High specific activity 125I- and 35S-labeled vasopressin analogues with high affinity for the V1 and V2 vasopressin isoreceptors

Targeted tyrosine iodination in a multi-tyrosine vasopressin analog

Iodination of the conserved 2-tyrosine (Tyr(2)) residue in the pressin and tocin rings of arginine- or lysine-vasopressin (AVP or LVP), and oxytocin, respectively, impairs binding to their respective receptors. Synthetic antagonists that have their Tyr(2) either replaced by another amino acid or irreversibly blocked by an O-methyl or O-ethyl ether, but have, instead, an iodinatable phenol moiety outside the pressin/tocin ring, are used for radiolabeling. We explored another approach to avoid iodinating Tyr(2) by capping this residue with a reversible O-acetyl group, incorporated during peptide synthesis. The O-acetyl-Tyr(2) LVP peptide, with a free iodinatable tyrosine attached to the epsilon-amine of 8-lysine, is iodinated at a neutral pH and purified by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) at an acidic pH, conditions under which the O-acetyl groups are stable. Deacetylation with hydroxylamine is selective, and leaves intact the disulfide bridge. The marked shortening of the HPLC retention time after deblocking produces a chemically homogeneous label, iodinated exclusively on the free tyrosine residue attached to the epsilon-amine of LVP. Hitherto, this (125)I labeled vasopressin agonist could be obtained only in low yield, via conjugation labeling with iodinated N-t-Boc-tyrosine succinimidyl ester. This fully reversible tyrosine protection strategy does not require special equipment, and retains the conserved Tyr(2), typical of vasopressin and oxytocin agonists.

Binding properties of a selective tritiated vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, [H]-SR 121463

BACKGROUND

[3H]-SR 121463 is the first radiolabeled selective nonpeptide vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist ligand that has been reported to date. In the present work, we studied the binding properties of [3H]-SR 121463 for renal V2 receptors from animal and human origins.

METHODS

Binding studies were performed with [3H]-SR 121463 in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the human V2 receptor and in various kidney preparations expressing the native V2 receptors (rat, rabbit, dog, pig, monkey, and human). Autoradiographies were performed in rat and human kidney sections.

RESULTS

[3H]-SR 121463 binding to CHO cells stably transfected with the cloned human renal V2 receptor was specific, highly stable, time dependent, saturable, and reversible. A single population of high-affinity binding sites was identified (Kd = 0.94 +/- 0.34 nmol/L, Bmax = 9876 +/- 317 fmol/mg protein). Of note, [3H]-SR 121463 revealed a higher number (about 40%) of V2 sites than [3H]-AVP in the same preparation. Displacement of [3H]-SR 121463 binding by reference peptide and nonpeptide vasopressin/oxytocin compounds exhibited a typical AVP V2 profile. [3H]-SR 121463 also displayed a high affinity for native V2 receptors in several kidney preparations from rat, pig, dog, rabbit, bovine, monkey, and human. The autoradiographic experiments using rat and human kidney sections showed intense labeling in the medullopapillary region and lower intensity in the cortex, consistent with a main localization of V2 receptors on collecting tubules.

CONCLUSION

[3H]-SR 121463 is a useful ligand for the specific labeling of animal and human V2 receptors and could be a suitable probe for the search and in situ localization of V2 sites.

Chlorpropamide upregulates antidiuretic hormone receptors and unmasks constitutive receptor signaling

The mechanism by which chlorpropamide (CP) treatment promotes antidiuresis is unknown. CP competitively inhibited antidiuretic hormone (ADH) binding and adenylyl cyclase (AC) stimulation (inhibition constants K(i) and K'(i) of 2.8 mM and 250 microM, respectively) in the LLC-PK(1) cell line. CP (333 microM) increased the apparent K(a) of ADH for AC activation (0.31 vs. 0.08 nM) without affecting a maximal response, suggesting competitive antagonism. Because CP lowers "basal" AC activity and the AC activation-ADH receptor occupancy relationship (A-O plots), it is an ADH inverse agonist. Twenty-four-hour CP exposure (100 microM) upregulated the ADH receptors without affecting affinity. This lowered K(a) and increased basal AC activity and maximal response (1. 86 vs. 1.35 and 14.9 vs. 10.6 fmol cAMP. min(-1). 10(3) cells(-1), n = 6, P<0.05). NaCl, which potentiates ADH stimulation, also increased basal AC activity. This, together with the CP-ADH inverse agonism and increased basal AC activity at higher receptor density, unmasks constitutive receptor signaling. The CP-ADH inverse agonism explains receptor upregulation and predicts the need for residual ADH with functional isoreceptors for CP-mediated antidiuresis. This could be why CP ameliorates partial central diabetes insipidus but not nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Vasopressin V2 receptor binding is down-regulated during renal escape from vasopressin-induced antidiuresis

This study evaluated whether renal escape from vasopressin-induced antidiuresis is associated with alterations of vasopressin V2 receptor binding in the kidney inner medulla. A radioligand binding assay was developed using a novel iodinated vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist to analyze vasopressin V2 receptor binding in kidney inner medullary tissue from three groups of rats: normal rats maintained on ad libitum water intake, rats treated with 1-deamino-[8-D-arginine]vasopressin (DDAVP), and rats treated with DDAVP that were also water loaded to induce renal escape from antidiuresis. Analysis of the binding data showed that DDAVP treatment reduced vasopressin V2 receptor binding to 72% of normal levels. Water loading induced a marked further down-regulation of vasopressin V2 receptor binding. This receptor down-regulation began by day 2 of water loading, which correlated with the initiation of renal vasopressin escape; by day 3 of water loading, vasopressin V2 receptor expression fell to 43% of DDAVP-treated levels. No differences in vasopressin V2 receptor binding affinities were found among the three groups. This study demonstrates that vasopressin V2 receptor binding capacity is down-regulated during renal escape from vasopressin-induced antidiuresis and suggests that both vasopressin-dependent mechanisms as well as vasopressin-independent mechanisms associated with water loading are involved in this receptor down-regulation.

Vasopressin binding sites in the central nervous system: distribution and regulation

High affinity binding sites for vasopressin (VP) are widely distributed within the rat brain and spinal cord. Since their presence is associated with neuronal sensitivity to VP application, their anatomical distribution maps structures which could be activated by endogenous VP. Interestingly, marked species-related differences of the VP receptor distribution have been revealed. Some evidence has also been provided that mechanisms of receptor regulation may vary among species. In the rat, the expression of VP binding sites in some motor nuclei shows remarkable plasticity, in particular up-regulation after axotomy. These data suggest that VP may, in addition to affecting motoneuronal excitability, act as a trophic factor onto motoneurones.

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of radioiodinated salmon calcitonins

Reversed-phase HPLC conditions for simultaneous separation of salmon calcitonin, mono- and di-radioiodinated salmon calcitonins and their tryptic digested fragments have been developed. Salmon calcitonin was radioiodinated with Na125I by the iodo-beads method. After solid-phase extraction from the reaction mixtures using C18 Bond Elut cartridges, mono- and di-radioiodinated salmon calcitonins were separated from each other, as well as from unlabeled salmon calcitonin, on a Bondclone 10 C18 column (300x7.8 mm I.D.) by isocratic elution with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in 34% aqueous acetonitrile. The characteristics of either iodinated peptides or unlabeled salmon calcitonin were evaluated on the basis of UV absorbance (215 and 280 nm), fluorescence (lambda(ex)=282 nm, lambda(em)=310 nm) and measurement of specific radioactivity by means of a flow-through radio-isotope detector. HPLC separation of a tryptic digest of iodinated salmon calcitonin fraction on a W-porex 5 C18 300 A column (250x4.6 mm I.D.) and subsequent amino acid analysis, led to the conclusion that radioiodination took place at the Tyr residue and not at the His moiety.

Molecular neurobiology and pharmacology of the vasopressin/oxytocin receptor family

1. VP and OT mediate their wealth of effects via 4 receptor subtypes V1a, V1b, V2, and OT receptors. 2. We here review recent insights in the pharmacological properties, structure activity relationships, species differences in ligand specificity, expression patterns, and signal transduction of VP/OT receptor. 3. Furthermore, the existence of additional VP/OT receptor subtypes is discussed.

Effect of bacitracin on the degradation of a vasopressin receptor ligand with high affinity for the V1 and V2 vasopressin isoreceptors

We previously described a new iodinated vasopressin analogue (N epsilon-[125I]L-Tyr-[Lys8]-vasopressin) with high affinity for the vasopressin V1 and V2 isoreceptors. The aim of the present study was: i) to analyse the degradation pathway of N epsilon-[125I]L-Tyr-[Lys8]-vasopressin and (ii) to look for an effective inhibitor of radioligand degradation. N epsilon-[125I]L-Tyr-[Lys8]-vasopressin was processed in a temperature-dependent manner by crude cell membranes from LLC-PK1 cells. Only one degradation product was seen using RP-HPLC. The degradation product co-eluted with monoiodotyrosine. The stereoisomer, N epsilon-[125I]D-Tyr-[Lys8]-vasopressin, underwent the same degradation process. Bacitracin prevented degradation at doses as low as 40 mg/l without alterating the binding affinity.