The binding of somatostatin-14 (S-14) to rat pancreatic acinar cell membranes was characterized using [125I-Tyr11]S-14 as the radioligand. Maximum binding was observed at pH 7.4 and was Ca2+-dependent. Such Ca2+ dependence of S-14 receptor binding was not observed in other tissues. Scatchard analysis of the competitive inhibition by S-14 of [125I-Tyr11]S-14 binding revealed a single class of high affinity sites (Kd = 0.5 +/- 0.07 nM) with a binding capacity (Bmax) of 266 +/- 22 fmol/mg of protein. [D-Trp8]S-14 and structural analogs with halogenated Trp moiety exhibited 2-32-fold greater binding affinity than S-14, [D-F5-Trp8]S-14 being the most potent. [Tyr11]S-14 was equipotent with S-14. The affinity of somatostatin-28 for binding to these receptors was 50% of that of S-14. Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) inhibited the binding of [125I-Tyr11]S-14, but its inhibition curve was not parallel to that of S-14. In the presence of 1 nM CCK-8, the Bmax of S-14 receptors was reduced to 150 +/- 17 fmol/mg of protein. Dibutyryl cyclic GMP, a CCK receptor antagonist, partially reversed the inhibitory action of CCK-8, suggesting that CCK receptors mediate the inhibition of S-14 receptor binding. GDP, GTP, and guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate inhibit S-14 receptor binding in this tissue. The inhibition was shown to be due to decrease in binding capacity and not due to change in affinity. Specifically bound [125I-Tyr11]S-14 cross-linked to the S-14 receptors was found associated with three proteins of approximate Mr = 200,000, 80,000, and 70,000 which could be detected under both reducing and nonreducing conditions. Finally, pancreatic acinar cell S-14 receptors were shown to be down-regulated by persistent hypersomatostatinemia 1 week after streptozotocin-induced diabetes characterized by decreased Bmax (105 +/- 13 fmol/mg of protein) without any change in affinity. We conclude that pancreatic acinar cell membrane S-14 receptors require Ca2+ for maximal binding and thus differ from S-14 receptors in other tissues, S-14 receptors in this tissue also exhibit selective ligand specificities, these receptors are regulated by CCK-8 and guanine nucleotides, three receptor proteins of apparent Mr = 200,000, 80,000, and 70,000 specifically bind S-14, and (v) these receptors are regulated by S-14 in vivo as evidenced by decreased binding in streptozotocin diabetic rats characterized by hypersomatostatinemia.
