Further characterization of the ovine lutropin alpha and beta subunits prepared by the salt precipitation method.

The subunits of ovine lutropin prepared by acid dissociation and salt precipitation were characterized by end group analysis, tryptic peptide mapping, SDS gel electrophoresis and biological activity. No evidence of internal peptide cleavage was found in the alpha subunit. The subunits possessed low activity. The alpha and beta subunits recombined effectively to generate a complex that had full receptor binding activity and in vitro biological activity. The recombinants of subunits prepared by countercurrent distribution showed only 50% activity in both assays. The salt precipitation method alpha subunit could be completely reduced and reoxidized in the absence of denaturants. The reoxidized alpha subunit combines with the native beta subunit generating full activity. However, this recombined hormone tends to lose activity with time, suggesting that the reoxidation may not fully restore the native structur of the reduced alpha subunit. The native lutropin alpha subunit effectively combined with follitropin beta subunit generating complete follitropin activity.     

Studies on pituitary follitropin. IV. A conformation specific radioimmunoassay for the ovine hormone

An antiserum to partially purified ovine follitropin (50 x NIH-FSH-S10) shows species specificity. It is conformation dependent and requires the proper recombination of the alpha and beta subunits for maximal reactivity. The isolated alpha subunit is essentially inactive and the hormone specific beta subunit is weakly reactive. The homologous radioimmunoassay is valuable for estimating native ovine follitropin in the presence of free subunits. It also provides a sensitive method to study association-dissociation and structure-function relationships.     

Studies on pituitary follitropin. II. Isolation and characterization of the subunits of the ovine hormone.

The α and β subunits of highly potent ovine follitropin have been isolated by dissociation in 8 m urea, pH 7.5, and chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A25. The isolated subunits display microheterogeneity on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and have very low activity in follitropin-specific radioreceptor and radioimmunoassays. The tryptophan fluorescence spectra of native follitropin and the isolated β subunit are different. The recombinant of follitropin α + β subunit had the same activity as the native hormone in the radioimmunoassay, but its activity in the radioreceptor and in vivo bioassay was about 65% of the intact hormone. Substitution of the follitropin α by ovine lutropin α subunit (prepared by a method not involving urea) to form the recombinant restored full activity in all the three assays investigated. The formation of recombined hormone proceeds at a rapid rate and is almost complete by 6 h. The α and β subunits of ovine follitropin differ from each other in amino acid composition. No significant differences were apparent in their carbohydrate composition. The amino acid composition of the ovine follitropin α and lutropin α subunits are very similar. The oxidized α subunit has phenylalanine at its NH₂-terminus while aspartic acid is present at this position in the oxidized β subunit.     

Purification and receptor binding properties of complexes between lutropin and monovalent antibodies against its alpha subunit.

A complex between bovine lutropin (LH) and monovalent antibodies (Fab fragments) directed against its alpha subunit, which is common to the glycoprotein hormones, has been purified by gel filtration and chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. The complex is heterogenous with respect to molecular size; 70--80% of the hormone is complexed with either two or three Fab fragments. The LH-Fab alpha complexes retain only about 13% receptor binding activity as compared to LH when measured in a radioligand receptor assay in which the radiolabeled ligand is human choriogonadotropin. (Use of the human hormone as labeled ligand permits direct measurement of competition between receptor and the bovine complex because the alpha portion of the human hormone does not cross react significantly with antibodies directed against bovine alpha subunits.) Complex formation does not lead to dissociation of the lutropin into its subunits, as shown with a homologous LH-beta immunoassay which distinguishes free beta subunit from intact LH. Complexing of LH with Fab-alpha fragments also causes little or no change in the affinity of the hormone's beta subunit for anti-LH-beta antibodies indicating that significant changes in beta subunit conformation did not occur. The data show that at least two well-separated antigenic regions on the alpha subunit are exposed to the surface in the intact hormone. They are also in agreement with the proposal that the loss of binding activity to receptor is due to steric effects rather than to changes in conformation or dissociation, and that there may be sites on the alpha subunit which interact directly with the receptor.     

The carboxylic acid groups of bovine luteinizing hormone. The effects of their modification on receptor site binding and subunit-subunit interaction.

The modification of the carboxyl groups of the subunits of bovine luteinizing hormone to neutral derivatives by carbodiimide-mediated coupling with glycine methyl ester has been studied. The modified alpha subunit, which has 8 residues of glycine methyl ester incorporated, will no longer recombine with native beta (hormone-specific) subunit, but the modified beta subunit, with 6 to 7 glycine methyl esters incorporated, will recombine with native alpha to yield a partially active hormone. Derivatization of the intact hormone results in dissociation to subunits together with formation of a major side product which is covalently cross-linked. Significant cross-linked product was not obtained during modification of individual subunits, thus indicating an orientation between an activated carboxyl group(s) and a nucleophile(s) in the intact hormone which favors coupling. Separation of subunits from the derivatized, noncross-linked fraction by countercurrent distribution reveals a heterogeneous preparation of the modified alpha subunit which also will not recombine with either a native or modified beta subunit. The beta subunit from the modified intact hormone was indistinguishable from the modified isolated beta subunit in amino acid composition and in ability to recombine with native alpha subunit. The results are consonant with data from this and other laboratories in which various modifications of the alpha chain, the subunit common to the glycoproteins, more seriously affect recombination than similar modifications of the beta subunits. The number of carboxyl groups modified in each subunit is compatible with but not in total agreement with assignments of amides reported from sequence studies.     

Kinetics of recombination of the subunits of human chorionic gonadotropin. Effect of subunit concentration.

The rate of formation of human chorionic gonadotropin from its alpha and beta subunits has been measured at neutral pH and 37 degrees C as a function of subunit concentration, using the fluorescence probe, 1,8-anilinoaphthalene-sulfonate (ANS), to monitor the reaction. The subunits were prepared by acid dissociation of the intact hormone (pH less than or equal to 2, 37 degrees C). Following neutralization, the rate of appearance of ANS fluorescence was identical with the rate of recovery of receptor binding activity and both of these properties were completely recovered. Kinetic data obtained over a 100-fold range of subunit concentrations (1.5 to 146 muM) were not compatible with a simple second-order reaction scheme, but required at least one additional step. The data were best fit by a model in which the subunits reversibly form an intermediate complex (alpha + beta in equilibrium alphabeta) which then undergoes a conformational rearrangement to form the native structure (alphabeta leads to H). Ultraviolet difference absorption measurements suggest that most of the change in the environment of the tyrosyl residues occurs during this second step.     

Reaction of tetranitromethane with lutropin, oxytocin, and vasopressin.

Tetranitromethane reaction with intact ovine lutropin and its isolated subunits was studied using spectrophotometric measurements, amino acid analysis, and isolation of tyrosyl peptides. Tyrosyl residues in the beta subunit (beta37, beta59) did not react with tetranitromethane in the intact hormone, but were nitrated in the isolated subunit. The sequence and extent of reaction of tetranitromethane with the tyrosyl residues in the alpha subunit was alpha21 = alpha92 = alpha93 (in intact hormone or isolated subunit) greater than alpha 41 (reacted in isolated subunit only) greater than alpha 30 (reacted in isolated subunit in 8 M urea only). Polymerization was observed as a side reaction in agreement with previous studies. The degree of polymerization appeared to be related to both primary sequence and tertiary structure, and for lutropin had the relation: alpha subunit (93% polymerized) greater than intact hormone greater than beta subunit (less than 40%). Polymerization observed with vasopressin was significantly greater than with oxytocin; for these peptides the tyrosine residues in the monomeric product were converted to 3-nitrotyrosine. Neither 3-nitrotyrosine nor tyrosine was detected in the polymerized by-products. In the tetranitromethane reaction with intact ovine lutropin, other reaction products charcterized by absorption spectra were found. Peptides isolated from these products lacked the characteristic 428 nm abosrption maxima of 3-nitrotyrosyl peptides and showed instead absorption in the 310 to 350 nm region. Similar products from tetranitromethane reactions with di- and tripeptides containing tyrosine have been observed previously (Boyd, N.D., and Smith, D.B. (1971) Can. J. Biochem, 49, 154-161), but they have not been studied in proteins. A possible relationship to the polymerization side reaction is suggested.     

Effect of conformation of hCG-beta on generation of hCG-specific antibody

Most antisera generated to isolated highly purified beta subunits of human glycoprotein hormones are not sufficiently sensitive to detect physiologic blood levels of the native hormone. In the dissociated state, beta subunits assume a conformation different from that in the native hormone. Since antisera to alpha subunits have essentially no cross-reactivity between species, highly purified hCG-beta was combined with bTSH-alpha. That hybrid served as immunogen to assess whether sensitive, specific hCG antisera would more likely result than using hCG-beta alone. Of five animals immunized, three developed sufficiently sensitive and specific antisera. The results of these studies strongly suggests that human glycoprotein beta subunits combined with non-human alpha subunit are more likely to yield specific, sensitive antisera than when either isolated beta subunit or the native human glycoprotein hormone, containing common alpha determinants, serves as immunogen.     

Deglycosylation of gonadotropins with an endoglycosidase

A commercially available endoglycosidase (N-glycanase, Genzyme, Boston, Mass.) purified from Flavobacterium meningosepticum with a specificity for cleaving asparagine-linked carbohydrate moieties in glycoproteins was tested on several pituitary and chorionic gonadotropins as substrates. All intact hormones tested were resistant to the action of the enzyme as were all beta subunits from the respective gonadotropins. All alpha subunits, however, were susceptible to the enzyme as evidenced by a decrease in molecular size when examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Preparative experiments with ovine luteinizing hormone subunit (oLH alpha) indicated that only 35-40% of the carbohydrate was removed after N-glycanase treatment, suggesting that perhaps only one of the two carbohydrate moieties was cleavable under the conditions employed. The enzyme-modified subunit (DG-oLH alpha) was able to recombine with untreated oLH beta. An in vitro steroidogenic bioassay (rat Leydig cell) showed that the recombinant (DG-oLH alpha-oLH beta) was about 22% as potent as the native oLH, but in a testicular membrane binding assay for LH, it was equal in potency to the native hormone in competing with the radioligand.     

Composition of cross-linked 125I-follitropin-receptor complexes

Both of the alpha and beta subunits of intact human follitropin (FSH) were radioiodinated with 125I-sodium iodide and chloramine-T and could be resolved on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Radioiodinated FSH was affinity-cross-linked with a cleavable (nondisulfide) homobifunctional reagent to its membrane receptor on the porcine granulosa cell surface as well as to a Triton X-100-solubilized form of the receptor. Cross-linked samples revealed three additional bands of slower electrophoretic mobility, corresponding to 65, 83, and 117 kDa, in addition to the hormone bands. The hormone alpha beta dimer band corresponded to 43 kDa. Formation of the three bands requires the 125I-hormone to bind specifically to the receptor with subsequent cross-linking. Binding was prevented by an excess of the native hormone but not by other hormones. A monofunctional analog of the cross-linking reagent failed to produce the three bands. Reagent concentration-dependent cross-linking revealed that their formation was sequential; smaller complexes formed first and then larger ones. When gels of cross-linked complexes were treated to cleave covalent cross-links and then electrophoresed in a second dimension, 18-, 22-, and 34-kDa components were released, in addition to the alpha and beta subunits of the hormone.     

The position of the alpha and beta subunits in a single chain variant of human chorionic gonadotropin affects the heterodimeric interaction of the subunits and receptor-binding epitopes

The glycoprotein hormone family represents a class of heterodimers, which include the placental hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (CG) and the anterior pituitary hormones follitropin, lutropin, and thyrotropin. They are composed of common alpha subunit and a hormone-specific beta subunit. Based on the CG crystal structure, it was suggested that the quaternary subunit interactions are crucial for biological activity. However, recent observations using single chain glycoprotein hormone analogs, where the beta and alpha subunits are linked (NH(2)-CGbeta-alpha; CGbetaalpha orientation), implied that the heterodimeric-like quaternary configuration is not a prerequisite for receptor binding/signal transduction. To study the heterodimeric alignment of the two subunit domains in a single chain and its role in the intracellular behavior and biological action of the hormone, a single chain CG variant was constructed in which the carboxyl terminus of alpha was fused to the CGbeta amino terminus (NH(2)-alpha-CGbeta; alphaCGbeta orientation). The secretion rate of alphaCGbeta from transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was less than that seen for CGbetaalpha. The alphaCGbeta tether was not recognized by dimer-specific monoclonal antibodies and did not bind to lutropin/CG receptor. To define if one or both subunit domains were modified in alphaCGbeta, it was co-transfected with a monomeric alpha or CGbeta gene. In each case, alphaCGbeta/alpha and alphaCGbeta/CGbeta complexes were formed indicating that CG dimer-specific epitopes were established. The alphaCGbeta/alpha complex bound to receptor indicating that the beta domain in the alphaCGbeta tether was still functional. In contrast, no significant receptor binding of alphaCGbeta/CGbeta was observed indicating a major perturbation in the alpha domain. These results suggest that although dimeric-like determinants are present in both alphaCGbeta/alpha and alphaCGbeta/CGbeta complexes, the receptor binding determinants in the alpha domain of the tether are absent. These results show that generating heterodimeric determinants do not necessarily result in a bioactive molecule. Our data also indicate that the determinants for biological activity are distinct from those associated with intracellular behavior.     

The role of dissimilar subunits of NAD-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase from pig heart. Evaluation using affinity labeling

NAD-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase from pig heart is composed of three dissimilar subunits present in the native enzyme as 2 alpha:1 beta: 1 gamma, with a tetramer being the smallest form of complete enzyme. The role of these subunits has been explored using affinity labeling. Specifically labeled subunits are separated and then recombined with unmodified subunits to form dimers. Recombination of beta or gamma subunits modified by the isocitrate analogues, 3-bromo-2-ketoglutarate and 3,4-didehydro-2-ketoglutarate, with unmodified alpha subunit led to the same activity in the dimer as when unmodified beta or gamma was combined with alpha. Contrastingly, modification of alpha with these isocitrate analogues led to loss in activity either alone or when recombined with beta or gamma. Hence, the isocitrate site on alpha is required for catalytic activity but the isocitrate sites on beta or gamma are not necessary for the activity of the functional dimer. Reaction of isolated subunits with 3-bromo-2-ketoglutarate shows that alpha and the alpha beta dimer are modified at about the same rate as holoenzyme, suggestive of similarity of the isocitrate site in native enzyme and in isolated active entities containing alpha subunit; in contrast, beta and gamma subunits react more slowly. Modification by the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of the allosteric effector, ADP, led to loss of activity in reconstituted dimers, independent of which subunit was modified. Reaction of isolated subunits with the dialdehyde derivative of ADP is slow compared to the initial reaction with native enzyme, indicating differences in the effects of ADP on intact enzyme and subunits. The ADP sites on all subunits may thus be important in intersubunit interactions, which in turn modulate catalytic activity.     

Internalization and degradation of receptor-bound human choriogonadotropin in Leydig tumor cells. Fate of the hormone subunits

The studies presented herein were aimed at characterizing the pathway involved in the internalization and degradation of human choriogonadotropin by cultured Leydig tumor cells. A quick biochemical method that differentiates between the surface-bound and internalized hormone was developed. Using this method and two hormone derivatives labeled exclusively (with 125I) in the alpha or beta subunits, it was possible to follow the fate of each hormone subunit during hormone binding, internalization, and degradation. The results show that the hormone is internalized in the intact form and that it reaches its place of degradation (presumably the lysosomes) in the intact form. The pathway for degradation of the internalized hormone is complex, and it appears to involve processing of one or both subunits of the intact hormone, followed by subunit dissociation and further degradation of the individual subunits. The alpha subunit is quickly degraded by the cells. The only detectable degradation products are extracellular amino acids. The beta subunit is degraded slower, and several intracellular degradation products are detectable before amino acids appear in the medium.     

In vitro activation of glycoprotein hormones. Hybridization of subunits from thyrotropin, lutropin and human choriogonadotropin.

In vitro assembly of thyrotropin alpha and beta subunits led to an increase in content of alpha helix and beta sheet very similar to that found for gonadotropins. This association-dependent active folding involved the burying of three tyrosine residues tentatively assigned to Tyr alpha 41, Tyr beta 37 and Tyr beta 59 and common to all studied glycoprotein hormones. In vitro hybridizations between alpha and beta subunits of various hormones (thyrotropin, lutropin and choriogonadotropin) from different species (ovine, bovine and human) triggered the same molecular events as assembly of homologous subunits: the burying of three tyrosine residues and the increase of periodic structure of the folding. These changes are slow, time-dependent processes. Rates and yields of hybrid formation measured by sedimentation analysis and difference spectroscopy of tyrosines are identical, within experimental error, with the rates and yields measured by the recovery of the biological activity either the stimulation of chick thyroids for thyrotropin-beta hybrids or binding to porcine testis receptors for gonadotropin-beta hybrids. Whatever the origin of the alpha subunit, the thyrotropin-beta hybrids were not able to bind to testis receptors although active on chick thyroids. Rates and yields of hybrid formation essentially depended on the origin of the beta subunit. All the hybrids could be dissociated at acid pH with rates similar to those of native hormone. The extension to thyrotropin and various hybrids of the structural features of the in vitro assembly already recognized for gonadotropins strengthens the hypothesis that one deals with a basic activation process which also occurs in vivo after the synthesis of the subunits.     

Studies on modification of tryptophan, methionine, tyrosine and arginine residues of human follicle-stimulating hormone and its subunits.

Based on the regeneration of the hormonal activity following recombination, the alpha and beta subunits of human follicle-stimulating hormone have been designated as 'functional' or 'nonfunctional'. Chemical modifications of the tryptophan, methionine, tyrosine and arginine residues of human follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and the 'functional' human follicle-stimulating hormone alpha and beta subunits have indicated that the tryptophan in human follicle-stimulating hormone-beta and human luteinizing hormone-beta is essential for the biological activity. The iodination of human follicle-stimulating hormone-alpha did not interfere with the hormonal activity. The modification of arginine abolishes the biological activity of the hormones. The accessibility of tyrosine and methionine in human follicle-stimulating hormone-alpha, of arginine in both native hormones and subunits, and the non-availability of the tryptophan residues to 2-hydroxy 5-nitrobenzyl bromide suggest that the alpha subunit lies on the surface of the native molecule.     

Bovine follitropin. Isolation and characterization of the native hormone and its alpha and beta subunits

1) A reproducible procedure was developed for the purification of bovine follitropin. 2) The method involved ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange and adsorption chromatography, concanacaline-A-Sepharose chromatography and gel filtration. 3) A specific radioligand receptor assay was used to monitor each chromatographical step. 4) The potency of highly purified bovine follitropin as measured by Steelman and Pohley bioassay was 62 times the NIH-FSH-B1 standard preparation. 5) Contaminations of bovine follitropin by other glycoprotein hormones such as thyrotropin and lutropin amounted to 3 and 0.45 per cent by weight respectively as measured by specific radioimmunoassays and radioligand receptor assays. 6) The subunits alpha and beta of bovine follitropin were obtained by incubation in acidic urea, the chains being then separated by anion exchange chromatography. The subunits were subjitted to complete characterization. The amino-terminal residue of the alpha subunit is phenylalanine while a half cystine residue was found at the aminoterminal end of the beta chain. 8) Cross-contamination of the alpha and beta subunit preparations was measured by specific radioimmunoassays and amounted to 0.02 and 0.1 per cent by weight respectively.     

Effects of beta subunit acylation on lutropin receptor site binding.

The effects of various modifications on the beta subunit of lutropin have been studied using the binding characteristics of the reconstituted hormone in the rat testicular radioligand assay. Conditions for iodinating lutropin and lutropin derivatives were determined which resulted in 15 per cent specific binding when tested immediately and retention of 6 to 7 per cent specific binding even after storage for 6 months. Acetimidinyl, acetyl, and carbamyl derivatives of the beta subunit were prepared and combined with unmodified alpha subunit to form reconstituted lutropin. Modification of the beta subunit was shown to have no effect on the time course of binding to testicular receptors or, with one exception, on the extent of receptor saturation. Very high concentrations of lutropin reconstituted with acetylated beta subunit showed an anomalous binding behavior. Scatchard plots of the binding data support the view that the native hormone has a unique receptor affinity which is irreversibly disrupted by separation of subunits and that derivatization of the beta subunit does not alter this parameter further. These data also suggest that there are no significant differences in the amino groups modified on the beta subunit. Competition and preincubation tests for receptor sites that reacted only with modified lutropin and not with the native hormone were negative.     

Follitropin receptors in rat testis. Characterization with enzymatically 125I-labeled human follitropin.

The interaction between enzymatically radioiodinated human follitropin and the follitropin receptors in testis homogenate was investigated in immature and adult rats. The 125I-labeled human follitropin exhibited high binding activity with specific binding of up to 17% in the presence of an excess of testis homogenate. Approx. 50% of the bound hormone could be eluted at pH 5, and the receptor purified tracer exhibited a 3.6-fold increase in binding activity when compared with the original tracer preparation. Quantitative analysis of equilibrium binding data was performed with corrections for the measured specific activity and maximum binding activity of the tracer hormone. The equilibrium association constants (Ka) determined 24 degrees C were not significantly different in immature and adult rat testis, and the mean value for Ka was 3.9 . 10(9) M-1. At 37 degrees C, the Ka value obtained using immature rat testis was 1.3 . 10(10) M-1. The association of 125I-labeled human follitropin with immature rat testis homogenate was time and temperature dependent. In the presence of an excess of unlabeled hormone, 30--60% of the preformed hormone . receptor complex was dissociated after 24 h incubation. A specific and sensitive radioligand-receptor assay for follitropin was developed using immature rat testis homogenate. The minimum detectable dose of purified human follitropin was 0.6 ng, and human urinary and pituitary follitropin, ovine follitropin and pregnant mare serum gonadotropin reacted in the assay with equivalent slopes. The potencies of highly purified pregnent mare serum gonadotropin and highly purified human follitropin were similar in the radioligand-receptor assay, consistent with the follitropin bioactivity of the equine gonadotropin.     

Studies on the subunits of Escherichia coli coenzyme A transferase. Reconstitution of an active enzyme.

The alpha and beta subunits of the acetyl-CoA:acetoacetate-CoA transferase were purified by isoelectric focusing of the enzyme in the presence of 6 M urea. The purified beta subunit, in which the active center of the enzyme is located, exhibits low catalytic activity (2% of the specific activity of the native enzyme) which is stimulated 5-6-fold in the presence of an equimolar concentration of alpha subunit. The presence of the substrate,acetoacetyl-CoA, is required to recover the catalytic activity of the beta subunit and mixtures containing purified alpha and beta subunits. When the enzyme is dissociation in the presence of 6 M urea and the subunits are not fractioned, removal of the urea by dialysis results in the recovery of 88-98% of enzymic activity and the native alpha2beta2 subunit structure. However, analysis of this renatured enzyme by immunochemical techniques shows that the enzyme does not refold to a completely native conformation. This renatured enzyme exhibits an immunological reactivity more closely resembling the isolated alpha subunit. The results indicate that the alpha subunit serves as a structural subunit, or possible a maturation subunit, imposing a conformation on the beta subunit that is catalytically more competent.     

Porcine follitropin. Isolation and characterization of the native hormone and its alpha and beta subunits

The properties of porcine follitropin and its subunits which have not yet been characterized are presented. The porcine follitropin obtained has a biological potency of 81 times the National Institutes of Health Porcine Follitropin P-1 preparation. Its contamination by lutropin and thyrotropin amounted to 1 and 0.5 percent by weight respectively, as measured by radioimmunoassay. The alpha and beta subunits of porcine follitropin were obtained by incubation in an acidic urea solution followed by anion exchange chromatography. The amino acid composition of porcine follitropin alpha subunit was found to be identical to that of alpha chain of porcine lutropin and thyrotropin. These porcine alpha chains differ, nevertheless, markedly in their carbohydrate composition particularly with respect to their mannose and galactose contents. The amino-terminal residue of the follitropin alpha subunit is threonyl. The carboxy-terminal end of the alpha chain is of variable length. Cysteyl residue was detected at the aminoterminal end of the follitropin beta chain with glutamic acid at its carboxy-terminal end. Cross-contamination of the alpha and beta subunit preparations was measured by specific radioimmunoassay and amounted to 0.5 and 0.1 percent by weight respectively.