Adrenergic ligand binding in human serum

α/β-hydrolase domain containing protein 15 (ABHD15)--an adipogenic protein protecting from apoptosis

Our knowledge about adipocyte metabolism and development is steadily growing, yet many players are still undefined. Here, we show that α/β-hydrolase domain containing protein 15 (Abhd15) is a direct and functional target gene of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), the master regulator of adipogenesis. In line, Abhd15 is mainly expressed in brown and white adipose tissue and strongly upregulated during adipogenesis in various murine and human cell lines. Stable knockdown of Abhd15 in 3T3-L1 cells evokes a striking differentiation defect, as evidenced by low lipid accumulation and decreased expression of adipocyte marker genes. In preconfluent cells, knockdown of Abhd15 leads to impaired proliferation, which is caused by apoptosis, as we see an increased SubG1 peak, caspase 3/7 activity, and BAX protein expression as well as a reduction in anti-apoptotic BCL-2 protein. Furthermore, apoptosis-inducing amounts of palmitic acid evoke a massive increase of Abhd15 expression, proposing an apoptosis-protecting role for ABHD15. On the other hand, in mature adipocytes physiological (i.e. non-apoptotic) concentrations of palmitic acid down-regulate Abhd15 expression. Accordingly, we found that the expression of Abhd15 in adipose tissue is reduced in physiological situations with high free fatty acid levels, like high-fat diet, fasting, and aging as well as in genetically obese mice. Collectively, our results position ABHD15 as an essential component in the development of adipocytes as well as in apoptosis, thereby connecting two substantial factors in the regulation of adipocyte number and size. Together with its intricate regulation by free fatty acids, ABHD15 might be an intriguing new target in obesity and diabetes research.

An investigation of the use of nile red as a long-wavelength fluorescent probe for the study of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein-drug interactions

Spectrofluorimetry in the long-wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum (600-1000 nm) is a fairly recent development in photoluminescence spectroscopy, which has numerous advantages over measurements in the more conventional ultraviolet and visible spectral region. 9-Diethylamino-5H-benzophenoxazine-5-one (Nile Red) is an unchanged, hydrophobic molecule, and long-wavelength fluorescence of which is strongly influenced by the polarity of its environment. When Nile Red was added to solutions of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (Orosomucoid. OMD), it showed an enhancement in fluorescence intensity and a shift to blue in emission wavelength, suggesting it was binding hydrophobically to a non-polar site on the protein. The association constant (12,261,000 +/- 900,000 M-1) and number of binding sites (0.746 +/- 0.044) were calculated for the probe. Upon addition of both acidic and basic drugs, the Nile Red fluorescence reverted to its unbound form, indicating that OMD probably has one high-affinity, wide and flexible binding area for such drugs. Possible enantiomeric selectivity was shown with ephedrine, and the association constant determined for a racemic mixture of propranolol was found to be comparable to other values obtained with alternative, more conventional techniques.

Fluorescence studies of beta-adrenergic ligand binding to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein with 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate, isoprenaline, adrenaline and propranolol

The present study shows that ANS (1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate), propranolol, isoprenaline, adrenaline and dopamine have common binding sites on AAG (alpha 1-acid glycoprotein). A fluorescence technique was employed to characterize the interaction between the ligands and AAG at 20-22 degrees. The binding of ANS to AAG caused increased fluorescence intensity at emission and excitation wavelengths of 400 and 470 nm. In this situation, propranolol displaced ANS in a concentration-dependent mode with an apparent dissociation constant of 6.2 +/- 0.01 microM, whereas isoprenaline did not reduce the ANS-AAG fluorescence. However, in the presence of AAG, catecholamines caused a marked increase of fluorescence at excitation and emission wavelengths of 250 and 325 nm, respectively. These wavelengths were employed to characterize the binding of isoprenaline, adrenaline and propranolol to AAG. Two subsets of binding sites were demonstrated. The Kd values were 0.87 +/- 0.03 and 25.1 +/- 10.7 microM for ANS, 0.76 +/- 0.09 and 133 +/- 30.4 microM for propranolol, 140 +/- 14 and 2.18 +/- 0.58 mM for isoprenaline, 137 +/- 24 and 14.8 +/- 0.1 mM for adrenaline, respectively. AAG had identical high affinity binding capacity for these ligands (n approximately 1). However, the second class of binding sites showed ligand-dependent binding capacity: n = 1 for ANS, n approximately 10 for propranolol, n approximately 15 for adrenaline, n approximately 20 for isoprenaline, respectively. ANS, propranolol, dopamine and adrenaline caused concentration-dependent inhibition of isoprenaline binding to AAG with apparent dissociation constants of 5.1 +/- 1.8 microM, 6.4 +/- 1.1 microM, 0.57 +/- 0.13 mM and 1.5 +/- 0.46 mM, respectively.

Asymmetric synthesis of a precursor for the automated radiosynthesis of S-(3'-t-butylamino-2'-hydroxypropoxy)-benzimidazol-2-[11C]one (S-[11C]CGP 12177) as a preferred radioligand for beta-adrenergic receptors

S-[1-(2,3-Diaminophenoxy)]-3'-(N-t-butylamino)propan-2'-ol has been synthesized in three steps from 2,3-dinitro-phenol and the chiral auxiliary, S-glycidyl-3-nitrobenzenesulphonate, to provide a precursor for labelling S-(3'-t-butylamino-2'-hydroxypropoxy)-benzimidazol-2-one (S-CGP 12177) with the short-lived positron-emitting radionuclide, carbon-11 (t 1/2 = 20.4 min; beta+ = 99.8%). Reaction of the diamine with [11C]phosgene, itself derived from no-carrier-added cyclotron-produced [11C]methane, provides radiochemically and chemically pure S-[carbonyl-11C]CGP 12177 in greater than 95% enantiomeric excess after HPLC. Automated apparatus is described for safely producing up to 5.9 GBq (160 mCi) of S-[11C]CGP 12177 with high sp. act. (20-40 GBq/mu mol or 0.54-1.08 Ci/mu mol) in a form suitable for human intravenous injection at only 30 min from the end of radionuclide production. S-[11C]CGP 12177 is preferred to the formerly described racemate as a radioligand for the study of beta-adrenergic receptors in vivo by positron emission tomography.

The effect of the plasticizers TBEP (tris-(2-butoxyethyl)-phosphate) and DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate) on beta-adrenergic ligand binding to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and mononuclear leukocytes

The plasticizers tris-(2-butoxyethyl)-phosphate (TBEP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) and the beta-adrenergic receptor-blockers [3H]-(-)-dihydroalprenolol ([3H]-(-)-DHA) and [3H]-(-)-CGP 12177 were tested for their ability to interact with beta-adrenergic binding to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) and mononuclear leukocytes (MNL). The IC50-values, obtained by displacement of [3H]-(-)-DHA bound to AAG, were 3.5 nM, 2 microM and 4 microM for TBEP, (-)-alprenolol and DEHP, respectively. (+/-)-CGP 12177 had virtually no effect on radioligand binding to AAG. The [3H]-(-)-CGP 12177 binding to MNL consisted of beta-adrenergic receptor binding (Kd = 210 pM) and non-saturable binding. [3H]-(-)-DHA was bound to two different classes of binding sites on MNL, the beta-adrenergic receptors (Kd = 440 pM) and a secondary class of binding sites (Kd = 64 nM). (+/-)-CGP 12177 displaced about 30% of [3H]-(-)-DHA from MNL with an IC50-value of 190 pm. (-)-ALP displaced about 85% of total bound radioligand and gave a biphasic displacement curve with IC50-values of 320 pM and 690 mM, respectively. TBEP displaced a considerable fraction of [3H]-(-)-CGP 12177 and [3H]-(-)-DHA bound to MNL beta-adrenergic receptors, whereas DEHP had no effect. In contrast, DEHP caused displacement of [3H]-(-)-DHA from the MNL low affinity sites, but was a markedly less potent displacer compared to TBEP. The present study shows that TBEP and DEHP interact with beta-adrenergic transport proteins, non-specific tissue binding sites and beta-adrenergic receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase. Plasticizers may thus affect the biology and pharmacology of the beta-adrenergic signal system.

Binding of prazosin to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and albumin: effect of protein purity and concentrations

Prazosin is extensively bound in human serum/plasma. In the present study a bound fraction of 93-95% was observed at 37 degrees for therapeutic drug concentrations. Both alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) and albumin (HSA) are established as transport proteins for prazosin, but their individual contribution to the extent and variability of protein binding in serum/plasma is unclear. The present study showed that AAG possesses one binding site per molecule with high affinity (Kd approximately 0.8 microM) for prazosin. HSA, essentially globulin-free, bound prazosin with lower affinity (Kd approximately 30 microM) with an average of 0.3 binding sites per molecule. However, less purified HSA, containing globulins, exhibited apparently higher affinity (Kd approximately 8 microM), but lower binding capacity (0.07 sites per molecule) for prazosin. In mixtures of highly purified proteins, the concentrations of AAG, and not HSA, determined the extent and variability of prazosin binding.

Catecholamine binding and concentrations in acute phase plasma after surgery

The present study was undertaken to decide whether the bound fractions and/or total concentrations of catecholamines were determinative for the variability of biologically active concentrations in human plasma. The binding and concentrations of noradrenaline (NA) and adrenalin (Adr) were determined in acute phase plasma after major hip surgery in five subjects. The bound fractions before surgery were 23.0% and 18.4% for NA and Adr, respectively. The binding of catecholamines increased in the post-operative period. Five days after surgery the binding of NA and Adr was 30.9% and 24.0%, respectively. The surgical trauma induced an acute phase reaction in plasma with a decrease of albumin (HSA) concentrations whereas the concentrations of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AAG) increased. The catecholamine concentrations showed a considerable inter- and intraindividual variability. However, the present work shows that the variability of the biologically active catecholamine concentrations is mainly dependent on the total plasma concentrations and not the plasma protein binding.

Binding of catecholamines to alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, albumin and lipoproteins in human serum

The binding of catecholamines in human serum was determined by equilibrium dialysis at 37 degrees. For serum concentrations of 10-15 nM the bound fractions were 28.8 +/- 2.2%, 25.7 +/- 1.7% and 22.2 +/- 2.2% for (+/-)-isoproterenol (IPR), (+/-)-norepinephrine (NE) and (+/-)-epinephrine (EPI), respectively. At higher serum concentrations saturation occurred. Alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AAG) possessed one high affinity binding site and approximately 10 low affinity sites. The catecholamines were bound to AAG with the same order of potency for both classes of binding sites: IPR (Kd1: 100 microM Kd2: 2.2 mM) greater than NE (Kd1: 120 microM, Kd2: 6.5 mM) greater than EPI (Kd1: 140 microM, Kd2: 14 mM). Human serum albumin (HSA) and lipoproteins (SLP) interacted with the catecholamines in a non-saturable manner. IPR showed the strongest and EPI the weakest association to both of these serum protein fractions. (-)-Propranolol was able to inhibit the binding of IPR in serum and to isolated AAG, but not to HSA or to SLP. The present results show that AAG is an important catecholamine-binding protein in human serum. AAG, but not HSA or SLP, possesses binding sites shared by adrenergic receptor stimulators and blockers.

Effect of serum, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, lipoproteins and albumin on human mononuclear leucocyte beta-adrenoceptors

The effects of serum, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AAG), serum lipoproteins (SLP) and human serum albumin (HSA) on 3H-(-)-dihydroalprenolol (3H-(-)-DHA) binding and (-)-isoproterenol ((-)-IPR) induced cyclic AMP (cAMP) elevation in human peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes (MNL) were investigated. The saturable binding of 3H-(-)-DHA was decomposed into two classes of binding sites with maximum binding capacity of approximately 1400 and 30000 sites/cell and with dissociation constants (Kd) of approximately 0.7 and 65 nM. Stimulation of the MNL beta-adrenoceptors by (-)-IPR caused a concentration dependent cAMP accumulation (EC50 approximately 0.2 microM) with maximum level approximately 250% above basal. For all single leucocyte preparations, 30-35 min. exposure to serum, AAG and SLP increased the number of beta-adrenoceptors with 100-200% and the maximal responsiveness to (-)-IPR with 30-90%. The presence of proteins did not change the Kd or the EC50. (-)-Alprenolol inhibited concentration dependently the serum induced increment in (-)-IPR-responsiveness. Serum, AAG and SLP did also increase the number of low affinity binding sites with 25-40% without effect on the Kd. HSA had no consistent effect on beta-adrenergic binding or stimulation. The present study shows that serum, AAG and SLP influence the number and function of MNL beta-adrenoceptors in vitro.