Potent enhancement of [3H]nitrendipine binding in rat cerebral cortical and cardiac homogenates: a putative mechanism for the action of MDL 12,330A.

[3H]Nitrendipine [( 3H]NTD), a specific high-affinity calcium channel antagonist, was used to label dihydropyridine binding sites associated with calcium channels in rat cerebral cortical and cardiac homogenates. A novel lactamimide compound, MDL 12,330A, has been shown previously to have negative inotropic and chronotropic effects in isolated working guinea-pig hearts and these effects are reversed by the administration of calcium. MDL 12,330A is potent in enhancing [3H]NTD binding in membranes prepared from the cerebral cortex and the heart, with EC50 values of 6.1 X 10(-8) and 3.4 X 10(-8) M, respectively, at 37 degrees C. This allosteric effect by MDL 12,330A is similar to that produced by a known calcium channel antagonist, d-cis diltiazem, which has been shown previously to enhance [3H]NTD binding at 37 degrees C. The extent of enhancement by MDL 12,330A depends on incubation temperature (37 degrees C greater than 25 degrees C greater than 0 degrees C). The mechanism of this enhancement by MDL 12,330A is due to a decrease in the dissociation rate constant of the dihydropyridine-calcium channel supramolecular complex. MDL 12,330A is the most potent drug thus far examined which demonstrates the enhancement of [3H]NTD binding.