Post soluble binding to the leukotriene D4 receptor from guinea pig lung membranes

Guinea pig lung membranes were extracted with 1% digitonin and yielded a preparation that contained soluble leukotriene D4 (LTD4) receptor. Specific binding of the high affinity radiolabeled receptor antagonist [3H]ICI-198615 to the soluble LTD4 receptor was time dependent and reversible. The dissociation constant (Kd) and the density (Bmax) of [3H]ICI-198615 binding to the soluble LTD4 receptor was 0.2 +/- 0.08 nM and 380 +/- 40 fmol/mg of protein, respectively. Radioligand competition studies showed several classes of structurally diverse, functionally defined, receptor antagonists competed with [3H]ICI-198615 binding to the soluble receptor. The rank order of potency and specificity of these antagonists in binding to the soluble receptor were equivalent to those determined from the membrane-bound receptor binding assay and from the smooth muscle contraction assay. Binding of LTD4 to the soluble receptor was observed, in the competition assay, only in the low affinity state (Ki = 2 microM). Size-exclusion chromatography of the soluble LTD4 receptor showed that the apparent molecular weight of the LTD4 receptor in digitonin micelle was approximately 300,000.