Two phorbol ester receptor affinities in partially transformed human urothelial cells and decrease of receptor...

The presence of specific binding sites for phorbol esters was studied in a transformed but non-tumorigenic human urothelial cell line HCV-29 by assay of specific binding of 3H-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (3H-PDBu) to intact living cells. 3H-PDBu bound specifically to HCV-29 cells in a saturable and competitive manner. Scatchard plot analysis of specific binding yielded a curved plot consistent with two binding sites with Kd of 11 nM and 102 nM, respectively. At saturation the corresponding PDBu binding capacities (Bmax) were 8.8 pmol/10(6) cells (5.2 x 10(6) molecules bound per cell) and 2.8 pmol/10(6) cells (1.7 x 10(6) molecules bound per cell). 3H-PDBu binding was displaced by biologically active phorbol ester tumor promoters such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and mezerein, but not by tumor promoters such as L-tryptophan, anthranilic acid and sodium saccharin. In cells desensitized by pretreatment with 1 microgram/ml (2 microM) TPA or PDBu for 24 h the level of binding was reduced to 28% of the level in non-exposed cells. The ability of desensitized cells to bind 3H-PDBu was gradually restored within 5-6 days. At the same time the cells became sensitive to the morphological alteration induced by PDBu. This suggests that desensitization of HCV-29 cells is due to a decreased receptor-ligand binding capacity probably associated with down regulation of the phorbol ester receptors.