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Inverse agonist exposure enhances ligand binding and G protein activation of the human MT1 melatonin receptor, but leads to receptor down‐regulation
Author(s) -
Kokkola Tarja,
Vaittinen Maija,
Laitinen Jarmo T.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-079x.2007.00470.x
Subject(s) - luzindole , melatonin receptor , melatonin , receptor , agonist , biology , inverse agonist , endocrinology , receptor expression , cell surface receptor , medicine , chemistry , biochemistry
Melatonin binds and activates G protein‐coupled melatonin receptors. The density and affinity of the endogenous melatonin receptors change throughout the 24‐hr day, and the exposure of recombinant melatonin receptors to melatonin often results in desensitization of the receptors. Receptor density, G protein activation and expression level were analyzed in CHO cell lines stably expressing the human MT1 receptors after 1 or 72 hr of exposure to melatonin (agonist, 10 n m ) and luzindole (antagonist/inverse agonist, 10 μ m ). The 72‐hr exposure to luzindole significantly increased the apparent receptor density in cell lines with both high and low MT1 receptor expression levels (MT1 high and MT1 low cells, respectively). In the constitutively active MT1 high cells, luzindole pretreatment also stimulated the functional response to melatonin in [ 35 S]GTPγS binding assays, whereas melatonin pretreatment attenuated the functional response at both time points. Receptor ELISA was used to analyze the cell membrane and total expression level of the MT1 receptor in intact and permeabilized cells, respectively. Luzindole pretreatment decreased the total cellular level of MT1 receptor in the MT1 high cells at both time points but increased the cell surface expression of MT1 receptor at 72 hr. Melatonin significantly decreased MT1 receptor cell surface expression only in MT1 high cells after a 1‐hr treatment. These results indicate that melatonin treatment desensitizes MT1 receptors, whereas luzindole increases ligand binding and G‐protein activation. Luzindole also stimulates downregulation of the MT1 receptor protein, interfering with the synthesis and/or degradation of the receptor.