Biomedical subjects

Nanda Tilakaratne

Publications and source records attributed to Nanda Tilakaratne.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A critical role for the short intracellular C terminus in receptor activity-modifying protein function.

Receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs) interact with and modify the behavior of the calcitonin receptor (CTR) and calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR). We have examined the contribution of the short intracellular C terminus, using constructs that delete the last eight amino acids of each RAMP. C-Terminal deletion of individual RAMPs had little effect on the signaling profile induced when complexed with CLR in COS-7 or human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells. Likewise, confocal microscopy revealed each of the mutant RAMPs translocated hemagglutinin-tagged CLR to the cell surface. In contrast, a pronounced effect of RAMP C-terminal truncation was seen for RAMP/CTRa complexes, studied in COS-7 cells, with significant attenuation of amylin receptor phenotype induction that was stronger for RAMP1 and -2 than RAMP3. The loss of amylin binding upon C-terminal deletion could be partially recovered with overexpression of Galpha(s), suggesting an impact of the RAMP C terminus on coupling of G proteins to the receptor complex. In HEK293 cells the c-Myc-RAMP1 C-terminal deletion mutant showed high receptor-independent cell surface expression; however, this construct showed low cell surface expression when expressed alone in COS-7 cells, indicating interaction of RAMPs with other cellular components via the C terminus. This mutant also had reduced cell surface expression when coexpressed with CTR. Thus, this study reveals important functionality of the RAMP C-terminal domain and identifies key differences in the role of the RAMP C terminus for CTR versus CLR-based receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Distinct receptor activity-modifying protein domains differentially modulate interaction with calcitonin receptors.

Calcitonin receptors (CTRs) dimerize with receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs) to generate high-affinity amylin (AMY) receptors; however, the relative contribution of individual RAMP domains to the formation of AMY receptors is poorly understood. We have used chimeras between RAMP1 and RAMP2 that specifically exchanged the N-terminal, transmembrane, or C-terminal domain and examined these in assays of [(125)I]amylin binding or peptide-induced cAMP signaling in COS-7 cells transiently transfected with wild-type or chimeric RAMPs and human CTRa. The specificity of peptides in competition for [(125)I]amylin binding was principally dictated by the N-terminal domain present in the chimeras; however, the maximal level of binding induced was dictated by the transmembrane domain present. This extended previous data (Zumpe et al., 2000) to provide a distinction between the transmembrane domain and the C terminus in this function. In contrast to the effects on binding, each of the RAMP domains played a role in the signaling phenotype of the receptors. In particular, the potency of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was most influenced by the C-terminal domain present, in which the presence of the RAMP1 C-terminal domain led to increased potency over CTRa alone, whereas chimeras with the RAMP2 C-terminal domain did not induce increased CGRP potency. The data provide additional support for the importance of the N terminus in determining binding affinity but reveal a prominent role of the transmembrane domain in the strength of amylin binding and a unique role for the C terminus in signaling by peptides to stimulate cAMP production.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Complexing receptor pharmacology: modulation of family B G protein-coupled receptor function by RAMPs.

The most well-characterized subgroup of family B G protein-coupledreceptors (GPCRs) comprises receptors for peptide hormones, such as secretin, calcitonin (CT), glucagon, and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Recent data suggest that many of these receptors can interact with a novel family of GPCR accessory proteins termed receptor activity modifying proteins (RAMPs). RAMP interaction with receptors can lead to a variety of actions that include chaperoning of the receptor protein to the cell surface as is the case for the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR) and the generation of novel receptor phenotypes. RAMP heterodimerization with the CLR and related CT receptor is required for the formation of specific CT gene-related peptide, adrenomedullin (AM) or amylin receptors. More recent work has revealed that the specific RAMP present in a heterodimer may modulate other functions such as receptor internalization and recycling and also the strength of activation of downstream signaling pathways. In this article we review our current state of knowledge of the consequence of RAMP interaction with family B GPCRs.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

G-Protein-coupled receptor-protein interactions: basis for new concepts on receptor structure and function.

1. G-Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a large family of cell surface proteins. Their primary function is to transmit extracellular stimuli to intracellular signals. It is estimated that the human genome contains more than 1000 genes that code for proteins of the GPCR structure. These receptors also comprise the most important class of therapeutic drug targets. 2. The mechanism of GPCR signalling was initially envisioned as involving coupling to the heterotrimeric G-proteins only. However, recent developments in the field suggest that such a simplistic model cannot be sustained any longer. The emerging view is that a wide range of accessory proteins are involved in the regulation of every aspect of GPCR activity. 3. G-Protein-coupled receptor-interacting proteins are implicated in the regulation of several aspects of GPCR biology, including receptor targeting to the respective sites of action, receptor anchoring, signalling and receptor desensitization. In some cases (e.g. receptor activity modifying proteins), they may contribute to the receptor structure and form a part of the ligand-binding domain. 4. These findings have contributed to new concepts of cellular organization in which modular protein-protein interactions provide a network through which signalling pathways are assembled and controlled.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Novel receptor partners and function of receptor activity-modifying proteins.

The receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs) comprise a family of three accessory proteins that heterodimerize with the calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CL receptor) or with the calcitonin receptor (CTR) to generate different receptor phenotypes. However, RAMPs are more widely distributed across cell and tissue types than the CTR and CL receptor, suggesting additional roles for RAMPs in cellular processes. We have investigated the potential for RAMP interaction with a number of Class II G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in addition to the CL receptor and the CTR. Using immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, we demonstrate, for the first time, that RAMPs interact with at least four additional receptors, the VPAC1 vasoactive intestinal polypeptide/pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide receptor with all three RAMPs; the glucagon and PTH1 parathyroid hormone receptors with RAMP2; and the PTH2 receptor with RAMP3. Unlike the interaction of RAMPs with the CL receptor or the CTR, VPAC1R-RAMP complexes do not show altered phenotypic behavior compared with the VPAC1R alone, as determined using radioligand binding in COS-7 cells. However, the VPAC1R-RAMP2 heterodimer displays a significant enhancement of agonist-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis with no change in cAMP stimulation compared with the VPAC1R alone. Our findings identify a new functional consequence of RAMP-receptor interaction, suggesting that RAMPs play a more general role in modulating cell signaling through other GPCRs than is currently appreciated.

Animals↗