Biochemical characterization of the muscarinic receptors

Radioligand binding to muscarinic receptors of bovine aortic endothelial cells

1. Muscarinic receptors on endothelial cells of bovine thoracic aorta were characterized by binding assays in which (-)-[3H]-N-methyl quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]-NMeQNB) was used as radioligand. 2. Binding of [3H]-NMeQNB to crude membranes of freshly isolated endothelial cells was atropine-displaceable and of high affinity (KD = 0.48 nM) to a single class of sites (maximum binding capacity: 14 +/- 3 fmol mg-1 protein). Stereospecificity of the binding sites was demonstrated in experiments in which [3H]-NMeQNB binding was inhibited by dexetimide in the nanomolar range (KI = 0.63 nM) and by levetimide, its stereoisomer in the micromolar range (KI = 3.2 microM) (selectivity factor: approximately 5000). 3. Drug competition curves indicated a single class of binding sites for antagonists and the following apparent affinities (KI, nM): methyl atropine: 1.1: 4-diphenylacetoxy N-methyl piperidine methyl bromide (4-DAMP): 3.4; pirenzepine: 16; 11-[2-diethylamino-methyl)-1-piperidinyl- acetyl]-5,11-dihydro-6H-pyrido(2,3-b)1,4-benzodiazepine-6-one (AF-DX 116); 2.500. Competition of acetylcholine with [3H]-NMeQNB was best described by two affinity sites (or states) (KH = 0.82 microM, KL = 1.6 microM). In the presence of guanylimido diphosphate [Gpp(NH)p] (100 microM), acetylcholine affinity (IC50) was slightly, but significantly reduced (factor approximately 4). 4. Binding of [3H]-NMeQNB to freshly harvested intact cells was also atropine-displaceable, stereospecific (selectivity factor: approximately 3500) and of high affinity (KD = 0.35 nM). The maximum binding capacity (9 +/- 2 fmol mg-1 total cell protein) was comparable to that of membranes and corresponded to approximately 900 binding sites per endothelial cell. Binding to enzymatically harvested and cultured endothelial cells, or membranes derived therefrom, showed no atropine-displaceable binding. 5. The results suggest that (1) bovine aortic endothelial cells contain muscarinic binding sites with all necessary criteria of functional muscarinic receptors; (2) the receptor most closely corresponds to the M1 subtype and is of comparatively very low density, and (3) cultured endothelial cells lose their receptors during isolation or culture procedures.

Recognition of the muscarinic receptor by its endogenous neurotransmitter: binding of [3H]acetylcholine and its modulation by transition metal ions and guanine nucleotides

Agonist binding to the muscarinic receptor in rat cerebral cortex membranes was studied by using the neurotransmitter itself, [3H]acetylcholine [( 3H]AcCho). By using 10 microM atropine or oxotremorine to define specific binding, it was possible to demonstrate specific binding of [3H]AcCho that was sensitive to muscarinic but not to nicotinic ligands. Equilibrium binding experiments with 5-240 nM [3H]AcCho indicated specific binding of the ligand to a saturable population of muscarinic receptors (361 +/- 29 fmol/mg of protein; Kd = 76 +/- 17 nM). This value represented 25% of the available binding sites for a labeled antagonist in the same preparation and corresponds to the proportion of high-affinity agonist binding sites observed previously in competition experiments with labeled antagonists. Inclusion of transition metal ions (e.g., 2 mM Ni2+) in the assay increased the equilibrium binding of [3H]AcCho (628 +/- 38 fmol/mg of protein, Kd = 86 +/- 21 nM) but did not affect equilibrium binding of 3H-labeled antagonists, indicating conversion of low- into high-affinity muscarinic agonist binding sites. The increase developed slowly over 30 min of incubation at 25 degrees C but could be reversed rapidly (approximately equal to 2 min) by the chelating agent EDTA or by guanine nucleotides. These data directly reveal a slow though quickly reversible interconversion of low- into high-affinity muscarinic agonist binding sites.