Filter-binding assay procedure for thyroid hormone receptors.

An assay procedure for thyroid hormone receptor activity which used nitrocellulose membrane filters was developed. Receptor proteins, extracted from washed rat liver nuclei with a 0.4 M NaCl solution, were incubated with 125I-labeled thyroid hormone (T3), and filtered on the cellulose ester membranes under suction at 2 degrees C. The filters were subsequently washed with cold buffer and counted for 125I radioactivity. The method allowed an accurate estimation of the receptor activity, satisfying a linear relationship between the activity and the receptor protein concentrations. The usefulness of this filter-binding method became evident when it was compared with the conventional procedure that employs Sephadex G-25 columns. For practical application to routine assays, various filtration conditions were examined, and a standard procedure was established. Using this technique, the isolated receptors were determined to possess an apparent Kd of 1.38 X 10(-10) M and a pH optimum of T3 binding at 8.2-8.4.