Exfoliation of membrane ecto-enzymes in the form of micro-vesicles

Cultures from various normal and neoplastic cell lines exfoliated vesicles with 5'-nucleotidase activity which reflected the ecto-enzyme activity of the parent monolayer culture. The ratio of 5'-nucleotidase to ATPase activity in the microvesicles indicated that cellular ecto-ATPase was conserved in the exfoliative process. Phospholipids of the microvesicles contained significantly increased amounts of sphingomyelin and total polyunsaturated fatty acids. It was concluded that the shedded vesicles constituted a select portion of the plasma membrane. Examination by electron microscopy showed the vesicles had an average diameter of 500 to 1000 nm and often contained a second population of vesicles about 40 nm in diameter. As much as 70% of the plasma membrane ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity of a culture was released into the medium over a 24-h period. Phosphoesterhydrolases from C-6 glioma or N-18 neuroblastoma microvesicles dephosphorylated cell surface constituents when in contact with monolayer cultures. Exfoliated membrane vesicles may serve a physiologic function; it is proposed that they be referred to as exosomes.

Selective chemical modification of plasma membrane ectoenzymes

As part of an investigation of the organization of cell surface macromolecular assemblies, we have treated intact central nervous system cells with chemical probes which react convalently with proteins and aminophospholipids. Selective alterations of the enzymatic activities of ecto-ATPases, ecto-5'-nucleotidases and cholinesterases were obtained under appropriate reaction conditions. The cross-linking reagent, 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, was a potent inactivator of ecto-ATPase of C6 glioblastoma, IMR-32 neuroblastoma and of a primary rat astroblast cell line (RB). Ecto-5'-nucleotidase and acetylcholinesterase were less sensitive to difluorodinitrobenzene. 1-Fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene at concentrations which inactivated ecto-ATPase had little effect on ecto-5'-nucleotidase. Conversely, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid was a potent inactivator of ecto-5'-nucleotidase but had no effect on ecto-ATPase. The difluorodinitrobenzene inactivation of ecto-ATPase and of ecto-5'-nucleotidase as well as the fluorodinitrobenzene inactivation of ecto-ATPase could be prevented by the presence of the appropriate substrates in the reaction medium. In the presence of protecting nucleotide substrates, a decrease in reactivity with proteins and lipids was observed when the isotopic probe fluorodinitro[3H]-benzene was used.

Preparation and spectroscopic characterization of molecular species of brain phosphatidylserines

This study describes the first preparation and spectroscopic characterization of naturally occurring phospholipids separated according to degree of unsaturation. Phosphatidylserines (PS) have been prepared from bovine brain and shown to be pure by extensive thin layer chromatographic analysis as well as by infrared spectroscopy and fatty acid analysis. The PS has been separated according to degree of unsaturation and prepared using AgNO3-impregnated silica gel H thin-layer chromatography. Fatty acid analysis of the two principal PS subfractions indicates that they are enriched in the molecular species 1-octadecanoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylserine and 1-octadecanoyl-2-octadecenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylserine. The identity of the two PS subfractions was further verified by rechromatographing on several thin layer systems and by infrared spectroscopy. With the use of a 100 MHz Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, the spectra of bovine whole brain, white matter, gray matter, monoenoic, and hexaenoic PS were obtained. Distinct proton resonances were assigned to double bond protons, protons adjacent to a double bond, and protons between two double bonds, using fatty acid methyl ester standards. The various PS preparations gave different intensities of the various proton resonances which correlated with differences in fatty acid composition. The method provides a convenient, non-destructive spectroscopic method for distinguishing monoenoic and polyunsaturated species of intact phospholipids. Electron spin resonance studies of nitroxide-labelled cholestane in sonicated PS vesicles showed greater probe motion as the unsaturation of the acyl chains was increased. The hexaenoic PS vesicles were more fluid than monoenoic PS vesicles at all temperatures in the range 10-55 degrees C. These results suggest that neuronal membranes are more fluid than myelin membranes as neuronal membranes contain more hexaenoic phospholipids.

Comparison of 67Ga-citrate, 111In-bleomycin and 99mTc-citrate in the evaluation of pulmonary lesions

A total of 128 patients were examined using three tumor localizing agents, 99mTc-citrate, 111In-bleomycin and 67Ga-citrate. All these patients had clinical symptoms of pulmonary disease and chest x-rays. Twenty-two patients were excluded from the original number. From the 106 remaining patients, 14 were benign cases and 92 malignant. A scan with a gamma-camera was performed 3 to 4 h following an intravenous injection of 15 mCi of 99mTc-citrate. Upon completion of this examination, the patient was given 2.5 mCi of 67Ga-citrate and 72 h later, scans were obtained using a 5in. rectilinear scanner. Fifteen days later 2.5 mCi of 111In-bleomycin was given and a similar examination to that of gallium was performed. In evaluating benign lesions, 99mTc-citrate gave no false positive results, while 111In-bleomycin gave 5% and 67Ga-citrate 20%. In the case of malignant lesions, 67Ga-citrate gave 79% true positive diagnosis, 111In-bleomycin 65% and 99Tc-citrate (of 57 evaluated patients) 46%.

Phospholipid changes in synaptic membranes by lipolytic enzymes and subsequent restoration of opiate binding with phosphatidylserine

A study has been made of the role of phosphatidylserine in stereospecific opiate binding to neural membranes, utilizing specific lipolytic enzymes to attack the lipid. At very low concentrations phospholipase A2 from bee venom will preferentially hydrolyze C22:6-fatty acid; and even after a few percent of the total phosphatidylserine is hydrolyzed, opiate binding is greatly inhibited. The addition of brain phosphatidylserine will restore opiate binding; however, when the inhibition approaches 50% restoration is only partial. Exposure of membranes to phosphatidylserine decarboxylase will partially inhibit opiate binding; and the binding returns to the control level after the addition of phosphatidylserine. The partial inhibition of opiate binding by low concentrations of Triton X-100, which presumably remove lipids, can be partially reversed by phosphatidylserine. The binding of 3H-naloxone, an opiate antagonist, is similar to agonists in its behavior towards phospholipases and phosphatidylserine; however, binding of naltrexone, also an antagonist, is far less responsive. It is concluded that the phosphatidylserine associated with the opiate receptor is the C18:0, 22:6-diacyl form, which is closely associated with protein.

Enhancement of opiate binding by various molecular forms of phosphatidylserine and inhibition by other unsaturated lipids

A study was undertaken on the possible involvement of phospholipids on stereospecific opiate binding to a rat brain membrane fraction comprised mainly of synaptic membranes. The addition of acidic phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine, phosphoinositides, and phosphatidic acid significantly enhanced opiate binding. With the exception of phosphatidylserine, when the acidic phospholipids contained a polyunsaturated acyl group, they were actually inhibitory, along with neutral phospholipids derived from brain. Both the C18:0, C18:1 form (derived from myelin) and the C18:0, C22:6 form of phosphatidylserine (derived from synaptic membranes) produced as much as a 45% enhancement in opiate binding. Unsaturated fatty acids were highly inhibitory, the degree of inhibition being related to the degree of unsaturation. Both phospholipase A and C were inhibitory; and the inhibitory effect of A could not be prevented by albumin or overcome with the addition of phosphatidylserine. With the use of the cross-linking agent, dinitrodifluorobenzene, it could be demonstrated that the phosphatidylserine of synaptic membranes appeared to be preferentially associated with membrane protein. The enhancement of opiate binding by phosphatidylserine diminished with increasing degree of cross-linking.