Brian F. Kilpatrick

Dopaminergic inhibition of adenylate cyclase correlates with high affinity agonist binding to anterior pituitary D2 dopamine receptors

Dopamine (DA) and the dopaminergic agonists n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA), 2-amino-6,7-dihydroxytetrahydronaphthalene (ADTN) and apomorphine (APO) inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in a dose-dependent fashion by more than 40% in membrane preparations of the porcine anterior pituitary gland. These agonists exhibit apparent dissociation constants that follow an expected dopaminergic order of potency (NPA greater than ADTN greater than or equal to APO greater than DA). The inhibition is dependent on guanine nucleotides and is reversible by dopaminergic antagonists (spiroperidol greater than (+)-butaclamol much greater than (-)-butaclamol). The potencies of these agonists in inhibiting forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity correlate with the agonist dissociation constants (KH) for binding to the high affinity receptor state (RH) in porcine anterior pituitary membranes (De Lean et al., Mol. Pharmacol. 1982, 22, 290-297) and the EC50 for inhibition of prolactin release from rat anterior pituitary cells in culture (Caron et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1978, 253, 2244-2253). Furthermore, the intrinsic activities of dopamine and the other agonists for inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase are similar and correlate well with the ability of these agents to induce a comparable proportion (50%) of the receptor in a high affinity state. Together these data provide additional support for the physiological relevance of the high affinity agonist binding state of the D2 receptor in mediating the decrease in prolactin secretion via attenuation of adenylate cyclase.

Dopamine receptor of the porcine anterior pituitary gland: solubilization and characterization

In the anterior pituitary gland, dopamine controls the release of prolactin from the mammotrophs. The dopamine receptors in the porcine gland have been shown to exist in two different affinity states of equal proportion, one bearing high affinity for agonists and labeled by 3H-agonist-ligands and the other displaying low affinity for agonists. Both forms of the receptor can be labeled by 3H-antagonist-ligands. Dopamine receptors from porcine anterior pituitary membranes can be solubilized with retention of their ability to interact with specific dopaminergic ligands. Treatment of membrane preparations with 1% digitonin resulted in the solubilization of 20-25% of the specific binding sites labeled by [3H] spiroperidol with a specific activity of about 100 fmoles/mg. The receptor was a glycoprotein as assessed by the interaction of these binding sites with agarose-immobilized lectin. [3H]Spiroperidol binding in solubilized preparations was saturable, of high affinity (KD = 570 pM), and to a single class of stereoselective binding sites. Agonist competition for [3H]spiroperidol binding indicated that, whereas the solubilized receptor retained its dopaminergic specificity, the high-affinity interactions of the receptor with agonists present in membranes and sensitive to guanine nucleotides were lost in solubilized preparations. Thus, the KD values calculated from the agonist competition curves for [3H]spiroperidol corresponded to the agonist affinities for the low-affinity state of the receptor documented in membranes. However, high-affinity agonist binding and its sensitivity to guanine nucleotides were preserved when the membrane-bound receptor was prelabeled with the agonist [3H]N-n-propylnorapomorphine prior to solubilization. These results suggest that a component that confers agonist high-affinity binding and guanine nucleotide responsiveness to the receptor is lost during solubilization unless a stable complex is formed with the agonist prelabeled receptor prior to solubilization.

A novel radioiodinated high affinity ligand for the D2-dopamine receptor: Characterization of its binding in bovine anterior pituitary membranes

A novel high affinity dopaminergic ligand, N‐(p‐aminophenethyl)spiroperidol, has been synthesized and radioiodinated to a specific radioactivity of 2175 . Binding of this ligand to bovine anterior pituitary membranes is: (i) rapid (40–60 min to equilibrium at 25°C) and reversible t = 1 h at 25°C); (ii) saturable and of high affinity (K D ~ 20 pM) and (iii) displays a typical D2‐dopaminergic specificity. The ligand, which identifies the same number of receptor sites as other tritiated antagonist ligands, can be used in different tissues and preparations to delineate the characteristics of the D2 receptor. Thus, this high affinity, high specific radioactivity ligand (N‐(p‐amino‐m‐[125I]iodophenethyl)spiroperidol) represents a tool which until now had not been available for the characterization of the D2‐dopamine receptor.

Endogenous proteinases modulate the function of the β-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase system

Photoaffinity labeling techniques have recently demonstrated that mammalian beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors reside on peptides of Mr 62 000-64 000. These receptor peptides are susceptible to endogenous metalloproteinases which produce peptides of Mr 30 000-55 000. Several proteinase inhibitors markedly attenuate this process, specifically EDTA and EGTA. In this study we investigated the functional significance of this proteolysis (and its inhibition) in the beta 2-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase system derived from rat lung membranes. Membrane preparations containing proteolytically derived fragments of the receptor of Mr 40 000-55 000 are fully functional with respect to their ability to bind beta-adrenergic antagonist radioligands such as [3H]dihydroalprenolol and beta-adrenergic antagonist photoaffinity reagents such as p-azido-m-[125I]iodobenzylcarazolol. They retain the ability to form a high-affinity, agonist-promoted, guanine nucleotide-sensitive complex thought to represent a ternary complex of agonist, receptor and guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. Nonetheless, after proteolysis, GTP is less able to revert this high-affinity receptor complex to one of lower affinity, and all aspects of adenylate cyclase stimulation are reduced. In addition, the functional integrity of the N protein in membranes prepared without proteinase inhibitors is reduced as assessed by reconstitution studies with the cyc- variant of S49 lymphoma cell membranes. These results suggest that endogenous proteolysis does not directly impair the ability of beta-adrenergic receptors to either bind ligands or interact with the guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. However, they imply that endogenous proteolysis likely impairs the functionality of other components of the adenylate cyclase system, such as the nucleotide regulatory protein.

[39] Direct radioligand measurement of dopamine receptors in the anterior pituitary gland

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the study of the D2-dopamine receptors by direct ligand binding in the anterior pituitary gland. The major effect of divalent cations on pituitary D2-dopamine receptor agonist binding is to increase both the proportion and affinity of the high-affinity agonist binding state as reflected in direct 3H-labeled agonist saturation isotherms as well as in indirect agonist/3H-labeled antagonist competition experiments. The D2-dopamine receptor of the anterior pituitary represents a useful model system to study both the biochemical mechanisms and physiological regulation of this subtype of dopamine receptors. Direct ligand binding can be correlated with the ability of a dopaminergic agent to inhibit the release of prolactin from pituitary cells. The anterior pituitary represents a suitable source for the purification and characterization of the D2-dopamine receptor, as it has been possible to solubilize the receptor with retention of its pharmacological functions.