125I-BW-A844U, an antagonist radioligand with high affinity and selectivity for adenosine A1 receptors, and 125I-azido-BW-A844U, a photoaffinity label.

3-(4-Amino)phenethyl-1-propyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine (BW-A844U) has been synthesized and shown to bind with high affinity to adenosine A1 receptors of bovine brain membranes (KD = 0.23 nM). This compound is highly selective for A1 receptors; the KI for binding to A2 receptors of human platelet membranes is 2.0 microM (A2/A1 ratio = 8700). Radioiodination of the 3-aminophenethyl group resulted in 125I-BW-A844U, a radioligand that retains high affinity for A1 receptors in bovine brain membranes (KD = 0.14 nM) and to 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate-solubilized receptors (KD = 0.34 nM). Specific binding of 125I-BW-A844U represented greater than 90% of the total binding at the KD. From the association constant (K1 = 5.0 X 10(8) M-1min-1) and the dissociation constant (K-1 = 0.064 min-1), the kinetic KD (K-1/K1) in membranes was calculated to be 0.13 nM. NaCl (1 M) had little effect on the binding affinity of 125I-BW-A844U, in contrast to the large effect of salt on the binding affinity of acidic antagonist radioligands. 8-Sulfophenyltheophylline inhibited radioligand binding with a Hill coefficient of 1.0, indicative of a single affinity binding state for the antagonist. By comparison, two distinct agonist affinity states of A1 receptors for the agonist (R)-phenylisopropyladenosine could be resolved, a high affinity state (62%, KH = 74 pM) and a low affinity state (KL = 3.83 nM). The addition of 0.1 mM guanylylimidodiphosphate converted all receptors to the low affinity state. Addition of NaCl (0.5 M) decreased the fraction of receptors in the high affinity state and increased both KH and KL, suggesting that NaCl alters coupling of receptors to G proteins and influences the conformation of the receptor polypeptide, whether or not the receptor is coupled to a G protein. Conversion of the arylamine on the 3-position of 125I-BW-A844U to an aryl azide resulted in a photoaffinity label, 125I-azido-BW-A844U. Upon photoactivation, the photoaffinity label was specifically photoincorporated into the 34,000-dalton polypeptide of the adenosine A1 receptor.

125I-labeled 8-phenylxanthine derivatives: antagonist radioligands for adenosine A1 receptors.

A series of 8-phenylxanthine derivatives has been synthesized with oxyacetic acid on the para phenyl position to increase aqueous solubility and minimize nonspecific binding and iodinatable groups on the 1- or 3-position of the xanthine ring. The structure-activity relationship for binding of these compounds to A1 adenosine receptors of bovine and rat brain and A2 receptors of human platelets was examined. The addition of arylamine or photosensitive aryl azide groups to the 3-position of xanthine had little effect on A1 binding affinity with or without iodination, whereas substitutions at the 1-position caused greatly reduced A1 binding affinity. The addition of an aminobenzyl group to the 3-position of the xanthine had little effect on A2 binding affinity, but 3-aminophenethyl substitution decreased A2 binding affinity. Two acidic 3-(arylamino)-8-phenylxanthine derivatives were labeled with 125I and evaluated as A1 receptor radioligands. The new radioligands bound to A1 receptors with KD values of 1-1.25 nM. Specific binding represented over 80% of total binding. High concentrations of NaCl or other salts increased the binding affinity of acidic but not neutral antagonists, suggesting that interactions between ionized xanthines and receptors may be affected significantly by changes in ionic strength. On the basis of binding studies with these antagonists and isotope dilution with the agonist [125I]N6-(4-amino-3-iodobenzyl)adenosine, multiple agonist affinity states of A1 receptors have been identified.

Photoaffinity labeling adenosine A1 receptors with an antagonist 125I-labeled aryl azide derivative of 8-phenylxanthine.

We have derivatized a series of 125I-labeled 8-phenylxanthines with photoactive aryl azide groups on the 1- or 3-position of the xanthine ring. A 3-azidophenethyl derivative was found to be optimal for use as an antagonist photoaffinity label for adenosine A1 receptors. Following photoactivation, radioactivity was covalently and specifically incorporated into a 34,000-dalton and, to a lesser extent, into a 24,000-dalton polypeptide of rat brain membranes. Photoincorporation into both polypeptides was competitively inhibited by adenosine analogues with a potency order typical of adenosine A1 receptors, but the 24,000-dalton polypeptide bound both agonists and antagonists with lower affinity than the 34,000-dalton polypeptide. Specific photolabeling of receptors in brain membranes of rat, guinea pig, dog, and cow did not show any variation in the 34,000-dalton adenosine receptor binding subunit. The adenosine agonist photoaffinity label [125I]N6-(4-azido-3-iodobenzyl)adenosine also specifically photolabeled the 34,000-dalton polypeptide, but photoincorporation of the agonist was less efficient than the antagonist and, unlike the antagonist, was greatly reduced by guanosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imidotriphosphate). The results indicate that the antagonist photoaffinity label may be more useful than agonists particularly for labeling uncoupled receptors.