The interaction of CGRP and adrenomedullin with a receptor expressed in the rat pulmonary vascular endothelium

An abundant, seven trans-membrane domain receptor related to the calcitonin receptor has been studied by a number of groups without identification of its ligand. A recent report claimed that the receptor was a type 1 CGRP receptor (Aiyar et al J. Biol. Chem. 271 11325-11329 (1996)). We have studied the equivalent rat sequence in transfected cells. When expressed in 293 cells the receptor interacts with CGRP and adrenomedullin with K-D values of 1.2 nM for CGRP and 11 nM for adrenomedullin. Both ligands cause an elevation of intracellular cAMP with EC50 values of 4 nM and 20 nM respectively and these effects are inhibited by the antagonist CGRP(8-37). The receptor is expressed at high levels in the pulmonary vascular endothelium. Both the pharmacological data and the localisation are consistent with the conclusion that the orphan receptor is a type 1 CGRP receptor. However, when expressed in COS-7 cells, no receptor activity could be demonstrated suggesting that 293 cells contain a factor necessary for functional receptor expression.