Abstract

The A1 adenosine receptor of rat brain membranes has been solubilized with digitonin and purified approximately 150-fold by affinity chromatography. The digitonin-solubilized receptor, which can be labeled with 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-[3H]dipropylxanthine([3H]DPCPX), was adsorbed on xanthine amine congener (XAC)-linked agarose. The interaction of the solubilized receptor activity with the affinity gel was biospecific. Adenosine agents blocked adsorption of solubilized receptor activity to the XAC-agarose with the appropriate A1 adenosine selectivity. For agonists, 8-cyclopentyladenosine greater than (R)-phenylisopropyladenosine greater than CV-1808, whereas, for antagonists, 8-cyclopentyltheophylline (CPT) greater than XAC greater than isobutylmethylxanthine = theophylline. The same A1 adenosine receptor specificity was observed for elution of [3H]DPCPX binding activity from the gel. XAC-agarose adsorbed 65-80% of the solubilized [3H]DPCPX binding activity and, after the gel was washed, 30-40% of the adsorbed activity could be eluted with 100 microM CPT, with specific binding activity of approximately 60 pmol/mg of protein. The order of potency of adenosine agonists [8-cyclopentyladenosine greater than (R)-phenylisopropyladenosine greater than 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine greater than (S)-phenylisopropyladenosine] and antagonists (DPCPX greater than XAC greater than CPT greater than isobutylmethylxanthine) with the affinity-purified preparation was found to be similar to that of the solubilized adenosine A1 receptor. This affinity chromatography procedure should prove to be valuable in the isolation and molecular characterization of A1 adenosine receptors.