Guanine nucleotide regulation of receptor binding of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in rat brain regions, retina and pituitary.

Guanine nucleotides inhibited the specific binding of 3Hthyrotropin-releasing hormone ([3H]MeTRH) to receptors for TRH in washed homogenates of rat anterior pituitary gland in a dose-related manner. The order of potency (at 100 and 500 microM final) was Gpp(NH)p (a stable analog of GTP) greater than GTP much greater than GDP much greater than cGMP (with the adenine nucleotides being inactive) in the pituitary and various brain regions. Gpp(NH)p at 1 mM caused 17-35% inhibition of [3H]MeTRH binding to different tissues including the pituitary, hypothalamus, retina and nucleus accumbens. A statistically significant nucleotide effect was not observed, however, in the olfactory bulb and medulla/pons membranes. Gpp(NH)p (1 mM) increased the dissociation constants for [3H]MeTRH binding by 1.9- to 2.4-fold in the pituitary, n. accumbens and retinal preparations without altering the apparent binding capacity. These data suggest that TRH receptor binding can be allosterically regulated by guanine nucleotides and provide further evidence for the existence of guanine nucleotide binding protein(s) coupled to the TRH receptor.