title: Functional characterization of naturally occurring pathogenic mutations in the human leptin receptor.
abstract: We have recently reported the first naturally occurring missense mutations in the leptin receptor (LR) in patients with severe obesity. We have examined the molecular mechanisms by which these extracellular domain mutations disrupt LR signaling. The Ala409Glu mutant receptor is expressed at the cell surface, binds leptin normally but fails to signal to downstream pathways. A409 is present on the surface-exposed region of the Ig-like domain that forms the binding site III for interaction with leptin. This binding site does not appear to contribute to the binding affinity of leptin to its receptor but is critical for receptor activation in response to ligand binding. The Trp664Arg and His684Pro mutations are predicted to impair receptor folding. Both mutants result in a complete inability to signal to downstream pathways despite evidence for some residual cell surface expression and ligand binding. The Arg612His mutant falls in the second subdomain of the high-affinity binding site for leptin, and results in a receptor that shows evidence for intracellular retention but retains some residual signaling. These studies, which represent the first detailed characterization of the functional properties of naturally occurring missense mutations in the human LR, indicate that most such mutations affect receptor folding and expression at the cell surface rather than primarily impairing ligand binding. The exception is Ala409Glu, which interferes with the coupling of ligand binding to receptor activation. Naturally occurring mutations associated with human obesity are valuable tools with which to explore structure/function relationships within the LR.
authors.affiliation: University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kimber
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peelman
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Prieur
authors.forename: Teresia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wangensteen
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Rahilly
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tavernier
authors.forename: I Sadaf
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Farooqi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D019921:Biotinylation; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D054411:Receptors, Leptin