Improvement of 5-HT3 receptor binding assay: enhancement of specific [3H]quipazine binding with Triton X-100-treated membranes from rat cortex

Adaptation of commercial immunoassays to analysis of complex biological substances

An Intracellular Adhesion Molecule I (ICAM-1) immunoassay from R and D Systems, and a Melanoma Inhibitory Activity (MIA) immunoassay from Roche Diagnostics were tested for accurate quantitation within complex biological substances such as cell lysates. Prior to assay, lysates of melanoma cells were treated with detergents to obtain soluble antigens. Maximum ICAM-1 and maximum MIA were detected after treatment using 0.8% Triton X-100. Two key aspects of assay accuracy were: 1) determining the dilutions of test sample that provided accurate quantitation (sample range), and 2) performing spiking experiments at these dilutions to determine absence or presence of a "matrix" effect due to biological complexity of the sample. A high degree of accuracy was found by diluting this particular cellular extract 50-fold prior to ICAM-1 assay, or only 5-fold prior to MIA assay. In addition, the bicinchoninic acid protein assay was analyzed to test the accuracy of protein quantitation of cellular lysates. Precision, limits of detection, and quantitation, robustness, linearity, and specificity also were tested for the immunoassays.

In vitro and in vivo ligand binding to the 5HT(3) serotonin receptor characterised by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

The binding of the fluorescein-labelled antagonist GR-flu ([1,2,3,9-tetrahydro-3-[(5-methyl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)methyl]-9-(3-amino-(N-fluoresceinthiocarbamoyl)propyl)-4H-carbazol-4-one]) to a purified, detergent-solubilised ligand-gated ion channel, the type-3 serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) receptor (5HT(3)R), was characterised by frequency-domain time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS). Detailed understanding of how ligands interact with the homopentameric receptor was obtained. While a 1:1 stoichiometry was observed for the GR-flu-receptor complex, the agonist quipazine bound cooperatively to the receptor, suggesting multiple binding sites for this ligand. The GR-flu-binding site of the receptor was proven to provide an acidic environment as shown by determining the fraction of bound GR-flu in the protonated state. Fluorescence anisotropy relaxation experiments indicated a hindered but still high mobility for the receptor-bound GR-flu. Hence, the binding site is expected to present a wide opening to the ligand. Finally, we succeeded in measuring the binding of GR-flu to 5HT(3) receptors in live cells. These results show that the purified and the native receptor behave identically and demonstrate that time-resolved fluorescence measurements are suited to selectively investigate biomolecular interactions in live cells.

Antagonistic activities of N-3389, a newly synthesized diazabicyclo derivative, at 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors

The antagonistic activities of compound N-3389 (endo-3,9-dimethyl-3,9- diazabicyclo[3,3,1]non-7-yl 1H-indazole-3-carboxamide dihydrochloride) at 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors were examined using in vitro and in vivo assays. N-3389 showed potent 5-HT3 receptor antagonistic activities in a radioligand binding assay (pKi = 8.77), against 2-methyl-5-HT (2-Me-5-HT)-induced bradycardia in rats (ED50 = 0.73 micrograms/kg i.v., 38 micrograms/kg p.o.) and against 2-Me-5-HT-induced contraction in longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus preparations of guinea-pig ileum (IC50 = 3.2 x 10(-8) M). As a preliminary to investigating the effect of N-3389 on 5-HT4 receptors, we examined the contraction induced by 5-HT in guinea-pig ileum preparations. We confirmed that 5-HT (10(-8)-10(-5) M) induced biphasic contractions in the preparations. Furthermore, 5-HT3 receptor antagonism inhibited the late phase of the contraction induced by high concentrations of 5-HT (3 x 10(-6)-10(-5) M), whereas 5-HT4 receptor antagonism inhibited the early phase of the contraction induced by low concentrations of 5-HT (10(-8)-10(-6) M). N-3389 (10(-7)-10(-5) M) inhibited both phases of contraction induced by 5-HT. In addition, N-3389 (3 x 10(-7)-3 x 10(-6) M) was found to inhibit the increase of electrically stimulated twitch responses induced by 5-HT (10(-8) M) longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus preparation of the guinea-pig ileum. These results suggest that N-3389 acts as a 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptor antagonist.