Characteristics of membrane progestin receptor alpha (mPRα) and progesterone membrane receptor component 1 (PGMRC1) and their roles in mediating rapid progestin actions

Rapid, progestin actions initiated at the cell surface that are often nongenomic have been described in a variety of reproductive tissues, but until recently the identities of the membrane receptors mediating these nonclassical progestins actions remained unclear. Evidence has been obtained in the last 4-5 years for the involvement of two types of novel membrane proteins unrelated to nuclear steroid receptors, progesterone membrane receptors (mPRs) and progesterone receptor membrane component one (PGMRC1 [also known as progesterone receptor membrane component 1, PGRMC1]), in progestin signaling in several vertebrate reproductive tissues and in the brain. The mPRs, (MW ∼40 kDa) initially discovered in fish ovaries, comprise at least three subtypes, α, β and γ and belong to the seven-transmembrane progesterone adiponectin Q receptor (PAQR) family. Both recombinant and wild type mPRs display high affinity (Kd ∼5 nM), limited capacity, displaceable and specific progesterone binding. The mPRs are directly coupled to G proteins and typically activate pertussis-sensitive inhibitory G proteins (Gi), to down regulate adenylyl cyclase activity. Recent studies suggest the alpha subtype (mPRα) has important physiological functions in variety of reproductive tissues. The mPRα is an intermediary in progestin induction of oocyte maturation and stimulation of sperm hypermotility in fish. In mammals, the mPRαs have been implicated in progesterone regulation of uterine function in humans and GnRH secretion in rodents. The single-transmembrane protein PGMRC1 (MW 26 ∼28 kDa) was first purified from porcine livers and its cDNA was subsequently cloned from porcine smooth muscle cells and a variety of other tissues by different investigators. PGMRC1 and the closely related PGMRC2 belong to the membrane-associated progesterone receptor (MAPR) family. The PGMRC1 protein displays moderately high binding affinity for progesterone which is 2-10-fold greater than that for testosterone and glucocorticoids, and also can bind to other molecules such as heme, cholesterol metabolites and proteins. The signal transduction pathways induced by binding of progesterone to PGMRC1 have not been described to date, although motifs for tyrosine kinase, kinase binding, SH2 and SH3 have been predicted from the amino acid sequence. Evidence has been obtained that PGMRC1 mediates the antiapoptotic affects of progesterone in rat granulosa cells. The PGMRC1 protein may also be an intermediary in the progesterone induction of the acrosome reaction in mammalian sperm. Despite these recent advances, many aspects of progestin signaling through these two families of novel membrane proteins remain unresolved. Biochemical characterization of the receptors has been hampered by rapid degradation of the partially purified proteins. A major technical challenge has been to express sufficient amounts of the recombinant receptors on the plasma membranes in eukaryotic systems to permit investigations of their progestin binding and signal transduction characteristics. Additional basic information on the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which mPRs and PGMRC1 interact with progestins, signal transductions pathways and other proteins will be required to establish a comprehensive model of nontraditional progestin actions mediated through these novel proteins.