Prostaglandin-macromolecule interactions. I. Noncovalent binding of prostaglandins A1, E1, F2alpha, and E2 by human and bovine serum albumins.

The binding of tritiated prostaglandins (PGA1, PGE1, PGF2alpha, and PGE2) to human and bovine serum albumins was studied by equilibrium dialysis and batchwise gel equilibration with Sephadex G-25. During equilibrium dialysis (36 hours, 4 degrees C), about half of the PGEs, but not PGA and PGF2alpha, were transformed into dehydration products; by contrast, equilibration of the prostaglandins was attained in less than a half-hour by the batchwise use of Sephadex G-25 at 25 degrees C, with no detectable ligand instability. The values of the apparent association constants for albumin-prostaglandin interactions were inversely related to the protein concentration in the assay systems. "True" apparent association constants (NKo) were measured by extrapolation to zero protein concentration. The NKo values were estimated to be 9.4 X 10(4), 2.7 X 10(4), 9 X 10(3) and 6 X 10(3) M-1 for the interaction of human serum albumin with PGA1, PGE1, PGF2alpha and PGE2, respectively. Very similar values were found for the corresponding bovine serum albumin-Prostaglandin interactions. When comparable, the data obtained by both methods were in excellent agreement. Our results were also in agreement with published values for PGA1 and PGF2alpha, both of which are relatively stable in neutral aqueous phase. Batchwise gel equilibration appears to be a useful method, if thermodynamically valid data are desired in the presence of possible ligand and/or "receptor" instability. We conclude that albumin binding probably affords circulating PGA1 a modest protection from its clearance mechanisms.