Abstract
The human melanocortin 4 receptor (hMC4R) plays a critical role in the regulation of energy balance with more than 150 distinct human obesity-associated mutations. Most exhibit defective MC4R functionality but six have been reported to associate with constitutive activity. This represents a conundrum since a lean phenotype is expected for enhanced MC4R signaling. Human melanocortin 2 receptor accessory protein alpha (hMRAPα) induces hMC4R constitutive activity in transfected HEK293 cells (1,2). We do not know whether the hMRAPα-induced gain-in-function for hMC4R would cause, or prevent, obesity because of this conundrum. Here, we hypothesize that wild-type hMC4R, obesity-associated constitutively active hMC4R and hMRAPα-induced constitutive active hMC4R can exist in distinct conformational states and elicit distinct signaling profiles. To test this, we compared transiently expressed HA-hMC4R in HEK293 cells for basal and agonist activation for adenylyl cyclase, Cre driven β-galactosidase reporter transcription, and receptor protein expression. Six previously reported obesity-associated hMC4R constitutively active variants were compared with two hMC4R constitutively active mutations not associated with obesity, two hMC4R variants associated with protection from development of obesity, five non-constitutively active hMC4R mutations associated with obesity, hMRAPα co-expressed with hMC4R, and wild-type hMC4R. Our data confirm hMC4R constitutive activity coupling to both adenylyl cyclase and Cre β-galactosidase reporter for only two hMC4R variants associated with obesity (H76R & L250Q), one hMC4R mutation (H158R) not associated with obesity, and hMRAPα co-expressed with hMC4R. We show α-MSH stimulated concentration curves for wild-type hMC4R, H76R, L250Q & H158R hMC4R variants and hMRAPα co-expressed with hMC4R coupling to adenylyl cyclase. Surprisingly, out of these, only wild-type hMC4R and H158R hMC4R variant exhibited α-MSH-stimulated Cre β-galactosidase reporter concentration curves. Western blotting and ELISA showed ~70% reduced cell surface and total receptor protein expression for hMC4R co-expressed with hMRAPα and obesity-associated constitutively active hMC4R variants, compared to wild-type hMC4R. To summarize, two constitutively active hMC4R variants (H76R and L250Q) associated with obesity, and hMC4R co-expressed with hMRAPα, share a signaling profile comprising protein expression and α-MSH stimulated functional coupling to adenylyl cyclase and Cre-reporter gene expression. We conclude (1) if hMC4R is co-expressed with hMRAPα in vivo it would likely contribute to human obesity, and (2) obesity-associated constitutively active hMC4R variants exhibit a signaling anomaly that may underpin development of anti-obesity therapeutics.
1. Kay EI, et al. J Mol Endocrinol. 2013;50:203-215.
2. Kay EI, et al. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(10):e0140320.
Phototaxis and Impaired Motility in Adenylyl Cyclase and Cyclase Receptor Protein Mutants of Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803
