Photoaffinity Labeling Of Receptors Research Articles

Competitive Antagonism of Etomidate Action by Diazepam: In Vitro GABAA Receptor and In Vivo Zebrafish Studies.

Recent cryo-electron microscopic imaging studies have shown that in addition to binding to the classical extracellular benzodiazepine binding site of the α1β3γ2L γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor, diazepam also binds to etomidate binding sites located in the transmembrane receptor domain. Because such binding is characterized by low modulatory efficacy, the authors hypothesized that diazepam would act in vitro and in vivo as a competitive etomidate antagonist. The concentration-dependent actions of diazepam on 20 µM etomidate-activated and 6 µM GABA-activated currents were defined (in the absence and presence of flumazenil) in oocyte-expressed α1β3γ2L GABAA receptors using voltage clamp electrophysiology. The ability of diazepam to inhibit receptor labeling of purified α1β3γ2L GABAA receptors by [H]azietomidate was assessed in photoaffinity labeling protection studies. The impact of diazepam (in the absence and presence of flumazenil) on the anesthetic potencies of etomidate and ketamine was compared in a zebrafish model. At nanomolar concentrations, diazepam comparably potentiated etomidate-activated and GABA-activated GABAA receptor peak current amplitudes in a flumazenil-reversible manner. The half-maximal potentiating concentrations were 39 nM (95% CI, 27 to 55 nM) and 26 nM (95% CI, 16 to 41 nM), respectively. However, at micromolar concentrations, diazepam reduced etomidate-activated, but not GABA-activated, GABAA receptor peak current amplitudes in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 9.6 µM (95% CI, 7.6 to 12 µM). Diazepam (12.5 to 50 µM) also right-shifted the etomidate-concentration response curve for direct activation without reducing the maximal response and inhibited receptor photoaffinity labeling by [H]azietomidate. When administered with flumazenil, 50 µM diazepam shifted the etomidate (but not the ketamine) concentration-response curve for anesthesia rightward, increasing the etomidate EC50 by 18-fold. At micromolar concentrations and in the presence of flumazenil to inhibit allosteric modulation via the classical benzodiazepine binding site of the GABAA receptor, diazepam acts as an in vitro and in vivo competitive etomidate antagonist.

Competitive Antagonism of Anesthetic Action at the γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor by a Novel Etomidate Analog with Low Intrinsic Efficacy.

The authors characterized the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor pharmacology of the novel etomidate analog naphthalene-etomidate, a potential lead compound for the development of anesthetic-selective competitive antagonists. The positive modulatory potencies and efficacies of etomidate and naphthalene-etomidate were defined in oocyte-expressed α1β3γ2L γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors using voltage clamp electrophysiology. Using the same technique, the ability of naphthalene-etomidate to reduce currents evoked by γ-aminobutyric acid alone or γ-aminobutyric acid potentiated by etomidate, propofol, pentobarbital, and diazepam was quantified. The binding affinity of naphthalene-etomidate to the transmembrane anesthetic binding sites of the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor was determined from its ability to inhibit receptor photoaffinity labeling by the site-selective photolabels [H]azi-etomidate and R-[H]5-allyl-1-methyl-5-(m-trifluoromethyl-diazirynylphenyl) barbituric acid. In contrast to etomidate, naphthalene-etomidate only weakly potentiated γ-aminobutyric acid-evoked currents and induced little direct activation even at a near-saturating aqueous concentration. It inhibited labeling of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors by [H]azi-etomidate and R-[H]5-allyl-1-methyl-5-(m-trifluoromethyl-diazirynylphenyl) barbituric acid with similar half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 48 μM (95% CI, 28 to 81 μM) and 33 μM (95% CI, 20 to 54 μM). It also reduced the positive modulatory actions of anesthetics (propofol > etomidate ~ pentobarbital) but not those of γ-aminobutyric acid or diazepam. At 300 μM, naphthalene-etomidate increased the half-maximal potentiating propofol concentration from 6.0 μM (95% CI, 4.4 to 8.0 μM) to 36 μM (95% CI, 17 to 78 μM) without affecting the maximal response obtained at high propofol concentrations. Naphthalene-etomidate is a very low-efficacy etomidate analog that exhibits the pharmacology of an anesthetic competitive antagonist at the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor.

A simple acromelic acid analog potentially useful for receptor photoaffinity labeling and biochemical studies

A novel acromelic acid analog possessing an azido-functionalized phenyl group was designed and synthesized as a biochemical probe for studies on kainoid receptors. The analog exerted a biological activity equivalent to natural acromelic acid A, suggesting that both compounds possibly bind to the same target biomolecule. In order to utilize the probe in photoaffinity labeling experiments, a procedure for the introduction of radioactive iodine into the molecule was established.

Spatial Approximation between Two Residues in the Mid-region of Secretin and the Amino Terminus of Its Receptor: INCORPORATION OF SEVEN SETS OF SUCH CONSTRAINTS INTO A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF THE AGONIST-BOUND SECRETIN RECEPTOR

Photoaffinity labeling of receptors by bound agonists can provide important spatial constraints for molecular modeling of activated receptor complexes. Secretin is a 27-residue peptide hormone with a diffuse pharmacophoric domain that binds to the secretin receptor, a prototypic member of the Class B family of G protein-coupled receptors. In this work, we have developed, characterized, and applied two new photolabile probes for this receptor, with sites for covalent attachment in peptide positions 12 and 14, surrounding the previously most informative site of affinity labeling of this receptor. The [Tyr10,(BzBz)Lys12]rat secretin-27 probe covalently labeled receptor residue Val6, whereas the [Tyr10,(BzBz)Lys14]rat secretin-27 probe labeled receptor residue Pro38. When combined with previous photoaffinity labeling data, there are now seven independent sets of constraints distributed throughout the peptide and receptor amino-terminal domain that can be used together to generate a new molecular model of the ligand-occupied secretin receptor. The amino-terminal domain of this receptor presented a stable platform for peptide ligand interaction, with the amino terminus of the peptide hormone extended toward the transmembrane helix domain of the receptor. This provides clear insights into the molecular basis of natural ligand binding and supplies testable hypotheses regarding the molecular basis of activation of this receptor.

ARA9 Modifies Agonist Signaling through an Increase in Cytosolic Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates the effects of agonists like 2,3, 7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. In the current model for AHR signaling, the unliganded receptor is found in the cytosol as part of a complex with a dimer of the 90-kDa heat shock protein and an immunophilin-like molecule, ARA9. In yeast, expression of ARA9 results in an increase in the maximal agonist response and a leftward shift in the AHR dose-response curve. To better understand the mechanism by which ARA9 modifies AHR signal transduction, we performed a series of coexpression experiments in yeast and mammalian cells. Our results demonstrate that ARA9's influence on AHR signaling is not due to inhibition of a membrane pump or modification of the receptor's transactivation properties. Using receptor photoaffinity labeling experiments, we were able to show that ARA9 enhances AHR signal transduction by increasing the available AHR binding sites within the cytosolic compartment of the cell. Our evidence suggests that ARA9's effects are related to its role as a cellular chaperone; i.e. we observed that expression of ARA9 increases the fraction of AHR in the cytosol and also stabilized the receptor under heat stress.

Understanding the mechanism of sweet taste: synthesis of ultrapotent guanidinoacetic acid photoaffinity labeling reagents.

Azido-functionalized analogs of potently sweet guanidinoacetic acids have been synthesized for use as sweetener receptor photoaffinity labeling reagents. These compounds have been synthesized using readily available starting materials. One of the azido-labeled guanidinoacetic acids has been evaluated in an electrophysiological model in the Rhesus monkey. We found that the photoaffinity-labeling reagent caused irreversible inhibition in electrophysiological response to sweeteners upon exposure of the monkey tongue to a combination of the reagent and UV light.

Evaluation of a highly efficient aryl azide photoaffinity labeling reagent for the progesterone receptor.

16 alpha,17 alpha-[(R)-1'-(4-Azidophenyl)ethylidenedioxy]pregn-4-ene- 3,20-dione (7) was prepared in high specific activity tritium-labeled form (20 Ci/mmol) and shown to bind to the progesterone receptor with an affinity (Kd = 0.80 nM) that is 47% of that of [3H]-R 5020 (Kd = 0.38 nM). [3H]Progestin aryl azide 7 exhibits high photoattachment efficiency (60% at 1 h) compared to the commonly used progesterone receptor photoaffinity labeling reagent [3H]-R 5020 (2.2% at 1 h) and is the most efficient progesterone receptor photoaffinity labeling reagent prepared to date. The photoattachment observed with 7 proceeds in a time-dependent fashion, with most of the attachment occurring within the first 10 min of photolysis. Characterization of the photolabeled proteins by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows specific labeling of two adducts of molecular weight 108,500 +/- 800 and 87,000 +/- 1,500 (n = 3), the same species as labeled by [3H]-R 5020. The ratio of progesterone receptor subunits A:B was determined to be 3.3:1 with both [3H]progestin azide 7 and [3H]-R 5020. Information on the specific amino acid(s) that attach to the ligand during photolysis awaits further analysis of the covalently bound ligand-protein adduct.

ATP-induced secretion in PC12 cells and photoaffinity labeling of receptors.

Secretion of catecholamines by rat PC12 cells is strongly stimulated by extracellular ATP via a P2-type purinergic receptor. ATP-induced norepinephrine release was inhibited 80% when extracellular Ca2+ was absent. Only four nucleotides, ATP, ATP gamma S, benzoylbenzoyl ATP (BzATP), and 2-methylthio-ATP, gave substantial stimulation of norepinephrine release from PC12 cells. ATP-induced secretion was inhibited by Mg2+, and this inhibition was overcome by the addition of excess ATP suggesting that ATP4- was the active ligand. ATP-induced secretion of catecholamine release was enhanced by treatment of cells with pertussis toxin or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. The stimulatory effects of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and pertussis toxin on norepinephrine release were additive. After brief exposure of intact cells to the photoaffinity analog, [alpha-32P]BzATP, two major proteins of 44 and 50 kDa and a minor protein of 97 kDa were labeled. An excess of ATP gamma S and BzATP but not GTP blocked labeling of the proteins by [32P]BzATP. Labeling of the 50-kDa protein was more sensitive to competition by 2-methylthio-ATP than the other labeled proteins, suggesting that the 50-kDa protein represents the P2 receptor responsible for ATP-stimulated secretion in these cells.

Differential T cell receptor photoaffinity labeling among H-2Kd restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones specific for a photoreactive peptide derivative. Labeling of the alpha-chain correlates with J alpha segment usage.

Using a direct binding assay based on photoaffinity labeling, we studied the interaction of T cell receptor (TCR) with a Kd-bound photoreactive peptide derivative on living cells. The Kd-restricted Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite (PbCS) peptide 253-260 (YIPSAEKI) was reacted NH2-terminally with biotin and at the TCR contact residue Lys259 with photoreactive iodo, 4-azido salicylic acid (IASA) to make biotin-YIPSAEK(IASA)I. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones derived from mice immunized with this derivative recognized this conjugate, but not a related one lacking the IASA group nor the parental PbCS peptide. The clones were Kd restricted. Recognition experiments with variant conjugates, lacking substituents from IASA, revealed a diverse fine specificity pattern and indicated that this group interacted directly with the TCR. The TCR of four clones could be photoaffinity labeled by biotin-YIPSAEK(125IASA)I. This labeling was dependent on the conjugates binding to the Kd molecule and was selective for the TCR alpha (2 clones) or beta chain (1 clone), or was common for both chains (1 clone). TCR sequence analysis showed a preferential usage of J alpha TA28 containing alpha chains that were paired with V beta 1 expressing beta chains. The TCR that were photoaffinity labeled at the alpha chain expressed these J alpha and V beta segments. The tryptophan encoded by the J alpha TA28 segment is rarely found in other J alpha segments. Moreover, we show that the IASA group interacts preferentially with tryptophan in aqueous solution. We thus propose that for these CTL clones, labeling of the alpha chain occurs via the J alpha-encoded tryptophan residue.

Protein Kinase C-mediated Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Receptor Sequestration Is Associated with Uncoupling of Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) regulates pituitary gonadotropin release by a Ca2+-dependent mechanism involving receptor-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Previous studies indicate that activation of pituitary protein kinase C (PKC), while not required for acute gonadotropin release in response to GnRH, is likely involved in the chronic regulation of gonadotrope responsiveness. Studies from our laboratory have shown that activation of PKC by phorbol esters produces both the uncoupling of GnRH-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and the selective enhancement of GnRH agonist binding in pituitary cell cultures. In the present work, we have examined the possibility that these processes are related in mechanism. Dissociation of bound agonist radioligand at 23 degrees C was found to be reduced in the presence of phorbol esters, and ligand bound in the presence of phorbol ester was resistant to displacement by competing ligands at 4 degrees C. However, agonist bound in the presence of phorbol ester was dissociable by subsequently washing cells at pH 3. Receptor photoaffinity labeling studies confirmed that agonist association with membrane component(s) identified as the GnRH receptor was increased in the presence of phorbol ester. These results suggest that, in the presence of a phorbol ester PKC activator, agonist-occupied GnRH receptors remain at the cell surface, but are sequestered in some manner. In other experiments, cell preloaded with [3H]inositol were treated with GnRH agonist ligand and phorbol ester at 4 degrees C to form a pool of sequestered, agonist-occupied receptors, and then displaceable (nonsequestered) agonist was removed by incubation with antagonist ligand. After addition of LiCl and warming to 37 degrees C, [3H]inositol phosphate production (an index of phosphoinositide hydrolysis) in phorbol ester-treated cells was reduced to 67% of vehicle control, although residual specific agonist binding had been increased to greater than 300% of control. The appearance of sequestered receptors and inhibition of [3H]inositol phosphate production had similar phorbol ester concentration dependencies. These results suggest that the same agonist-occupied GnRH receptors sequestered as a result of PKC activation also are preferentially uncoupled from phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

Hormone Binding Site of the Insulin Receptor: Analysis Using Photoaffinity-Mediated Avidin Complexing

A trifunctional reagent was designed which allows derivatization of ligands, particularly peptides and proteins, for subsequent photoaffinity labelling of receptors and specific isolation of the covalent complex or its fragments. B29-(2-nitro-4-azidophenyl)-biocytinyl-insulin (NB-insulin) was synthesized, radioiodinated, and the B26-mono-iodo derivative isolated by HPLC. It was used to photoaffinity label human placental membranes and the purified insulin receptor. Extensive digestion of the covalent insulin-receptor complex with trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) led to the generation of a fragment of Mr 14,000. Specific complexing with avidin, derivatized avidin or streptavidin could be demonstrated for the photoaffinity labelled alpha-subunit and the 14,000 core fragment. The latter was isolated (approx. 100 pmol from 3-4 placentae) by streptavidin affinity chromatography and HPLC. According to microsequencing based on the known primary structure of the insulin receptor, the N-terminus of the core peptide appears to be Leu20-His21-Glu22-Leu23. We thus conclude: a part of the insulin-binding region of the receptor is located close to the N-terminus of its alpha-subunit in a remarkably stable domain of the sequence 20--(approx.) 120.

Alpha 1-adrenergic receptor photoaffinity labeling in intact cells

Alpha 1-adrenergic receptor photoaffinity labeling in intact cells

Chemical mechanisms for photoaffinity labeling of receptors

Chemical mechanisms for photoaffinity labeling of receptors

Benzodiazepine receptor photoaffinity labeling: Correlation of function with binding

Exhaustive photoaffinity coupling of flunitrazepam to living spinal cord neurons reduced the capacity of benzodiazepines to potentiate the electrophysiologically measured GABA response. In quanlitative agreement with reversible binding data the dose-response curve for enhancement of the GABA response by benzodiazepines was shifted to the right, indicating that the remaining reversible benzodiazepine binding sites have lower affinity for benzodiazepines. Photoaffinity labeling did not reduce inhibition of the GABA response by β-carbolines and there was only a small decrease in β-carboline binding. In both control and photoaffinity-labeled cultures, the inhibitory effect of β-carbolines on the GABA response was reversed in the presence of excess benzodiazepine. The results indicate that the effects of photoaffinity labeling are confined to the BZD recognition site, and that coupling between benzodiazepine receptors and GABA receptors remains intact.

Photoaffinity labeling of thyroid hormone nuclear receptors. Influence of n-butyrate and analysis of the half-lives of the 57,000 and 47,000 molecular weight receptor forms.

The thyroid hormone receptor is a nuclear-associated protein which appears to mediate the actions of 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (L-T3) and 3,5,3',5'-tetraiodo-L-thyronine (L-T4) in mammalian cells. In a previous study we reported that N-2-diazo-3,3,3-trifluoropropionyl-3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (L-T3-PAL) serves as an effective photoaffinity label probe of the receptor in GH1 cells, a growth hormone producting rat pituitary cell line. Irradiation of cells at 254 nm covalently cross-links L-[125I]T3-PAL to two molecular weight (Mr) nuclear receptor forms, an abundant 47,000 Mr component and a less abundant 57,000 Mr species (Pascual, A., Casanova, J., and Samuels, H. H. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 9640-9647). In this study we have explored a number of possible interrelationships of the different Mr receptor forms. Denaturing gel electrophoresis and autoradiography indicates that the 57,000 Mr form is a doublet species which differ in Mr by 1,000 to 2,000. The various receptor forms are not an artifact of the L-[125I]T3-PAL probe, and identical forms can be labeled at 310 nm using underivatized L-[125I]T4 with a 15-fold lower coupling efficiency. The 57,000 and 47,000 Mr receptor forms are not generated by indiscriminate proteolysis, UV peptide cleavage, or zero length protein-protein cross-linking by irradiation at 254 nm. Micrococcal nuclease excises both the 57,000 and 47,000 Mr forms, and receptor is not identified in the residual nuclear matrix fraction. Receptor is also not detected in the cytoplasmic fraction. By coupling dense amino acid labeling and photoaffinity labeling of receptor we determined a half-life of 2.4 h for the 57,000 Mr species and 5.6 h for the 47,000 Mr form while both species have similar relative synthetic rates. n-Butyrate has been previously shown to decrease receptor levels in GH1 cells. We demonstrate that n-butyrate decreases receptor levels primarily by shortening the half-life of the 47,000 Mr form.

Photoaffinity labeling of insulin receptors in viable cultured human lymphocytes. Demonstration of receptor shedding and degradation.

A photosensitive derivative of radiolabeled insulin, SANAH-125I-insulin, was prepared by reacting N-succinimidyl-6-(4'-azido-2'-nitrophenylamino) hexanoate (SANAH) with 125I-insulin. Cultured IM-9 cells were incubated with SANAH-125I-insulin at 16 degrees C in the dark. They were then washed, photolyzed, solubilized, and analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Under disulfide reducing conditions, a single specific band of Mr 125,000 was obtained. The characteristics of the labeling of this band with SANAH-125I-insulin (specificity, time course, concentration effect) were the same as that of 125I-insulin interaction with the IM-9 cells and the labeling process did not affect cell viability. The solubilized photolabeled insulin receptor fraction was enriched by first adsorbing to agarose-bound wheat germ agglutinin and the material eluted with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine was then analyzed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. Under nonreducing conditions, a major receptor band of Mr 320 K and a minor band of 280 K were obtained. Upon disulfide bond reduction with increasing concentrations of dithiothreitol, a major band of Mr 125 K and two minor bands of Mr 210 K and 94 K were seen. When cells photolabeled at 16 degrees C were further incubated at 37 degrees C, there was a time-dependent loss of intact receptors into the incubation buffer. In contrast, no similar shedding of labeled receptors was observed from isolated rat adipocytes. Following shedding, the labeled IM-9 insulin receptors rapidly disappeared from the incubation buffer (half-time approximately 1.5 h). These results demonstrate the feasibility of photoaffinity labeling, characterizing, and following the fate of insulin receptor in viable cells. Thus receptor photoaffinity labeling should provide a suitable approach for studies of the biologic fate of insulin receptors in cells that are targets for insulin action.