Transmembrane regions V and VI of the human luteinizing hormone receptor are required for constitutive activation by a mutation in the third intracellular loop.

Gonadotropin receptors are members of the seven-transmembrane (TM) receptor family. Several point mutations in TM V and VI and the intracellular loop 3 (i3) have been identified in the luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor gene, leading to constitutive activation of the receptor. Because gonadotropin receptors are highly conserved, we mutated the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor at the corresponding amino acids. However, the FSH receptor mutants showed minimal increases in basal cAMP production. Taking advantage of this difference between the two receptors, we designed chimeric receptors with or without a point mutation in the i3 to identify the region in the LH receptor important for its constitutive activation. Introduction of the point mutation into chimeric receptors containing only TM V to VI from the LH receptor led to major increases in ligand-independent cAMP production. Furthermore, a chimeric receptor with only TM V and VI derived from the LH receptor can be rendered constitutively active by the mutation in the i3 from the FSH receptor. These results suggest that interactions between TM V and VI of the FSH receptor are essential for maintaining the receptor in the more constrained state, whereas interactions between these domains of the LH receptor are permissive for constitutively activating mutations in the i3.