We report the synthesis and radioligand binding analysis of a series of naphthalenic melatonin receptor ligands, N-[2-(7-alkoxy-2-methoxy-1-naphthyl)ethyl]propionamide. This series of ligands exhibits subpicomolar binding affinity to both MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors expressed in chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.

Aggregation of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) initiates a cascade of signaling events leading to release of preformed inflammatory and allergy mediators and de novo synthesis and secretion of cytokines and other compounds. The first biochemically well defined step of this signaling cascade is tyrosine phosphorylation of the FcεRI subunits by Src family kinase Lyn, followed by recruitmen...

The influence of ligand:receptor affinity on B-cell antigen receptor (BCR)-induced apoptosis in the IgM+ Burkitt lymphoma line, Ramos, was evaluated with a group of affinity-diverse murine monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) specific for human B-cell IgM. The studies showed not only a minimal affinity threshold for the induction of apoptosis, but, interestingly, also a maximal affinity threshold abov...

We have developed a quantitative method to evaluate the interaction between cell surface receptors and the endocytic apparatus. This method exploits occupancy-dependent changes in internalization rates that occur in cells expressing high numbers of receptors. We found that constitutive internalization of the transferrin receptor behaves as a simple, first order process that is unaltered by liga...