JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 19, 7682-7686, Oct, 1975
Synthesis of 16alpha-bromoacetoxyestradiol 3-methyl ether and study of the steroid binding site of human placental estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase
C. C. Chin and J. C. Warren
Homogeneous estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.62) was prepared from
human placenta by affinity chromatography and the steroid binding site was
studied with affinity-labeling techniques. 16alpha-Bromoacetoxyestradiol
3-methyl ether and the tritated compound were synthesized by condensation
of estriol 3-methyl ether with bromoacetic acid or [2-3H]bromoacetic acid
in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. 16alpha-Bromoacetoxyestradiol
3-methyl ether is stable in 0.01 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.0, 25 degrees,
for at least 24 hours. It alkylates cysteine, histidine, methionine,
lysine, and tryptophan under physiological conditions. The steroid is a
substrate of estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase, thus it must bind at the
steroid binding site. The inactivation of estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase by
150-fold molar concentrations of 16alpha-bromoacetoxyestradiol 3-methyl
ether follows pseudo-first order kinetics with a half-time of 1.5 hours.
Estradiol-17beta, NADH, and NADPH slow the rate of inactivation.
2-Mercaptoethanol in molar concentrations 50-fold that of
16alpha-bromoacetoxyestradiol 3-methyl ether stops the inactivation, but
does not reverse it. 16alpha-Bromoacetoxyestradiol 3-methyl ether alkylates
both NADH and NADPH; the presence of small amounts of enzyme markedly
increases the rate of this alkylation. When the enzyme is inactivated with
16alpha-[2-3H]bromoacetoxyestradiol 3-methyl ether, amino acid analysis of
acid hydrolysates reveals 3-carboxymethylhistidine and
1,3-dicarboxymethylhistidine. Comparison of 28 and 51% inactivated samples
indicates that, as inactivation proceeds, the total amount of
3-carboxymethylhistidine decreases, while 1,3-dicarboxymethylhistidine
increases, suggesting that the former is converted to the latter by a
second alkylation step. When the enzyme is inactivated in the presence of a
large excess of NADPH, only 1,3-dicarboxymethylhistidine is found. From the
present study it is concluded that estradiol 17beta-dehydrogenase has a
histidyl residue present in the catalytic region of the active site as does
the previously studied 20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.