guanosine-triphosphate and desacetylnantradol

The present investigation was undertaken to characterize cannabinoid receptor binding in the absence of the membrane environment, inasmuch as cannabinoid drugs have been noted to influence the behavior of integral membrane proteins. The zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) was able to solubilize the cannabinoid receptor from rat brain membranes, with the greatest yield and specific activity being obtained at a detergent/protein ratio of 0.5:1. [3H]CP-55940 bound to a single class of binding sites in the CHAPS extract, which exhibited a Kd of 0.94 nM as determined by nonlinear regression analysis of equilibrium binding data. The order of potency for cannabinoid agonists in heterologous equilibrium binding studies was CP-55244 > or = desacetyllevonantradol > delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol > cannabinol >> cannabidiol, consistent with the relative affinities for these agonists in brain membrane preparations. CP-55243, the biologically inactive enantiomer of CP-55244, competed for binding of [3H]CP-55940 by < 50% at 1 microM, similar to its poor affinity for the receptor in membranes. The CHAPS-solubilized cannabinoid receptor exhibited functional interactions with guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins). GTP and nonhydrolyzable analogs decreased [3H]CP-55940 binding by 75%. The concentration-effect curves for guanine nucleotides exhibited a potency order similar to that observed for other G protein-linked receptors. Kinetic analyses indicated that GTP analogs increased the rate of agonist dissociation, decreasing the t1/2 from 60 min at 0-4 degrees to a multiphasic dissociation that exhibited a component having a t1/2 of < 1 min. The cannabinoid agonist desacetyllevonantradol was able to reduce pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of G proteins by 50%, demonstrating a receptor effect on G protein functions. These studies demonstrate that the membrane environment is not necessary for agonist binding to the cannabinoid receptor. Furthermore, the cannabinoid receptor maintains its functional interactions with pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins in detergent solution.

Topics: Animals; Brain Chemistry; Cholic Acids; Cyclohexanols; GTP-Binding Proteins; Guanosine Triphosphate; Guanylyl Imidodiphosphate; Phenanthridines; Rats; Receptors, Cannabinoid; Receptors, Drug; Solubility

The inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity by cannabimimetic compounds in a membrane fraction from cultured neuroblastoma cells has been examined. The inhibition was shown to be concentration-dependent over a nanomolar range for both delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and its synthetic analog, desacetyllevonantradol. Inhibition was rapid and reversible. The cannabimimetic compounds caused a decrease in Vmax of the enzyme, with no alteration in the Km for substrate. The effects of these compounds were related to the ability of the enzyme to be regulated by divalent cations and guanine nucleotides. The inhibition was greatest at micromolar Mg2+ or Mn2+ concentrations and was abolished at less than 1 mM MnCl2. In the hormone-stimulated state, the enzyme appeared to be regulated by one Mg2+ site. The addition of cannabimimetic or muscarinic cholinergic agents transformed the enzyme into one in which more complex regulation by divalent cations was observed. Half-maximal inhibition of adenylate cyclase was observed at 800 nM GTP for both cannabimimetic and muscarinic cholinergic agents. The substitution for GTP of a nonhydrolyzable analog resulted in activation of the enzyme and failure to respond to either class of inhibitory agents. If the Mg2+ concentration was reduced and exposure to the GTP analog was of short duration, inhibition by both cannabimimetic and muscarinic agents could be observed in the presence of forskolin. This study points to the similarities between the enzyme inhibition by cannabimimetic compounds and by muscarinic cholinergic compounds. It is inferred that the cannabimimetic compounds must act via regulatory mechanisms similar to those operating for receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Adenylyl Cyclase Inhibitors; Animals; Cannabinoids; Cell Line; Cell Membrane; Chlorides; Dronabinol; Guanosine Triphosphate; Kinetics; Magnesium; Magnesium Chloride; Manganese; Manganese Compounds; Mice; Neuroblastoma; Phenanthridines; Secretin; Substrate Specificity