Autoradiographic analysis of (-)-[125I]-CYP binding in mouse kidney

The distribution and binding characteristics of the radioligand (-)-[125I]-cyanopindolol (CYP) have been examined in slide mounted mouse kidney sections, using the technique of in vitro labelling and autoradiography. (-)-[125I]-CYP binding to sections was of high affinity (KD = 55.8 pmol/l, s.e.m. = 8.1, n = 4) to a single population of non-interacting sites (nH = 0.95, s.e.m. = 0.01, Bmax = 0.74 fmol/section, s.e.m. = 0.12, n = 4) and stereoselective with respect to the (-)- and (+)-isomers of both propranolol and pindolol. Autoradiographic studies showed that (-)-[125I]-CYP binding was localized to areas in the renal cortex and medulla. Both cortical and medullary binding were abolished by the inclusion of (-)-propranolol (1 mumol/l) in the incubation medium, whereas (-)-isoprenaline (200 mumol/l) selectively abolished cortical binding. Medullary binding could be prevented by the inclusion of the lipophilic compounds cinanserin (10 mumol/l), haloperidol (10 mumol/l) or phentolamine (10 mumol/l), either alone or together or by washing at 37 degrees C. These results suggest that medullary binding sites are lipid rather than receptor-related. In conclusion, in mouse kidney sections, (-)-[125I]-CYP binds to discrete areas in the cortex and medulla. Cortical binding sites have the molecular characteristics of beta-adrenoceptors while medullary binding sites are lipid-related. Caution should therefore be exercised when defining non-specific binding of lipophilic radioligands. The autoradiographic technique is useful for discriminating between receptor and non-receptor binding sites.