The role of nonspecific hydrophobic interactions in the biological activity of N epsilon-acyl derivatives of glucagon. Studies of conformation, receptor binding, and adenylate cyclase activation

Positively charged residues at positions 12, 17, and 18 of glucagon ensure maximum biological potency

Glucagon is a peptide hormone that plays a central role in the maintenance of normal circulating glucose levels. Structure-activity studies have previously demonstrated the importance of histidine at position 1 and the absolute requirement for aspartic acid at position 9 for transduction of the hormonal signal. Site-directed mutagenesis of the receptor protein identified Asp64 on the extracellular N-terminal tail to be crucial for the recognition function of the receptor. In addition, antibodies generated against aspartic acid-rich epitopes from the extracellular region competed effectively with glucagon for receptor sites, which suggested that negative charges may line the putative glucagon binding pocket in the receptor. These observations led to the idea that positively charged residues on the hormone may act as counterions to these sites. Based on these initial findings, we synthesized glucagon analogs in which basic residues at positions 12, 17, and 18 were replaced with neutral or acidic residues to examine the effect of altering the positive charge on those sites on binding and adenylyl cyclase activity. The results indicate that unlike N-terminal histidine, Lys12, Arg17, and Arg18 of glucagon have very large effects on receptor binding and transduction of the hormonal signal, although they are not absolutely critical. They contribute strongly to the stabilization of the binding interaction with the glucagon receptor that leads to maximum biological potency.

Roles of aspartic acid 15 and 21 in glucagon action: receptor anchor and surrogates for aspartic acid 9

The discovery of aspartic acid at position 9 in glucagon to be a critical residue for transduction has spurred renewed efforts to identify other strategic residues in the peptide sequence that dictate either receptor binding or biological activity. It also became apparent from further studies that Asp9 operates in conjunction with His1 in the activation mechanism that follows binding to the glucagon receptor. Indeed, it was later demonstrated that the protonatable histidine imidazole is important for transduction. It is likely that the interaction of a positively charged histidine 1 with a negatively charged aspartic acid 9 might be part of the triggering step at the molecular level. Two other aspartic acid residues in glucagon are capable of assuming a similar role, namely that of contributing to an electrostatic attraction with histidine via a negative carboxylate. These studies were conducted to investigate the role of aspartic acid 15 and 21 in glucagon action. Evidence reported here, gathered from 31 replacement analogs, supports the idea that in the absence of the requisite carboxyl group at position 9, histidine utilizes Asp21 or Asp15 as a compensatory site. Asp15 was also found to be indispensable for binding and may serve to tether the hormone to the receptor protein at the binding site. It is also demonstrated that these new findings promote the design of better glucagon antagonists.

Importance of the 10-13 region of glucagon for its receptor interactions and activation of adenylate cyclase

The role of the Tyr10-Ser11-Lys12-Tyr13 region of glucagon in the binding interaction and activation of the glucagon receptor was investigated by means of the synthetic glucagon analogues [Phe13]glucagonamide, [Phe10]glucagonamide, [Phe10]glucagon, [Phe10,13]glucagon, [Pro11]glucagon, [Pro11,Gly12]glucagonamide, [Ala11]glucagon, and [Oac11-13]glucagonamide. These analogues were synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis on p-methylbenzhydrylamine or Merrifield resins with protected N alpha-tert-butyloxycarbonyl amino acids. Purification by dialysis, cation-exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and preparative reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gave products that proved homogeneous by thin-layer chromatography and HPLC and on analysis by amino acid analysis, by sequencing, and by alpha-chymotryptic peptide mapping with HPLC. Biological activities were examined by measurement of the stimulation of liver plasma membrane adenylate cyclase and by specific displacement of [125I]glucagon from glucagon receptors. The results of these studies indicate that while the biological "message" region of glucagon is located elsewhere, the 10-13 region has multiple roles in the glucagon-glucagon receptor interaction: this region provides functional groups for direct binding interaction with the receptor, and this region interacts with the receptor in such a way as to allow the "transduction message" portion of glucagon to interact and activate the receptor.

Receptor binding and adenylate cyclase activities of glucagon analogues modified in the N-terminal region

In this study, we determined the ability of four N-terminally modified derivatives of glucagon, [3-Me-His1,Arg12]-, [Phe1,Arg12]-, [D-Ala4,Arg12]-, and [D-Phe4]glucagon, to compete with 125I-glucagon for binding sites specific for glucagon in hepatic plasma membranes and to activate the hepatic adenylate cyclase system, the second step involved in producing many of the physiological effects of glucagon. Relative to the native hormone, [3-Me-His1,Arg12]glucagon binds approximately twofold greater to hepatic plasma membranes but is fivefold less potent in the adenylate cyclase assay. [Phe1,Arg12]glucagon binds threefold weaker and is also approximately fivefold less potent in adenylate cyclase activity. In addition, both analogues are partial agonists with respect to adenylate cyclase. These results support the critical role of the N-terminal histidine residue in eliciting maximal transduction of the hormonal message. [D-Ala4,Arg12]glucagon and [D-Phe4]glucagon, analogues designed to examine the possible importance of a beta-bend conformation in the N-terminal region of glucagon for binding and biological activities, have binding potencies relative to glucagon of 31% and 69%, respectively. [D-Ala4,Arg12]glucagon is a partial agonist in the adenylate cyclase assay system having a fourfold reduction in potency, while the [D-Phe4] derivative is a full agonist essentially equipotent with the native hormone. These results do not necessarily support the role of an N-terminal beta-bend in glucagon receptor recognition. With respect to in vivo glycogenolysis activities, all of the analogues have previously been reported to be full agonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Assay and characterization of IgG binding to endodermal cells of the fetal rabbit yolk sac membrane

The transfer of passive immunity in the rabbit is mediated by the fetal yolk sac membrane (YSM) and is initiated by the specific binding of IgG to receptors on the microvillar surface of the endoderm from the YSM. This report describes the preparation of suspensions of endodermal absorptive cells of the YSM and their use in equilibrium binding experiments to characterize the nature of the binding reaction. Equilibrium binding is achieved in 4 h at 4 degrees C. The system is more rapid than, affords greater reproducibility of binding data than, and utilizes only about 1/10 the amount of YSM and ligand as the YSM disc assay system (Tsay and Schlamowitz, 1975) used previously. A Scatchard plot of the binding data over a wide range of IgG concentration was non-linear implying the presence of at least 2 binding elements. Apparent binding constant values for the stronger and weaker binding components in this population differed by about 50-fold. For the weaker binding system, binding decreased when temperature was increased indicating that the reaction was not entropy-driven (i.e., dominated by hydrophobic 'forces') and that ionic interactions might be a major factor. At low ionic strengths the measurement of specific binding was complicated by the effects of secondary ionic interactions. At physiological ionic strength the binding of IgG was species-specific.

Synthesis and biological activity of N epsilon-acyl derivatives of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mating pheromone

We report a general method for acylation of the N epsilon-amino group of the lysyl residue in peptides. The procedure involves acylation using p-nitrophenyl esters and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole in organic solvents to yield a series of fatty acyl mating pheromones of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fatty acyl group does not influence coupling of peptide fragments. Biological activities of the synthesized alpha-factor mating pheromones derivatized with acetyl, butyryl, caprylyl and lauryl groups are nearly equivalent to the activity of unacylated alpha-factor. The N epsilon-stearyl-alpha-factor is biologically inactive. The procedures reported in this communication can be used to increase hydrophobicity of lysine-containing peptides when the lysyl group is not essential for activity.

N alpha-Malto-glucagon and N alpha-malto, S-methyl methionine27-glucagon: preparation and characterization of two partial agonists

N alpha-Maltoglucagon was prepared by demethylation of N alpha-malto, S-methyl methionine27 glucagon, and the two derivatives were purified to greater than 99% and 99.7%, respectively. S-Methylation of glucagon lowers the reactivity of Lys-12 and provides an alternative strategy to epsilon-amino protection for directing glycosylation of glucagon to the alpha-amino group. Both derivatives are partial agonists, with their adenylate cyclase activation and binding reduced in parallel. N alpha-Maltoglucagon produces 70% and N alpha-malto, S-methyl methionine27 glucagon 40% of the maximum activity of native hormone. N alpha-Maltoglucagon binds equivalently to N alpha-biotinyl, N epsilon-acetimidoglucagon whose maximum activity is near 35%, but a pK shift of the imidazole moiety cannot account for the difference in their abilities to produce transduction. Both glycosylated derivatives bind noncooperatively and both inhibit adenylate cyclase at high concentrations. The presence of a maltose residue on the amino terminal of glucagon may be required but, alone provides insufficient structural complementarity for concanavalin A binding to occur. The glycosylated derivatives are resistant to aminopeptidase degradation, are more soluble, and the maltose residue is unlikely to cause toxicity with in vivo use. Such attributes may be advantageous in the development of other analogs.

Photoaffinity labeling of the glucagon receptor with a new glucagon analog

The preparation, purification and characterization of N epsilon-4- azidophenylamidinoglucagon are described. This photoreactive peptide was found to be 50% as potent as native glucagon in competing with 125I-labeled glucagon for binding to glucagon receptors on rat liver plasma membranes. Similarly, the analog was 50% as potent as native glucagon in its ability to stimulate adenylate cyclase. The photoreactive glucagon analog was radioiodinated to high specific activity with iodine-125 and was used to label rat liver plasma membrane proteins. Analysis of labeled membrane proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed covalent incorporation predominantly into a protein of relative molecular mass, Mr, of 50 000-60 000. Occasionally a protein of Mr 170 000-180 000 was also labeled. Irradiation of membranes in the presence of unlabeled glucagon or GTP selectively inhibited the labeling of the 50 000-60 000-Mr protein(s). As a result of these studies we suggest that the sodium-dodecyl-sulfate-dissociated glucagon receptor is a 50 000-60 000-Mr protein.

Conformational and biological properties of glucagon fragments containing residues 1-17 and 19-29

The 29 amino acid polypeptide hormone glucagon was cleaved into two large fragments by the enzyme clostripain. The conformational properties of these two fragments were monitored by circular dichroism at pH 2 and 12 in both the presence and absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Both glucagon (1-17) and glucagon (19-29) have reduced abilities to fold in aqueous solution. However, both fragments can take on structure of higher apparent helical content in acidic solution in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate but only the glucagon (19-29) retains this conformation at high pH. Neither of the two fragments react with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine as the intact peptide does. Only the carboxyl terminal fragment was capable of reacting with an antibody specific for glucagon. The glucagon (1-17) has markedly reduced affinity for binding to the glucagon receptor as well as markedly reduced ability to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity which is not affected by the presence of glucagon (19-29). It is proposed that the intact sequence provides specific groups required for activity as well as the potential for forming a stable amphipathic helix, both of which are necessary for full biological activity at low peptide concentrations.

Effect of specific trinitrophenylation of the lysine epsilon amino group of glucagon on receptor binding and adenylate cyclase activation

The trinitrophenyl group was specifically introduced into the epsilon-amino group of glucagon by reaction of N alpha-citraconyl glucagon with trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The N alpha-citraconyl blocking group was subsequently removed by acid treatment yielding N epsilon-trinitrophenyl glucagon which was purified by anion-exchange chromatography. The derivative showed less secondary structure as measured by circular dichroism than the native hormone at pH 8.0 and at pH 2.0 in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The analog possessed 4-5% the potency of glucagon in stimulating adenylate cyclase with 90% maximal stimulation and possessed 30% the potency of glucagon in competing for glucagon-specific receptor sites in hepatic plasma membranes. Although the structure of N epsilon-trinitrophenyl glucagon is very similar to N epsilon-4-azido-2-nitrophenyl glucagon, the photoaffinity antagonist synthesized by M.D. Bregman and D. Levy [(1977) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 78, 584-590.], the biological activities of the two are different. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed.