Canine kidney glucagon receptor: evidence for a structurally-different, tissue-specific variant of the glucagon receptor.

125I-Glucagon was directly cross-linked to its receptor sites on the MDCK plasma membranes using a UV irradiation procedure. Analysis of the affinity labeled membranes by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography, demonstrated the presence of a single band at 74 kDa. The incorporation of radiolabeled glucagon into this band was abolished by the presence of excess unlabeled hormones, thus indicating a specificity of labeling. Also this band was observed in affinity labeled dog kidney plasma membranes. The size of the MDCK and the dog kidney glucagon receptors were consistently larger than that of the dog liver receptor as judged by electrophoretic mobility. Treatments with neuraminidase, endoglycosidase F, or N-glycanase failed to convert the renal form into the hepatic form of the receptor. Proteolytic mapping of the MDCK and the dog liver glucagon receptors revealed that major domains of both proteins are remarkably similar, yet transient variations in the size of the fragments could be detected after short duration digestions. Overall the data presents evidence that the dog renal receptor represents a structurally unique isoform of the glucagon receptor.