Dimerization of the extracellular domain of the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor by EPO: one high-affinity and one low-affinity interaction.

Although there is considerable evidence that signaling by the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor is initiated when it is dimerized by binding EPO, it has been previously reported that the soluble extracellular domains of the EPO receptor (sEPOR) are not dimerized in the presence of EPO and are able to form only 1:1 complexes with EPO. We have now shown unambiguously by light scattering, sedimentation equilibrium, and titration calorimetry that two molecules of sEPOR can bind to a single EPO monomer but that the binding of the second sEPOR is approximately 1000-fold weaker than that of the first. Because this second binding interaction is quite weak (Kd of approximately 1 microM), the 2:1 sEPOR.EPO complexes are easily dissociated during chromatography (forming the 1:1 complexes reported previously) and cannot be isolated in pure form. Global analysis of the sedimentation equilibrium data has enabled us to determine the binding constants and is consistent with a model in which EPO has two independent binding sites for sEPOR but cannot exclude anticooperative or sequential binding models. The influence of glycosylation of EPO and/or sEPOR on the binding affinities has also been investigated. Titration calorimetry is consistent with the sedimentation data and shows that the weaker binding site has a more negative delta H. The relation of these results to the binding of EPO to membrane-bound receptors and to the phenomenon of apparent high-affinity and low-affinity classes of receptors is discussed.