Mechanism-based design of prolactin receptor antagonists

The mechanism of action of two forms of the prolactin (PRL) receptor was studied using analogs of human growth hormone (hGH). At low concentrations (approximately 1 pM), hGH binds and stimulates proliferation of Nb2 cells containing the 391-residue PRL receptor as well as murine lymphoid FDC-P1 cells transfected with the 591-residue hPRL receptor. However, at high concentrations (approximately 70 microM) hGH inhibits proliferation of both these cell lines. Such a "bell-shaped" hormone response curve was observed for hGH stimulation of the hGH receptor (Fuh, G., Cunningham, B.C., Fukunaga, R., Nagata, S., Goeddel, D. V., and Wells, J.A. (1992) Science 256, 1677-1680) and is consistent with the sequential formation of an active hormone-(receptor)2 complex in which hGH binds through a first site (Site 1) to a first receptor and then through a second site (Site 2) to a second receptor. By analogy to hGH activation of the hGH receptor, we find that hGH variants that are mutated in Site 1 or Site 2 are greatly reduced as agonists. Similarly, only Site 2 mutants are potent antagonists of either hGH or hPRL stimulated cell proliferation. These and other data support the notion that hGH and hPRL activate the PRL receptor by sequential dimerization and provide a rational basis for the design of potent antagonists to the prolactin receptor.