Two binding sites on angiotensin-converting enzyme: evidence from radioligand binding studies

Purified angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) from rat lung and testis, membrane preparations of ACE from lung, kidney, and testis, and ACE from plasma were used in radioligand binding studies, to seek evidence for two binding sites in ACE of somatic origin, as predicted by molecular biology studies. 125I-Ro 31-8472, a radioiodinated hydroxy derivative of cilazaprilat, and 125I-351A, a radioiodinated p-hydroxybenzamidine analogue of lisinopril, were used as radioligands. Autoradiographic study of renal ACE using 125I-Ro 31-8472 or 125I-351A showed the same distribution of radioligand binding across kidney sections and identical radioligand binding for purified lung and testis ACE by Western blot, confirming that the same protein bound both radioligands. Analysis of displacement of 125I-Ro 31-8472 binding from ACE by ACE inhibitors 351A and lisinopril yielded biphasic curves for pulmonary, renal, and plasma ACE and a monophasic curve for ACE from the testis. Analysis by LIGAND suggested two binding sites in ACE from plasma or somatic sources and one binding site in ACE of testicular origin, as predicted by molecular biology studies. Displacement of 125I-351A binding from lung and testis ACE by Ro 31-8472 and 351A was monophasic. LIGAND analysis revealed interaction with a single class of binding sites on lung and testis ACE, in agreement with previous studies using 125I-351A. Equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) for the carboxyl-terminal (KdI) and amino-terminal (KdII) binding sites of purified ACE, using 125I-Ro 31-8472, were similar for Ro 31-8472 (lung kdI, 65 +/- 7 pM; KdII, 175 +/- 38 pM) but were clearly different for 351A (lung KdI, 19 +/- 2 pM; KdII, 2771 +/- 489 pM; p less than 0.01). Cell membrane-associated somatic ACE and plasma ACE, which is devoid of a carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic anchor region, had similar absolute values and differences in 351A binding affinities at the two ACE binding sites. Kd in testis was 46 +/- 6 pM for Ro 31-8472 and 16 +/- 3 pM for 351A, corresponding to estimates at the carboxyl-terminal binding site of somatic ACE. The 65-200-fold reduction in 351A binding affinity at the amino binding site may limit the detection of two binding sites on somatic ACE by 125I-351A radioligand binding analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)