Photoaffinity labeling of the acetylcholine binding sites on the nicotinic receptor by an aryldiazonium derivative.

p-(Dimethylamino)benzenediazonium fluoroborate (DDF) behaves, in the dark, as a reversible competitive antagonist of the electrical response of Electrophorus electricus electroplaque to acetylcholine and of the acetylcholine-gated single-channel currents recorded in the C2 mouse cell line. This chemically stable but highly photoreactive compound binds irreversibly to the acetylcholine receptor when irradiated by visible light. In vivo, it irreversibly blocks the postsynaptic response of E. electricus electroplaque to agonists. In vitro, it reduces the alpha-bungarotoxin-binding capacity of acetylcholine receptor rich membrane fragments prepared from Torpedo marmorata electric organ. Once reversibly bound to the T. marmorata acetylcholine receptor, this ligand can be selectively photodecomposed by an energy-transfer reaction involving a tryptophan residue(s) of the protein. By use of reagent concentrations that are below the dissociation constant at equilibrium, up to 60% of the agonist-binding sites are covalently labeled. Under these conditions the alpha subunit of the acetylcholine receptor is preferentially labeled, and this labeling is partially prevented by agonists or competitive antagonists. This protective effect is substantially increased by prior incubation with phencyclidine, a compound known to prevent the binding of DDF at the level of the high-affinity site for noncompetitive blockers [Kotzyba-Hibert, F., Langenbuch-Cachat, J., Jaganathen, J., Goeldner, M. P., & Hirth, C. G. (1985) FEBS Lett. 182, 297-301]. The incorporation of about one molecule of label in an agonist/competitive antagonist protectable manner per alpha-bungarotoxin-binding site suffices to fully block alpha-bungarotoxin binding to the membrane-bound receptor. Thus, DDF behaves as a monovalent photoaffinity label of the acetylcholine-binding site.