Evidence of two steps in the homologous desensitization of vasopressin-sensitive phospholipase C in WRK1 cells. Uncoupling and loss of vasopressin receptors.

The exposure of WRK1 cells to arginine vasopressin (AVP), lysine vasopressin, or oxytocin for 18 h at 37 degrees C induced a homologous desensitization of the vasopressin- (VP) receptors. Dose-response curves of [3H]lysine vasopressin binding to control and desensitized WRK1 cells revealed a decrease in the maximal number of binding sites without any modification of its affinity (Kd values = 4.40 +/- 0.76 nM and 4.65 +/- 0.78 nM for control and desensitized conditions, respectively). The phenomenon was time- and dose-dependent. It was directly related to receptor occupancy, since the concentration of VP analogues leading to a half-maximal occupancy of VP receptors was closely related to the concentration of the corresponding analogue leading to a half-maximal decrease in VP-binding sites. It was also agonist-specific, since the V1 vasopressin antagonist desGly9d(CH2)5[D-Tyr(Et)2]VAVP was unable to affect the number of receptors. These desensitization processes were completely inhibited when the functional coated pits present in WRK1 cells were suppressed, indicating that the loss of VP-binding sites was related to receptor internalization. The exposure of WRK1 cells to a vasopressin agonist for 18 h also led to an inhibition of the vasopressin-sensitive phospholipase C activity. It was time- and agonist-dose-dependent, and occurred without any detectable changes in apparent affinity values (1.40 +/- 0.04 and 1.90 +/- 0.36 nM for control and desensitized cells, respectively). Control experiments showed that these inhibitions could not have been caused by a decrease in the labeling of inositol lipids. It is likely that they were mainly due to receptor internalization since (i) the hormonal treatment did not modify the basal level of phospholipase C; (ii) the maximal loss of VP-binding site was similar to the maximal inhibition of VP-stimulated IP accumulation; (iii) the recoveries of both VP-binding sites and VP-sensitive phospholipase C activity followed exactly the same time course (t1/2 = 4 h). In addition to this homologous desensitization of VP-sensitive phospholipase C activity, AVP also induced heterologous desensitization of bradykinin-sensitive phospholipase C activity. However, this effect was relatively weak (maximal inhibition 17 +/- 3%). The time course of VP-sensitive phospholipase C desensitization was more rapid than that of VP-receptors, indicating that desensitization involved at least two distinct steps, a rapid uncoupling step, and a later loss of vasopressin receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)