Calcium-sensing receptor residues with loss- and gain-of-function mutations are located in regions of conformational change and cause signalling bias

Hum Mol Genet. 2018 Nov 1;27(21):3720-3733. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddy263.

Abstract

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a homodimeric G-protein-coupled receptor that signals via intracellular calcium (Ca2+i) mobilisation and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK) to regulate extracellular calcium (Ca2+e) homeostasis. The central importance of the CaSR in Ca2+e homeostasis has been demonstrated by the identification of loss- or gain-of-function CaSR mutations that lead to familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) or autosomal dominant hypocalcaemia (ADH), respectively. However, the mechanisms determining whether the CaSR signals via Ca2+i or ERK have not been established, and we hypothesised that some CaSR residues, which are the site of both loss- and gain-of-function mutations, may act as molecular switches to direct signalling through these pathways. An analysis of CaSR mutations identified in >300 hypercalcaemic and hypocalcaemic probands revealed five 'disease-switch' residues (Gln27, Asn178, Ser657, Ser820 and Thr828) that are affected by FHH and ADH mutations. Functional expression studies using HEK293 cells showed disease-switch residue mutations to commonly display signalling bias. For example, two FHH-associated mutations (p.Asn178Asp and p.Ser820Ala) impaired Ca2+i signalling without altering ERK phosphorylation. In contrast, an ADH-associated p.Ser657Cys mutation uncoupled signalling by leading to increased Ca2+i mobilization while decreasing ERK phosphorylation. Structural analysis of these five CaSR disease-switch residues together with four reported disease-switch residues revealed these residues to be located at conformationally active regions of the CaSR such as the extracellular dimer interface and transmembrane domain. Thus, our findings indicate that disease-switch residues are located at sites critical for CaSR activation and play a role in mediating signalling bias.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Calcium Signaling
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Gain of Function Mutation*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hypercalciuria / genetics*
  • Hypercalciuria / metabolism
  • Hypocalcemia / genetics*
  • Hypocalcemia / metabolism
  • Hypoparathyroidism / congenital*
  • Hypoparathyroidism / genetics
  • Hypoparathyroidism / metabolism
  • Loss of Function Mutation*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, Calcium-Sensing / genetics*
  • Receptors, Calcium-Sensing / metabolism
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Signal Transduction*

Substances

  • CASR protein, human
  • Receptors, Calcium-Sensing

Supplementary concepts

  • Hypercalciuric Hypocalcemia, Familial