Molybdate-stabilized Glucocorticoid Receptor Research Articles

Structural differences between the glucocorticoid, dioxin and oxysterol receptors from rat liver cytosol

The rat hepatic glucocorticoid, dioxin and oxysterol receptors were subjected to high performance liquid chromatography on size-exclusion and anion-exchange columns. Both the glucocorticoid receptor and the dioxin receptor had a Stokes radius R s ∼ 7.5 nm, expected value for heteromeric complexes containing a dimer of the M r ∼ 90,000 heat shock protein, hsp90 (R s ∼ 7.0 nm). The oxysterol receptor represented a much smaller entity (R s ∼ 6.0 nm). When analyzed on a Mono Q anion-exchange column, the molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor and dioxin receptor eluted as single peaks at ∼0.30 M and 0.26–0.28 M NaCl, respectively, whereas the oxysterol receptor represented a less negatively charged species (0.11–0.14 M NaCl). Following washing of the Mono Q column with molybdate-free buffer, the activated monomeric glucocorticoid receptor was detected (0.10–0.12 M NaCl). In contrast, no modification in the elution pattern of the dioxin receptor and the oxysterol receptor was observed. These data demonstrate differences in the physico-chemical properties of the glucocorticoid, dioxin and oxysterol receptors, respectively, which might reflect structural differences.

Subunit composition of the molybdate-stabilized non-activated glucocorticoid receptor from rat liver

A monoclonal IgG 2a antibody directed against the activated rat liver glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was used to prepare an immunoaffinity matrix of high capacity. The molybdate-stabilized GR from rat liver cytosol was immunoadsorbed on this gel. A non-hormone-binding protein of M r ≈ 90,000, as determined after denaturing gel electrophoresis, was eluted from this matrix following removal of molybdate and exposure to heat (25°C) and salt (0.15 M NaCl). Subsequently, the M r ≈ 90,000 protein was purified to homogeneity using high-performance ion-exchange chromatography, covalently radiolabelled, and analyzed by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. Hydrodynamic characterization indicates that, under our experimental conditions, the molybdate-stabilized rat liver GR ( R s ≈ 7.4nm, s 20,w ≈9.1 S, calculated mol. wt M r ≈ 285,000) includes one steroid-binding unit ( R s ≈ 5.5 nm, s 20,w ≈ 3 S, calculated M r ≈ 100,000) and a dimer of M r ≈ 90,000 non-hormone-binding protein ( R s ≈ 6.9nm, s 20,w ≈ 6.1 S, calculated native M r ≈ 180,000).

Physicochemical characteristics of the interaction of the glucocorticoid antagonist RU38486 with glucocorticoid receptors in vitro, and the role of molybdate

The physicochemical properties of complexes formed between the glucocorticoid antagonist, RU38486, and the glucocorticoid receptor in rat thymus cytosol were investigated and compared with those of complexes formed with the potent agonist, triamcinolone acetonide. The equilibrium dissociation constant for the interaction of [ 3H]RU38486 with the molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor was lower than that for [1,2,4- 3H]triamcinolone acetonide at 0°C but higher at 25°C, suggesting that hydrophobic interactions play a major role in the binding of RU38486. Differences in equilibrium constants were reflected in corresponding differences in dissociation rate constants; association rate constants for the two steroids were similar. The rate of dissociation of [ 3H]RU38486 from the glucocorticoid receptor was higher in the absence of molybdate than in its presence both at 0°C and at 25°C, suggesting that molybdate modifies the physical state of the antagonist-receptor complex, but other physical properties were similar both in the presence and in the absence of molybdate. The rate of inactivation of the unoccupied glucocorticoid receptor at 25°C in the absence of molybdate was lower in phosphate buffer than in Tris-HCl buffer but the rate of dissociation of [ 3H]RU38486 was the same in both buffers. The binding of RU38486 afforded little, if any, protection against inactivation in either buffer; [ 3H]RU38486 dissociated irreversibly from the inactivated receptor at the same rate as from the non-inactivated complex but molybdate had no effect on the dissociation kinetics of the inactivated complex. It is concluded that RU38486 interacts with the ground state of the glucocorticoid receptor in a manner which neither promotes receptor transformation nor prevents receptor inactivation.

Structure of the mouse glucocorticoid receptor: rapid analysis by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography.

Gel-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been used to separate the untransformed from the transformed glucocorticoid receptor (GC-R) extracted from mouse AtT-20 cells. With 200 mM potassium phosphate as the eluent, an efficient separation of the forms of the GC-R is attained in 15-20 min. The untransformed cytosolic GC-R elutes from the column with a Stokes radius (Rs) of 8.2-8.6 nm, as do the molybdate-stabilized GC-R, the purified untransformed GC-R, and the cross-linked cytosolic GC-R. GC-R transformed in vitro by either ammonium sulfate precipitation, KCl treatment, or G-25 chromatography elutes with an Rs of 5.7-6 nm. Also, GC-R extracted from the nucleus with either 0.3 M KCl or 2 mM sodium tungstate, or purified by two cycles of DNA-cellulose chromatography, has an Rs of 5.5-6.3 nm. The data are identical either in the presence or in the absence of 20 mM Na2MoO4, suggesting that molybdate is not causing aggregation to produce a larger Rs value than that of the native receptor. Vertical tube rotor sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation of cytosol produces three forms of the GC-R: 9.1 S, 5.2 S, and 3.8 S. Sequential analysis of the GC-R forms by HPLC and vertical tube rotor ultracentrifugation and vice versa allows for the hydrodynamic determination of molecular weight within a very short time period (2-3 h total).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid binding complex of L-cells contains a 98–100 kdalton steroid binding phosphoprotein and a 90 kdalton nonsteroid-binding phosphoprotein that is part of the murine heat-shock complex

This paper summarizes our work performed with glucocorticoid-binding complexes in molybdate-stabilized cytosol prepared from 32P-labeled L-cells. In our early work, we showed that cytosol prepared from 32P-labeled L-cells contains two phosphoproteins (a 90 and a 98–100 kdalton protein) that elute from an affinity resin of deoxycorticosterone agarose in a manner consistent with the predicted behavior of the glucocorticoid receptor. Both phosphoproteins are immunoadsorbed onto protein-A-Sepharose from molybdate-stabilized cytosol incubated with a monoclonal antibody against the receptor. The 98–100 kdalton phosphoprotein binds steroid and the 90 kdalton phosphoprotein is a structurally different, nonsteroid-binding protein that is bound to the untransformed, molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor. The 90 kdalton protein reacts on Western blots with a monoclonal antibody raised against a 90 kdalton protein from the water mold Achlya ambisexualis. This antibody recognizes an epitope that is conserved in 90 kdalton phosphoproteins from rodent and human cells, and it reacts with the 90 kdalton phosphoprotein that copurifies with the molybdate-stabilized, untransformed chick oviduct progesterone receptor. The 90 kdalton nonsteroid-binding phosphoprotein is an abundant cytosolic protein that dissociates from the glucocorticoid receptor when it is transformed, and unlike the steroid-binding protein, it does not bind to DNA. The 90 kdalton phosphoprotein determines the acidic behavior of the untransformed glucocorticoid receptor on DEAE-cellulose. This abundant cytosolic 90 kdalton phosphoprotein reacts with rabbit antiserum raised against the gel purified 89 kdalton chicken heat-shock protein (hsp89). This antiserum recognizes 90 kdalton heat-shock proteins in human, rodent, frog and Drosophila cells. Immunoadsorption of molybdate-stabilized cytosol with antibody directed against the 98–100 kdalton steroid receptor results in the immune-specific adsorption of a 90 kdalton phosphoprotein that reacts with anti-hsp89 antibody on Western blots. These observations suggest that, like the transforming proteins from several avian sarcoma viruses, the untransformed glucocorticoid receptor exists in a complex with the 90 kdalton heat-shock protein.

Molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor: evidence for a receptor heteromer

The composition of the molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor (GR) complex has been investigated with a monoclonal antibody against the steroid-binding Mr 94 000 (94K) GR protein. It was concluded that one antibody molecule binds one 94K GR molecule. This finding constituted the basis for calculating the number of antibodies bound to the molybdate-stabilized nonactivated GR complex, which has an Mr of 302 000 (302K). Gel filtration on Sephacryl S-400 and density gradient centrifugation showed that only one antibody molecule bound to the molybdate-stabilized GR complex (calculated relative molecular mass for the antibody--molybdate-stabilized GR complex, 456 000; relative molecular mass for one antibody molecule, 157 000). Furthermore, experiments performed with a second antibody immunoprecipitation assay in the presence of an excess of both antibody and GR confirmed the above results. The possibility of steric hindrance not allowing more than one antibody molecule to bind to the molybdate-stabilized GR complex could be excluded. These results suggest that the molybdate-stabilized GR complex with an Mr of 302K only contains one steroid-binding 94K GR molecule and therefore represents a heteromeric complex.

Characterization of the purified molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor from rat liver. An in vitro transformable complex.

Rat liver glucocorticoid receptor was purified in the presence of molybdate by a three-step procedure comprising protamine sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography on a dexamethasone matrix and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) on a TSK G 3000 SW column. The [3H]triamcinolone-acetonide-receptor complex was obtained in 20% yield with an overall 11 800-fold purification. The dissociation rate constant of this complex was 1.6 X 10(-4) min-1. The purified receptor sedimented at 8.3 S in high-salt and 9.4 S in low-salt sucrose gradients containing molybdate. A 7.0-nm Stokes radius was determined by HPSEC on a TSK G 4000 column in high-salt buffer. The calculated Mr was 278000. Dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed an almost homogeneous 90 000-Mr band. Three minor bands with Mr of 78 000, 72 000 and 48 000 were also inconstantly seen. An apparent pI = 5.1 was observed for the [3H]steroid complex by isoelectric focusing in agarose gel. Furthermore high-performance ion-exchange chromatography of the purified complex on a DEAE 545 LKB column (DEAE HPLC) yielded a sharp peak eluted at a 315 mM potassium ion concentration. This peak was shown to contain almost all the 90 000-Mr protein. Moreover the purified receptor complex appeared to be transformable to a DNA-binding state after molybdate removal followed by warming 30 min at 25 degrees C in presence of 0.2% bovine serum albumin: 50-78% transformation yield could be demonstrated by DNA-cellulose chromatography. Partial transformation could also be obtained at 0 degrees C in the absence of any added protein and was followed by DEAE HPLC. The transformed complex was eluted by 180 mM potassium.

Purification, characterization, and activation of the glucocorticoid-receptor complex from rat kidney cortex.

The unactivated molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor (GcR) was purified from rat kidney cortex cytosol (RKcC) by using a modification of the procedure previously described by this laboratory for rat hepatic receptor. The purification includes affinity chromatography, gel filtration, and ion-exchange chromatography. The final preparation (approximately 1000-fold pure as determined from specific radioactivity) was used in subsequent physicochemical and functional analyses. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed a single heavily Coomassie-stained band at 90 kilodaltons. Density gradient ultracentrifugation indicated a sedimentation coefficient of 10.5 +/- 0.05 S (n = 2). Chromatography on an analytical gel filtration column produced a Stokes radius (Rs) of 6.4 +/- 0.07 nm (n = 5). The Rs was unchanged when the molybdate-stabilized GcR was analyzed in the presence of 400 mM KCl or when analyzed in the unpurified (cytosolic) state. In contrast, the hepatic GcR was observed to exist as a larger form in cytosol (7.7 +/- 0.2 nm). Following purification, or upon gel filtration analysis under hypertonic conditions, the Rs was similar to that of the unpurified RKcC GcR. Following removal of molybdate from RKcC GcR and thermal activation (25 degrees C/30 min), DNA-cellulose binding increased 1.5-2-fold over the unheated control. Addition of RKcC or hepatic cytosol (endogenous receptors thermally denatured at 90 degrees C/30 min or presaturated with 10(-7) M radioinert ligand) during thermal activation increased DNA-cellulose binding an additional 2-6-fold beyond the heated control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparison of the physical characteristics of the molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor from rat, pig and human tissues

The molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor in cytosol preparations from rat, pig and human thymus, rat liver and CEM-C7 human leukaemic lymphoblasts was characterized as its complex with [1,2,4- 3H]triamcinolone acetonide, by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300 and by ultracentrifugation on sucrose density gradients. At low ionic strength, the complex from all sources was detected as a species with a sedimentation coefficient of 9.1–9.6S and a Stokes radius of 5.70–5.80 nm (form I); this form is believed to represent the non-transformed, undegraded complex. Exposure to 0.4 M KC1 in the presence of molybdate resulted, in all cases, in the generation of a smaller form (form II) with a sedimentation coefficient of 4.5–4.8S and a Stokes radius of 4.70–4.77 nm. Form II has been shown to possess properties characteristic of the transformed (activated) state. It is concluded that the glucocorticoid receptor shows pronounced interspecies and intertissue similarities, and that pig thymus may represent a convenient source of tissue for glucocorticoid receptor purification.

Characterization of the molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor from rat thymus.

The untransformed glucocorticoid receptor of rat thymus cytosol was characterized in the form of its complex with [1,2,4-3H]triamcinolone acetonide by ion-exchange chromatography and by gel filtration and sucrose-density-gradient ultracentrifugation at different ionic strengths. Molybdate (10 mM) was present throughout all experimental procedures and prevented receptor inactivation and degradation as well as transformation. At low ionic strength the molybdate-stabilized steroid-receptor complex was detected as a single highly asymmetric entity with a Stokes radius of 5.85 nm, a sedimentation coefficient of 9.6 S and an apparent molecular weight of 236 000. This form was converted into a smaller, even more asymmetric, form in increasing proportion as the ionic strength was increased. In the presence of 0.4 M-KCl, the smaller form had a Stokes radius of 4.95 nm, a sedimentation coefficient of 4.6 S and an apparent molecular weight of 95 500. It is concluded that the glucocorticoid-receptor complex exists at low ionic strengths as a homodimer or as a heterodimer in which only one subunit possesses a steroid-binding site, and that the process of dissociation into subunits brought about by increasing the ionic strength is a process distinct from, but possibly preceding, the transformation phenomenon responsible for conferring DNA-binding properties on the complex.

Glucocorticoid-receptor interactions. Discrimination between glucocorticoid agonists and antagonists by means of receptor-binding kinetics.

The kinetics of binding to the molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor of rat thymus cytosol were determined at 0 degrees C for a number of glucocorticoid agonists and antagonists. Equilibrium constants derived from the rate constants for association and dissociation were in good agreement with those determined directly or by competition under equilibrium conditions. Kinetics parameters for the slowly dissociating form of binding detected by a non-equilibrium dextran/charcoal competitive binding assay reflected the nature and extent of functional-group substitution on the steroid nucleus, but bore no relation to the classification of steroids as glucocorticoid agonists or antagonists. It is concluded that the binding of antagonists that is detected by such methods is agonist-like binding, which is not relevant to their antiglucocorticoid actions. Both agonists and antagonists displayed Michaelis--Menten association kinetics, but this behaviour was much more pronounced for antagonists. This is attributed to the existence of a second form of steroid-receptor complex, which escapes detection by the usual assay methods as a result of a high rate of dissociation and which is quantitatively antagonist-specific under equilibrium conditions. Direct evidence for the existence of two forms of antagonist-receptor complex was provided by results showing that the dissociation of the glucocorticoid antagonist progesterone from the receptor was biphasic.

Competitive binding assay for glucocorticoids. Influence of experimental conditions on measurement of the affinity of competitive steroids for the receptor

The affinity of steroids for a receptor is frequently determined by the competitive binding assay. This assay compares, under equilibrium conditions, the amount of a specific radioactive steroid bound to the receptor in the presence and absence of various concentrations of the radioinert steroid to be studied. The results are expressed as relative binding affinities, which relate the binding ability of the radioinert competitors to that of the radioactive steroid. If is often assumed that the time needed for the radioactive steroid to equilibrate with the receptor is the same both in the presence and absence of radioinert competitors. In this report, using molybdate-stabilized glucocorticoid receptor from goat lactating mammary gland, we demonstrate that the time required to reach equilibrium when both the radioactive and radioinert steroid are present is much longer than when only the radioactive steroid is present. The apparent relative binding affinity varies continuously as the incubation time is extended and the rate of change depends not only on the temperature of the assay but also (and more importantly) on the degree of difference in absolute affinity between the specific radioactive steroid and the unlabelled competitor being compared. Therefore, in the competitive binding assay the conditions necessary to reach equilibrium are influenced by experimental variations and may be different for each steroid tested. Thus, large errors are possible when comparing results obtained using different temperatures, lengths of incubation or substances which may influence steroid binding kinetics. We believe that kinetic analysis is preferable to equilibrium analysis whenever a precise study of the interaction of radioinert steroids with a receptor is needed.