Characterization of lactogen binding sites in choroid plexus

Summary

Prolactin binding sites have been demonstrated previously in rat choroid plexus using in vivo radioautography (Walsh et al. 1978). In the present study we have employed this procedure to characterize further the binding specificity of these sites. Following the injection of ¹²⁵ I-hGH or ¹²⁵I-oPRL an intense radioautographic reaction was observed over the choroid plexus. The reaction was significantly reduced by coinjecting excess unlabeled hGH or oPRL but not bGH. The specific binding of ¹²⁵I-oPRL to choroid plexus from rat, rabbit, sheep and pig was demonstrated by in vitro assays. Subsequently a survey of ¹²⁵I-oPRL specific binding in a number of regions of pig brain indicated that the highest binding was in choroid plexus. A detailed study of the characteristics of ¹²⁵I-oPRL binding to pig choroid plexus was undertaken. Specific binding increased with choroid plexus homogenate protein to a maximum of 30% (3.0 mg protein/tube). Binding was maximum at 4 ° C by 30–40 h of incubation. During the incubation the integrity of ¹²⁵I-oPRL in the incubation medium declined steadily to 50% after 20 h and 35–40% after 48 h. Radioactivity eluted from binding sites was fully intact as judged by rebinding to lactogen receptor-enriched membranes. Binding showed a broad pH optimum of 5.5–7.5. On cell fractionation of choroid plexus binding sites were enriched in microsomes. The binding of ¹²⁵I-oPRL and ¹²⁵I-hGH was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by unlabeled lactogens and was of high affinity. hGH and oPRL were equipotent inhibitors of the binding of both radioligands whereas bGH and a variety of structurally unrelated peptides were noninhibitory.

These studies indicate rat choroid plexus binds lactogens other than prolactin as do other wellcharacterized lactogen receptors. Furthermore, the in vitro binding studies on pig brain have demonstrated notable enrichment of lactogen binding sites in choroid plexus and have indicated that they have characteristics of lactogen receptors. The physiologic significance of our findings is unknown but the presence of lactogen receptors in choroid plexus raises the possibility of its being a target organ for prolactin. It is also possible that the receptors play a role in transporting prolactin from the blood to the CSF.