Presence of sigma and phencyclidine (PCP)-like receptors in membrane preparations of bovine adrenal medulla.

Receptor binding studies with [3H]-(+)SKF-10047 were carried out to characterize the putative sigma (sigma) and phencyclidine (PCP) receptors in membrane preparations of bovine adrenal medulla. Specific binding of the radiolabelled compound was observed after incubation with the membrane preparation at 37 degrees, the equilibrium being reached at 20 min and the maximal binding being observed with 0.6 mg/ml protein. Saturation binding studies were performed at equilibrium (30 min at 37 degrees with 0.5 mg/ml of membrane protein) in the presence of haloperidol (1 microM) or 1-[1-(2-thienyl) cyclohexyl] piperidine (TCP; 0.2 microM) to block sigma or PCP receptors, respectively. The binding of [3H]-(+)SKF-10047 was characterized by two distinct components. A high affinity binding site (haloperidol sensitive) had an apparent KD of 8.3 nM and a Bmax of 67 pmol/g protein. A lower affinity binding site (TCP sensitive) had an apparent KD of 32.7 nM and a Bmax of 83 pmol/g protein. The drug specificity of the high affinity binding site resembled that of the putative sigma receptor, being potently inhibited by haloperidol and pentazocine. The binding pharmacology of the low affinity site resembled that of the phencyclidine receptor, being potently displaced by TCP and PCP. The binding of [3H]-(+)SKF-10047 to both receptors showed marked stereoselectivity for the dextrorotatory (+) isomer of SKF-10047 and was insensitive to the receptor specific opioid ligands DAGO (mu), DSLET (delta) and U-69593 (kappa). These data indicate that bovine adrenal medulla contains sigma and PCP-like receptors.