title: Effect of Mg2+ on the binding of oxytocin to sheep myometrial cells.
abstract: Binding isotherms of oxytocin to sheep myometrial cells in a short-term cell culture were investigated in the presence of Mg2+ in the concentration range 0-10 mM. The occurrence of at least three binding sites had been demonstrated earlier. Mg2+ influences individual sites and individual features of the binding isotherm differently. Dissociation constants (Kd) of the high- and medium-affinity sites attain a minimum of 6.8 x 10(-10) and 4.2 x 10(-8) mol/l respectively at 2.75 mM-Mg2+. The two sites display the highest binding capacity (B) at 1 mM-Mg2+ (ratio of high affinity/medium affinity is 1:16). The B/Kd quotients reflecting relative binding (bound-to-free concentration) at the half-saturation of binding sites also have their maxima at 1 mM-Mg2+. The high-affinity site displays a strong positive co-operativity (Hill coefficient at 4 mM-Mg2+ of 2.4), which is amplified in the presence of Mg2+. Positive co-operativity of the medium-affinity site is markedly lower (Hill coefficient at 4 mM-Mg2+ of 1.5) and shows less dramatic Mg(2+)-dependence. Low-affinity sites are not co-operative at any Mg2+ concentration. It is concluded that Mg2+ may display its effect upon the oxytocin-receptor interaction predominantly by influencing positive co-operativity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pliska
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kohlhauf Albertin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin; D008274:Magnesium