We report the cloning and characterization of a novel basophil CC chemokin receptor, K5-5, from the human immature basophilic cell line KU-812. The predicted protein sequence of K5-5 shows only 49% identity to the macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha/RANTES receptor (CC CKR-1) and 47% identity to monocyte chemotactic protein-1 receptor (b form), suggesting that this cDNA encodes a novel member of the CC chemokine receptor family. Analysis of K5-5 mRNA expression indicates that it is restricted to leukocyte-rich tissues. In addition, we have shown significant levels of K5-5 mRNA in human basophils, which were up-regulated by treatment with interleukin-5. The CC chemokines, Macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha, RANTES, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 were able to stimulate a Ca(2+)-activated chloride channel in Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with K5-5 cRNA, whereas no signal was detected in response to monocyte chemotactic protein-2, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 beta, or the CXC chemokine, interleukin-8. Taken together, these results indicate for the first time the presence of a CC chemokine receptor on basophils, which functions as a "shared" CC chemokine receptor and may therefore be implicated in the pathogenesis of basophil-mediated allergic diseases.

A general method for understanding the mechanisms of ligand recognition and activation of G protein-coupled receptors has been developed. A study of ligandreceptor interactions in the prototypic seven-transmembrane neurokinin-2 receptor (NK2) using this fluorescence-based approach is presented. A fluorescent unnatural amino acid was introduced at known sites into NK2 by suppression of UAG nonsense codons with the aid of a chemically misacylated synthetic tRNA specifically designed for the incorporation of unnatural amino acids during heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes. Fluorescence-labeled NK2 mutants containing an unique 3-N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)-2,3-diaminopropionic acid (NBD-Dap) residue at either site 103, in the first extracellular loop, or 248, in the third cytoplasmic loop, were functionally active. The fluorescent NK2 mutants were investigated by microspectrofluorimetry in a native membrane environment. Intermolecular distances were determined by measuring the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the fluorescent unnatural amino acid and a fluorescently labeled NK2 heptapeptide antagonist. These distances, calculated by the theory of Fö rster, permit to fix the ligand in space and define the structure of the receptor in a molecular model for NK2 ligand-receptor interactions. Our data are the first report of the incorporation of a fluorescent unnatural amino acid into a membrane protein in intact cells by the method of nonsense codon suppression, as well as the first measurement of experimental distances between a G proteincoupled receptor and its ligand by FRET. The method presented here can be generally applied to the analysis of spatial relationships in integral membrane proteins such as receptors or channels.

Receptor activation and agonist-induced desensitization of the human neurokinin-2 (NK2) receptor expressed in Xenopus oocytes have been investigated. When neurokinin A (NKA) was applied repeatedly at 5-min intervals, the second and subsequent applications gave no responses. This desensitization was not observed with the specific agonists (Lys3, Gly8-R-gamma-lactam-Leu9)NKA(3-10) (GR64349) or (Nle10)-NKA(4-10). However, in the presence of the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine, stimulation with GR64349 or (Nle10)-NKA(4-10) induced receptor desensitization. In contrast, the protein kinase C inhibitor Ro-31-8220 was not able to enhance GR64349-mediated desensitization. We created a mutation (F248S) in the third cytoplasmic loop of NK2 that impairs NKA-induced desensitization. In the presence of either staurosporine or Ro-31-8220, the mutant receptor was desensitized in response to NKA application but not to GR64349. Also, truncation mutants delta 62 and delta 87, lacking serine and threonine residues in the cytoplasmic COOH-terminal tail, were functionally active and were partially resistant to desensitization. These observations indicate that 1) there are different conformational requirements for NK2 receptor signalling and agonist-induced desensitization, 2) the third intracellular loop and the cytoplasmic tail of NK2 are functional domains important for agonist-induced desensitization, and 3) some agonists at the NK2 receptor cause much more desensitization than others and suggest that this might result from phosphorylation by receptor-specific kinases and other non-identified protein kinases.