Steroid-binding specificity of the progesterone receptor from rat placenta.

We have attempted to delineate some salient features of the progesterone binding site of the cytosol progesterone receptor (Rp) in rat placenta by studying the binding profile of various chemical modifications of the progesterone molecule (P). The relative competition ratio (RCR) was used to calculate the relative affinity of P and the modified ligand for receptor (Kaprog/Kainh). Cortisol exhibited no appreciable binding. Other corticoids (corticosterone, deoxycorticosterone, 11 beta-hydroxyprogesterone) had relative affinities 10-30-fold lower than P. Alterations in the structure of P which caused extensive declines in relative binding affinity (i.e. greater than or equal to 100-fold) include: reduction of A-ring to the 5 alpha-stereoisomere (A/B trans), introduction of a 17 alpha-hydroxyl group greater than removal of C17 side chain greater than reduction of C20 carbonyl. The binding profile of the rat placental Rp was similar to that described for uterine Rp from other species indicating a high degree of conservation of molecular structure for the progesterone receptor binding site from species to species.