The Human V3 Pituitary Vasopressin Receptor: Ligand Binding Profile and Density-Dependent Signaling Pathways1

The vasopressin (AVP) V3 pituitary receptor (V3R) is a G protein-coupled corticotropic phenotypic marker that is overexpressed in ACTH-hypersecreting tumors. Studies of the agonist/antagonist binding profile and signal transduction pathways linked to the human V3R have been limited because of the scarcity of this protein. To define the signals activated by V3Rs and the eventual changes triggered by developmental or pathological receptor regulation, we developed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-V3 cells stably expressing low, medium, or high levels of human V3Rs (binding capacity,