Subcellular distribution of [3H]nitrendipine binding in smooth muscle

Distribution of specific binding sites for [3H]nitrendipine was studied in subcellular fractions isolated from rat gastric fundus smooth muscle and from rat myometrium. There was an excellent correlation between the distribution of [3H]nitrendipine binding determined at the nitrendipine concentrations of 0.138 and 1.38 nM, and the distribution of the plasma membrane markers K+-activated ouabain-sensitive p-nitrophenylphosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, phosphodiesterase I, and Mg-ATPase, but not between the mitochondrial markers cytochrome c, oxidase, succinate-dependent cytochrome c reductase, or rotenone-insensitive NADH-dependent cytochrome c reductase or the putative endoplasmic reticulum marker NADPH-dependent cytochrome c reductase. The binding occurred with high affinity and with a similar (0.097-0.146 nM) equilibrium dissociation constant to all the fractions, even though the density of binding sites varied and was highest in the plasma membrane marker-enriched fractions. The maximal binding in the plasma membrane-enriched fraction from the rat gastric fundus smooth muscle was 0.43 +/- 0.04 pmol/mg, and in that from rat myometrium was 0.72 +/- 0.09 pmol/mg. Thus in the two smooth muscles studied the plasma membrane is the locus of the high affinity nitrendipine binding.