Towards a thermodynamic definition of efficacy in partial agonism: The thermodynamics of efficacy and ligand proton transfer in a G protein-coupled receptor of the rhodopsin class.

The thermodynamic binding profiles of agonist and antagonist complexes of the 4-hydroxypropanolamine partial agonist, prenalterol, on the chronotropic adrenergic response in guinea-pig right atria were determined over a 15 °C temperature range. The tissue response was compared with data on the ethanolamine agonist, isoprenaline, given by binding studies in a number of rat tissues. Utilising the residue conservatism surrounding the known active conformers bound to either of two aspartate residues (α-helices II, III) in both receptors (β(1), β(2)) and species (guinea-pig, rat and human), no significant deformation in the extended side chain could be found in prenalterol's agonist binding compared to isoprenaline.