A novel guanylyl cyclase-A isoform: rat GC-A1 identification and mRNA localization to renal papilla and adrenal

Unveiling the potential role of natriuretic peptide receptor a isoforms in fine-tuning the cGMP production and tissue-specific function

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a peptide hormone that regulates blood pressure and volume. ANP interacts with natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A) to lower the blood pressure through vasodilation, diuresis and natriuresis. Previously, we designed two human ANP analogues, one with exclusively diuretic function (DGD-ANP) and the other with exclusively vasodilatory function (DRD-ANP). Although both ANP analogues interact with NPR-A, their ability to produce cGMP was different. Three alternatively spliced isoforms of NPR-A were previously identified in rodents. Here, we evaluated the putative human isoforms for their cGMP production independently and in combination with WT NPR-A in various percentages. All three NPR-A isoforms failed to produce cGMP in the presence of ANP, DGD-ANP, or DRD-ANP. Co-expression of isoforms with WT NPR-A were found to significantly impair cGMP production. Considering the differential tissue expression levels of all three spliced isoforms in rodents have previously been demonstrated, the existence of these non-functional receptor isoforms may act as negative regulator for ANP/NPR-A activation and fine-tune cGMP production by WT NPR-A to different degree in different tissues. Thus, NPR-A isoforms potentially contribute to tissue-specific functions of ANP.

Alternative splicing of the guanylyl cyclase-A receptor modulates atrial natriuretic peptide signaling

Atrial (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptides (BNP) modulate blood pressure and volume through the stimulation of cyclic GMP production by their guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A) receptor. A novel isoform of GC-A has been identified that is the result of differential splicing of exon 4. The deletion of a 51-bp sequence is predicted to delete 17 amino acids (Lys314-Gln330) in the membrane-distal part of the extracellular domain. Reverse transcription-PCR analyses demonstrated low messenger RNA expression levels of spliced GC-A in all tissues. Homology modeling suggested that the alterations in the protein structure could interfere with ANP binding or signaling. Indeed, functional studies in transfected HEK 293 cells demonstrated that binding of ANP and ANP-induced cyclic GMP formation by GC-ADelta(Lys314-Gln330) were totally abolished. Furthermore, cotransfection studies showed that this GC-A variant forms heterodimers with the wild type receptor and inhibits ligand-inducible cGMP generation. Finally, treatment of mice with angiotensin II (300 ng/kg/min during 7 days) resulted in enhanced pulmonary mRNA expression of spliced GC-A, which was concomitant to diminished GC-A/cGMP responses to ANP. We conclude that alternative splicing can regulate endogenous ANP/GC-A signaling. Angiotensin II-induced alternative splicing of GC-A may represent a novel mechanism for reducing the sensitivity to ANP.

Comparative binding study of rat natriuretic peptide receptor-A

The natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A) is involved in blood pressure and body fluid regulation in order to help maintain cardiovascular homeostasis. It has been shown that these biological effects are mediated through the natriuretic peptide family of hormones, which bind NPR-A according to the rank order ANP>BNP>>CNP. Previous studies performed with rat kidney papillary tissue suggested the existence of an heterologous NPR-A population since two binding components were obtained for pBNP32, one of high affinity (pK 9.4 +/- 0.1) and the other of lower affinity (pK 7.5 +/- 0.1), while in the same preparation rANP28 binding displayed the expected affinity (pK 10.22 +/- 0.01) and was best fitted with a model involving a single class of binding sites. This apparent heterogeneity of NPR-A in rat kidney papillae could be explained by the presence of two receptor isoforms or of monomeric and oligomeric forms of the same receptor. To investigate the NPR-A binding heterogeneity, we have cloned the rat NPR-A from PC12 cells and compared its pharmacological profile with that of the papillae. Our results with rat NPR-A transfected Cos-P cells show an equivalent pharmacological profile as with the rat tissue, i.e. a high affinity for rANP28 (pK 10.4 +/- 0.1) and two distinctive affinities for pBNP32 (pK 9.74 +/- 0.05 and 7.8 +/- 0.1). Although multiple receptor glycoforms were sometimes detectable by western blotting, only one molecular form was obtained by cross-linking with 125I-rANP28. It thus appears that NPR-A alone can account for the two binding components found in the rat papillae and that a single molecular form of the protein is implicated. We therefore propose that the oligomerization state of the receptors could be responsible for the apparent binding heterogeneity of rat NPR-A.