Down-regulation in vivo of PGE receptors and adenylate cyclase stimulation.

Down-regulation in vivo of liver plasma membrane receptors for prostaglandin E (PGE) was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats using the 16,16-dimethyl analogue of PGE2, This analogue was used for subcutaneous injections because it escapes the rapid pulmonic degradation characteristic of PGE and was recognized well by liver plasma membrane receptors. Following treatment with the analogue, the concentration of PGE receptors was significantly decreased (-37%, P less than 0.001), but the binding affinity was not altered. There was no evidence for carry-through of the analogue into the isolated plasma membrane preparation. It was also demonstrated that GTP decreased the binding affinity between PGE and its receptor. Down-regulation of receptor concentration was associated with a significant decrease (P less than 0.001) in PGE1-stimulated plasma membrane adenylate cyclase activity. These data provide the novel demonstration that rat liver plasma membrane receptor for PGE can be down-regulated in vivo and that this causes a corresponding decrease in PGE-induced plasma membrane adenylate cyclase activity.