Differential structural requirements for specific binding of nonpeptide and peptide antagonists to the AT1 angiotensin receptor. Identification of amino acid residues that determine binding of the antihypertensive drug losartan.

The biphenylimidazole derivative losartan exemplifies a novel class of nonpeptide antagonists that selectively inhibit angiotensin II binding to the mammalian AT1 receptor and have potentially wide application as anti-hypertensive agents. In contrast to mammalian AT1 receptors, which have high affinity for both peptide antagonists and losartan, amphibian and avian angiotensin II receptors are pharmacologically distinct and recognize peptide but not nonpeptide antagonists. Mutant rat AT1 receptors in which non-conserved amino acids were replaced by the corresponding amphibian residues were constructed to identify specific sites in the AT1 receptor that determine losartan binding. Only minor changes in binding affinity for peptide antagonists were observed in COS-7 cells transiently expressing mutant receptors, indicating that the structural integrity of the receptor was maintained. However, analysis of receptors with single point and combined mutations revealed that specific residues in transmembrane domains III, IV, V, VI, and VII are involved in binding of the nonpeptide antagonist to the mammalian AT1 receptor. The most marked attenuation of losartan binding (IC50 > 50 microM) was observed in a mutant receptor containing amino acid substitutions at Val108, Ala163, Thr198, Ser252, Leu300, and Phe301. These results have demonstrated that the binding site of a potent nonpeptide antagonist of the AT1 receptor is defined by epitopes located within the membrane-spanning regions of the receptor and is distinct from the site at which peptide antagonists bind to the AT1 receptor.