Bulk is a determinant of oxymetazoline affinity for the alpha1A-adrenergic receptor.

The alpha1A-adrenergic receptor (AR) has a higher affinity for several agonists and antagonists compared to alpha1B or alpha1D ARs. Mutagenesis studies were used to determine residues potentially responsible for this subtype selectivity. Oxymetazoline has a 50-fold lower affinity for alpha1D ARs compared to alpha1A ARs and also displayed a significant loss of affinity for an alpha1A Leu-290 to Phe mutant. It was concluded that steric interactions between the alpha1D ARs Phe-360 and the bulkytert-butyl group of oxymetazoline partially accounts for this lower affinity. Thus, the alpha1A AR binding pocket may more easily accommodate bulk at the paraposition of the phenyl ring than the alpha1D AR.