Photoaffinity labeling of opioid receptor of rat brain membranes with 125+I(d-Ala2, p-N3-Phe4-Met5)enkephalin

A photoreactive (d-Ala², p-N₃-Phe⁴-Met⁵)enkephalin derivative was prepared, iodinated with carrier-free ¹²⁵I, and then purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The purified radioactive photoprobe was monoiodinated at the amino terminal tyrosine residue. This radioactive photoprobe was used to photoaffinity label membranes prepared from the rat brain (minus cerebellum) and the spinal cord. The photolabeled membranes were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. A 46,000-Da protein was specifically photolabeled in these membrane preparations. The photolabeling of this protein was inhibited by peptides related to enkephalin but not by unrelated substance P or gastrin tetrapeptide. A concentration-dependent inhibition of the photolabeling of the 46,000-Da protein was observed in the presence of competing ligands specific for the μ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors. These data demonstrate that the radioactive photoprobe labels the μ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors. Although there is no evidence available to show that the 46,000-Da protein is identical in all the cases, our data strongly suggest that it is a binding protein common to all of the opioid receptor subtypes.     

Relationship of CCK/gastrin receptor binding to amylase release in dog pancreatic acini

Effects of synthetic peptides belonging to the CCK/gastrin family (CCK-39, CCK-8, G/CCK-4, G-17ns) on amylase release in dog pancreatic acini have been measured and correlated with binding of three radio-labelled CCK/gastrin peptides: ¹²⁵I-BH-(Thr,Nle)-CCK-9, ¹²⁵I-BH-(2–17)G-17ns and ¹²⁵I-BH-G/CCK-4 prepared by conjugation of the peptides to iodinated Bolton-Hunter reagent and purified by reverse-phase-HPLC. All the CCK/gastrin peptides produced the same maximal amylase release response. Half-maximal responses (D₅₀) were obtained with 2 · 10^?10 M CCK-8; 6 · 10^?10 M CCK-39; 10^?7 M G.17 ns and 2 · 10^?6 M G/CCK-4. Dose-response curves for G-17 ns and G/CCK-4 were similar in configuration but not parallel with those for CCK-8 and CCK-39.Binding studies with ¹²⁵I-BH(Thr,Nle)-CCK-9 demonstrated the presence of specific CCK receptors on dog pancreatic acini. There was a good correlation between receptor occupancy by CCK-8 and CCK-39 and amylase stimulation since maximal amylase stimulation was achieved when 40–50% of high affinity receptors were occupied. In contrast, a saturation of these receptors was required for maximal stimulation by G-17 ns and G/CCK-4 suggesting the existence of a fraction of receptors that can be occupied by G-17 ns and G/CCK-4 without stimulation of amylase release. Binding studies with labelled (2–17)-G-17 ns and G/CCK-4 confirmed the presence of high affinity sites for G-17 ns and G/CCK-4. These sites were not related to amylase release.This study points out a possible species specificity of biological action of gastrin/CCK peptides on pancreatic exocrine secretion in higher mammals.     

Preparation of 125I-labeled secretin of high specific radioactivity.

A simple and rapid method of preparing ¹²⁵I-labeled secretin of high specific radioactivity has been developed. Synthetic porcine secretin was iodinated with Na[¹²⁵I] by a modification of the chloramine T method. Purification and separation of labeled from unlabeled secretin was achieved by chromatography on SP-Sephadex C-25 column. The labeled secretin possessed specific radioactivity as high as 500–550 μCi/μg.     

Global Shapes of F-actin Depolymerization-competent Minimal Gelsolins: INSIGHT INTO THE ROLE OF g2-g3 LINKER IN pH/Ca2+ INSENSITIVITY OF THE FIRST HALF*

Because of its ability to rapidly depolymerize F-actin, plasma gelsolin has emerged as a therapeutic molecule in different disease conditions. High amounts of exogenous gelsolin are, however, required to treat animal models of different diseases. Knowing that the F-actin depolymerizing property of gelsolin resides in its N terminus, we made several truncated versions of plasma gelsolin. The smaller versions, particularly the one composed of the first 28–161 residues, depolymerized the F-actin much faster than the native gelsolin and other truncates at the same molar ratios. Although G1-G3 loses its dependence on Ca²⁺ or low pH for the actin depolymerization function, interestingly, G1-G2 and its smaller versions were found to regain this requirement. Small angle x-ray scattering-based shape reconstructions revealed that G1-G3 adopts an open shape in both the presence and the absence of Ca²⁺ as well as low pH, whereas G1-G2 and residues 28–161 prefer collapsed states in Ca²⁺-free conditions at pH 8. The mutations in the g2-g3 linker resulted in the calcium sensitivity of the mutant G1-G3 for F-actin depolymerization activity, although the F-actin-binding sites remained exposed in the mutant G1-G3 as well as in the smaller truncates even in the Ca²⁺-free conditions at pH 8. Furthermore, unlike wild type G1-G3, calcium-sensitive mutants of G1-G3 acquired closed shapes in the absence of free calcium, implying a role of g2-g3 linker in determining the open F-actin depolymerizing-competent shape of G1-G3 in this condition. We demonstrate that the mobility of the G1 domain, essential for F-actin depolymerization, is indirectly regulated by the gelsolin-like sequence of g2-g3 linker.     

Identification of the iodine-sensitive tyrosines in porcine pepsin

Porcine pepsin was iodinated at pH 6.0 and 37° with a 13-fold molar excess of [¹²⁵I]triiodide. Loss of proteolytic activity levelled off at 75 ± 5%, and 2.8 ± 0.1 gram atoms of iodine were incorporated per mole of enzyme. Pepsin, iodinated in this manner, was digested with chymotrypsin. The bulk of the label was located in two peptides with the sequences: Leu-Gly-Gly-Ile-Asp-Ser-Ser-diiodoTyr-Tyr and Ile-Gly-Asp-Glu-Pro-Leu-Asn-iodoTyr. The latter peptide is the N-terminal sequence of pepsin. It is postulated that one or both of these tyrosines may form part of the secondary binding site of pepsin.     

Isolation and characterization of the plasma membrane of L-1210 cells. Iodination as a marker for the plasma membrane

Mouse leukemia L-1210 cells were iodinated with ¹²⁵I; this permitted the development of a method for the isolation of the plasma membranes. These show a 10- to 16-fold increase in the specific activity of ¹²⁵I over that of the cell homogenate and a 20-fold increase in the specific activities of 5′-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphate; no mitochondrial or microsomal marker enzyme activities were detected. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of the plasma membranes shows approx. 40 peptides with molecular weights ranging from 10 000 to over 200 000; a polypeptide ($\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ 50 000) predominates. Of 13 iodinated surface membrane proteins, the major radioactive peptide has a molecular weight of 85 000. The importance of the selection of the appropriate gel sytem for the analysis of membrane proteins is emphasized.     

Localization of the 5S RNA genes in Zea mays by RNA-DNA hybridization in situ

5S RNA was extracted from Zea mays tissue and iodinated in vitro with ¹²⁵I to a high specific activity. Acrylamide gel electrophoresis of the ¹²⁵I-5S RNA, 11/2 weeks after iodination demonstrated that most of the 5S RNA molecules were degraded to half-size or smaller. In situ hybridization with this iodinated RNA to pachytene microsporocyte chromosomes showed that the 5S RNA cistrons are located near the end of the long arm of chromosome 2. No obvious association of the 5S locus with the nucleolus was seen during pachytene or later stages.     

The radioactive labeling of proteins with an iodinated amidination reagent.

An iodinated derivative of the imidoester methyl p-hydroxybenzimidate HCl (MPHBIM) has been synthesized for the selective labeling of proteins to high specific activity with radioactive iodine. In the first step, MPHBIM is reacted with radioactive iodide in the presence of chloramine T, and the iodinated derivative is precipitated from acidified solution to achieve partial purification. In the second step, the iodinated imidoester is redissolved at slightly alkaline pH and reacted with protein amino groups, to which it couples by amidine linkage. The coupling reaction proceeds in the presence of sulfhydryl reagents used to protect proteins. The main advantage of this two-step labeling procedure is that it avoids direct contact of the protein with potentially deleterious materials such as chloramine T or contaminants of the radioactive iodide.     

Purification of monoiodinated vasointestinal peptide (M125I-VIP) by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)

In our developed reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, four forms of M¹²⁵I-VIP have been isolated free from unlabled VIP and other iodinated components. The quicker eluting M¹²⁵I-VIP forms (oxidised and reduced) have a consistently and significantly low non-specific binding with specific target cells of VIP (HT-29) as compared to the late eluting forms of VIP. The retention time is considerably increased when the molecule of VIP is fully iodinated.     

Gelsolin-Like Domain 3 Plays Vital Roles in Regulating the Activities of the Lily Villin/Gelsolin/Fragmin Superfamily

The villin/gelsolin/fragmin superfamily is a major group of Ca²⁺-dependent actin-binding proteins (ABPs) involved in various cellular processes. Members of this superfamily typically possess three or six tandem gelsolin-like (G) domains, and each domain plays a distinct role in actin filament dynamics. Although the activities of most G domains have been characterized, the biochemical function of the G3 domain remains poorly understood. In this study, we carefully compared the detailed biochemical activities of ABP29 (a new member of this family that contains the G1-G2 domains of lily ABP135) and ABP135_G1-G3 (which contains the G1-G3 domains of lily ABP135). In the presence of high Ca²⁺ levels in vitro (200 and 10 μM), ABP135_G1-G3 exhibited greater actin severing and/or depolymerization and nucleating activities than ABP29, and these proteins had similar actin capping activities. However, in the presence of low levels of Ca²⁺ (41 nM), ABP135_G1-G3 had a weaker capping activity than ABP29. In addition, ABP29 inhibited F-actin depolymerization, as shown by dilution-mediated depolymerization assay, differing from the typical superfamily proteins. In contrast, ABP135_G1-G3 accelerated F-actin depolymerization. All of these results demonstrate that the G3 domain plays specific roles in regulating the activities of the lily villin/gelsolin/fragmin superfamily proteins.     

N-chloroacetyl-[125I]iodotyramine: an alkylating agent with high specific activity

The preparation of iodinated N-chloroacetyltyramine and its evaluation as a specific sulfhydryl reagent are described. N-Chloroacetyltyramine was synthesized by a carbodiimide-mediated condensation of chloro- or iodoacetic acid and tyramine·HCL, and the crystalline product was iodinated in a reaction with chloramine T to yield either a 3,5-[¹²⁵I]diiodotyramine derivative, or a trace-iodinated product when carrier-free ¹²⁵I was employed. These iodinated derivatives react specifically with sulfhydryl groups, as judged by their ability to label reduced but not unreduced ribonuclease A and immunoglobulin E. Specific activities of 1 Ci/mmole in ¹²⁵I or ¹³¹I can be readily achieved with both the diiodinated and trace-iodinated (carrier-free) derivatives, and the specific activity of the former can be used directly to quantitate sulfhydryl groups in subnanomolar quantities of protein. N-Chloroacetyl ¹²⁵I-labeled tyramine prepared by trace iodination with carrier-free ¹²⁵I is more useful when very high specific activities (100–1000 mCi/μmol) are required. The utility of these reagents is discussed.     

Characterization and regional distribution of calcitonin binding sites in the rat brain

Binding sites for calcitonin (CT), as assayed by the displacable binding of [125-I] iodo salmon CT ([125-I]sCT), were found on a membrane fraction prepared from rat brain. The half times of association varied between 23 and 7 min as a function of the temperatures used in the incubation medium, ranging from 6° to 37°C. Salmon CT in amounts as low as 10^?10 M inhibited the binding of [125-I]sCT to the membranes, whereas the virtually biologically inactive free acid of human CT and human CT sulfone did not affect the binding. The specific binding of [125-I]sCT to the membranes was directed to structural and/or conformational features in the COOH-terminal half of salmon CT. 133 to 8,900 times higher amounts of porcine CT and human CT and analogues thereof were required to achieve an inhibition of binding equal to that produced by salmon CT. Sixty-seven percent of specific binding of labeled hormone was not dissociable, even after 6 h of incubation with an excess of unlabeled hormone. [125-I]sCT extracted from the membranes was not degraded, as judged by gel permeation chromatography, and retained binding activity. Specific binding was highest in the hypothalamus, followed by the brainstem. It was intermediate in the midbrain-thalamus and the striatum, lower in the cortex and negligible in the hippocampus, and cerebellum and the spinal cord.     

125I labelled inulin: a convenient marker for deposition of liposomal contents in vivo

The utility of an iodinated derivative of inulin (¹²⁵I-tyraminyl-inulin, ¹²⁵ITI) for reporting $\text{in vivo}$ tissue distributions of liposomal contents is described. It is shown, employing a rat model, that this probe satisfies the criteria that the free form is rapidly cleared from the circulation and excreted, whereas ¹²⁵ITI encapsulated in large unilamellar vesicle (LUV) systems and subsequently taken up in various tissues exhibits a long (>3 days) retention time. Further, high specific activities (>1 μCi per μ1) are easily achievable, allowing low LUV dose levels (≤2.5 μmole phospholipid/kg body weight) to be employed. Minimal tissue workups for quantitation of ¹²⁵ITI distributions are required. It is concluded that from criteria of sensitivity, expense and simplicity, ¹²⁵ITI is a most convenient probe for characterizing liposome deposition $\text{in vivo}$.     

An enzymatic solid-phase method for trace iodination of proteins and peptides with 125-iodine.

Solid-phase methodology has previously been applied to labeling of proteins and peptide hormones used in immunoassay with the aid of enzyme sorbent. In this publication a method based on the use of a new carrier-copolymer of maleic anhydride and butanediol divinylether is introduced. As a model, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was labeled using three different procedures: Chemical, with chloramine-T as oxidizing agent: enzymatic, in a liquid phase with lactoperoxidase (LP) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP); and enzymatic, in a solid phase with maleic anhydride butanediol divinylether-copolymer as the carrier of lactoperoxidase and horseradish peroxidase.The lactoperoxidase-mediated iodinating activity in both the liquid and solid phases was similar (incorporating 47 and 39% for the total ¹²⁵iodine added, 1 $\text{mCi}\text{10 μ}\text{g BSA}$), while HRP was more efficient in a liquid (11%) than in a solid phase (3%).Although the specific activity of the BSA labeled with chloramine-T was highest, this ¹²⁵I-labeled BSA was badly degraded during iodination. However, in either liquid or solid phase enzymatic iodinations, no degradation of the protein could be observed.Peptide hormones, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone and angiotensin II, iodinated with lactoperoxidase or lactoperoxidase sorbent for radioimmunoassays reacted better than peptide hormones iodinated with chemical oxidants and remained unaltered during storage.     

Synthesis of [3,5-125I]triiodo-l-thyronine of high specific activity

Two methods for the synthesis of [3,5-¹²⁵I]triiodo-l-thyronine of high specific activity are described. This triiodthyronine which carries the iodine label exclusively in the nonphenolic ring has not been available so far. Both methods start from [3,5-¹²⁵I]diiodo-l-thyronine which is iodinated either with iodine in potassium iodide or with iodide and chloramine T. The concentration of the iodinating agent is critical in both methods and the pH of the reaction mixture must be high enough (～11) to cause complete ionization of the phenolic group of the substrate. The triiodothyronine obtained in over 70% yield is purified by ion-exchange chromatography.     

Metabolism of [3H]gibberellin A5 in developing pharbitis nil seeds

The native gibberellin A₅ (GA₅), as [1-³H]GA₅ (3.2 Ci/mmol) was fed to seed capsules (0.58 μCi/capsule) of Pharbitis nil cv Violet at the 2-week stage of development, and its metabolism in the seeds was investigated after 43 hr. Extractable radioactivity in free GA metabolites was 38%, with 56% in GA glucosyl conjugate-like substances. Only 2.5% of the extractable radioactivity remained as [³H]GA₅. Tentative identifications, based on comparisons with authentic standards after sequential chromatography on silica gel partition column → gradient-eluted C₁₈ HPLC → isocratic-eluted C₁₈ HPLC-radiocounting (RC), showed that [³H]GA₅ was converted to at least six free GAs, GA₁, GA₃, GA₆, GA₈, GA₂₂, GA₂₉, a GA₅ methyl ester-like metabolite, and at least twelve GA glucosyl conjugate-like substances, GA₅-glucoside (GA₅-G), GA₅-glucosyl ester (GA₅-GE), GA₁-O(3)-G, GA₁-O(13)-G, GA₁-GE, GA₃-O(3)-G, GA₃-O(13)-G, GA₃-GE, GA₆-G or GE, GA₈-O(2)-G, GA₂₂-G or GE and GA₂₉-O(2)-G. After lower specific activity feeds of [1,2-³H]GA₅ (74 mCi/mmol; 0.1 μCi/capsule) at approximately the same stage of development, the presence of GA₁, GA₃, GA₅, GA₆, GA₈ and GA₂₉ was further confirmed by sequential (after C₁₈ HPLC-RC) capillary gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring (GC-SIM), using six characteristic ions. However, for GA₂₂ only a trace of the parent ion was present at the appropriate retention time.     

Preparation and properties of biologically active radioiodinated parathyroid hormone

A constant-current microelectrolytic radioiodination method was used to label bovine parathyroid hormone (BPTH) with ¹²⁵I to an overall iodination ratio of 1:1 iodide atoms per PTH molecule. Such iodinated preparations were shown to be fully active in several bioassay systems: in vitro adenylate cyclase activation in rat renal and skeletal membranes, in vitro calcium release from rat calvaria, and the in vivo hypercalcemic response in chickens. Analysis by Sephadex G-15 chromatography after enzymatic digestion showed the radioiodine to be incorporated predominantly as monoiodotyrosine. Bioassay of iodinated preparations from which uniodinated hormone had been removed by isoelectric focusing showed essentially full hormonal activity. Such methods can be used to consistently produce radioiodinated biologically active preparations of BPTH 1–84 with high specific activity (2000 Ci/mmol).     

Partial purification and properties of diacylglycerol kinase from rat liver cytosol

Diacylglycerol:ATP kinase(EC 2.3.1.-) was highly purified (more than 2000-fold) from rat liver cytosol. The specific activity of the obtained enzyme was about 1.5 μmol phosphatidate formed/mg of protein/min. The purification procedures included ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, and finally affinity chromatography on ATP-agarose. The activities of diacylglycerol:GTP kinase and monoacylglycerol:ATP kinase were copurified throughout the procedures, forming a single peak together with diacylglycerol: ATP kinase. Furthermore, these kinase activities showed a single peak when the highly purified enzyme was analyzed by a sucrose density gradient centrifugation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The three kinase activities are, therefore, most likely catalyzed by a single enzyme. The kinase showed an apparent molecular weight of 121,000 on gel filtration and sedimented at 5.1 S in a sucrose gradient centrifugation. The apparent K_m values were 170 μm for ATP, 540 μm for GTP, and 3.0 μm for diacylglycerol. A number of nucleoside triphosphates and diphosphates competitively inhibited the kinase, in particular the activity utilizing GTP. Among the nucleotides tested, ADP was the most potent inhibitor (the apparent K_i:50 μm for diacylglycerol:ATP kinase and 42 μm for diacylglycerol:GTP kinase). The kinase required Mg²⁺ and deoxycholate for its activity, and the optimal pH was 8.0–8.5. No dependence on added phospholipids was observed.     

Purification of nitrate reductase from spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) by immunoaffinity chromatography using a monoclonal antibody

NADH-Nitrate reductase (EC 1.6.6.1) from spinach (Spinacea oleracea L. v. Noorman) has been purified to apparent homogeneity by immunoaffinity chromatography using a monoclonal antibody linked covalently to Sepharose 4B followed by affinity chromatography. A pre-column of covalently linked non-immune rat γ globulin prevented non-specific binding. The enzyme, released with 1 M KNO₃, was purified 1550-fold to a specific activity of 24.8 μmol NO₂⁻ produced min⁻¹, mg protein⁻¹ with a recovery of 60% of applied NADH-NR activity. Proteolytically ‘nicked’ subunits, detected by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) were removed by 5′-AMP Sepharose chromatography (Fido and Notton, Plant Sci. Lett., 37 (1984) 87).     

Retention of clostridial collagenase by primary cultures of parenchymal cells prepared from adult rat liver.

Significant levels of collagenase activity have been found in extracts of isolated rat hepatocytes, but not in extracts of rat liver. Hepatocytes prepared by perfusion of liver with ¹²⁵I-clostridial collagenase and washed repeatedly retained significant amounts of the radiolabeled proteases. During the first 24–48 hours of primary culture of the hepatocytes, the contaminating clostridial collagenase was rapidly inactivated and degraded as judged first, by loss of collagenase activity from both cell extracts and culture medium; and second, by release of ¹²⁵I into the medium largely in the form of iodinated small peptides.