Site-specific fluorescence labeling of the beta2 adrenergic receptor amino terminus.

A modified human beta2 receptor, designated 0K-beta2, was developed for site-specific labeling at the amino terminus with amine reactive fluorescent probes. 0K-beta2 has the following modifications: (1) all 16 lysines in the wild-type beta2 receptor were mutated to arginines, (2) a FLAG epitope preceded by a cleaved hemagglutinin signal sequence was fused to the amino terminus, and (3) a hexahistidine tail was added to the carboxyl terminus. The FLAG epitope and hexahistidine tail were added to facilitate purification while lysine to arginine mutations eliminate potential labeling sites for amine-reactive fluorescent probes. The remaining primary amines in the 0K-beta2 receptor, the amino terminal amine and the epsilon-amine of Lys3, both reside in the amino-terminal FLAG epitope. The 0K-beta2 receptor expressed in Sf9 insect cells exhibited ligand binding and G-protein coupling characteristics similar to the wild-type beta2 receptor. The modified receptor was labeled with fluorescamine, an amine-reactive fluorescent probe. Proteolysis with factor Xa showed that labeling was confined to the amino terminus of the 0K-beta2 receptor. Our results demonstrate site-specific fluorescamine labeling at the amino terminus of the 0K-beta2 receptor, a lysine-depleted beta2 receptor that retains functional characteristics of the wild-type receptor.

The peptide product of a 5' leader cistron in the beta 2 adrenergic receptor mRNA inhibits receptor synthesis.

The 5' leader region of mammalian beta 2 adrenergic receptor messenger RNAs (mRNA) have a short open reading frame (sORF) preceding the receptor cistron. Mutational inactivation of the sORF start codon increased beta 2 receptor expression and translation 1.9-fold from beta 2 receptor genes transfected into COS-7 cells. sORF inactivation also increased receptor synthesis 2.4-fold in a cell-free expression system that synthesizes functional beta 2 receptor in vitro. Translational initiation at the sORF was demonstrated both in vitro and in transfected COS-7 cells using an epitope-tagged fusion protein. Using the fusion protein as a reporter for initiation at the sORF shows that 5' leader mutations which increase translation of the sORF decrease receptor translation. Mutation analysis of the 5' leader region and peptide coding sequences suggests the peptide itself inhibits beta 2 receptor expression. Consistent with this hypothesis, a synthetic peptide corresponding to the peptide encoded by the beta 2 receptor sORF potently inhibits translation in vitro. Our results suggest that a nonoverlapping cistron in the beta 2 receptor mRNA 5' leader region is translated and the resulting peptide inhibits receptor translation.

Peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors.

Since their first description as anomalous high affinity diazepam binding sites in rat peripheral tissues, the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) has been increasingly studied to better understand nonneural effects of the benzodiazepines. The mammalian PBR is ubiquitously distributed with high concentrations in the outer mitochondrial membrane of secretory tissues. In regions of the brain, the density of PBR can equal or exceed the density of central-type benzodiazepine receptors. High affinity PK 11195 binding is diagnostic for the receptor while the affinity for benzodiazepines is species dependent. Recent cDNA cloning of a PBR component, the isoquinoline binding protein (IBP), shows no apparent sequence homology with any GABAA receptor subunits known to comprise central benzodiazepine receptor subtypes. The PBR seems at best only distantly related to CBRs. Recent advances in the pharmacology, biochemistry and molecular biology of the PBR are reviewed.

Cloning and expression of a pharmacologically unique bovine peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor isoquinoline binding protein.

High affinity binding of isoquinolines, such as PK 11195, is a conserved feature of peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) across species. However, species differences in PBR ligand binding have been described based on the affinity for N1-alkyl-1,4-benzodiazepines, such as Ro5-4864. Ro5-4864 binds with high affinity to the rat receptor but has low affinity for the bovine PBR. Photolabeling with an isoquinoline ligand, [3H]PK 14105, identifies a 17-kDa protein, the PBR isoquinoline binding protein (PBR/IBP), in both species. To further elucidate the role of the PBR/IBP in determining PBR benzodiazepine and isoquinoline binding characteristics, the bovine PBR/IBP was cloned and expressed. Using a cDNA encoding a rat PBR/IBP to screen a fetal bovine adrenal cDNA library, a bovine cDNA encoding a polypeptide of 169 residues was cloned. The bovine and rat PBR/IBPs had similar hydropathy profiles exhibiting five potential transmembrane domains. Transfecting the cloned bovine PBR/IBP cDNA into COS-7 cells resulted in an 11-fold increase in the density of high affinity [3H]PK 11195 binding sites which had only low affinity for Ro5-4864. Expression of the bovine PBR/IBP yields a receptor which is pharmacologically distinct from both endogenous COS-7 PBR and the rat PBR based on the affinity for several N1-alkyl-1,4-benzodiazepine ligands. These results suggest the PBR/IBP is the minimal functional component required for PBR ligand binding characteristics and the different protein sequences account for the species differences in PBR benzodiazepine ligand binding.

The bovine peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor: a receptor with low affinity for benzodiazepines.

The density of bovine peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) in four tissues was highest in adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex PBR cofractionated with a mitochondrial membrane marker enzyme and could be solubilized with intact ligand binding properties using digitonin. The membrane bound and soluble mitochondrial receptors were pharmacologically characterized and showed the rank order of potency to inhibit [3H]PK 11195 binding was PK 11195 greater than protoporphyrin IX greater than benzodiazepines (clonazepam, diazepam, or Ro5-4864). [3H]PK 11195 binding to bovine adrenal mitochondria was unaffected by diethylpyrocarbonate, a histidine residue modifying reagent that decreased binding to rat liver mitochondria by 70%. [3H]PK 14105 photolabeled the bovine PBR and the Mr was estimated under nondenaturing (200 kDa) and denaturing (17 kDa) conditions. These results demonstrate the bovine peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor is pharmacologically and biochemically distinct from the rat receptor, but the receptor component photolabeled by an isoquinoline ligand has a similar molecular weight.

Photochemical derivatization of agarose: synthesis of an affinity agarose using a photoaffinity ligand specific for the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor.

PK 14105, a photoaffinity ligand specific for the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBZR), was photochemically coupled to omega-aminobutyl agarose (ABAg) to yield PK 14105 agarose (PKAg). 19F and 1H NMR spectroscopy were consistent with the proposed site of coupling at the 2'-fluorine of PK 14105 by the primary amine moiety of ABAg. Quantitation of the affinity gel using two different colorimetric assays for primary amines suggests approximately 50% of the available primary amine groups of ABAg were bound by PK 14105. The estimated concentration of PK 14105 bound to ABAg was 2.3 mumols/ml of settled gel (2.3 mM effective ligand concentration). PKAg specifically binds the bovine PBZR solubilized by digitonin. The affinity of PKAg for the soluble PBZR was estimated by varying the concentration of PKAg. PBZR binding to PKAg was saturable and the apparent affinity of PKAg for the bovine receptor was estimated from the saturation data. A PKAg affinity column bound 85% of the solubilized PBZR from rat adrenals partially purified by anion exchange chromatography. These results indicate PKAg is a receptor-specific affinity media which may be useful in the purification of the native PBZR from various species.

Solubilization and characterization of the liver peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor.

The rat liver membrane-bound and digitonin-solubilized peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (mPBZR and dsPBZR, respectively) were characterized. Forty percent of the receptors were solubilized from a liver homogenate with 0.25% digitonin. Scatchard analysis of saturation data for the mPBZR and the dsPBZR showed Kd = 1.5 nM and maximum number of binding sites = 3.12 pmol/mg of protein and Kd = 9.2 nM and maximum number of binding sites = 1.10 pmol/mg of protein, respectively. Estimates of Kd calculated from kinetic data agree with estimates from Scatchard analysis. The affinity of the PBZR for [3H]Ro5-4864 was not affected by guanosine 5'0-(3-thiotriphosphate) which suggests the receptor is not coupled to a G-protein. Competition for specific [3H]Ro5-4864 binding by various ligands demonstrated the same rank order potency of binding inhibition for the membrane bound and solubilized receptors (PK-11195 greater than or equal to Ro5-4864 greater than diazepam greater than clonazepam). Thus, the soluble receptor had ligand binding characteristics similar to those of the membrane PBZR. [3H]PK-14105 was used to photoaffinity label the PBZR in a rat liver homogenate. Labeling was specific for the PBZR and the molecular weight of the digitonin-solubilized photoaffinity-labeled receptor was estimated to be 170 kDa by gel filtration chromatography. Estimation of the molecular weight of the [3H]PK-14105 labeled receptor by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a single protein corresponding to 19 kDa.