Insulin binding in mouse liver cells isolated with chelating agents

Mouse liver cells were isolated with Ca2+ and K+ chelating agents. Cell concentrations in all experiments ranged from 2.5 X 10(5) to 1.44 X 10(6) cells/tube. The kinetics of insulin-receptor binding was studied at 2 C and 20 C. Binding of 1.67 X 10(-11) M 125I-insulin reached equilibrium at 2 C at 180 min; Ka at 50% binding was 0.736 X 10(7) M-1 sec-1. At 20 C equilibrium occurred at 30 min; Ka at 50% binding was 7.519 X 10(7) M-1 sec-1. Non-specific binding was measured by adding 16.6 microM native insulin. Kinetics studies of association point to a pure bimolecular reaction since the constant remains unaltered at different times. In studies of bound complex dissociation, insulin release from the receptor involves first order kinetics, 50% of the bound insulin becoming released during the experimental period. Dissociation was studied at 20 C only, either by dilution or addition of 16.6 microM native insulin. Both methods yielded the same result, showing the dissociation kinetics to be a first order reaction with a half-life of 101 min and Kd: 2.5 X 10(-4) sec-1. Competitive inhibition of native insulin (1.67 X 10(-10), 3.33 X 10(-10), 1.67 X 10(-9), 3.33 X 10(-9), 1.67 X 10(-8), 3.33 X 10(-8), 1.67 X 10(-7), 3.33 X 10(-7) M) against 1.67 X 10(-11) M 125I-insulin was studied in equilibrium. Heterogeneity among active binding sites was found: one population of high affinity and low capacity (2 C: K = 4.64 X 10(7) L/M, Ro = 213 X 10(-11) M; 20 C: K = 2.90 X 10(8) L/M Ro = 28.5 X 10(-11) M) and one of low affinity and high capacity (2 C: K = 6.81 X 10(7) L/M Ro: 836 X 10(-11) M; 20 C: K = 2.63 X 10(6) L/M, Ro: 1080 X 10(-11) M). The results show the use of chelating agents in the separation of liver cells to be of value in physicochemical studies of insulin-receptor interaction.