Vasopressin receptor capacity of human blood peripheral mononuclear cells is sex dependent

Vasopressin receptors were demonstrated on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by using the radioiodinated analog of d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me2)Thr4Tyr-NH2(9)]OVT (OTA). Binding of this ligand was time-dependent, specific, and saturable. Scatchard analysis of [125I]-OTA binding at equilibrium revealed a dissociation constant of 0.47 +/- 0.17 nM. A considerable sex difference in binding capacity was observed. PBMC from female donors expressed an approximately sevenfold higher receptor density than PBMC from male donors, while no change of Kd was apparent. Throughout the menstrual cycle the maximal binding capacity was relatively constant. Competition studies with vasopressin and oxytocin analogs showed that this putative receptor site on PBMC is comparable in receptor specificity to the human V1 receptor on myometrial tissue and blood platelets, but slightly different from the rat neurohypophyseal hormone receptor classes. Our findings provide further evidence of a remarkable species and sex difference of vasopressin and oxytocin receptors, regarding their ligand selective binding properties. The presence of the putative arginine-vasopressin receptors on PBMC may provide a molecular basis for several arginine-vasopressin induced effects on the chemistry and function of circulating mononuclear cells.