Evaluating the Ligand Specificity of Zebrafish Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) Receptors: Comparison of PTH, PTH-Related Protein, and Tuberoinfundibular Peptide of 39 Residues

Homologs of mammalian PTH1 and PTH2 receptors, and a novel PTH3 receptor have been identified in zebrafish (zPTH1, zPTH2, and zPTH3). zPTH1 receptor ligand specificity is similar to that of mam- malian PTH1 receptors. The zPTH2 receptor is selective for PTH over PTH-related protein (PTHrP); however, PTH produces only modest cAMP accumulation. A PTH2 receptor-selective peptide, tuberoin- fundibular peptide of 39 residues (TIP39), has recently been purified from bovine hypothalamus. The effect of TIP39 has not previously been examined on zebrafish receptors. The zPTH3 receptor was ini- tially described as PTHrP selective based on comparison with the effects of human PTH. We have now examined the ligand specificity of the zebrafish PTH-recognizing receptors expressed in COS-7 cells using a wide range of ligands. TIP39 is a potent agonist for stimu- lation of cAMP accumulation at two putative splice variants of the zPTH2 receptor (EC50, 2.6 and 5.2 nM); in comparison, PTH is a partial agonist (maximal effect (Emax) of PTH peptides ranges from 28 - 49% of the TIP39 Emax). As TIP39 is much more efficacious than any known PTH-like peptide, a homolog of TIP39 may be the zPTH2 receptor's endogenous ligand. At the zPTH3 receptor, rat PTH-(1-34) and rat PTH-(1- 84) (EC50, 0.22 and 0.45 nM) are more potent than PTHrP (EC50, 1.5 nM), and rPTH-(1-34) binds with high affinity (3.2 nM). PTH has not been isolated from fish. PTHrP-like peptides, which have been identified in fish, may be the natural ligands for zPTH1 and zPTH3 receptors. (Endocrinology 141: 3080 -3086, 2000)