title: Agonist versus antagonist binding to alpha-adrenergic receptors.
abstract: The binding properties of two alpha-adrenergic radioligands, [3H]epinephrine (an agonist) and [3H]dihydroergocryptine (an antagonist), were compared in two model systems--membranes derived from human platelets and membranes from rat liver. The platelet contains exclusively alpha 2 and the liver mostly (approximately 80%) alpha 1 receptors. Agonists induce the formation of a guanine nucleotide-sensitive high-affinity state of alpha 2 but not alpha 1 receptors. [3H]Dihydroergocryptine labels all the alpha receptors, whereas [3H]epinephrine at low concentrations labels predominantly the high-affinity form of the alpha 2 receptor in both platelet and liver. However, in the liver, alpha-adrenergic effects such as glycogen phosphorylase activation are shown to be mediated via alpha 1 receptors. Thus, in liver membranes the endogenous "physiological" agonist may not label the physiologically relevant alpha 1 receptors in typical radioligand binding assays using low concentrations of [3H]epinephrine.
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D004088:Dihydroergotoxine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006165:Guanylyl Imidodiphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D006005:Phosphorylases / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000378:metabolism*; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D004088:Dihydroergotoxine; D006165:Guanylyl Imidodiphosphate; D006005:Phosphorylases; D004837:Epinephrine