Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0221002 (primary hyperparathyroidism)
 4,921 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Parathyroid cells express a cell surface receptor, coupled to the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+, that is activated by increases in the concentration of extracellular Ca2+ and by a variety of other cations. This "Ca2+ receptor" (CaR) serves as the primary physiological regulator of parathyroid hormone secretion. Alterations in the CaR have been proposed to underlie the increases in Ca2+ set-point seen in primary hyperparathyroidism due to parathyroid adenoma. We have isolated human CaR cDNAs from an adenomatous parathyroid gland. The cloned receptor, expressed in Xenopus oocytes, responds to extracellular application of physiologically relevant concentrations of Ca2+ and other CaR agonists. The rank order of potency of CaR agonists displayed by the native receptor (Gd3+ > neomycin B > Ca2+ > Mg2+) is maintained by the expressed receptor. The nucleotide sequence of the human CaR cDNA predicts a protein of 1078 amino acids with high sequence similarity to a bovine CaR, and displays seven putative membrane-spanning regions common to G protein-coupled receptors. The deduced protein sequence shows potential sites for N-linked glycosylation and phosphorylation by protein kinase C and has a low level of sequence similarity to the metabotropic glutamate receptors. Comparison of the cDNA sequence to that of the normal human CaR gene showed no alteration in the coding region sequence of the CaR in this particular instance of parathyroid adenoma. Human cDNA clones with differing 5'-untranslated regions were isolated, suggesting alternative splicing of the parathyroid CaR mRNA. A rare variant cDNA clone representing a 10 amino acid insertion into the extracellular domain was also isolated. Northern blot analysis of normal and adenomatous parathyroid gland mRNA identified a predominant transcript of approximately 5.4 kilobases, and less abundant transcripts of approximately 10, 4.8 and 4.2 kilobases in RNA from the adenoma. While there is no evidence for alteration of the primary amino acid sequence of the CaR in this adenoma, modulation of CaR biosynthesis through alternative RNA processing may play a role in set-point alterations.
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PMID:Molecular cloning and functional expression of human parathyroid calcium receptor cDNAs. 775 51

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion is regulated by a cell surface Ca2+ receptor that detects small changes in the level of plasma Ca2+. Because this G protein-coupled receptor conceivably provides a distinct molecular target for drugs useful in treating bone and mineral-related disorders, we sought to design small organic molecules that act on the Ca2+ receptor. We discovered that certain phenylalkylamine compounds, typified by NPS R-568 and its deschloro derivative NPS R-467, increased the concentration of cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in bovine parathyroid cells and inhibited PTH secretion at nanomolar concentrations. These effects were stereoselective and the R enantiomers were 10- to 100-fold more potent than the S enantiomers. NPS R-568 potentiated the effects of extracellular Ca2+ on [Ca2+]i and PTH secretion but was without effect in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Both compounds shifted the concentration-response curves for extracellular Ca2+ to the left. Presumably, these compounds act as positive allosteric modulators to increase the sensitivity of the Ca2+ receptor to activation by extracellular Ca2+. Both NPS R-467 and NPS R-568 increased [Ca2+]i in HEK 293 cells expressing the human parathyroid Ca2+ receptor but were without effect in wild-type HEK 293 cells. Neither compound affected the cytoplasmic Ca2+ responses elicited by several other G protein-coupled receptors in HEK 293 cells or in bovine parathyroid cells. Significantly, these compounds did not affect responses elicited by the homologous metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR1a, mGluR2, or mGluR8. These compounds therefore act selectively on the Ca2+ receptor. Compounds that mimic or potentiate the effects of extracellular Ca2+ at the Ca2+ receptor are termed calcimimetics. The discovery of calcimimetic compounds with potent and selective activity enables a pharmacological approach to regulating plasma levels of PTH. Calcimimetic compounds could conceivably provide a specific medical therapy for primary hyperparathyroidism.
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PMID:Calcimimetics with potent and selective activity on the parathyroid calcium receptor. 952 Apr 89