Effects of metal cations and calmodulin antagonists on [3H] nitrendipine binding in smooth and cardiac muscle.

It was previously reported that [3H]nitrendipine binding to a microsomal fraction from intestinal smooth muscle was dependent upon the presence of divalent metal cations (Bolger et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 225: 291-309, 1983). The effects of cations and calmodulin antagonists on [3H]nitrendipine binding in smooth and cardiac muscle have been studied further. Treatment of ileal and aortic smooth muscle and cardiac muscle with EDTA reduced specific [3H]nitrendipine binding by 70 to 95%. Microsomes from rabbit ventricle were more resistant to EDTA treatment than were those from ileal smooth muscle, but low concentrations of Ca++ (less than 10(-5) M) produced half-maximal restoration of binding in both tissues. The ability of cations at a concentration of 10(-3) M to restore binding to membranes from guinea-pig ileum was in the sequence, Ca++ = Sr++ greater than Mg++ = Mn++ = Co++ greater than Ba++ = Ni++ greater than Zn++ = Cd++ greater than La = Sm = Tm . In contrast to the activation of calmodulin-dependent processes, the ability of these cations to restore [3H]nitrendipine binding did not correlate linearly with ionic radius. However, calmodulin antagonists were found to inhibit [3H]nitrendipine binding with the order of potency: pimozide greater than less than calmidazolium (R 24571) greater than trifluoperazine greater than chlorpromazine greater than promethazine greater than chlorpromazine sulfoxide, that correlates quite well with the potency of these drugs as inhibitors of calmodulin-dependent processes. The results suggest that calmodulin antagonists bind to a protein associated with the [3H]nitrendipine binding site that has a hydrophobic domain similar to that exposed on calmodulin by Ca++, but that this protein is not calmodulin itself.