Active and inactive forms of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3)-binding protein in rat kidney cytosol: possible role of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in activation of T3 binding.

Abstract

Extraction of rat kidney cytosol with 10% charcoal at 4 C inactivated specific T3 binding. The decreased T3 binding in extracted cytosol could be restored by addition of boiled kidney cytosol. Three different factors (a, b, and c) which could increase T3 binding were identified by Sephadex G-50 column chromatography of boiled cytosol. Two factors (b and c) were eluted as relatively small molecules. Factor a was present in small amounts. Factor c was neutralized by incubation with EDTA, but factor b was not. Factor b was not destroyed by trypsin, protease, DNase, or RNase, but was destroyed by alkaline phosphatase. Factor b was destroyed by incubation with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent glutathione reductase in the presence of oxidized glutathione. Although T3 binding to charcoal-extracted cytosol protein was not influenced by reduced glutathione or dithiothreitol, it was markedly increased by NADPH. Maximal activation induced by 50 microM NADPH was not further increased by further addition of endogenous factor b. The elution position of NADPH in gel chromatography corresponded to the elution position of factor b. Factor b or NADPH increased maximal binding capacity without changes in affinity constant. These observations suggest that T3-binding protein in cytosol is present in inactive and active forms and that the active form is generated by NADPH, which is present as one of the activators in cytosol. The effect of these cytosolic T3-binding proteins on nuclear T3 binding in vitro was also studied. In the absence of cytosolic T3-binding protein, [125I]T3 binding to nuclear receptor was decreased by unlabeled T3 in a concentration-dependent manner. In the presence of inactive form of cytosolic T3-binding protein, nuclear [125I]T3 binding was slightly diminished. In the presence of NADPH and cytosolic T3-binding protein, however, the amount of [125I]T3 bound to nuclei markedly decreased, which was associated with an increase of cytosolic [125I]T3 binding. NADPH alone did not influence nuclear T3 binding. These results suggest that T3 binding to nuclear receptor is regulated by an active form of cytosolic T3-binding protein in vitro.