Prostaglandin Receptors in Human and Ovine Adrenal Glands: Binding and Stimulation of Adenyl Cyclase in Subcellular Preparations

The binding of3H prostaglandins (PGE1 and PGEM2) and the stimulation of adenyl cyclase through the action of PGE1 and PGE2 in subcellular preparations of human and ovine adrenal gland and on highly purified membranes were studied. Binding of prostaglandins is a specific phenomenon that is inhibited by prostaglandins only. Prostaglandins are bound to subcellular preparations with an affinity of 108M.−1 The stimulation of adenyl cyclase activity is detectable from 10−8M and reaches its maximum value at 3–10−6M. At their level of maximum stimulation the PGE1 and PGE2 prostaglandins have no additive effects, whereas maximum stimulatory concentrations of prostaglandins and ACTH do. These facts show that plasma membrane receptors for prostaglandins exist in the adrenal gland: they are common to prostaglandins PGE1and PGE2 but distinct from those of ACTH. (Endocrinology95: 352, 1974)