Binding of [3H]phenycyclidine to rat and human blood constituents

The binding of [3H]phencyclidine (PCP) to rat serum and human plasma was studied using equilibrium dialysis. [3H]PCP bound with a relatively low affinity to both rat serum (KD = 1.5 X 10(-5) M) and human plasma (KD = 6.2 X 10(-6) M). However, the binding capacity was quite large for rat serum (5.7 nmoles/ml) and human plasma (5.6 nmoles/ml). Binding was readily reversible as shown by the efflux of [3H]PCP from a dialysis bag containing the rat serum-drug complex. In addition, the [3H]PCP-human serum complex appeared to dissociate completely when analyzed by Sephadex gel filtration chromatography. The low affinity of PCP for serum appeared to account in large part for the high tissue-to-plasma ratios that are observed in animals and humans injected with this drug. In vitro equilibration of [3H]PCP between rat serum and tissue homogenates resulted in at least a 10-fold accumulation of [3H]PCP in the homogenates. [3H]PCP was found to bind weakly to the major protein components of human serum (macroglobulins, immunoglobulins and albumins). The weak nature of the binding to serum proteins coupled with the relatively high capacity of binding probably account for the failure of other drugs to compete for PCP binding.