Adrenal cortex adenylate cyclase. In vitro acitivity of ACTH fragments and analogues.

The ability of ACTH fragments and of an ACTH analogue [9-tryptophan(o-nitrophenylsulfenyl)] corticotropin-(1-24)-tetracosapeptide[Trp-(Nps)9 ACTH1-24] to stimulate adenylate cyclase in bovine adrenal cortex membranes and a crude membrane fraction from rat adrenals has been determined. Partial agonists like Trp (Nps)9 ACTH1-24 displayed intrinsic activity in the rat adrenal preparation only if tested in the presence of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate [Gpp(NH)p]. On the other hand, no addition of Gpp(NH)p was necessary to demonstrate intrinsic activity of Trp(Nps)9 ACTH1-24 for bovine adrenal cortex adenylate cyclase. A large decrease (15-fold) of the apparent Km values for ACTH1-24, ACTH1-23 and ACTH1-17 was observed with the rat adrenal preparation when Gpp(NH)p was added. The shift in apparent Km values for ACTH1-24 and ACTH1-23 for the bovine adrenal cortex adenylate cyclase system was small or insignificant when Gpp(NH)p was added. The observations suggest that the hormone receptor facilitates the action of guanylnucleotide sites in the membrane. When guanylnucleotide sites are occupied by Gpp(NH)p even weak interactions of the hormone receptor with e.g. partial agonists are propagated to the catalytic subunits of the adenylate cyclase complex resulting in enhanced activity. The differences in adenylate cyclase activation with hormone fragments or analogues and different target tissues may rather reflect the state of the coupling process involving guanylnucleotide binding sites of the isolated membrane fraction than differences in the receptor itself.

Adrenal cortex adenylate cyclase. In vitro modification of the enzyme by cholera toxin.

Pretreatment of rat adrenal particulate fractions with cholera toxin in vitro markedly changed the properties of the membrane-bound adenylate cyclase. The basal activity of the enzyme was increased after cholera toxin treatment. The main action of the toxin was on the Vmax of the enzyme. In the absence of added GTP Lineweaver-Burk plots indicate a deviation from normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics with respect to substrate, the slopes being concave downward for control and toxin-treated membranes. Although hormonal stimulation of the enzyme was diminished in toxin-treated membranes, the hormone receptors were still functionally active as revealed after addition of Gpp(NH)p, GTP or GTPgammaS. The response to NaF was decreased in the toxin-treated membranes. Whereas GTP behaves as an antagonist (or a partial agonist with low intrinsic activity) compared to Gpp(NH)p in control membranes, it has similar intrinsic activity as Gpp(NH)p in the toxin-treated membranes. The results indicate that cholera toxin modification of the adenylate cyclase complex is located at the guanyl nucleotide sites or factors controlling the turnover of GTP at these sites. Cholera toxin modification may be a useful tool to investigate the role of guanyl nucleotide sites in the regulation of adenylate cyclase activity.

Solid phase radioimmunoassay for cyclic AMP using staphylococcal protein A-antibody adsorbent.

A radioimmunoassay for cyclic AMP has been developed using protein A containing staphylococci as an immunoabsorbent. Protein A containing heat-killed staphylococci (Cowan I) are coated with rabbit antiserum raised against the 2'-O-succinyl derivative of cyclic AMP coupled to human serum albumin. After washing with a Tween 20 containing buffer, antibody coated staphylococci are diluted with heat-killed staphylococci devoid of protein A (staphylococcus epidermidis) and mixed with [125I]-2'-O-succinyl cyclic AMP tyrosine methyl ester, standards or unknowns. At the end of the incubation, separation of bound and free labelled antigen is achieved by bound and free labelled antigen is achieved by centrifugation. The results are comparable to those obtained with a precipitation assay using polyethylenglycol 6000. Acetylation prior to radioimmunoassay increases sensitivity about 80-fold. 50% depression of zero dose binding occurs at 15--16 femtomoles acetylated cyclic AMP. The crossreactivity with cyclic GMP, ATP, ADP, 5'-AMP and adenosine is extremely low. The present technique is an attractive alternative to the second antibody method or polyethylenglycol precipitation.

Beta-adrenergic receptors in guinea-pig myocardial tissue.

Stereospecific binding sites for (-) [3H]-alprenolol, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, have been identified in guinea-pig myocardial broken cell preparations. The concentration of the sites was 0.3 pmoles per mg of protein and the dissociation constant (at 37 degrees C) 10(-8) M. A close correlation between the ability of various beta-adrenergic antagonists to compete with tracer alprenolol binding and to block the response of isoprenaline-stimulated myocardial adenylate cyclase has been found. Low affinity sites for the labelled beta-adrenergic antagonist in contrast to stereospecific sites are heat stable and do not discriminate between the (-) and the (+) forms of the beta-adrenergic antagonists. Adenylate cyclase in guinea-pig myocardial tissue is poorly stimulated by isoprenaline or 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate. This is attributed to a high basal activity which could be lowered by a preincubation at 37 degrees C.

A newly developed precise and sensitive radioimmunoassay for clonidine.

A new precise and sensitive radioimmunoassay for clonidine has been developed. Synthesis and analysis of the hapten (4-carboxy-clonidine; St 1984) as well as antibody production in rabbits are described in detail. At a final dilution of 1:1000 the resulting immune serum binds 50% of a tritiated clonidine standard containing 1 ng of clonidine. The detection limit of the presented radioimmunoassay for clonidine is 0.1 ng/ml. The coefficient of variation did not exceed 4.3% for any of 7 standard determinations with 5 replicates. There was no relevant cross-reactivity of inactive clonidine metabolites apart from 4-OH-clonidine. To avoid any errors from cross-reaction clonidine was selectively and quantitatively extracted into diethylether from unknown plasma samples. Following concentration of the extracts even such low concentrations as 20 pg of clonidine/ml plasma were detectable. With the radioimmunoassay applied in pharmacokinetic studies a maximal clonidine concentration in blood plasma of healthy human volunteers was determined to 0.6 ng/ml 1.5 h after oral administration of 150 micrograms.