Structure and functional significance of the carbohydrates of the LH/CG receptor.

The LH/CG appears to contain 1-4 bi- or multi-antennary complex-type N-linked oligosaccharide side chains, which appear to locate apart from the hormone-binding regions. The exact sites to which the N-linked chains are attached remain to be delineated. The carbohydrates of the mature membrane-inserted receptor do not contribute to either specific high-affinity ligand-binding or signal transduction of the receptor. Thus, the polypeptide core of the receptor is responsible for both high affinity binding and dictating the hormone specificity. Moreover, the deglycosylated receptor, once inserted to the plasma membrane in a functionally mature form, retains its functional conformation or permits the conformational change that is required for coupling of the receptor to effector enzymes. Addition of oligosaccharides to the nascent LH/CG receptor but not their subsequent conversion to complex-type ones appears to be required for acquiring the hormone-binding conformation. On the other hand, neither addition of oligosaccharides to the nascent receptor, nor their further maturation are needed for the transport of the receptor to the plasma membrane. Thus, one function of the N-linked oligosaccharides in the LH/CG receptor appears to be to direct the proper folding of the receptor.

Cycle dependent LH/hCG receptor gene expression in porcine nongonadal reproductive tissues.

Uterine and other nongonadal reproductive tissues are a new target for LH and CG action in pig and many other mammalian species, including humans. Since rat and pig LH/CG receptor cDNAs have been cloned we have been prompted to look for the expression of this gene in porcine uteri and oviducts. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on total RNA isolated from endometrium, myometrium and oviduct. Ovarian and testicular RNA served as positive and skeletal muscle RNA as negative control. RT-PCR was designed to amplify part of the extracellular domain (exons II-IX) of the LH/CG receptor. Southern blot with cDNA probe was used to verify the authenticity of the cDNA species generated. A PCR product of an expected size of 619 bp corresponding to exons II-IX was detected in, besides gonads, both the endometrial and myometrial uterine layers as well as in oviducts. Southern blot revealed presence of additional, shorter fragment (about 400 bp) in corpus luteum, myometrium and oviduct. This additional fragment was found in myometrium during the follicular and late luteal phases as well in oviducts during early luteal, early and late follicular phases. Also, testes showed two RT-PCR products. There was no DNA amplification after reverse transcription in the reaction mixture containing skeletal muscle total RNA. The results of our paper have demonstrated that the LH/CG receptor gene is expressed in the porcine nongonadal reproductive tissues and the expression is dependent on the estrous cycle phase and probably is also tissue specific.

Processing of the LH/CG receptor and bound hormone in rat luteal cells after hCG-induced down-regulation as studied by a double immunofluorescence technique in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy.

We developed a double immunofluorescence technique for detection of the rat luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin (LH/CG) receptor and bound hCG in the same rat ovarian section and used it in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to study the fate of the receptor-hormone complex in luteal cells during the hCG-induced down-regulation. Pseudopregnant immature females rats were perfusion-fixed before (0 hr) and 2, 6, 12, 24, or 36 hr after a down-regulating dose of hCG (500 IU IV). The cryosections were stained for the LH/CG receptor and bound hormone by sequential incubations with a polyclonal rabbit antiserum to purified rat LH/CG receptor and a mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb) to hCG, followed by sequential incubation with TRITC- and FITC-conjugated secondary antibodies to rabbit and mouse immunoglobulins, respectively. The results were semiquantitatively analyzed by a pseudo-three-dimensional (3D) plotting of the intensities of the receptor and hormone-specific fluorescence in luteal cells by CLSM. The analysis suggested that the majority of the LH/CG receptors are located on the luteal cells before induction of the down-regulation and that their content seem to vary not only among cells but also on the surface of single cells, thus supporting the previous concept of the functional heterogeneity among the cells and their functional compartmentation. At 2 hr after injection of the down-regulating dose of hCG, the LH/CG receptor-specific and hCG-specific fluorescences clearly co-localized on the luteal cells. Both the LH/CG receptor- and hCG-specific fluorescences disappeared from the luteal cell surfaces in a parallel fashion within 36 hr without a detectable accumulation of either fluorescence deep in the cell interior. These results suggest that the LH/CG receptor and bound hCG do not differ in their manner of in vivo processing in luteal cells. Therefore, the disappearance of the receptor and bound hormone occurs in a parallel fashion and without detectable internalization.

Expression of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the rat ovary during follicular development and luteinization induced with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin and human chorionic gonadotrophin.

Antibodies against human placental 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17-HSD) and 17-HSD cDNA were used to study the expression of the corresponding enzyme in the immature rat ovary during follicular development and luteinization, which were induced by treating the animals with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) or with PMSG followed by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Immuno-blot analysis indicated that the M(r) of the 17-HSD expressed in rat granulosa cells was 35,000, as previously shown for the human placental enzyme. In immunohistochemical studies of untreated immature rat ovaries, only the granulosa cells from small antral follicles were stained. One day after PMSG treatment, strong expression of 17-HSD was observed in the granulosa cells of growing Graafian follicles. A marked decrease in enzyme expression was observed in preovulatory follicles on day 2 of PMSG treatment, starting from the basal layers of granulosa cells and progressing toward the luminal cells. No 17-HSD expression was detected in luteinized follicles or corpora lutea 22 h after hCG injection. The stroma and theca cells were negative for 17-HSD staining. In Northern hybridization analyses, two 17-HSD mRNAs were detected (1.4 and 1.7 kb). The strongest expression for both mRNAs was detected after 1 day of PMSG treatment, coinciding with maximal immunostaining of the enzyme protein. Down-regulation of 17-HSD observed by immunohistochemistry was reflected in a similar decrease in mRNA expression and the signals were almost undetectable 22 h after hCG injection. Our data suggest that 17-HSD expression in rat granulosa cells is up-regulated during follicular development and, thereafter, the enzyme expression is down-regulated during luteinization.

Regulation of intracellular free Ca2+ by the LH/CG receptor in an established cell line 293 expressing transfected rat receptor.

Luteinizing hormone (LH)/chorionic gonadotropin (CG) receptor (LHR) regulation of intracellular free Ca2+, [Ca2+]i, was studied by spectrofluorometric analysis and digital imaging of intracellularly trapped fura-2 fluorescence in a stable cell line 293 expressing transfected rat LHR. Exposure of the suspensions of 293-LHR cells to human CG (hCG) resulted in single, dose-dependent burst of elevated [Ca2+]i, the maximum being obtained at 0.1-1 microgram hCG/ml. The subconfluent individual 293-LHR cells responded to 1 microgram hCG/ml with either a single or oscillating [Ca2+]i bursts, the appearance of the oscillation being dependent upon the presence of extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]e). 72% of the cells produced oscillation in response to hCG in the presence of [Ca2+]e and only 33% in the absence. Moreover, removal of [Ca2+]e from the incubation medium lowered the elevated basal [Ca2+]i level to or below the prestimulatory level and concomitantly damped out the oscillation, while its readdition without hCG was capable of re-elevating [Ca2+]i level and of gradually restoring the oscillation. The 293-LHR cells exposed to increasing doses of hCG also developed a dose-dependent desensitization of [Ca2+]i increase to renewed hormonal stimulation. The [Ca2+]i bursts within individual 293-LHR cells appeared in particular regions at the cell peripheries rather than distributed uniformly throughout the cytoplasm, pointing to compartmentation of the Ca2+ stores and to a local differences in receptor number in most cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A coupled one-step reverse transcription PCR procedure for generation of full-length open reading frames.

A one-step (all reactants added simultaneously) reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure for amplification of full-length open reading frames (ORFs) of relatively rare transcripts was developed. It was applied for cloning rat luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor cDNA isoforms larger than two kb. In the procedure developed, manual work is minimized, thus large numbers of samples can be handled, since after denaturation of template RNA and the primers and addition of other reagents, no further manual steps are needed. No inhibitory effect of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptase (RT) on Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA Polymerase was found. This was because, under the conditions described, Taq DNA Polymerase effectively amplified picogram amounts of plasmid DNA or template reverse transcribed from nanograms of total ovarian RNA in the presence of AMV-RT. Even a large excess of AMV-RT did not inhibit Taq DNA Polymerase. Thus, our coupled one-step RT-PCR procedure amplifies fast and reproducibly full-length ORFs from nanogram amounts of total RNA.

Significance of the extracellular domain and the carbohydrates of the human neutrophil N-formyl peptide chemotactic receptor for the signal transduction by the receptor.

The N-formyl peptide chemotactic receptor of human neutrophils possesses a 2-kDa papain-removable extracellular domain that contains two N-linked oligosaccharide side chains and is not required for the high-affinity ligand binding. In the present study, the significance of the extracellular domain and the carbohydrates for signal transduction was elucidated by measuring the N-formyl hexapeptide-induced intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) and the change in myeloperoxidase secretion in the control and papain-treated human neutrophils. [Ca2+]i was monitored both in cell suspension and individual cells with intracellularly trapped Fura 2 acetoxymethyl ester, using spectrofluorometric analysis and fluorescence ratio image analysis, respectively. The exposure of the cells in suspension to N-formyl hexapeptide resulted in an immediate, dose-dependent burst of elevated [Ca2+]i, which was virtually identical in both control and papain-treated cells with respect to the extent and kinetics. The maximum burst was 1.6-fold and was obtained at 10(-6) M hexapeptide. The individual control and papain-treated cells responded to 10(-6) M hexapeptide in a similar manner with several successive transients of [Ca2+]i, the maximum level being 3.0-3.5 microM. In both groups the [Ca2+]i transient began initially in the cell periphery, expanding rapidly throughout the cells. Concomitantly, the cells became polarized, and their chemokinesis increased. The secretion of myeloperoxidase was monitored as a physiological end response to N-formyl chemotactic peptides. The exposure of the control and papain-treated cells in suspension to hexapeptide resulted in a dose-dependent secretion of myeloperoxidase. The maximum secretion after exposure to 10(-8)-10(-6) M hexapeptide was equal in control and papain-treated neutrophils. These results indicate that the functional properties of the membrane-inserted N-formyl peptide chemotactic receptor are inherent to the receptor's transmembrane and intracellular domains, as far as binding of the ligand and subsequent receptor activation are concerned.

Significance of the carbohydrate moiety of the rat ovarian luteinizing-hormone/chorionic-gonadotropin receptor for ligand-binding specificity and signal transduction.

The contribution of the carbohydrate moiety of the rat ovarian luteinizing-hormone (LH)/chorionic-gonadotropin (CG) receptor to ligand-binding specificity and signal transduction was investigated by using glycosidases. Purified membranes from pseudo-pregnant rat ovaries were treated with neuraminidase or peptide N-glycosidase F, to remove terminal sialic acids and N-linked oligosaccharides of the receptor, respectively. Ligand blotting and densitometric scanning of the autoradiograms showed that 90-95% of the receptors were deglycosylated, and that desialylation was virtually complete. Neither the desialylated nor the deglycosylated receptors were able to bind human follicle-stimulating hormone or bovine thyroid-stimulating hormone, as revealed by competition binding experiments. The 50% effective dose of hCG for adenylate cyclase activation, as determined by measuring the formation of cyclic [32P]AMP from [alpha-32P]ATP for 15 min at 30 degrees C, was similar in the control and deglycosylated membranes: 10.2 +/- 3.3 nM and 12.2 +/- 3.8 nM respectively. The same was true for the time course of the basal, hCG- and forskolin-stimulated enzyme activity. In addition, removal of oligosaccharides from the receptor did not restore the ability of desialylated hCG, nor of the deglycosylated hormone, to stimulate adenylate cyclase. In conclusion, the carbohydrate moiety of the native membrane-inserted rat ovarian LH/CG receptor does not contribute to the ligand-binding specificity, and it is not required for the functional coupling of the occupied receptor and the adenylate cyclase system. These functions are associated with the polypeptide portion of the receptor.

Polarity and fusion of JAR choriocarcinoma cells as assessed by enveloped viral glycoproteins.

Placental trophoblasts are epithelial cells which undergo physiological fusion and generate syncytia. In this study, a placental choriocarcinoma cell line JAR was infected with two enveloped viruses, Parainfluenza type 3 (P3) or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Both viruses possess a fusion glycoprotein known to be able to induce polykaryon formation in nonpolarized cells. The P3 virus fusion protein was localized on the apical as well as on the basal plasma membrane domains of the infected JAR cells. Infection of the JAR cell monolayer with P3 virus, whose fusion protein is active at pH 7.0, resulted in syncytia formation. Furthermore, the actin ring structure surrounding individual cells disappeared during the P3 virus induced cell-cell fusion. On the contrary, the VSV glycoprotein was found preferentially on the apical plasma membrane domain. To activate the VSV fusogen, the cells were subjected to pH 5.0. However, no syncytia formation peculiar to VSV-infected fibroblasts was observed, and the actin ring structures remained intact. We conclude that in JAR cells the VSV fusion protein exhibits a polarized expression while the P3 virus fusion glycoprotein is distributed between the two membrane domains. Our results suggest that an apically situated fusogen is not sufficient to mediate cell-cell fusion of JAR cells.

Human chorionic gonadotrophin (CG)-induced down-regulation of the rat luteal LH/CG receptor results in part from the down-regulation of its synthesis, involving increased alternative processing of the primary transcript.

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the homologous regulation of LH/chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) receptors, the receptor and its mRNA levels were analysed in the same pseudopregnant rat ovarian samples after human (h)CG-induced down-regulation using a binding assay, ligand blotting, immunoblotting and Northern blotting together with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Treatment of the animals with 500 IU hCG resulted in a loss of 125I-labelled hCG binding and the 90 kDa receptor on the ligand and immunoblots within 12 and 24 h respectively, followed by a transient partial recovery on days 4 and 5, while a distinct decline occurred only on day 7 in the controls. Northern blots of total ovarian RNA, as probed with a 293 bp AvaI/HindIII fragment from the extracellular domain of PCR-generated full-length rat LH/CG receptor cDNA, revealed six major mRNAs of 7.0, 4.2, 2.8, 2.0, 1.4 and 1.1 kb. The 4.2 kb mRNA, which was the most abundant, possibly encodes the 90 kDa receptor, while the smaller species probably represent alternatively spliced forms of the LH/CG receptor pre-mRNA, as also supported by the finding that PCR produced three cDNA bands of 2.1, 2.0 and 1.8 kb when oligomers derived from the N and C termini of rat LH/CG receptor cDNA were used as primers and rat ovarian total RNA as a template. Treatment with hCG led to the down-regulation of all six mRNAs in a fashion parallel to the changes in receptor protein. No smaller receptor components capable of binding radiolabelled hCG or receptor antibody appeared on the ligand or immunoblots prior to or during down-regulation or the subsequent transient period of up-regulation, suggesting that the smaller mRNA species are translated in minute amounts in vivo or are not translated at all. Laser densitometric analysis of the Northern blots revealed that the amounts of the four smallest mRNA species increased during the period of down-regulation in relation to the 4.2 kb mRNA, and correspondingly decreased during the subsequent period of up-regulation, indicating changes in the alternative splicing of the primary transcript. The data suggest that hCG-induced transient down-regulation of the LH/CG receptor results in part from down-regulation of its mRNA levels, and that changes in alternative processing of the receptor pre-mRNA may play a regulatory role in the expression of functional LH/CG receptor during down- and up-regulation.

Expression of the LH/CG receptor gene in rat ovarian tissue is regulated by an extensive alternative splicing of the primary transcript.

Luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin (LH/CG) receptor complementary DNA (cDNA) isoforms were amplified using pseudopregnant rat ovarian total RNA as a template and the primers reaching over the coding regions at both ends in a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Agarose gel electrophoresis of the PCR products revealed three bands corresponding to about 2.1, 2.0 and 1.8 kilobases (kb). Subcloning of pooled PCR products into EcoRI site of pUCBM20 resulted in 167 clones, from which five different restriction patterns were obtained by digestion with EcoRI and HaeIII. One clone of each was further characterized. It could be predicted from the nucleotide sequences that the clone rLHR2100 encoded a full-length receptor (a 674 amino acid mature protein), the clone rLHR2075 lacked part of exon IX (nucleotides 693-717) and encoded a truncated 225 amino acid mature protein, the clone rLHR1950 lacked exons III and IV (nucleotides 246-395) and encoded a nearly full-length protein (a 624 amino acid mature protein), and the clones rLHR1834 and rLHR1759 lacked the same part of exon XI (nucleotides 960-1225), with exon V (nucleotides 396-470) also absent in the latter, the deletion in exon XI leading both these clones to premature termination. The clone rLHR1834 encoded a 316 amino acid mature protein and rLHR1759 a 291 amino acid mature protein, respectively. The sequence data suggest that all of these isoforms contain the putative signal sequence and are derived from a single copy gene via alternative splicing. These results point further to the fact that the expression of the 90 kDa LH/CG receptor is regulated via an extensive alternative splicing of the receptor gene primary transcript.

Two polyclonal antisera to rat luteal LH/CG receptor with different ligand binding inhibition and immunohistochemical receptor detection capabilities.

Polyclonal antisera to a SDS-denatured and partially renatured rat luteal 90 K LH/CG receptor were raised in rabbits, characterized, and their applicability for immunohistochemical location of the receptor examined. The LH/CG receptor was purified by hCG-affinity chromatography and subjected either to a preparative SDS-PAGE or Western blotting. Gel slices containing the SDS-denatured or nitrocellulose strips containing the renatured 90 K LH/CG receptor were used for immunization. The antisera, termed ARS-2 and ARS-3, respectively, possessed similar antibody titres. Both antisera were able to recognize the native, SDS-denatured, and SDS-denatured and reduced forms of the LH/CG receptor on dot blots, but only ARS-3 contained antibodies to the hormone binding site or a region near to it, as it was able to inhibit the hCG binding to the membrane-bound LH/CG receptor in a dilution-dependent manner. Both antisera recognized the receptor-hCG complex, but ARS-2 stained the complex with about 50% less intensity than the free receptor. ARS-3 located the LH/CG receptor distinctly on the luteal cell surfaces in immunohistochemical staining with peroxidase antiperoxidase complex method, but ARS-2, although it possessed similar antibody titre, revealed negligible staining. Thus, the antisera readily recognize the native receptor, but differ in their capability for inhibiting hormone binding. Only ARS-3, produced against the renatured receptor, contains sufficient amounts of antibodies capable of recognizing free and occupied receptors in immunohistochemistry.

Rat and human neutrophil N-formyl-peptide chemotactic receptors. Species difference in the glycosylation of similar 35-38 kDa polypeptide cores.

Rat and human neutrophil N-formyl-peptide chemotactic receptors were subjected to glycosidase and proteinase treatments to determine the extent and species differences of glycosylation and the carbohydrate requirement in the high-affinity ligand binding. N-Formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe-Nle-125I-Tyr-Lys was attached to rat and human neutrophils either before or after glycosidase and proteinase treatments, and the labelled receptors were solubilized after glutaraldehyde cross-linking and analysed by SDS/PAGE and autoradiography. Both the rat and human N-formyl-peptide chemotactic receptors contain only N-linked oligosaccharides, as demonstrated by their sensitivity to peptide N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) and resistance to O-glycanase treatment. The N-linked oligosaccharides seem to be of the complex type rather than the high-mannose or hybrid type and lack terminal sialic acid, as demonstrated by their resistance to endoglycosidases D and H and neuraminidase treatments. This sensitivity pattern was similar in both species, and the shift in the molecular size of the receptors to 35-38 kDa after PNGase F treatment occurred through one intermediate product, suggesting that both receptors contain a similar 35-38 kDa polypeptide core with two N-linked complex-type oligosaccharides, the heterogeneity of which is responsible for the species difference in receptor size. Papain treatment alone or followed by PNGase F produced in both species a 33-36 kDa membrane-bound fragment that was still able to bind the ligand, suggesting that the oligosaccharides are located on the approx. 2 kDa papain-cleavable polypeptide fragment of the receptors. The cleavage sites for both papain and PNGase F were hidden in occupied receptors, suggesting a conformational or topographical change in these upon ligand binding. Scatchard analyses and cross-linking experiments demonstrated that carbohydrates are not required for high-affinity ligand binding and that the 33-36 kDa membrane-bound papain fragment of both receptors contains the ligand-binding site.

Application of the immunofluorescence technique and confocal laser scanning microscopy for studying the distribution of the luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin (LH/CG) receptor on rat luteal cells.

We used confocal scanning microscopy to study the semi-quantitative distribution of luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin (LH/CG) receptors on rat luteal cells at both the two- and the three-dimensional level. The receptors were visualized in 6-microns sections of pseudopregnant rat ovaries using polyclonal rabbit antiserum to hCG-affinity-purified LH/CG receptor in conjunction with rhodamine-conjugated anti-rabbit immunoglobulins. Twenty to 30 optical sections were taken at different focal planes from representative luteal cells with a confocal laser scanning microscope and then processed digitally to two- and three-dimensional pseudocolored images. Distinct differences in fluorescence intensity could be demonstrated at both the two- and the three-dimensional level on the luteal cell surfaces, suggesting an uneven distribution of the LH/CG receptors on the cell membranes. This probably results in the compartmentalization and polarization of luteal cell function.

Significance of the glycan moiety of the rat ovarian luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin (CG) receptor and human CG for receptor-hormone interaction.

The role of the glycan moiety of the rat ovarian LH/CG receptor and human CG (hCG) in high-affinity receptor-hormone interaction was investigated by cross-linking and quantitative binding experiments. hCG and its derivatives, desialylated hCG and deglycosylated hCG were labeled either to the alpha-subunit (125I) or the beta-subunit (3H). The ligands were attached to ovarian membrane particles, which were treated with neuraminidase or peptide-N-glycosidase F to remove terminal sialic acids or N-linked oligosaccharides of the receptor, respectively, and the complexes formed were solubilized, cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All of the ligands produced similar autoradiographic patterns with the native or glycosidase-treated receptor, and only the receptor-(alpha)hCG and receptor-(alpha, beta)hCG complexes were detected. Moreover, quantitative binding studies indicated that all of the hormone derivatives had similar affinities for the native or glycosidase-treated receptor. In addition, the orientation of the carbohydrate side chains on the receptor-hormone complex was studied by digesting the complex with the glycosidases. The molecular weight of the receptor, evidenced by ligand blotting, was reduced to the same extent, whether the membrane-bound free receptor or receptor-hormone complex was treated with the glycosidases, suggesting that the oligosaccharide side chains of the receptor are apart from the hormone binding region. As peptide-N-glycosidase F treatment reduced the size of the Mr 90,000 receptor first to about Mr 67,000 and finally to about Mr 62,000, there may possibly be 2 N-linked carbohydrate chains per receptor polypeptide. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the glycosidase-treated receptor-[125I]hCG complex also revealed that neuraminidase was able to remove the sialic acids from both subunits of the receptor-bound hormone. In conclusion, the results suggest that hCG interacts with the polypeptide backbone of its ovarian receptor mainly through the peptide core of its alpha-subunit. Moreover, the carbohydrate side chains of both subunits of hCG are positioned on the outward face of the receptor-hormone complex.

Production and characterization of polyclonal antiserum to rat luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor and its immunohistochemical application for studying receptor location and down-regulation.

A polyclonal antiserum against the affinity-purified nondenatured rat 90K LH/CG receptor polypeptide was raised in rabbits, characterized, and used to study the location of the LH/CG receptor in pseudopregnant rat luteal cells and the fate of the receptor-hCG complex together with the specific anti-hCG serum during hCG-induced down-regulation by immunochemical techniques. Even at a 1:3000 dilution, the antiserum recognized a single 90K polypeptide on Western blots of both the affinity-purified receptor and the initial detergent extract of the pseudopregnant rat ovarian membranes. It recognized sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured and reduced, sodium dodecyl sulfate-denatured, and native forms of the receptor on dot blots; the immunoreaction was the most intense with the native receptor. The antiserum also contained antibodies that recognized the hormone-binding site, or a region near to it, and the occupied receptor. The majority of the LH/CG receptors were located on the luteal cells in pseudopregnant rat ovaries before the induction of down-regulation. The receptor content seemed to vary among the luteal cells, however, and on single cells, suggesting both functional heterogeneity and a functional polarization of the luteal cells. Upon induction of down-regulation with hCG both the receptors and the bound hormone disappeared from the luteal cell surfaces at a very slow rate, without any simultaneous appearance of receptor- or hCG-specific immunostaining in the luteal cell interior. No accumulation of receptor degradation products capable of [125I]iodo-hCG or antibody binding could be detected on Western blots of the tissue. The polyclonal LH/CG receptor antiserum described here is useful for studying the structure and function of this receptor, particularly for immunohistochemical investigations into receptor location and regulation.

Subunit interaction of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) with rat ovarian luteinizing hormone (LH)/CG receptor.

The subunit interaction of hCG with its rat ovarian LH/CG receptor was studied by cross-linking the solubilized receptor-hormone complex with glutaraldehyde (GA), disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS) or dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate) (DSP) and analyzing the complexes by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography. The hormone was labeled either in its alpha-subunit (125I-hCG) or in its beta-subunit (3H-hCG) or the label (3H) was introduced into the receptor molecule instead of the hormone. All of the labeling procedures led to the detection of only the receptor-(alpha,beta)hCG and receptor-(alpha)hCG complexes on the autoradiograms. The sizes of these complexes were 137,000 and 106,000, respectively, under reducing conditions. These results suggest that the receptor binds one hormone molecule, and that hCG interacts with the receptor mainly through its alpha-subunit. In addition, polyclonal antibodies directed against the LH/CG receptor and the alpha- and beta-subunits of hCG were used to detect the non-reduced receptor-(alpha,beta)hCG complex in immunoblotting. As antibodies directed against both the alpha-subunit and the beta-subunit were able to detect the Mr 130,000 complex, it is conceivable that both of the subunits are at least partially exposed on the receptor-hormone complex. 125I-hCG was also cross-linked to the membrane-bound receptor. The membrane-bound complex had an Mr of 144,000 under reducing conditions, i.e. approximately 7000 higher than that of the solubilized complex (Mr 137,000). This may indicate that the membrane-bound receptor is covalently modified or differs in conformation from the solubilized receptor.