Comparison of Indolidan Analog Binding Sites of Drug Antibody and Sarcoplasmic Reticulum with Inhibition of Cyclic AMP Phosphodiesterase

Abstract

Dihydropyridazinone(DHP) derivatives such as indolidan are positive inotropic agents that show inhibition of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase(PDE) activity. Indolidan inhibition is selective for PDE3 among the seven PDE gene families. DHP derivatives and related analogs have been used to define critical regions of the active site of PDE3 isoforms and radiolabeled analogs have been used to define indolidan sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) receptor sites. We report here studies comparing the structure-activity relationships (SAR) for PDE3 inhibition with indolidan binding to two types of sites: canine SR and a monoclonal antibody derived against indolidan conjugated to a hemocyanin. SR and monoclonal antibody binding both fit single-site, high affinity models (IC₅₀ = 1.2 and 62 nM) that were near 52 and 360 times that of SR PDE3. Indolidan and thirteen analogs showed similar competition with either SR ³H-LY186126 binding or SR PDE3 inhibition. Antibody binding maintained selectivity but showed a different rank order potency for SR binding. Indole ring C3 methylation increased and DHP ring C4′ methylation decreased indolidan monoclonal antibody binding while both substitutions increased SR binding. These studies support the hypothesis that SR PDE3 is a cardiotonic receptor site in myocardial membranes and indicate that models of the structural features of binding sites derived from inhibitor data alone could produce models with limited topography relative to the natural ligand.     

Effects of Potentiators of Muscular Contraction on Binding of Cations by Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

Anionic (NO₃^-, Br^-, I^-, and SCN^-) and cationic (Zn⁺⁺ and Cd⁺⁺) potentiators of the twitch output of skeletal muscle depress the active binding of Ca by sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle. Zinc and Cd exchange for Ca and Mg at the binding sites of the reticular membranes, whereas the anions effectively induce a replacement by Mg of Ca bound actively in the presence of ATP. In the absence of ATP, the passive binding of both Ca and Mg is increased by the anions tested. Furthermore, the anions increase the total capacity of the membrane fragments for passive cation binding. The Ca-stimulated ATPase activity of the membranes is inhibited by Zn and Cd, but not by the anions. Shifts in cations bound to muscle membrane systems caused by agents that increase the force of contraction developed during the twitch are considered to be the primary event modifying excitation-contraction coupling, and thus leading to potentiation.     

The Influence of Hydrogen Ion Concentration on Calcium Binding and Release by Skeletal Muscle Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

Calcium release and binding produced by alterations in pH were investigated in isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) from skeletal muscle. When the pH was abruptly increased from 6.46 to 7.82, after calcium loading for 30 sec, 80–90 nanomoles (nmole) of calcium/mg protein were released. When the pH was abruptly decreased from 7.56 to 6.46, after calcium loading for 30 sec, 25–30 nmole of calcium/mg protein were rebound. The calcium release process was shown to be a function of pH change: 57 nmole of calcium were released per 1 pH unit change per mg protein. The amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bound to the SR was not altered by the pH changes. The release phenomenon was not due to alteration of ATP concentration by the increased pH. Native actomyosin was combined with SR in order to study the effectiveness of calcium release from the SR by pH change in inducing super-precipitation of actomyosin. It was found that SR, in an amount high enough to inhibit superprecipitation at pH 6.5, did not prevent the process when the pH was suddenly increased to 7.3, indicating that the affinity of SR for calcium depends specifically on pH. These data suggest the possible participation of hydrogen ion concentration in excitation-contraction coupling.     

Binding,Activation, and Solubilization of the Ca2+-ATPase from Sarcoplasmic Reticulum by Nonionic Detergents

Interactions between delipidated Ca²⁺-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum and four nonionic detergents—dodecyl octaoxyethyleneglycol monoether (C₁₂E₈), Triton X-100, Brij 58, and Brij 35—were characterized with respect to activation of ATPase activity, binding, and solubilization. C₁₂E₈ and Triton X-100 activated the delipidated ATPase to at least 80% of the original activity at the critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), whereas Brij 58 and Brij 35 activated no more than 10% of the original activity. The inability of Brij 58 and Brij 35 to activate the delipidated enzyme was probably a result of reduced binding of these detergents below the CMCs; both detergents exhibited a sixteenfold reduction in binding at the CMC compared with C₁₂E₈. The two Brij detergents were also unable to solubilize the delipidated enzyme and form monomers, as determined by sedimentation experiments. Thus the reduced binding levels of these detergents may result from an inability to overcome protein/protein interactions in the delipidated preparation. However, the Brij detergents were capable of solubilizing active enzyme from membrane vesicles, although with lower efficiency than C₁₂E₈ and Triton X-100. These results suggest that Brij 58 and 35 may be useful for solubilization of membrane proteins without disrupting protein/protein interactions, while Triton X-100 and C₁₂E₈ are more useful when bulk solubilization is the goal.     

Probing Allosteric Binding Sites of the Maize Endosperm ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase

Maize (Zea mays) endosperm ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) is a highly regulated enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in starch biosynthesis. Although the structure of the heterotetrameric maize endosperm AGPase remains unsolved, structures of a nonnative, low-activity form of the potato tuber (Solanum tuberosum) AGPase (small subunit homotetramer) reported previously by others revealed that several sulfate ions bind to each enzyme. These sites are also believed to interact with allosteric regulators such as inorganic phosphate and 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA). Several arginine (Arg) side chains contact the bound sulfate ions in the potato structure and likely play important roles in allosteric effector binding. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis was applied to the corresponding Arg residues in both the small and large subunits of maize endosperm AGPase to determine their roles in allosteric regulation and thermal stability. Steady-state kinetic and regulatory parameters were measured for each mutant. All of the Arg mutants examined—in both the small and large subunits—bound 3-PGA more weakly than the wild type (A₅₀ increased by 3.5- to 20-fold). By contrast, the binding of two other maize AGPase allosteric activators (fructose-6-phosphate and glucose-6-phosphate) did not always mimic the changes observed for 3-PGA. In fact, compared to 3-PGA, fructose-6-phosphate is a more efficient activator in two of the Arg mutants. Phosphate binding was also affected by Arg substitutions. The combined data support a model for the binding interactions associated with 3-PGA in which allosteric activators and inorganic phosphate compete directly.ADP-Glc pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), a key enzyme in starch biosynthesis, catalyzes the formation of ADP-Glc from ATP and Glc-1-P (G-1-P). Maize (Zea mays) AGPase, like nearly all higher plant homologs, is a highly regulated heterotetramer containing two small and two large subunits. By contrast, virtually all bacterial forms of the enzyme are homotetramers. Evidence from eight independent plant transgenic or genetic experiments (L.C. Hannah and T.W. Greene, unpublished data; Stark et al., 1992; Giroux et al., 1996; Smidansky et al., 2002, 2003; Sakulsingharoj et al., 2004; Obana et al., 2006; Wang et al., 2007) has shown that altering the allosteric properties and/or heat stability of AGPase can significantly increase starch content and starch turnover and, in turn, seed yield. Increased seed number giving rise to enhanced starch content occurs in some cases. Such observations have inspired efforts to understand AGPase regulation at a molecular level.Virtually all known AGPases are subject to allosteric activation and inhibition by various metabolites associated with the specific carbon utilization pathway of the organism. For example, the bacterial AGPase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens is activated by Fru-6-P (F-6-P) and inhibited by inorganic phosphate (P_i), whereas the Escherichia coli AGPase is activated by Fru-1,6-bisP but inhibited by AMP. Rhodospirillum rubrum AGPase is activated by both Fru-1,6-bisP and F-6-P, and inhibited by P_i, while Anabaena AGPase mimics plant AGPases in its activation by 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA) and inhibition by P_i. Using both chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis, several Arg and Lys residues participating in allosteric regulation have been mapped to the C-terminal segments of the Anabaena and potato (Solanum tuberosum) tuber enzymes (Charng et al., 1994; Sheng et al., 1996; Ballicora et al., 1998, 2002).Unfortunately, only limited atomic-level structural data are available for AGPases. The three-dimensional structure of a bacterial homotetrameric enzyme from A. tumefaciens has recently been solved (Cupp-Vickery et al., 2008). Only one crystal structure is available for a higher plant AGPase: a nonnative, low-activity form of the enzyme from potato tuber (small subunit homotetramer; Jin et al., 2005). Although both structures reflect inactive conformations due to high concentrations of ammonium sulfate in the crystallization buffer, important information about potential substrate-binding sites was predicted by molecular modeling based on the known structures of thymidilyltransferases. While this class of enzymes likely binds sugar phosphates in the same manner as AGPases, thymidilyltransferases are not regulated allosterically. Both AGPase crystal structures suggest that the enzyme functions as a dimer of dimers, similar to the mechanism proposed for the Escherichia coli enzyme on the basis of ligand-binding studies (Haugen and Preiss, 1979). All available evidence leads to the conclusion that tetramers are required for AGPase catalytic activity.Both available AGPase crystal structures show two domains in each subunit: an N-terminal catalytic domain, which resembles previously reported pyrophosphorylase structures (Jin et al., 2005; Cupp-Vickery et al., 2008) and a C-terminal domain that makes strong hydrophobic interactions with the catalytic domain. In the potato small subunit homotetramer, two of the three bound sulfate ions (per monomer) are located in a crevice between the N- and C-terminal domains, separated by 7.24 Å. We have arbitrarily labeled these sites as sulfate 1 and sulfate 2, respectively. The third sulfate ion (in site 3) binds between two protein-adjacent monomers. When ATP is included in the crystallization buffer, two substrate molecules are bound in two of the four presumptive active sites, consistent with the notion that the protein functions as a dimer of dimers. On the other hand, one of the sulfate ions originally found in site 3 is lost when ATP is bound, despite the large distance between their respective binding sites. The A. tumefaciens AGPase homotetramer binds a single sulfate ion (per monomer) with 100% occupancy (Cupp-Vickery et al., 2008).All known allosteric regulators of higher plant AGPases contain one or more phosphate moieties. Because of their structural similarity, it is likely that the sulfate ions found in AGPase crystal structures bind in sites normally occupied by P_i or anionic, phosphorylated ligands such as F-6-P, G-6-P, and 3-PGA. Several studies suggest that all AGPase activators and inhibitors compete for binding to the same or closely adjacent sites within a subunit (Morell et al., 1988; Boehlein et al., 2008). Like P_i, sulfate reverses 3-PGA-mediated activation for the potato, A. tumefaciens, and maize enzymes (I_0.5 = 2.8 mm in the presence of 6 mm 3-PGA, potato tuber AGPase; I_0.5 = 20 mm in the presence of 2.5 mm 3-PGA, maize endosperm AGPase; Jin et al., 2005; S.K. Boehlein, unpublished data). In addition, both sulfate and P_i significantly affect maize AGPase thermal stability. For these reasons, we analyzed sulfate ion binding to the potato small subunit homotetramer to guide Ala-scanning mutagenesis studies on the analogous anion-binding sites within the heterotetrameric maize endosperm AGPase. Replacements were made in both the small and the large subunits of the maize endosperm AGPase. More conservative changes (Gln or Lys) were employed when Ala mutants displayed no catalytic activity. We chose not to create homology models of the maize subunits to help understand the behavior of Arg mutants. While computational models often predict core structures accurately, small details such as ligand-binding sites and subunit-subunit contacts are less reliable. This is particularly important for sulfate ion-binding site 3, which is located at the interface between two subunits. The problems are compounded by the lack of experimental data for an AGPase large subunit.Our studies revealed that altering any Arg residue that participates in a sulfate ion binding—either in the small or the large subunits of maize AGPase—drastically altered the enzyme''s overall allosteric properties. This indicates that effector-binding sites in both subunits function in concert in the native heterotetramer, reminiscent of their synergistic participation in catalysis. It also directly supports the notion that sulfate ion-binding sites are also involved in binding allosteric effectors. On the other hand, while mutations at all sulfate ion-binding sites affected allostery, substantial variation was observed for the different Arg side chains. Finally we note that while the various AGPases of plant and bacterial origin exhibit vastly different allosteric properties, presumably due to differing selection pressures over evolutionary time, single amino acid changes of the maize endosperm enzyme can create allosteric properties that mimic those exhibited by bacterial and other AGPases.     

Ion Effects on Calcium Accumulation by Cardiac Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

The effects of monovalent cations on the active calcium-accumulating ability of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum were assessed. Grana prepared in an ion-free system accumulated calcium when ATP and Mg⁺⁺ were present. Sodium ion and to a lesser extent lithium but not K⁺ reduced the amount of calcium taken up. The reduction of calcium binding by Na⁺ is not due to inhibition of uptake but to a rapid release of the radiocalcium bound. The amount of calcium released by sodium does not appear to be enough to explain contraction on the basis of sodium influx into muscle, but may be significant in the regulation of tension.     

Fosinopril Attenuates the Doxorubicin-induced Cardiomyopathy by Restoring the Function of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

Fosinopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, is known to attenuate cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin (DOX); however, the mechanisms of this cardioprotection are not fully elucidated yet. In the present study, experimental cardiomyopathy was induced in rats by administration of DOX with or without co-treatment with fosinopril. Fosinopril was utilized on day 1 or 14 of the treatment with DOX to compare efficacies of early versus late co-treatments. We observed that fosinopril attenuated changes induced by DOX (e.g., less increased heart and left ventricular weights, diminished lung congestion and ascites, attenuated LVEDP and LVSP, and less decreased +dP/dt and ?dP/dt). Further, fosinopril diminished the levels of markers of cardiac toxicity (i.e., plasma levels and activities of cardiac enzymes and proteins AST, LDH, CPK, cTnI, and BNP). Fosinopril also prevented DOX-induced decreases in Ca²⁺ uptake and restored activity of Ca²⁺-stimulated ATPase in left ventricular sarcoplasmic reticulum. We next tested whether the improved Ca²⁺ transport activity in sarcoplasmic reticulum was due to modulation of SERCA2 and phospholamban expressions by fosinopril. Fosinopril attenuated the decrease in SERCA2 and phospholamban expressions caused by DOX. In conclusion, cardioprotective effects of fosinopril in the DOX-induced cardiomyopathy appear to be due to its ability to prevent remodeling of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane.     

GABAA Receptor Subtypes: Ligand Binding Heterogeneity Demonstrated by Photoaffinity Labeling and Autoradiography

Abstract: Heterogeneity of binding affinities for a variety of ligands was observed for γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA_A) receptors in the rat CNS, at both GABA and ben-zodiazepine recognition sites. Photoaffinity labeling by [³H]flunitrazepam and [³H]muscimol to affinity column-purified receptor proteins was examined by gel electropho-resis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Anesthetic barbiturates (pentobarbital) and steroids (alphaxalone) both differentially stimulated the incorporation of [³H]flunitrazepam more so into the 51-kDa α1 subunit than into the 53-kDa aL2 polypeptide, and incorporation of [³H]muscimol into the 55-kDa β2 subunit more so than the 58-kDaβ3 polypeptide. Binding to these polypeptides was also affected differentially by other allosteric modulators and competitive inhibitors, including the benzodiazepine “type 1” selective ligand CL218.872. Heterogeneity in affinity of this drug for the single 51-kDa α1 polypeptide strongly suggests that type I receptors, like type II, are heterogeneous. In brain sections, the extent of enhancement of [³H]muscimol binding showed significant regional variation, similar for both steroids and barbiturates, and the GABA analogues THlP and taurine inhibited muscimol binding with regional variations in affinity that were almost opposites of each other. Modulation of [³H]flunitrazepam binding by steroids, barbiturates, and THlP significantly varied with regions. Taken together, ligand binding heterogeneity exhibited by photoaffinity labeling and autoradiography demonstrate the existence of multiple pharmacological-binding subtypes resulting from the combination of multiple polypeptide gene products into several oligomeric isoreceptors. Comparison of the regional distribution of binding subtypes with that of different subunit gene products allows the following conclusions about possible subunit compositions of native pharmacological receptor subtypes present in the brain: Benzodiazepine pharmacology of the oligomeric receptor isofotms is dependent on the nature of α and subunits other than α, GABA-benzodiazepine coupling is dependent on the nature of the α subunits, GABA site pharmacology is dependent on the nature of the β sub-units, and several subunits including α and β contribute to the degree of sensitivity to steroids and barbiturates. Finally, the presence of discrete subunits may be necessary but is not sufficient to postulate a defined pharmacological property.     

Critical Roles of Interdomain Interactions for Modulatory ATP Binding to Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPase

ATP has dual roles in the reaction cycle of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase. Upon binding to the Ca₂E1 state, ATP phosphorylates the enzyme, and by binding to other conformational states in a non-phosphorylating modulatory mode ATP stimulates the dephosphorylation and other partial reaction steps of the cycle, thereby ensuring a high rate of Ca²⁺ transport under physiological conditions. The present study elucidates the mechanism underlying the modulatory effect on dephosphorylation. In the intermediate states of dephosphorylation the A-domain residues Ser¹⁸⁶ and Asp²⁰³ interact with Glu⁴³⁹ (N-domain) and Arg⁶⁷⁸ (P-domain), respectively. Single mutations to these residues abolish the stimulation of dephosphorylation by ATP. The double mutation swapping Asp²⁰³ and Arg⁶⁷⁸ rescues ATP stimulation, whereas this is not the case for the double mutation swapping Ser¹⁸⁶ and Glu⁴³⁹. By taking advantage of the ability of wild type and mutant Ca²⁺-ATPases to form stable complexes with aluminum fluoride (E2·AlF) and beryllium fluoride (E2·BeF) as analogs of the E2·P phosphoryl transition state and E2P ground state, respectively, of the dephosphorylation reaction, the mutational effects on ATP binding to these intermediates are demonstrated. In the wild type Ca²⁺-ATPase, the ATP affinity of the E2·P phosphoryl transition state is higher than that of the E2P ground state, thus explaining the stimulation of dephosphorylation by nucleotide-induced transition state stabilization. We find that the Asp²⁰³-Arg⁶⁷⁸ and Ser¹⁸⁶-Glu⁴³⁹ interdomain bonds are critical, because they tighten the interaction with ATP in the E2·P phosphoryl transition state. Moreover, ATP binding and the Ser¹⁸⁶-Glu⁴³⁹ bond are mutually exclusive in the E2P ground state.     

Photoaffinity Labeling of a Neuronal Octopamine Receptor

Abstract: The invertebrate aminergic neurotransmitter and neuromodulator octopamine (OA) acts at both neuronal and nonneuronal receptors that appear to have distinct pharmacological characteristics. The current work uses a potent and specific OA photoaffinity ligand, tritiated 2(2,6-diethyl-4-azidophenylimino)imidazolidine ([³H]NC-5Z), to identify and characterize a putative neuronal OA receptor protein in membranes from nerve tissue of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria . Under nonphotolyzing conditions, [³H]NC-5Z demonstrated high-affinity binding ( K _D = 2.5 ± 0.3 n M ; B _max = 702 fmol/mg of protein) to a single class of noninteracting sites. The absolute and rank order potency of binding of both agonists and antagonists was highly correlated ( r = 0.99) with their known ability to displace [³H]OA binding to locust neuronal membranes and was consistent with the labeling of a class 3 OA receptor. Under photolyzing conditions, [³H]NC-5Z demonstrated irreversible binding that was resistant to trichloroacetic acid and methanol, displaceable by OA and other octopaminergic agonists and antagonists, soluble in sodium dodecyl sulfate, and only sparingly soluble in nonionic detergents. Membrane-bound [³H]NC-5Z, solubilized with Nonidet P-40, bound specifically only to immobilized concanavalin A or lentil lectin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of photolyzed proteins under reducing conditions revealed a single peak of radioactivity with a molecular mass of 53 ± 5 kDa. Taken together, these biochemical and pharmacological results support the identity of this protein peak as that of the neuronal OA3 receptor.     

大鼠心肌肌浆网的纯化及其性质研究

 用超声波破碎心肌细胞,差速离心法纯化大鼠心肌肌浆网(CSR)。SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳测得Ca~(2+)-ATPase分子量为98kD;电镜观察膜制备为完整的CSR微囊;标志酶哇巴因敏感型Na~(+),K~(+)-ATPase和叠氮化钠敏感型Mg~(2+)-ATPase活性表明膜制备中肌膜含量很低,但仍有线粒体污染。 用~(45)Ca~(2+)示踪微孔滤膜法研究Ca~(2+)跨膜转运,CSRCa~(2+)蓄集最大值为57nmol/mg蛋白。CSR Ca~(2+)-ATPase在4℃—21℃和21℃—49℃两区间反应活化能不同,前者大于后者。酶的最适pH为7.4。以ATP为底物,该酶有两个表观Km值:Km_1为3.7μmol/LKm_2为713μmol/L。     

Regulation of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Pump by Divergent Phospholamban Isoforms in Zebrafish

The sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump (SERCA) is regulated by the small integral membrane proteins phospholamban (PLN) and sarcolipin (SLN). These regulators have homologous transmembrane regions, yet they differ in their cytoplasmic and luminal domains. Although the sequences of PLN and SLN are practically invariant among mammals, they vary in fish. Zebrafish (zf) appear to harbor multiple PLN isoforms, one of which contains 18 sequence variations and a unique luminal extension. Characterization of this isoform (zfPLN) revealed that SERCA inhibition and reversal by phosphorylation were comparable with human PLN. To understand the sequence variations in zfPLN, chimeras were created by transferring the N terminus, linker, and C terminus of zfPLN onto human PLN. A chimera containing the N-terminal domain resulted in a mild loss of function, whereas a chimera containing the linker domain resulted in a gain of function. This latter effect was due to changes in basic residues in the linker region of PLN. Removing the unique luminal domain of zfPLN (⁵³SFHGM) resulted in loss of function, whereas adding this domain to human PLN had a minimal effect on SERCA inhibition. We conclude that the luminal extension contributes to SERCA inhibition but only in the context of zfPLN. Although this domain is distinct from the SLN luminal tail, zfPLN appears to use a hybrid PLN-SLN inhibitory mechanism. Importantly, the different zebrafish PLN isoforms raise the interesting possibility that sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium handling and cardiac contractility may be regulated by the differential expression of PLN functional variants.     

Severe MgADP Inhibition of Bacillus subtilis F1-ATPase Is Not Due to the Absence of Nucleotide Binding to the Noncatalytic Nucleotide Binding Sites

F₁-ATPase from Bacillus subtilis (BF₁) is severely suppressed by the MgADP inhibition. Here, we have tested if this is due to the loss of nucleotide binding to the noncatalytic site that is required for the activation. Measurements with a tryptophan mutant of BF₁ indicated that the noncatalytic sites could bind ATP normally. Furthermore, the mutant BF₁ that cannot bind ATP to the noncatalytic sites showed much lower ATPase activity. It was concluded that the cause of strong MgADP inhibition of BF₁ is not the weak nucleotide binding to the noncatalytic sites but the other steps required for the activation.     

The Mechanism of the Action of Caffeine on Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

Evidence is presented that caffeine does not act on the mitochondrial Ca uptake system and that its effect cannot be attributed to the accumulation of adenosine 3',5'-phosphate. Two distinct caffeine effects are described. At high ATP concentrations caffeine decreases the coupling between ATP hydrolysis and Ca inflow. It either inhibits inflow without any inhibition of the rate of ATP hydrolysis, or it stimulates the ATPase activity without stimulating Ca inflow. These high ATP concentrations (much higher than needed for the saturation of the transport ATPase) greatly reduce the control of the turnover rate of the transport system, by accumulated Ca. At low ATP concentrations when the transport system is under maximal control by accumulated Ca, caffeine inhibits the ATPase activity without affecting the rate of Ca inflow.     

Affinity Labeling of Adenosine A1 Binding Sites

The adenosine A1 receptors of sheep brain membranes have been identified by the specific binding of radiolabeled cyclohexyl[3H]adenosine ([3H]CHA). Pretreatment of membranes with periodate-oxidized CHA causes a dose- and time-dependent decrease in the number of binding sites. No decrease occurs when membranes are pretreated with CHA. Binding of [3H]CHA to the remaining sites occurs with the same characteristics as binding to the untreated receptor population.     

Probing Binding Sites and Mechanisms of Action of an IKs Activator by Computations and Experiments

The slow delayed rectifier (I_Ks) channel is composed of the KCNQ1 channel and KCNE1 auxiliary subunit, and functions to repolarize action potentials in the human heart. I_Ks activators may provide therapeutic efficacy for treating long QT syndromes. Here, we show that a new KCNQ1 activator, ML277, can enhance I_Ks amplitude in adult guinea pig and canine ventricular myocytes. We probe its binding site and mechanism of action by computational analysis based on our recently reported KCNQ1 and KCNQ1/KCNE1 3D models, followed by experimental validation. Results from a pocket analysis and docking exercise suggest that ML277 binds to a side pocket in KCNQ1 and the KCNE1-free side pocket of KCNQ1/KCNE1. Molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations based on the most favorable channel/ML277 docking configurations reveal a well-defined ML277 binding space surrounded by the S2-S3 loop and S4-S5 helix on the intracellular side, and by S4–S6 transmembrane helices on the lateral sides. A detailed analysis of MD trajectories suggests two mechanisms of ML277 action. First, ML277 restricts the conformational dynamics of the KCNQ1 pore, optimizing K⁺ ion coordination in the selectivity filter and increasing current amplitudes. Second, ML277 binding induces global motions in the channel, including regions critical for KCNQ1 gating transitions. We conclude that ML277 activates I_Ks by binding to an intersubunit space and allosterically influencing pore conductance and gating transitions. KCNE1 association protects KCNQ1 from an arrhythmogenic (constitutive current-inducing) effect of ML277, but does not preclude its current-enhancing effect.     

Mechanisms of Calcium Leak from Cardiac Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Revealed by Statistical Mechanics

Heart muscle contraction is normally activated by a synchronized Ca release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), a major intracellular Ca store. However, under abnormal conditions, Ca leaks from the SR, decreasing heart contraction amplitude and increasing risk of life-threatening arrhythmia. The mechanisms and regimes of SR operation generating the abnormal Ca leak remain unclear. Here, we employed both numerical and analytical modeling to get mechanistic insights into the emergent Ca leak phenomenon. Our numerical simulations using a detailed realistic model of the Ca release unit reveal sharp transitions resulting in Ca leak. The emergence of leak is closely mapped mathematically to the Ising model from statistical mechanics. The system steady-state behavior is determined by two aggregate parameters: the analogs of magnetic field (h) and the inverse temperature (β) in the Ising model, for which we have explicit formulas in terms of SR [Ca] and release channel opening and closing rates. The classification of leak regimes takes the shape of a phase β-h diagram, with the regime boundaries occurring at h = 0 and a critical value of β (β¹) that we estimate using a classical Ising model and mean field theory. Our theory predicts that a synchronized Ca leak will occur when h > 0 and β > β¹, and a disordered leak occurs when β < β¹ and h is not too negative. The disorder leak is distinguished from synchronized leak (in long-lasting sparks) by larger Peierls contour lengths, an output parameter reflecting degree of disorder. Thus, in addition to our detailed numerical model approach, we also offer an instantaneous computational tool using analytical formulas of the Ising model for respective ryanodine receptor parameters and SR Ca load that describe and classify phase transitions and leak emergence.     

Identification of the Subunit Structure of Rat Pineal Adrenergic Receptors by Photoaffinity Labeling

The adrenergic receptors of rat pineal gland were investigated using radiolabeled ligand binding and photoaffinity labeling techniques. 125I-2-[beta-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylaminomethyl]tetralone (125I-HEAT) and 125I-cyanopindolol (125I-CYP) labeled specific sites on rat pineal gland membranes with equilibrium dissociation constants (KD) of 48 (+/- 5) pM and 30 (+/- 5) pM, respectively. Binding site maxima were 481 (+/- 63) and 1,020 (+/- 85) fmol/mg protein. The sites labeled by 125I-HEAT had the pharmacological characteristics of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. 125I-CYP-labeled beta-adrenergic receptors were characterized as a homogeneous population of beta 1-adrenergic receptors. The alpha 1- and beta 1-adrenergic receptors were covalently labeled with the specific photoaffinity probes 4-amino-6,7-dimethoxy-2-(4-[5-(4-azido-3-[125I]iodophenyl) pentanoyl]-1-piperazinyl) quinazoline (125I-APDQ) and 125I-p-azidobenzylcarazolol (125I-pABC). 125I-APDQ labeled an alpha 1-adrenergic receptor peptide of Mr = 74,000 (+/- 4,000), which was similar to peptides labeled in rat cerebral cortex, liver, and spleen. 125I-pABC labeled a single beta 1-adrenergic receptor peptide with a Mr = 42,000 (+/- 1,500), which differed from the 60-65,000 peptide commonly seen in mammalian tissues. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed.