Release of growth hormone binding protein from IM-9 lymphocytes by endopeptidase is dependent on sulfhydryl group inactivation.

The hydrophilic GH-binding protein of serum is a derivative of the GH receptor. Little is known how this GH binding protein is released from the receptor which is firmly anchored in the plasma membrane. The IM-9 lymphocytes provide a useful laboratory model for studying this process because they are richly endowed with GH receptors and, under special conditions, are able to shed these receptors during incubation. Incubation of IM-9 cells for 90 min at 30 C did not result in the appearance of significant [125I]hGH binding in conditioned medium as determined with an ultrogel AcA 44 minicolumn. When iodoacetamide, 20 mM, or N-ethylmaleimide, 5 mM, was added during incubation, the conditioned medium bound 20-35% of [125I]human(h)GH. p-Chloromercuriphenyl sulfonic acid was less effective in promoting shedding of GH-binding protein. In contrast, aprotinin, phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF), bacitracin, leupeptin, pepstatin, phosphoramidon, or chloroquine did not promote release of GH binding protein and did not affect iodoacetamide-induced release. Release was not inhibited by the addition of serum lacking GH binding protein. GH binding protein release was markedly temperature sensitive and practically ceased at 4 C. GH binding protein incubated with [125I] hGH was cross-linked with disuccinimidyl suberate. After sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of dithiothreitol the complex migrated with an estimated molecular weight of 100,000 whereas [125I]hGH cross-linked to the membrane-bound GH receptor of the IM-9 cells migrated with an estimated molecular weight of 135,000. The smaller size of the binding protein is consistent with its derivation from the extracellular domain of the GH receptor. Because the release of this GH binding is greatly augmented by iodoacetamide and N-ethylmaleimide, two known sulfhydryl reactive reagents, we suggest that a free sulfhydryl group, either on the GH receptor or on a neighboring protein normally maintains the integrity of the receptor. The loss of this sulfhydryl group destabilizes the receptor and permits a membrane endopeptidase to release the GH binding protein. Cleavage is not dependent on lysosomal action and is not inhibited by protease inhibitors.