Search

Experiments were carried out to identify progestin-binding receptors in the mammary gland where casein synthesis is known to be inhibited by this hormone. A progestin-binding component with high affinity, low capacity and a sedimentation coefficient of 8.8 S was isolated from the cytosol of lactating rat mammary glands. This component strongly bound [3H]R5020 (17,21-dimethyl-19-nor-4,9-pregnadiene-3,20-dione) with a dissociation constant of 3.9 . 10(-9) M under low-salt conditions and with that of 8.2 . 10(-10) M in the presence of 0.3 M KCl. Specificity studies showed a high degree of progestin specificity under high salt conditions. In the absence of KCl, binding of [3H]-R5020 was inhibited by unlabeled glucocorticoid in the same degree as unlabeled progestin, but the inhibition by glucocorticoid was greatly diminished by the presence of 0.3 M KCl. These observations suggest that the [3H]R5020-binding-component is the progestin receptor and that its function may be regulated by the concentration of glucocorticoid and salt.

The non-transformed, molybdate-stabilized chick oviduct cytosol progesterone receptor was purified approx. 7000-fold using biospecific affinity resin (NADAC-Sepharose), DEAE-Sephacel chromatography and gel filtration on Bio-Gel A-0.5m agarose. The purified preparation contained progesterone receptor which sedimented as a 7.9S molecule, had a Stokes' radius of 7.5 nm, was composed of three major peptides corresponding to Mr 108,000, 90,000 and 79,000. Upon removal of molybdate, the purified [3H]progesterone-receptor complex could be transformed from the 8S form to a 4S form by exposure to 23 degrees C or by an incubation with 10 mM ATP at 0 degrees C. The purified thermally transformed receptor could be adsorbed to columns of ATP-Sepharose. No cytosol factor(s) appeared to be required for the 8S to 4S transformation of purified receptor or for its subsequent binding to ATP-Sepharose. Incubation of purified non-transformed receptor preparation with [gamma-32P]ATP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase led to incorporation of radioactivity in all the three major peptides at serine residues. The results of this study show for the first time that purified 8S progesterone receptor can be phosphorylated in vitro by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and that it can be transformed to a 4S form by 0 degrees C incubation with 10 mM ATP.

The chicken oviduct contains two different hormone binding forms of the progesterone receptor, A and B. We have prepared rat antisera against both forms of the receptor partially purified from laying hen oviduct. The anti-progesterone receptor A antiserum reacts with both receptor forms on Western blots, while the anti-progesterone receptor B antiserum reacts mainly with the B form. Both antisera also react with the native progesterone receptor proteins as shown by sedimentation analysis of the antibody-receptor complexes. Receptors A and B are recognized on Western blots of total protein from dissolved tissue, indicating that both forms are likely to be physiological components. Epitope mapping experiments show that immunogenicity of both receptor molecules is restricted to structurally related protein domains of 28 kDa in receptor A and of 52 kDa in receptor B.

Affinity chromatography has been used to study the binding of ATP to cyto-plasmic progesterone receptors of hen oviduct. A resin which selectively binds the receptor protein was prepared by linking ATP covalently to Sepharose 4B through a 6-carbon bridge of adipic acid dihydrazide. Receptor bound to the affinity resin was recovered in a single peak upon gradient elution with KCl (0.2-1 M) or ATP (0-0.1 M). While affinity chromatography was normally accomplished using the [3H]progesterone receptor complex, the hormone was not necessary for ATP binding under the conditions employed. The chromatography of crude receptor preparations allowed up to 100-fold purification with greater than 80% recovery of the receptor. The semipurified receptor appeared intact when analysed by sucrose gradient centrifugation, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The latter procedure separated the receptor into two components, A and B, both of which were capable of binding ATP. Although a specific biochemical role of ATP in hormone receptor action has not been demonstrated, the present studies support this possibility and, in addition, offer a convenient and reliable step for the purification of progesterone receptors.