Characterization of [3H]pentagastrin binding in guinea pig gastric glands--an alternative convenient ligand for receptor binding assay.

The binding of [3H]pentagastrin to guinea pig gastric glands was specific, saturable and of high affinity (Kd = 5 nM). The relative order of potencies for gastrin and CCK analogs in displacing [3H]pentagastrin binding correlated well with those obtained using [125I]gastrin and their reported biological potencies for stimulating acid secretion. Nonselective CCK/gastrin antagonists including carbobenzoxy-CCK (26-32), proglumide and benzotript, but not the selective peripheral CCK antagonist, asperlicin, inhibited specific [3H]pentagastrin binding. The results indicate that [3H]pentagastrin labels physiologically relevant gastrin receptors in guinea pig gastric glands.