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Identification of specific binding sites for vasoactive intestinal peptide in rat testis Leydig cells and study of
C Hueso1, M J Carmena, J C Prieto
1Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares-Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
The interaction of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) with isolated Leydig cells from rat testis was time- and temperature-dependent, as well as saturable and specific. Scatchard analysis suggested the presence of both high- and low-affinity binding sites with KD values of 1.7 and 43 nM, respectively, and receptor concentrations of 35 and 1394 fmol VIP bound/mg protein in mature (3- to 6-month old) rats. When considering pubertal (45-day old) rats, the affinities were similar but the binding capacities showed considerably lower values (25 and 193 fmol VIP bound/mg protein) indicating that VIP receptors are subject to developmental changes during animal maturation.