G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-142 does not contribute to relaxin-3 binding in the mouse brain: further support that relaxin-3 is the physiological ligand for GPCR135.
Relaxin-3 is a recently discovered member of the insulin/relaxin superfamily that has been shown to be the endogenous ligand for G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)135 (SALPR). In addition, relaxin-3 has demonstrated affinity and functional agonism for GPCR142 (GPR100) and LGR7 receptors in vitro. Recent evidence suggests GPCR142 is the insulin-like peptide 5 (INSL5) receptor and LGR7 is the actual relaxin receptor. We have recently described a chimeric R3/I5 peptide that selectively activates GPCR135 and GPCR142, but lacks affinity for LGR7. GPCR142 is a pseudogene in the rat, which allowed the use of [(125)I]-R3/I5 to show GPCR135-like binding sites in the rat central nervous system by autoradiography. However, mouse GPCR142 is a viable gene. In the present study we explore whether GPCR142 is expressed in the mouse brain and whether it is likely to contribute to or interfere with the pharmacological evaluation of relaxin-3 ligands. Competition binding studies confirmed mINSL5 and [(125)I]-mINSL5 bind to mGPCR142 with high affinity. However, no detectable specific [(125)I]-mINSL5 binding sites were detected throughout the mouse brain and unlabelled INSL5 did not displace [(125)I]-R3/I5 binding sites, indicating an absence of detectable GPCR142 binding sites. Consistent with these findings, neither GPCR142 nor INSL5 mRNA were detectable in mouse brain by in situ hybridization. Overall, the distribution of GPCR135 mRNA overlapped with the distribution of GPCR135 binding sites shown by autoradiography using [(125)I]-R3/I5. GPCR135 mRNA and GPCR135 receptor binding sites are most prominent in the mouse amygdala and hypothalamus. These data suggest that relaxin-3/GPCR135 is the receptor ligand pair with physiological relevance in mouse brain.
Sutton
Steven W
SW
Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC, San Diego, CA 92121, USA. ssutton@prdus.jnj.com
Bonaventure
Pascal
P
Kuei
Chester
C
Nepomuceno
Diane
D
Wu
Jiejun
J
Zhu
Jessica
J
Lovenberg
Timothy W
TW
Liu
Changlu
C