Effect of cycloheximide on tryptophan binding to rat hepatic nuclei

This study evaluated whether cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, would affect the binding of L-tryptophan to rat hepatic nuclei or nuclear envelopes. Previous reports have indicated that the binding of L-tryptophan to hepatic nuclear envelope protein was saturable, stereospecific, and of high affinity. Also, the administration of L-tryptophan rapidly stimulated hepatic protein synthesis. In this study, we determined that the addition of cycloheximide in vitro inhibited 3H-tryptophan binding to hepatic nuclei or nuclear envelopes. Heat-treated cycloheximide failed to have this inhibitory binding effect. In vivo treatment of rats with cycloheximide diminished in vitro 3H-tryptophan binding to hepatic nuclei of treated rats compared to controls. Puromycin, another inhibitor of hepatic protein synthesis, when added in vitro did not affect 3H-tryptophan binding to hepatic nuclei but did diminish in vitro binding after in vivo treatment. Thus, cycloheximide added in vitro diminished 3H-tryptophan binding to hepatic nuclei probably by its structural effect on the receptor while cycloheximide administered in vivo may also act in part by inhibiting protein synthesis.