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. To demonstrate direct binding of the peptides to betagamma subunits, the peptides were chemically cross-linked to purified beta1gamma2. N20K and E20K cross-linked to both beta1 and gamma2 subunits, whereas the control peptides did not. Cross-linking to beta and gamma was inhibited by incubation with excess PLC beta2 or PLC beta3, whereas cross-linking to gamma but not beta was inhibited by r-myr-alphai1. These data together demonstrate specificity of N20K and E20K for G betagamma binding and inhibition of effector activation by betagamma subunits. The results suggest that an overlapping region of the two active peptides, Glu-574-Lys-583, mimics a region of PLC beta2 that is involved in binding to betagamma subunits. Changing a tyrosine to a glutamine in this overlapping region of the peptides inhibited binding of the peptide to betagamma subunits. Alignment of these peptides with the three-dimensional structure from PLC delta1 identifies a putative alpha helical region on the surface of the catalytic domain of PLC beta2 that could interact with betagamma subunits.     

Differential affinity cross-linking of phosphorylase kinase conformers by the geometric isomers of phenylenedimaleimide

Phosphorylase b kinase (PbK) from skeletal muscle is a highly regulated oligomer consisting of four copies of four distinct subunits (alphabetagamma)delta4. The gamma subunit is catalytic, and the remaining subunits are regulatory. To characterize effector-induced changes in the quaternary structure of the enzyme, we utilized the ortho-, meta, and para-isomers of phenylenedimaleimide (PDM), which in addition to having different geometries, also vary 2.5-fold in their cross-linking spans. Even at concentrations equivalent to the alphabetagammadelta protomers of PbK, all three isomers caused specific, rapid, and extensive cross-linking of the holoenzyme to form primarily alphabeta dimers, plus smaller amounts of betagammagamma and alphagammagamma trimers. The formation of these three conjugates was nearly totally inhibited by a 10-fold molar excess over PDM of N-(o- and p-tolyl)succinimide, which are chemically inert structural analogs of PDM. This inhibition suggests that PbK has binding sites for PDM and that PDM acts as an affinity cross-linker in binding to these sites prior to forming cross-linked conjugates. The largest effect on cross-linking in progressing from o- to p-PDM was on the alphagammagamma trimer, which is preferentially formed by the p-isomer. Activation of the enzyme by either phosphorylation or the allosteric activators ADP and GDP resulted in large increases in the amount of alphagammagamma formed, small increases in betagammagamma, and little change in alphabeta. When cross-linked in the presence of the reversibly activating nucleoside diphosphates, PbK remained activated after their removal, indicating that cross-linking had locked it in the active conformation. Our results provide direct evidence for perturbations in the interactions of the catalytic gamma subunit with the regulatory alpha and beta subunits upon activation of PbK.     

Arg278, but not Lys229 or Lys236, plays an important role in the binding of retinoic acid by retinoic acid receptor gamma

The diverse biological actions of retinoic acid (RA) are mediated by retinoic acid receptors (RARalpha, beta and gamma) and retinoid X receptors (RXR alpha, beta, and gamma). Although the ligand-binding domains of RARs share the same novel folding pattern, many RAR subtype-specific retinoids have been synthesized indicating that the ligand-binding pocket of each RAR subtype has unique features. Previously we have demonstrated the importance for RA binding and RA-dependent transactivation of Arg276 of RARalpha alone and in RARbeta Arg269 in conjunction with Lys220. In this study, we have examined the role of the homologous amino acid residues (Lys229 and Arg278) in RARgamma for these activities. Like RARalpha but dissimilar to RARbeta, Arg278 in RARgamma alone was found to play an important role in RA binding and RA-dependent transactivation. Since Lys236 in RARgamma was suggested from the crystal structure of holo-RARgamma to interact with RA, we also examined its role and that of its homologs in RARalpha and RARbeta. Despite the suggestion from the crystal structure, neither Lys236 nor its homologs in RARalpha and RARbeta play a role in the binding of RA or RA-dependent transactivation. It is likely that Lys236 in RARgamma and its homologs in RARalpha and RARbeta are solvent exposed rather than pointing into the RA-binding pocket.     

In vivo injection of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to G alpha subunits and supraspinal analgesia evoked by mu and delta opioid agonists

For 5 consecutive days repeated intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to G alpha subunit mRNAs was used to impair the function of mouse Gi1, Gi2, Gi3 and Gx/z regulatory proteins. Decreases of 20 to 60% on the G alpha-like immunoreactivity could be observed in neural structures of mouse brain, an effect that was not produced by a random-sequence ODN used as a control. The ODN to Gi1 alpha subunits lacked effect on opioid-evoked analgesia. In mice injected with the ODN to Gi2 alpha subunits the antinociceptive activity of all the opioids studied appeared greatly impaired. The ODN to Gi3 alpha subunits reduced the effects of the selective agonists of delta opioid receptors, [D-Pen2,5]-enkephalin and [D-Ala2]deltorphin II. Conversely, the analgesia evoked by opioids binding mu opioid receptors, [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin and morphine, appeared consistently and significantly attenuated in mice injected with the ODN to Gx/z alpha. The effect of the neuropeptide beta-endorphine-(1-31) agonist at mu and delta receptors was also reduced by ODNs to Gi3 alpha or Gx/z alpha subunits. l.c.v. injection of antibodies directed to these G alpha subunits antagonized opioid-induced analgesia with a pattern similar to that observed for the ODNs. Thus, the mu and delta opiod receptors regulate different classes of G transducer proteins to mediate the analgesic effect of agonists. The in vivo antisense strategy and the use of specific antibodies to G alpha subunits gave comparable results, indicating that in the neural tissue the mRNAs and the G alpha subunits can be accessed by the corresponding ODNs and IgGs.