Presence of specific platelet-activating factor binding sites in the rat retina.

The specificity of the effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on the electrophysiology of the retina suggests the existence of specific sites for PAF in this tissue. In this study, we report the presence of tritiated PAF ([3H]PAF) specific binding sites in membrane preparations of the retina of albino rats. The binding of [3H]PAF was saturable, specific, time-dependent and reversible. Scatchard analysis of the data revealed that the high-affinity retinal binding site possessed a Kd of 2.9 +/- 0.4 nM and Bmax of 0.85 +/- 0.16 pmol/mg protein. These values are comparable with those found for the membranous PAF receptor sites in platelets, neutrophils, lung tissue and brain. We have recently reported that PAF dose dependently modulates the b-wave of the electroretinogram (ERG) obtained from the isolated rat retina. The results of the present study suggest that such PAF-induced disturbances of the ERG may be mediated via specific receptors located in the retina.