Use of calcium dependence as a means to study the interaction between growth hormones and their binding proteins in rabbit liver

Divalent metal cation chelators enhance chromatographic separation of structurally similar macromolecules: separation of human growth hormone isoforms

Human GH isoforms were separated by anion-exchange chromatography using a linear NaCl gradient in the presence and absence of EDTA and EGTA. SDS-PAGE showed that glycosylated 24-kDa hGH did not appreciably separate from other hGH variants in the absence of metal chelators. However, in the presence of metal chelators, glycosylated 24-kDa hGH separated from the bulk of the hGH isoforms. Human GH isoforms were also separated by size-exclusion chromatography in the presence and absence of metal chelators. Glycosylated 24-kDa hGH eluted with the bulk of the hGH isoforms in both separations. The inclusion of metal chelators in chromatographic buffers to alter the charge and/or size of proteins by stripping their metals may be a generally useful strategy in their fractionation.

A growth hormone agonist produced by targeted mutagenesis at binding site 1. Evidence that site 1 regulates bioactivity

Growth hormone (GH) is believed to signal by dimerizing its receptor through two binding sites on the hormone. Previous attempts to increase the biopotency of GH by increasing its site 1 affinity have been unsuccessful, which has led to a bias toward engineering site 2 interactions in the quest for creation of super agonists. Here we report that increasing site 1 affinity can markedly increase proliferative bioactivity in FDC-P1 cells expressing full-length GHR. In contrast, we find three site 1 mutants with affinities for site one similar to or greater than wild type GH, which have markedly decreased bioactivity. Through crystal structure analysis of the receptor interactive regions of these GH analogues, we are able to suggest why previous mutagenesis on human GH failed to improve biopotency, and thus provide a new avenue for GH and cytokine agonist design.

Evidence for involvement of the carboxy terminus of helix 1 of growth hormone in receptor binding: use of charge reversal mutagenesis to account for calcium dependence of binding and for design of higher affinity analogues

In this study we have demonstrated that the C-terminus of helix 1 of porcine GH (pGH) is a receptor-interactive region, thus extending the current binding site model of GH. This was achieved by introducing charge reversal mutations into this region of pGH, which influenced receptor affinity and Ca2+ dependence of binding. The first mutant (R34E pGH, conversion of Arg 34 to Glu) introduced a putative Ca2+ binding site which is present in human GH (hGH) [Barnard et al. (1989) J. Theor. Biol. 140, 355-367] and sits opposite E220 of receptor subunit 1. This mutant exhibited increased Ca2+ dependence of receptor binding but even at optimal Ca2+ did not display higher than wild-type affinity. Introduction of a second Ca2+ binding site adjacent to the first by a second charge reversal (K30E R34E pGH) further increased Ca2+ dependence of binding and also increased affinity for the rabbit GH receptor (2.4 +/- 0.4)-fold relative to wild-type pGH at optimal Ca2+. Equilibrium dialysis and Scatchard analysis of binding of 45Ca2+ to pGH and K30E R34E pGH revealed two Ca2+ binding sites on wild-type pGH and an additional two Ca2+ binding sites on the K30E R34E pGH mutant (Kd 0.5-0.8 mM), as predicted. A third partial charge reversal mutant in the fourth helix (H170D) also led to enhanced Ca2+ dependence of binding, supporting our proposal that E34 and D170 are responsible for the Ca2+ dependence of hGH binding to the rabbit GH receptor. Examination of the crystal structure shows that E34 and D170 are in close proximity and would interact repulsively with a cluster of acidic residues on the receptor consisting of E126, E127, and E220 unless neutralized by Ca2+ or an introduced basic residue. Accordingly, charge reversal at the adjacent pGH residue E33 (E33K pGH) led to a Ca2+ independent (3.0 +/- 0.4)-fold increase in affinity of binding. As well as extending the binding site model of GH, these studies provide a mechanistic explanation for the unique Ca2+ dependence of hGH binding to the rabbit GH receptor. They also indicate that charge reversal can be used to design higher affinity GH analogues and could assist in the mapping of interactive regions in ligand-receptor complexes generally.

Influence of Mg2+ on detection of somatogenic and lactogenic components of growth-hormone-binding protein in mammalian sera

We recently classified the growth-hormone (GH)-binding protein (GH-BP) in a wide range of mammalian [including human (h)] sera and reported the existence of a major lactogenic component in GH-BP of type-III sera (rabbit, horse, dog, pig and cat), based on the capacity of bovine (b) and ovine prolactin (PRL) to displace 125I-labelled human growth hormone (hGH) binding and on direct 125I-bPRL binding studies. In this study, we demonstrate the high degree of Mg2+ dependence of the binding of the classically lactogenic hGH and bPRL, but not that of the somatogenic bGH to various mammalian sera (types I-IV). Serum GH-BP was assayed using a previously described and validated charcoal-separation assay. 125I-hGH binding to rat, ovine, bovine, rabbit, horse, dog and human sera was enhanced 1.5-2.5-fold in the presence of 70 mM Mg2+. The Mg2+ effect was concentration-dependent between 3.7 mM and 70 mM, causing a significant and proportional increase in 125I-hGH binding to serum. Like 125I-hGH, 125I-bPRL binding to type-III sera was also Mg(2+)-dependent. In contrast, 125I-bGH binding to all types of serum GH-BP was not affected by Mg2+ concentrations of up to 35 mM, while 70 mM Mg2+ slightly, but significantly, reduced (by approx. 15%) bGH binding to rabbit serum. In keeping with the Mg(2+)-dependent stimulation of lactogenic hormone binding to GH-BP, 70 mM Mg2+ caused a shift to the left in the displacement curves of hGH and bPRL competing with 125I-hGH binding to rabbit, dog, horse and human sera, while the effects of the somatogens bGH and rabbit GH were shifted to the right. Scatchard analysis of hGH displacement curves with sera from various species yielded linear plots and revealed that Mg2+ significantly increased (2.3-3.0-fold) the affinity constants, but not the binding capacities. These results demonstrate the ability of changes in Mg2+ concentration to determine the degree of differential recognition of somatogens versus lactogens by serum GH-BP. It remains to be determined whether such bivalent cation effects may account, at least in part, for the growth retardation seen in Zn2+ or Mg2+ ion deficiencies.

Antigenic structure of bovine growth hormone: location of a growth enhancing region

Site-directed antisera generated by peptide immunization have been used to study the antigenicity of bovine growth hormone (bGH). Prediction of sequential antigenic sites has been performed using secondary structure information derived from the 'Protean' prediction routine. The structures predicted by this programme agree closely with the corresponding structure of GH recently derived from crystallographic studies. We have previously shown that the binding of monoclonal antibodies of particular epitope specificity to human or bovine GH results in significant enhancement of hormonal activity in vivo; however, the sites recognized by these antibodies were not known. Here we identify a sequence region, corresponding to a loop structure joining helices 3 and 4, which, is associated with the growth enhancement phenomenon. Antisera raised to either of two overlapping peptides (residues 120-140 and 134-154) significantly increase the biological activity of GH in vivo. Antisera directed to other regions on the GH molecule failed to demonstrate this property. Coincidentally, the sites recognized by the growth-enhancing anti-peptide antisera overlap with the site on GH which is highly susceptible to proteolytic cleavage; such cleavage has been shown in some cases to result in hormone enhancement.

Soluble forms of the rabbit adipose tissue and liver growth hormone receptors are antigenically identical, but the integral membrane forms differ

Cytosolic, detergent-solubilized and membrane-bound growth hormone (GH) receptors from rabbit adipose tissue and liver were tested for reactivity with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The cytosolic and detergent-solubilized forms of adipose tissue and liver GH receptors were identically reactive with four precipitating and two hormone-binding-site-directed MAbs. However, the membrane-bound form of the adipose receptor was 1000-fold less reactive with one binding-site-directed MAb (MAb 7) than the membrane-bound liver GH receptor. Reactivity with another inhibitory MAb (MAb 263) was identical for adipose tissue and liver membrane GH receptors. The relative potency of 22,000-Mr and 20,000-Mr forms of human GH was identical in assays with liver and adipose tissue membrane receptors. Thus, contrary to earlier suggestions, the discrepancy between the growth-promoting and insulin-like activities of 20,000-Mr human GH cannot be rationalized by a difference in the affinity of this hormone for 'somatogenic' and 'metabolic' receptors when the comparison is made in the same species. Cross-linking studies showed that the major GH-binding subunit of liver and adipose tissue GH receptors had the same Mr (54,000 +/- 5000, reduced). The ligand-binding subunits of liver and adipose tissue receptors are identical by several criteria, but one epitope on the adipose tissue receptor appears to be masked upon membrane insertion, possibly by close association with a tissue-specific component. Tissue specificity may be determined by association of a ubiquitous GH-binding subunit with tissue-specific membrane components, rather than by differences in amino acid sequence.

An electrostatic model for the interaction between growth hormone and its receptor involving chelation of Ca2+ to the human growth hormone molecule

We previously postulated the local involvement of cations in the complex between human growth hormone and its receptors in the liver. The original electrostatic model involved convergence of unit negative charges on the hormone and receptor, towards an interposed Ca2+ ion. That model was consistent with (a) the Ca2+ dependence of human growth hormone binding, (b) the magnitude of the Ca2+ mediated increase in the affinity of human growth hormone binding, and (c) could also explain the relative affinities of human and non-primate growth hormones for growth hormone receptors. In the present report, the original electrostatic model is revised with the postulate that Ca2+ is chelated to the human growth hormone molecule. The consequences of this postulate are explored mathematically with the result that it becomes necessary to propose an additional unique hindrance determinant (positive residues in helices one and four are good candidates) to account for the lower affinity of non-primate growth hormones relative to human growth hormone. Predictions are made regarding the effect of a particular point mutation (at position 34) on the affinity of hormone binding.