The Hedgehog signalling pathway is an essential developmental pathway present in all bilaterians that is involved in embryogenesis, body patterning and stem cell homeostasis. Dysregulation of the Hh pathway leads to various kinds of cancer, such as basal cell carcinoma and medulloblastoma. Smoothened (SMO), a Frizzled-type G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), is the essential transmembrane signal transducer within the Hh pathway, conveying the signal from the upstream transmembrane protein, Patched1 (Ptc1), to the downstream intracellular proteins. The mechanisms by which SMO transmits the Hh signal from the extracellular environment, through the plasma membrane and to the intracellular proteins are not known. In this thesis, I present my work into the structural and functional characterisation of the extracellular and transmembrane domains (TMD) of human SMO in order to better understand the molecular mechanisms of its signal transduction. The extracellular region of SMO contains a highly conserved cysteine-rich domain (CRD) and a linker domain (LD). I present the first crystal structure of the CRD, LD and TMD of SMO, which is also the first crystal structure of a GPCR with a large functional extracellular domain. This structure revealed a domain architecture for SMO that enables regulation of its transmembrane domain by its extracellular domains. It also revealed a cholesterol molecule bound to the CRD, which we subsequently determined to be a new endogenous small-molecule agonist for SMO. I present five further structures of SMO bound to different small molecule agonists and antagonists. Together, these structures demonstrate that the position of the CRD relative to the TMD reflects the activation state of SMO. We also generated nanobodies against the extracellular region of SMO in order to stabilise its conformation. These studies not only improve our understanding of the workings of a key transmembrane protein within a fundamental signalling pathway but will also aid efforts to develop better therapeutics for an important cancer target.

No description available.

The kisspeptin receptor (KISS1R), functioning as a metastasis suppressor and gatekeeper of GnRH neurons, is a potent activator of intracellular Ca2+. The surge in cytoplasmic Ca2+ mediates the exocytosis of GnRH from GnRH neurons. However, the regulatory processes which enable KISS1R to sense increasing intracellular Ca2+ and avoid Ca2+ excitotoxicity via a signalling off-switch mechanism remain unclear. This thesis provides evidence for the interaction between KISS1R and the Ca2+ regulated proteins of calmodulin (CaM), and αCa2+/CaM-dependent-protein kinase II (α-CaMKII). Binding of CaM to KISS1R was shown with three independent approaches. Firstly, cell-free spectrofluorimeter assays showed that CaM selectively binds to intracellular loop (IL) 2 and IL3 of the KISS1R. Secondly, KISS1R co-immunoprecipitation experiments identified ligand/Ca2+-dependent binding of KISS1R to HEK-293 endogenous CaM. Thirdly, confocal experiments showed CFPCaM co-localises with YFP-KISS1R. The functional relevance of CaM binding was examined with alanine substitution of critical residues of the CaM binding motifs in IL2 and IL3 of KISS1R. This approach revealed that the receptor activity (relative maximum responsiveness) was increased in the mutated residues of the juxtamembrane regions of IL3 and the N-terminus of IL2 relative to wild-type KISS1R. The Ca2+/CaM regulated αCaMKII was also found to interact with KISS1R by selectively phosphorylating T77 of IL1. Phosphomimetic mutations of T77 into E or D created a receptor that was unable to elicit inositol phosphate production upon ligand stimulation. Finally, in vivo studies using ovariectomised rats that were intracerebroventricularly administered with a cell-permeable αCaMKII inhibitor augmented the effects of kisspeptin ligand stimulation of plasma luteinizing hormone levels. Taken together, this thesis demonstrates that the KISS1R-G protein coupling is regulated by Ca2+-dependent CaM binding and αCaMKII-mediated KISS1R phosphorylation.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Obesity is a growing pandemic that claims close to three hundred thousand lives per year in the United States alone. Despite strong interest and investment in potential treatments, obesity remains a complex and challenging disorder. In the study of obesity, mouse models have been excellent tools that help in understanding the function of different genes that contribute to this disease of energy homeostasis. However, it was surprising when disfunction in primary cilia was found to be linked to syndromic obesity. To understand the role of primary cilia in obesity, a growing subset of GPCRs have been identified to selectively localize to the organelle. Several of which have known roles in energy homeostasis. In some examples, ciliary GPCRs appear to dynamically localize to the organelle; such is the case of GPR161 and smoothened in the hedgehog signaling pathway. Thus, we were interested to see if other GPCRs dynamically localize to the primary cilia as part of their regulation of energy homeostasis. For example, the GPCR MCHR1 selectively localizes to the cilia and is involved in energy homeostasis. Although much is known about the expression of the receptor in the brain, how its ciliary subcellular localization impacts its roles in energy homeostasis is unknown. Observing neuronal cilia in vivo remains a difficult task as some of the available tools such as tagged alleles rely on overexpression of ciliary protein which may impact function. Additionally, most of the work is done in vitro, leaving much to be discovered about neuronal cilia in vivo. In this thesis, we show that using a newly constructed reporter allele mCherryMCHR1, we can see ciliary expression of MCHR1 in the brain of developing and adult mice; more specifically in the ARC and PVN. Subsequently, using a novel Artificial intelligence analysis approach, we measured the length and composition of MCHR1 positive cilia under physiological conditions associated with MCHR1 function. Although in this work we are reporting no changes in dynamic localization of MCHR1 in the hypothalamus specifically, we are not excluding the potential for changes in other regions of the brain or under other conditions; and we are suggesting that pharmacological approaches may help highlight potential ciliary GPCR dynamic localization.

Investigations of the molecular binding partners of the probiotic bacterium Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis (B. infantis) and the pathogen Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2 (Salmonella ser. Typhimurium) found that these two very different bacteria bind gangliosides. However, these organisms lead to completely different host health outcomes when present in the gut. B. infantis is the founding microbial population in the intestinal tract of breast-fed infants. S. typhimurium is the most important food-borne pathogen that results in humans. This study used an in vitro gut epithelial cell model to examine the host cellular response to adhesion of B. infantis, which led to an increase in intestinal epithelium survival. This observation led to a series of experiments to elucidate the pathway for host signaling initiated by adherence of B. infantis to the host membrane to explain the increase in host cell survival. B. infantis adhesion induced significant (q≤0.05) differential expression of 208 host genes. These genes were associated with increased broad mechanisms of cell survival that included BIRC3, TNFAIP3, and SERPINB9. We hypothesized that a biochemical link existed between the host membrane adhesion protein and the increase in cell survival, mediated via AKT. We tested this hypothesis to demonstrate that B. infantis interaction initiated signal transduction using G-proteins via phosphorylation of AKT and induced production of the BIRC3, TNFAIP3, and SERPINB9. This study discovered adhesion of B. infantis initiated activation of AKT via phosphorylation of both Ser473 and Thr308, which results in increased cell survival.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(生命科学) / 甲第17931号 / 生博第294号 / 新制||生||38(附属図書館) / 30751 / 京都大学大学院生命科学研究科高次生命科学専攻 / (主査)教授 垣塚 彰, 教授 渡邉 大, 教授 松崎 文雄 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy in Life Sciences / Kyoto University / DFAM

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No description available.

The CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and the atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3) are seven transmembrane receptors that are involved in numerous pathologies, including several types of cancers. Both receptors bind the same chemokine, CXCL12, leading to significantly different outcomes. While CXCR4 activation generally leads to canonical GPCR signaling, involving Gi proteins and β‐arrestins, ACKR3, which is predominantly found in intracellular vesicles, has been shown to signal via β‐arrestin‐dependent signaling pathways. Understanding the dynamics and kinetics of their activation in response to their ligands is of importance to understand how signaling proceeds via these two receptors. In this thesis, different Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)‐based approaches have been combined to individually investigate the early events of their signaling cascades. In order to investigate receptor activation, intramolecular FRET sensors for CXCR4 and ACKR3 were developed by using the pair of fluorophores cyan fluorescence protein and fluorescence arsenical hairpin binder. The sensors, which exhibited similar functional properties to their wild‐type counterparts, allowed to monitor their ligand-induced conformational changes and represent the first RET‐based receptor sensors in the field of chemokine receptors. Additional FRET‐based settings were also established to investigate the coupling of receptors with G proteins, rearrangements within dimers, as well as G protein activation. On one hand, CXCR4 showed a complex activation mechanism in response to CXCL12 that involved rearrangements in the transmembrane domain of the receptor followed by rearrangements between the receptor and the G protein as well as rearrangements between CXCR4 protomers, suggesting a role of homodimers in the activation course of this receptor. This was followed by a prolonged activation of Gi proteins, but not Gq activation, via the axis CXCL12/CXCR4. In contrast, the structural rearrangements at each step of the signaling cascade in response to macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) were dynamically and kinetically different and no Gi protein activation via this axis was detected. These findings suggest distinct mechanisms of action of CXCL12 and MIF on CXCR4 and provide evidence for a new type of sequential signaling events of a GPCR. Importantly, evidence in this work revealed that CXCR4 exhibits some degree of constitutive activity, a potentially important feature for drug development. On the other hand, by cotransfecting the ACKR3 sensor with K44A dynamin, it was possible to increase its presence in the plasma membrane and measure the ligand‐induced activation of this receptor. Different kinetics of ACKR3 activation were observed in response to CXCL12 and three other agonists by means of using the receptor sensor developed in this thesis, showing that it is a valuable tool to study the activation of this atypical receptor and pharmacologically characterize ligands. No CXCL12‐induced G protein activation via ACKR3 was observed even when the receptor was re-localized to the plasma membrane by means of using the mutant dynamin. Altogether, this thesis work provides the temporal resolution of signaling patterns of two chemokine receptors for the first time as well as valuable tools that can be applied to characterize their activation in response to pharmacologically relevant ligands. / Der CXC Chemokin‐Rezeptor 4 (CXCR4) und der atypische Chemokin‐Rezeptor 3 (ACKR3) sind heptatransmembranäre Rezeptoren, die in zahlreichen Krankheitsbildern eine Rolle spielen, wie in einigen Krebsarten. Beide Rezeptoren werden zwar von dem gleichen Chemokin CXCL12 aktiviert, allerdings mit unterschiedlichen Signalweiterleitungsmustern. Die Aktivierung von CXCR4 führt zu kanonischer GPCR Signaltransduktion über Gi‐Proteine und β‐Arrestine. Die Signalweiterleitung des Rezeptors ACKR3 hingegen, welcher hauptsächlich in intrazellulären Vesikeln vorliegt, erfolgt über ß‐Arrestinabhängige Signalwege. Es ist von großer Wichtigkeit die Dynamik und Kinetik dieser beiden Rezeptoren hinsichtlich der Aktivierung durch ihre Liganden und der Signalweiterleitung zu verstehen. In dieser Arbeit wurden verschiedene Förster‐Resonanzenergietransfer (FRET) Anwendungen kombiniert, um die frühen Phasen der Signal‐Kaskade von CXCR4 und ACKR3 zu untersuchen. Zur genaueren Aufklärung der Rezeptoraktivierung wurden intramolekulare FRET‐Sensoren entwickelt, hierzu wurden die Fluorophore Cyan‐fluoreszierendes Protein und engl. fluorescence arsenical hairpin binder verwendet. Die generierten Sensoren zeigten ähnliche funktionelle Eigenschaften wie die unveränderten Rezeptoren. Liganden‐induzierte Änderungen der Rezeptorkonformation können mittels dieser Sensoren beobachtet werden und stellen die ersten RET‐basierten Sensoren auf dem Forschungsgebiet der Chemokin‐Rezeptoren dar. Weitere FRET‐basierte Methoden wurden zur Untersuchung von Interaktionen zwischen Rezeptor und G‐Protein, Neuanordnung von Dimeren, sowie der G‐Protein Aktivierung eingesetzt und für beide Chemokin‐Rezeptoren etabliert. CXCR4 zeigte einen komplexen Aktivierungsmechanismus nach Stimulation durch CXCL12, bei welchem zunächst eine Neuordnung der Rezeptor‐Transmembrandomäne gefolgt von Neuordnungen zwischen Rezeptor und G‐Protein und zuletzt eine Neuordnung zwischen CXCR4 Protomeren erfolgte. Dies impliziert, dass im Aktivierungsprozess des Rezeptors Homodimere eine Rolle spielen. Zudem wurde eine verlängerte Gi ‐Protein Aktivierung gegenüber der Gq‐Protein Aktivierung bei CXCL12 stimuliertem CXCR4 beobachtet. Hingegen zeigte eine Stimulierung mit dem Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) bei jedem Schritt der frühen Singal‐Kaskade veränderte Dynamiken und Kinetiken im Vergleich zu CXCL12. Darüber hinaus konnte keine Gi ‐Protein Aktivierung festgestellt werden. Dieser Befund zeigt individuelle Mechanismen für MIF und CXCL12 am CXCR4‐Rezeptor und liefert Belege für eine neuer Art von sequenziellen Signalweiterleitungen an GPCRs. Eine wichtige Beobachtung dieser Arbeit für eine potentielle Medikamentenentwicklung ist das CXCR4 ligandenunabhängige Aktivität zeigt. Um die Aktivierung des ACKR3 Sensors messen zu können wurde durch eine Co‐Transfektion mit K44A Dynamin eine höhere Membranständigkeit erreicht. CXCL12 und drei weiteren Agonisten zeigten am hier entwickelten ACKR3‐Sensor unterscheidbare Kinetiken. Mit diesem wertvollen Werkzeug können Liganden an diesem atypischen Rezeptor pharmakologisch charakterisiert werden. Es konnte keine CXCL12‐induzierte G‐Protein Aktivierung gemessen werden, trotz der stärkeren Präsenz an der Plasmamembran mit Hilfe der Dynamin‐Mutante. In Summe liefert diese Arbeit zum ersten Mal eine zeitliche Auflösung von Signalweiterleitungsmustern von zwei Chemokin‐Rezeptoren sowie wertvolle Werkzeuge zur Charakterisierung der frühen Phase der Signal‐Kaskade durch andere pharmakologisch relevanten Liganden.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is a key regulator of numerous brain functions including memory, cognition, and motor behavior. Dysregulation of mGluR5 signaling is evident in Huntington's disease (HD) neuropathology, an inherited, neurodegenerative disease characterized with progressive deterioration in motor, cognitive, and psychiatric functions. In this context, two cellular proteins draw particular interest for this thesis: vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGLUT3) and optineurin (OPTN). VGLUT3 modulates glutamate release from selected neurons that are affected by HD, while OPTN is a mGluR5-interacting protein and contributes to neuronal vulnerability in HD. However, current evidence on their involvement in mGluR5 signaling and HD pathogenesis is still lacking. Using VGLUT3 knockout (VGLUT3⁻ᐟ⁻) mice, we showed that this transporter dynamically regulated glutamate receptor densities in different brain regions. Of note, VGLUT3 deletion upregulated mGluR5 in the cerebral cortex and the striatum, unlike the hippocampus which exhibited reduced mGluR5 cell surface densities. We then crossed VGLUT3⁻ᐟ⁻ mice with the zQ175 knock-in mouse model of HD (zQ175:VGLUT3⁻ᐟ⁻) to assess the impact of VGLUT3 transmission loss on HD progression. The longitudinal behavioral assessment revealed that VGLUT3 ablation rescued the deficits in motor coordination and short-term memory in both male and female zQ175 mice throughout 15 months of age. Furthermore, VGLUT3 deletion rescued striatal cell loss likely via activation of Akt and ERK1/2 cellular pathways, with no impact on total mutant huntingtin aggregation or the associated microgliosis. To delineate the role of OPTN in mGluR5 signaling, we employed a CRISPR/Cas9 OPTN-deficient cell line and global OPTN knockout mice. We demonstrated that OPTN was essential for mGluR5-mediated canonical signaling and ERK1/2 activation in both the striatal cell line, STHdh^Q7/Q7, and acute hippocampal slices. We then showed that OPTN deletion impaired autophagic machinery via GSK3β/ZBTB16 and mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathways downstream of mGluR5. This work offers novel insights into the molecular roles of VGLUT3 transmission and OPTN in mGluR5 signaling and provides a rationale for their targeting to therapeutically mitigate pathological mGluR5 signaling in HD.