Affinity capture of [Arg8]vasopressin-receptor complex using immobilized antisense peptide.

Solubilized noncovalent complexes of [Arg8]-vasopressin (AVP) with receptor proteins from rat liver membranes were isolated by selective binding to silica-immobilized antisense (AS) peptide. The affinity chromatographic support was prepared with a chemically synthesized AS peptide whose sequence is encoded by the AS DNA corresponding to the 20 amino-terminal residues of the AVP bovine neurophysin II biosynthetic precursor [pro-AVP/BNPII-(20-1)], a region that includes the AVP sequence at residues 1-9. The AVP-related AS peptide previously was shown to bind selectively to AVP. The AS peptide-AVP interaction mechanism hypothesized, contact by hydropathic complementarily at multiple sites along the peptide chains, led to the prediction that AVP bound to its receptor would still have enough free surface to interact with immobilized AS peptide. To test this prediction of a three-way interaction, [3H]AVP-receptor was obtained as a solubilized, partially purified fraction from rat liver membrane. When this fraction was eluted through AS pro-AVP/BNPII-(20-1) silica, a complex containing [3H]AVP was bound and separated from the major, unretarded membrane protein fraction as well as from free AVP. Chemical crosslinking of [3H]AVP complex, SDS/PAGE of the products, and analysis of gel slices by scintillation counting led to detection of two major radiolabeled bands of 31 and 38 kDa. Covalent labeling was blocked when unlabeled AVP was added as a competitor before crosslinking. A third radiolabeled protein band of 15 kDa was found when the receptor complex was solubilized from rat liver membranes in the absence of the protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. Covalently crosslinked [3H]AVP complex also was bound to the AS peptide column; binding was blocked by competition with unlabeled AVP in the elution buffer. Since the AVP-linked 31- and 38-kDa proteins have the same apparent molecular mass on SDS/PAGE as found previously by photo-affinity labeling, we conclude that the AS peptide column has affinity-captured AVP-receptor complexes. The 15-kDa protein appears to be an active AVP-receptor fragment of one or both of the larger proteins. It is generally concluded that immobilized AS peptides may be useful to isolate peptide and protein-receptor complexes in other systems as well.