Mechanism of photoaffinity labeling of P 2-purinergic receptors by arylazido aminopropionyl ATP in isolated guinea-pig vas deferens

Abstract

Following photolysis in the presence of the isolated guinea-pig vas deferens, arylazido aminopropionyl ATP (ANAPP 3), a photoaffinity label analog of ATP, produces an irreversible and specific pharmacological antagonism of contractile responses to adenine nucleotides. Experiments were performed to determine whether the antagonism follows the photolysis-dependent formation of nitrene intermediates at occupied receptors (true photoaffinity labeling) or if the reactive intermediate is photogenerated in solution prior to diffusion to the receptor and formation of covalent bonds (pseudo-photoaffinity labeling). When present during photolysis, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA; 10 mM), a scavenger for nitrenes generated in solution, did not prevent the antagonism of ATP-induced responses by ANAPP 3. However, the absorption spectrum of ANAPP 3 photolyzed in the presence of PABA was different from that obtained when PABA was not present. This evidence for the formation of additional photolysis products suggests that ANAPP 3 had inserted into PABA during photolysis. Thus, covalent bonds arise from true photoaffinity labeling of the receptor. An analysis of the pharmacological effects of PABA indicated that responses to ATP, KCl and acetylcholine were unaffected either in the presence of, or after a 23 min incubation, with 10 mM PABA. In contrast, PABA produced a substantial, but reversible, antagonism of histamine- and norepinephrine-induced contractions. Irradiation of tissues in the presence of 10 mM PABA produced a slight potentiation of responses to ATP. Thus, information on the mechanisms of photoaffinity labeling may be obtained from functional studies on intact tissues. However, the pharmacological effects of agents used to define these mechanisms should be evaluated as well.