JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 17, 6799-6805, Sep, 1975
Liver cytosol corticosteroid binder IB, a new binding protein
G. Litwack and S. A. Rosenfield
A new binding protein named corticosteroid Binder IB elutes just after
ligandin in DEAE-Sephadex chromatograms. It has been partially purified to
about 2500-fold over cytosol proteins. Calculation of the number of steroid
binding sites, assuming one site per molecule of Binder IB fraction after
DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, suggests a concentration of the binding
protein of about 0.0004% of cytosol proteins. Its pI value is judged to be
7.5 to 8 from it elution position on DEAE-Sephadex chromatograms. IB has an
apparent molecular weight of 30,500 +/- 10% by gel filtration and a Stokes
radius of 20 A. Binder IB binds radioactive dexamethasone, cortisol, and
corticosterone in vitro with estimated KD values of 1, 13, and 25 nM,
respectively. Saturation curves are abnormal, showing two phases. The
saturation curves within the physiological range of concentrations of
steroid are abnormal and suggestive of cooperativity. The second phase, at
concentrations of glucocortidoids above saturation and physiological
levels, shows extensive binding. After fractionation from other steroid
binding proteins, the specificity of binding from competition studies in
vitro is dexamethasone greater than or equal to cortisol = corticosterone =
estradiol-17beta greater than or equal to deoxycorticosterone =
dihydrotestosterone greater than aldosterone = cortexolone greater than
testosterone. Other steroids tested are less efficient ligands. The binding
is probably noncovalent, but strong; and the complex becomes more
dissociable as purification proceeds, suggesting a conformational change in
the protein. Storage and rebinding with steroid are possible throughout the
purification process, although extensive ligand dissociation and
denaturation of the protein occur after the final purification step.
Binding in vitro is temperature-sensitive and binding is sharply pH
dependent with an optimum at 7.5. The ligand is the unmetabolized steroid
as judged by extraction of steroid-IB complex with methylene chloride and
subsequent thin layer chromatography. The physiological function of this
protein is unknown at present and purification fo the major corticosteroid
hormone receptor to homogeneity may be required before the function of
Binder IB is fully understood.