99mTc-neoglycoalbumin (NGA)-binding to human hepatic binding protein (HBP) in vitro

1 Neoglycoalbumin (NGA) was synthesised by covalent coupling of 2-imino-2-methoxyethyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranoside (IME-thiogalactose) to the primary amino groups of human serum albumin (HSA). NGA was purified by ultrafiltration and size exclusion h.p.l.c. (SEC). 99mTc-labelling was performed with and without SEC purification. 2 Estimation of 99mTc-NGA-binding to human hepatic binding protein (HBP) revealed a complex behaviour indicating saturable high- and low-affinity sites. The high-affinity binding capacity was 1.1 +/- 0.4 pmol mg-1 human liver plasma membrane protein, the low-affinity binding capacity was 6.2 +/- 1.8 pmol mg-1 liver plasma membrane protein. The apparent equilibrium dissociation constants were 2.4 +/- 1.2 and 18.4 +/- 4.8 nM, respectively. 3 Specific binding of 99mTc-NGA to human HBP in the presence of 100 microM unlabelled NGA, Ca++ and Mg++ at pH 7.5 and 37 degrees C reached 85 +/- 5% at equilibrium. The amount of ligand specifically bound increased with the amount of human liver membrane protein added. The concentration of unlabelled agonist necessary to displace 50% of ligand bound amounted to 100 nM.