Stability of isoproterenol bound to cyanogen bromide-activated agarose.

The chemical stability and release of isoproterenol bound by diazotation to an insoluble agarose matrix has been investigated. It is demonstrated, by a double labeling procedure (³H]isoproterenol and ¹⁴C]-spacer arm), that the bound ligand is readily released in a soluble form. This occurs primarily through a chemical hydrolysis of the arm-linked ligand from the cyanogen bromide-activated agarose, and can be observed under extensive washing procedures as well as under more “physiological” incubation conditions. The instability of the agarose-arm linkage should lead to a critical analysis of physiological effects obtained with agarose bound hormones in vitro.