Interaction between prolactin and rabbit mammary prolactin receptor in the presence of environment-modifying agents.

The binding assay of prolactin (PRL) to the receptor in the rabbit mammary gland was carried out with varying concentrations of NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, glycerol, glucose, sucrose and urea. The agents did not affect the binding capacity. The ionic bond-breaking agents (NaCl and KCl) had little effect on changes in the association rate constant (k+1) of PRL binding to the receptor and the dissociation rate constant (k-1) of bound PRL. The inclusion of other agents changed the k+1 and the k-1. Among the agents examined, chaotropic salts (CaCl2 and MgCl2) inhibited the binding of PRL greatly, and were the most effective in decreasing the k+1. Both hydrogen- and hydrophobic bonds are involved in the interaction between PRL and the receptor. The data suggest that hydrophobic bonding is primarily an important force participating in the binding of PRL to its receptor.