Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is the primary blood pressure regulator. AT1R blockers (ARBs) have been widely used in clinical settings as anti-hypertensive drugs and share a similar chemical ...scaffold, although even minor variations can lead to distinct therapeutic efficacies toward cardiovascular etiologies. The structural basis for AT1R modulation by different peptide and non-peptide ligands has remained elusive. Here, we report the crystal structure of the human AT1R in complex with an inverse agonist olmesartan (BenicarTM), a highly potent anti-hypertensive drug. Olmesartan is anchored to the receptor primarily by the residues Tyr-351.39, Trp-842.60, and Arg-167ECL2, similar to the antagonist ZD7155, corroborating a common binding mode of different ARBs. Using docking simulations and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified specific interactions between AT1R and different ARBs, including olmesartan derivatives with inverse agonist, neutral antagonist, or agonist activities. We further observed that the mutation N1113.35A in the putative sodium-binding site affects binding of the endogenous peptide agonist angiotensin II but not the β-arrestin-biased peptide TRV120027.
Background: Angiotensin receptor (AT1R) blockers are critical therapeutics used to treat cardiovascular disease.
Results: We solved the AT1R-olmesartan structure and identified specific interactions for olmesartan derivatives with different functions.
Conclusion: Our results identified residues critical for the binding of different ligands and allosteric modulation by sodium ion.
Significance: Our results provide new insights into the structural basis for ligand recognition and functional selectivity at AT1R.
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) is a G protein-coupled receptor that serves as a primary regulator for blood pressure maintenance. Although several anti-hypertensive drugs have been developed ...as AT1R blockers (ARBs), the structural basis for AT1R ligand-binding and regulation has remained elusive, mostly due to the difficulties of growing high-quality crystals for structure determination using synchrotron radiation. By applying the recently developed method of serial femtosecond crystallography at an X-ray free-electron laser, we successfully determined the room-temperature crystal structure of the human AT1R in complex with its selective antagonist ZD7155 at 2.9-Å resolution. The AT1R-ZD7155 complex structure revealed key structural features of AT1R and critical interactions for ZD7155 binding. Docking simulations of the clinically used ARBs into the AT1R structure further elucidated both the common and distinct binding modes for these anti-hypertensive drugs. Our results thereby provide fundamental insights into AT1R structure-function relationship and structure-based drug design.
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•Crystal structure of the human Angiotensin II type 1 receptor at 2.9-Å resolution•Structure is solved by X-ray laser serial femtosecond crystallography•Antagonist ZD7155 forms critical interactions with Tyr35, Trp84 and Arg167•Docking reveals binding modes of common angiotensin receptor blockers
Structure determination of human Angiotensin II type 1 receptor bound to an antagonist using serial femtosecond crystallography with X-ray free-electron laser and docking studies of other common anti-hypertensive drugs into the structure offer insights into design of blood pressure modulators.
We present a succession of structural changes involved in hormone peptide activation of a prototypical GPCR. Microsecond molecular dynamics simulation generated conformational ensembles reveal ...propagation of structural changes through key “microswitches” within human AT1R bound to native hormone. The endocrine octa-peptide angiotensin II (AngII) activates AT1R signaling in our bodies which maintains physiological blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and cardiovascular homeostasis. Excessive AT1R activation is associated with pathogenesis of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases which are treated by sartan drugs. The mechanism of AT1R inhibition by sartans has been elucidated by 2.8 Å X-ray structures, mutagenesis, and computational analyses. Yet, the mechanism of AT1R activation by AngII is unclear. The current study delineates an activation scheme initiated by AngII binding. A van der Waals “grasp” interaction between Phe8AngII with Ile2887.39 in AT1R induced mechanical strain pulling Tyr2927.43 and breakage of critical interhelical H-bonds, first between Tyr2927.43 and Val1083.32 and second between Asn1113.35 and Asn2957.46. Subsequently changes are observed in conserved microswitches DRYTM3, Yx7K(R)TM5, CWxPTM6, and NPxxYTM7 in AT1R. Activating the microswitches in the intracellular region of AT1R may trigger formation of the G-protein binding pocket as well as exposure of helix-8 to cytoplasm. Thus, the active-like conformation of AT1R is initiated by the van der Waals interaction of Phe8AngII with Ile2887.39, followed by systematic reorganization of critical interhelical H-bonds and activation of microswitches.
While orthosteric ligands of the angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor (AT1R) are available for clinical and research applications, allosteric ligands are not known for this important G ...protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Allosteric ligands are useful tools to modulate receptor pharmacology and subtype selectivity. Here, we report AT1R allosteric ligands for a potential application to block autoimmune antibodies. The epitope of autoantibodies for AT1R is outside the orthosteric pocket in the extracellular loop 2. A molecular dynamics simulation study of AT1R structure reveals the presence of a druggable allosteric pocket encompassing the autoantibody epitope. Small molecule binders were then identified for this pocket using structure-based high-throughput virtual screening. The top 18 hits obtained inhibited the binding of antibody to AT1R and modulated agonist-induced calcium response of AT1R. Two compounds out of 18 studied in detail exerted a negative allosteric modulator effect on the functions of the natural agonist AngII. They blocked antibody-enhanced calcium response and reactive oxygen species production in vascular smooth muscle cells as well as AngII-induced constriction of blood vessels, demonstrating their efficacy in vivo. Our study thus demonstrates the feasibility of discovering inhibitors of the disease-causing autoantibodies for GPCRs. Specifically, for AT1R, we anticipate development of more potent allosteric drug candidates for intervention in autoimmune maladies such as preeclampsia, bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, and the rejection of organ transplants.
MAS is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) implicated in multiple physiological processes. Several physiological peptide ligands such as angiotensin-(1-7), angiotensin fragments and neuropeptide FF ...(NPFF) are reported to act on MAS. Studies of conventional G protein signaling and receptor desensitization upon stimulation of MAS with the peptide ligands are limited so far. Therefore, we systematically analyzed G protein signals activated by the peptide ligands. MAS-selective non-peptide ligands that were previously shown to activate G proteins were used as controls for comparison on a common cell based assay platform. Activation of MAS by the non-peptide agonist (1) increased intracellular calcium and D-myo-inositol-1-phosphate (IP1) levels which are indicative of the activation of classical Gαq-phospholipase C signaling pathways, (2) decreased Gαi mediated cAMP levels and (3) stimulated Gα12-dependent expression of luciferase reporter. In all these assays, MAS exhibited strong constitutive activity that was inhibited by the non-peptide inverse agonist. Further, in the calcium response assay, MAS was resistant to stimulation by a second dose of the non-peptide agonist after the first activation has waned suggesting functional desensitization. In contrast, activation of MAS by the peptide ligand NPFF initiated a rapid rise in intracellular calcium with very weak IP1 accumulation which is unlike classical Gαq-phospholipase C signaling pathway. NPFF only weakly stimulated MAS-mediated activation of Gα12 and Gαi signaling pathways. Furthermore, unlike non-peptide agonist-activated MAS, NPFF-activated MAS could be readily re-stimulated the second time by the agonists. Functional assays with key ligand binding MAS mutants suggest that NPFF and non-peptide ligands bind to overlapping regions. Angiotensin-(1-7) and other angiotensin fragments weakly potentiated an NPFF-like calcium response at non-physiological concentrations (≥100 µM). Overall, our data suggest that peptide ligands induce atypical signaling and functional desensitization of MAS.
Aims Cardiac hypertrophy is a risk factor independent of blood pressure; however, the mechanisms that distinguish pathological remodelling due to local cues from pressure overload are unresolved. ...This study was aimed at discovering a novel gene expression mechanism in heart failure. Methods and results In angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) transgenic mice (TG), we found a significant increase of mRNA and total STAT3 (T-STAT3) protein, but not STAT3 phosphorylated at residues Y705 and S727. A net increase in nuclear accumulation of this unphosphorylated form of STAT3 (U-STAT3) correlated with the development of cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, which are associated with abnormal expression of osteopontin and regulator of G protein signalling 2 genes. Nuclear accumulation of U-STAT3 is induced by angiotensin II treatment in neonatal cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts, and AT1R-expressing human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-AT1R) cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that U-STAT3 binds to the target gene promoter, and siRNA-mediated knockdown of STAT3 expression significantly altered the expression of target genes in HEK-AT1R cells. T-STAT3 in TG mouse hearts and the phosphorylation-deficient Y705F mutant STAT3 in HEK-AT1R cells physically interacted with transcription co-activator p300. Conclusion Chronic activation of AT1R induces unregulated expression of the Stat3 gene, leading to nuclear accumulation of U-STAT3, which significantly correlated with progression of cardiac hypertrophy.
Chronic activation of angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor (AT(1)R), a prototypical G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) induces gene regulatory stress which is responsible for phenotypic modulation ...of target cells. The AT(1)R-selective drugs reverse the gene regulatory stress in various cardiovascular diseases. However, the molecular mechanisms are not clear. We speculate that activation states of AT(1)R modify the composition of histone isoforms and post-translational modifications (PTM), thereby alter the structure-function dynamics of chromatin. We combined total histone isolation, FPLC separation, and mass spectrometry techniques to analyze histone H2A in HEK293 cells with and without AT(1)R activation. We have identified eight isoforms: H2AA, H2AG, H2AM, H2AO, H2AQ, Q96QV6, H2AC and H2AL. The isoforms, H2AA, H2AC and H2AQ were methylated and H2AC was phosphorylated. The relative abundance of specific H2A isoforms and PTMs were further analyzed in relationship to the activation states of AT(1)R by immunochemical studies. Within 2 hr, the isoforms, H2AA/O exchanged with H2AM. The monomethylated H2AC increased rapidly and the phosphorylated H2AC decreased, thus suggesting that enhanced H2AC methylation is coupled to Ser1p dephosphorylation. We show that H2A125Kme1 promotes interaction with the heterochromatin associated protein, HP1α. These specific changes in H2A are reversed by treatment with the AT(1)R specific inhibitor losartan. Our analysis provides a first step towards an awareness of histone code regulation by GPCRs.
Heterotrimeric G-protein signal transduction initiated by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the plasma membrane is thought to propagate through protein-protein interactions of subunits, Gα and ...Gβγ in the cytosol. In this study, we show novel nuclear functions of Gβγ through demonstrating interaction of Gβ(2) with integral components of chromatin and effects of Gβ(2) depletion on global gene expression. Agonist activation of several GPCRs including the angiotensin II type 1 receptor specifically augmented Gβ(2) levels in the nucleus and Gβ(2) interacted with specific nucleosome core histones and transcriptional modulators. Depletion of Gβ(2) repressed the basal and angiotensin II-dependent transcriptional activities of myocyte enhancer factor 2. Gβ(2) interacted with a sequence motif that was present in several transcription factors, whose genome-wide binding accounted for the Gβ(2)-dependent regulation of approximately 2% genes. These findings suggest a wide-ranging mechanism by which direct interaction of Gβγ with specific chromatin bound transcription factors regulates functional gene networks in response to GPCR activation in cells.
Compartmentalization of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) by A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) targets PKA to distinct subcellular locations in many cell types. However, the question of whether ...AKAP-mediated PKA anchoring in the heart regulates cardiac contractile function has not been addressed. We disrupted AKAP-mediated PKA anchoring in cardiac myocytes by introducing, via adenovirus-mediated gene transfer, Ht31, a peptide that binds the PKA regulatory subunit type II (RII) with high affinity. This peptide competes with endogenous AKAPs for RII binding. Ht31P (a proline-substituted derivative), which does not bind RII, was used as a negative control. We then investigated the effects of Ht31 expression on RII distribution, Ca(2+) cycling, cell shortening, and PKA-dependent substrate phosphorylation. By confocal microscopy, we showed redistribution of RII from the perinuclear region and from periodic transverse striations in Ht31P-expressing cells to a diffuse cytosolic localization in Ht31-expressing cells. In the presence of 10 nmol/L isoproterenol, Ht31-expressing myocytes displayed an increased rate and amplitude of cell shortening and relaxation compared with control cells (uninfected and Ht31P-expressing myocytes); with isoproterenol stimulation we observed decreased time to 90% decline in Ca(2+) but no significant difference between Ht31-expressing and control cells in the rate of Ca(2+) cycling or amplitude of the Ca(2+) transient. The increase in PKA-dependent phosphorylation of troponin I and myosin binding protein C on isoproterenol stimulation was significantly reduced in Ht31-expressing cells compared with controls. Our results demonstrate that, in response to beta-adrenergic stimulation, cardiomyocyte function and substrate phosphorylation by PKA is regulated by targeting of PKA by AKAPs.
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