Studies on the localization of the cardiac glycoside receptor

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to see whether the receptor for cardiac glycosides might be localized upon or within the plasma membrane of digitalis-sensitive cells. Ouabain and digoxin were joined covalently to several large protein molecules. These macromolecular conjugates are too large to enter intact cells; consequently, any pharmacologic or biochemical effects which they display should arise from interaction with a cell surface receptor. Conjugates were tested in several cardiac glycoside-sensitive systems: (a), contractility response of isolated cardiac muscle; (b), active 86Rb+ uptake by red cells; (c), enzymatic activity of isolated myocardial microsomal (Na+ + K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase); and (d), enzymatic activity of solubilized red cell (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase. Results demonstrated that in all of these systems, the macromolecular-glycoside conjugates were 100- to 1000-fold less active than the free glycosides. Careful chromatographic examination of the various conjugates revealed that they contained a small but persistent free cardiac glycoside contaminant. The amount of this species ranged from 0.1 to 1.0% of the total macromolecule-bound glycoside, and its presence fully explains the levels of biologic activity observed with the conjugates.

Authors

Thomas W. Smith, Henry Wagner Jr., John E. Markis, Michael Young