The interaction of hemoglobin with phosphatidylserine vesicles

Interactions of hemin, antimalarial drugs and hemin-antimalarial complexes with phospholipid monolayers

Hemin, antimalarial drugs and complexes formed between them, have demonstrable effects on biological membranes. Using the phospholipid monolayer model, we show that hemin intercalates into the membrane and increases its surface pressure, depending on the lipid composition and the initial surface pressure: negative surface charges and particularly looser compaction of the phospholipids reduce the effect of hemin. With increasing surface pressure hemin tends to intercalate as a monomer, and the half-saturation concentration of its effect increases exponentially. The antimalarial monovalent drugs quinine and mefloquine, but not chloroquine, also penetrate into the membrane and expand it. All three drugs markedly increase the effect of hemin, but chloroquine reduces the effect in monolayers composed of unsaturated phospholipids. The drugs' effect is mostly due to an increase in the maximal surface pressure and suggests a complexation of hemin and drug within the membrane phase. Preformed hemin-drug complexes decrease the half-saturation concentration of the effect and suggest that the complexes adsorb to the membrane, releasing the hemin through an apolar continuum into the phospholipid phase. The implications of the results to the membrane toxicity mechanism proposed for the molecular mode of action of antimalarial drugs are discussed.

HgCl2 increases the methemoglobin prooxidant activity. Possible mechanism of Hg2+-induced lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes

In an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of initiation of peroxidation in HgCl2-treated erythrocytes, the effect of HgCl2 on methemoglobin-catalyzed lipid peroxidation was studied. It was found that HgCl2 reinforces the prooxidant action of methemoglobin. This effect seems not to be due to dissociation or degradation of the hemoglobin molecule to heme-containing fragments or iron-containing products of low molecular weight. The results obtained indicate that Hg2+ increases the binding of oxy- and methemoglobin to liposomes. A suggestion is made that the acceleration of methemoglobin-catalyzed peroxidation by HgCl2 is mainly due to increased binding of methemoglobin to liposomes. On the basis of these results and the results obtained previously the possible mechanism of initiation of peroxidation in Hg2+-treated erythrocytes is discussed.

Oxidation and denaturation of hemoglobin encapsulated in liposomes

A study was made of the in vitro stability of hemoglobin-containing liposomes ('hemosomes') prepared from phosphatidylcholines, equimolar cholesterol and red cell lysate by the hand-shaking and ether-injection methods. Absorption spectra indicated hemichrome formation in 'hemosomes' prepared by the ether-injection technique, and increased oxidation of hemoglobin in hand-shaken 'hemosomes'. The denaturation of hemoglobin in ether-injection 'hemoglobin' was increased if the initial methemoglobin content of the hemolysate, or the temperature of preparation was elevated. It was slower if liposomes were prepared under either N2 or CO, or if the radical scavenger 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran was added with the ether. Egg phosphatidylcholine and synthetic saturated phospholipids gave the same results. With hand-shaken 'hemosomes' the oxidized product was primarily methemoglobin, and oxidation could be inhibited by using saturated phosphatidylcholines instead of egg phosphatidylcholine. Lysophosphatidylcholine levels were higher and arachidonic acid levels lower in egg phosphatidylcholine 'hemosomes' than in equivalent liposomes containing no hemolysate. The 'hemosome' seems to be a suitable model for the study of hemoglobin-lipid membrane interactions and the resulting hemoglobin denaturation process.

Identification of the hemoglobin binding sites on the inner surface of the erythrocyte membrane

The hemoglobin binding sites on the inner surface of the erythrocyte membrane were identified by measuring the fraction of hemoglobin released following selective proteolytic or lipolytic enzyme digestion. In addition, binding stoichiometry to and fractional hemoglobin release from inside-out vesicle preparations of human and rabbit membranes were compared since rabbit membranes differ significantly from human membranes only in that they lack glycophorin. Our results show that rabbit inside-out vesicles bind about 65% less human or rabbit hemoglobin under conditions of optimal and stoichiometric binding, despite being otherwise similar in composition. We suggest that this difference is either directly or indirectly due to the absence of glycophorin in rabbit membranes. Further supportive evidence includes demonstrating (a) that neuraminidase treatment of human membranes did not affect hemoglobin binding and (b) that reconstitution of isolated glycophorin into phospholipid vesicles increased the hemoglobin binding capacity in a manner proportional to the fraction of glycophorin molecules oriented with their cytoplasmic sides exposed to the exterior of the vesicle. Proteolysis of human inside-out vesicles either before or after addition of hemoglobin reduced the binding capacity by about 25%. This is consistent with the known proportion of total hemoglobin binding sites involving band 3 protein and the selective lability of the cytoplasmic aspect of band 3 protein to proteolysis. Phospholipid involvement in hemoglobin binding was determined using various phospholipase C preparations which differ in their reactivity profiles. Approximately 38% of the bound hemoglobin was released upon cleavage of phospholipid headgroups. These results suggest that the predominant sites of binding for hemoglobin on the inner surface of the red cell membrane are the two major integral membrane glycoproteins.

The interaction of hemin and bilirubin with the human red cell membrane

The incubation of 0.5% suspension of fresh normal erythrocytes with hemin or bilirubin resulted in substantial hemolysis. The amount of hemolysis achieved depended on the concentration of the lytic agents. In each concentration maximum hemolysis was reached within half an hour. The hemolytic effect was somewhat dependent on temperature. Comparison with the hemolytic effect of hemin on mice (Chau, A.C. and Fitch, C.D. (1980) J. Clin. Invest. 66, 856-858) showed that although both cells undergo hemolysis by hemin, the behaviour of each red cell type is different. Centrifugation and fluorescence quenching of membrane embedded probe revealed that both hemin and bilirubin bind to the red cell membrane, hemin having higher affinity. The reaction was found to be hydrophobic and therefore independent of ionic strength. The high affinity of the membrane for hemin was shown by its ability to compete successfully with globin for hemin. Electron microscopy of the red cells which underwent hemolysis indicated cell damage and some membrane destruction. Red cell ghosts were totally disrupted when saturated with hemin. These results suggest an explanation for hemolytic events occurring in cases such as elevation of serum bilirubin or abnormalities leading to hemin release by hemoglobin.