Enzymatic and chemical analyses of pig platelet membrane subfractions isolated by zonal centrifugation

Regulation of ligand binding to glycoprotein IIb-IIIa (integrin alpha IIb beta 3) in isolated platelet membranes

The major platelet integrin, glycoprotein IIb-IIIa, binds soluble fibrinogen only after platelet activation. To investigate the mechanism by which platelets convert glycoprotein IIb-IIIa into a functional fibrinogen receptor, we characterized the opening and closing of fibrinogen-binding sites in isolated platelet membranes and compared the regulatory properties of membrane-bound glycoprotein IIb-IIIa with those of the detergent-solubilized receptor. Basal fibrinogen binding to the membranes possessed many of the properties of fibrinogen binding to activated platelets; however, less than 10% of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa in the membranes was capable of binding fibrinogen. Preincubating the membranes with either an activating glycoprotein IIb-IIIa antibody or alpha-chymotrypsin increased fibrinogen binding. In contrast, agents that require intracellular mediators, such as platelet agonists, guanine-nucleotide-binding-protein activators and purified protein kinase C, did not stimulate fibrinogen binding to the membranes, suggesting that cytosolic factor(s) may be required for activation of the receptor in platelets. Occupancy of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa in the membranes with RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-containing peptides reversibly exposed neoantigenic epitopes and fibrinogen-binding sites in the receptor. These conformational changes required membrane fixation to be maintained following peptide removal. Similar results were obtained with purified glycoprotein IIb-IIIa incorporated into phospholipid vesicles, indicating that the resting state of the receptor is favoured in these environments. In contrast, when the conformation of detergent-solubilized glycoprotein IIb-IIIa was altered by exposure to RGD-containing peptides, the receptor remained active even after incorporation into phospholipid vesicles. These results demonstrate that platelet membranes are a useful model in which to study the regulation of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa and suggest that the environment surrounding the receptor may have a profound influence on this process.

Lipid composition of miniature pig platelets

1. Analyses of platelet lipid composition were carried out on material pooled from male and female miniature pigs. 2. The cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio was 0.6. 3. Phosphatidylcholine represents the major class of phospholipids (47%) and phosphatidylinositol the minor (2%). 4. The main fatty acids of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and sphingomyelin were: palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids. 5. The ratios of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids were: sphingomyelin, 1.7; phosphatidylcholine, 1.2; phosphatidylserine, 0.9; phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol, 0.6. 6. Our results suggests that human and miniature pig platelet lipids bear several characteristics in common. This fact would allow miniature pig to be used as a new experimental model.

Isolation, characterization and phospholipid composition of lamellar bodies and subcellular fractions from dog lung

1. Lamellar body fractions from dog lung can be separated by a procedure based on differential centrifugation before ultracentrifugation onto a discontinuous sucrose gradient. This fraction yields about 1% of total protein from the homogenate. 2. The different fractions obtained in the isolation were assayed for the measurement of four subcellular marker enzymes: beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, acid phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase and succinate dehydrogenase. 3. Lamellar bodies were not contaminated by mitochondria (0.7 succinate dehydrogenase relative specific activity), whereas high specific hydrolase activities were found (beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and 5'-nucleotidase were enriched 1.8- and 2.8-fold, respectively). 4. The chemical criterion was established by measuring the specific components of lamellar bodies. The lamellar bodies have the highest phospholipid/protein ratio (0.35); cholesterol/protein ratio (0.15) and the highest phosphatidylglycerol percentages (7.9%). 5. The phospholipid composition of lamellar bodies is distributed among phosphatidylcholine (64.5%), phosphatidylethanolamine (11%), phosphatidylglycerol (7.9%), sphingomyelin (4%), phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol (3%), respectively. The remainder were considered as trace amounts (less than 1%).

Lipid composition of subcellular particles from sheep platelets. Location of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine in plasma membranes and platelet liposomes

The lipid composition of whole sheep platelets and their subcellular fractions was determined. The basic lipids show similar distributions in granules, microsomes, plasma membranes and whole platelets. Phospholipid (about 70% of total lipids) and cholesterol (25% of total lipids) are the principal lipid components. Free cholesterol represents about 98% of the total, whereas cholesteryl ester is a minor component. The phospholipid composition found in intact platelets and their subcellular particles is about: 35% phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 30% phosphatidylcholine (PC), 20% sphingomyelin and 15% phosphatidylserine (PS). We also investigated aminophospholipid topology in intact platelet plasma membranes and platelet liposomes by using the nonpenetrating chemical probe trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS), because they are the major components of total lipids. In intact platelets, PS is not accessible to TNBS during the initial 15 min of incubation, whereas 18% PE is labelled after 15 min. In contrast, in phospholipid extracted from platelets 80% PE and 67% PS react with TNBS within 5 min, while 27 and 25% PE and 15 and 19% PS from liposomes and isolated plasma membranes, respectively, were modified after 15 min of incubation. In view of this chemical modification, it is concluded that 22% of PE and less than 1% of PS are located on the external surface of intact platelet plasma membranes. The asymmetric orientation of aminophospholipids is similar between liposomes and isolated plasma membrane. PS (23 and 28%) and PE (34 and 31%) are scarcely represented outside the bilayer. The data found are consistent with the nonrandom phospholipid distribution of blood cell surface membranes.

Simultaneous isolation of two platelet membrane fractions: biochemical, immunological and functional characterization

Simultaneous isolation of two platelet membrane subfractions was achieved by centrifugation on 40% sucrose from a 100.000 g crude membrane fraction. Characterization of both types of membranes was carried out by different biochemical and immunological markers. Using a surface label, 3H Concanavalin A (3HCon A), a marker enzyme, phosphodiesterase, and lipid analysis, one of the fraction has been identified as external or plasma membranes, the other consists of intracellular membranes. Further two specific antibodies directed against external membrane antigens (LeKa and IgG L) react almost exclusively with the external membranes. Finally both kinds of membranes were able to uptake calcium but the affinity for this cation was higher for the internal than for the external membranes. This suggests that both membranes are implicated in the regulation of the cytoplasmic calcium concentration and that the internal membranes (dense tubular system) play the major part in this regulation.

Comparative studies of pig platelet membrane proteins

The proteins and glycoproteins of pig platelet membranes have been studied using gel electrophoretic techniques. A nomenclature is suggested from the apparent molecular weights estimated by one-dimensional electrophoresis. Isoelectric focusing showed that the majority of the proteins are in the 4.0-7.0 pH range. Subunits have been inferred from oligoproteins by two-dimensional, reduced-nonreduced, electrophoresis techniques. High resolution two dimensional electrophoresis combining isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulphate allows the observations of 60 polypeptide bands. An identification of some of those bands based on a correlation from reported human blood platelet membrane proteins is presented for comparison.

Biochemical and biophysical characterization of insulin granules isolated from rat pancreatic islets by an iso-osmotic gradient

The size and polydispersity of insulin granules isolated from rat pancreatic islets by centrifugation on a linear iso-osmotic gradient (300 mosM) have been characterized by quasi-elastic light scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy. The separation of granules by the linear gradient technique was compared directly to isolation on discontinuous gradients of hypertonic sucrose (300-1950 mosM) and the greater efficiency of separation assessed by parallel measurements of protein, insulin, cytochrome oxidase and beta-glucuronidase. Granules isolated from pancreatic beta-cells had a mean particle diameter of 342 nm, buoyant density of 1.104, hydrated mass of 23 femtograms and maximal insulin content of 8-9.6 . 10(5) molecules per granule.

Isolation, characterization and chemical composition of the membrane from sheep platelets

A procedure of the isolation of platelets from the blood of adult sheep (Ovis aries L. var domestica) is reported. This procedure is based on differential centrifugation and a specific lysis for elimination of erythrocytes. We have obtained platelets with a purity at least 99% and a relative high yield (2.3 +/- 0.4 g wet/l whole blood identical to 235 +/- 40 mg platelet proteins/l whole blood). After disruption, homogenisation and ultracentrifugation onto a discontinuous sucrose gradient (1.6 M, 1.1 M, 1.0 M and 0.6 M sucrose), four fractions were obtained. We have separated, for the first time, a particulate preparation enriched in the whole sheep plasma membrane. This fraction was characterized by: (i) the typical membrane morphology as shown by electron micrographs; (ii) the highest activities in membrane marker enzymes such as bis(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.16.1) and 5'-dTMP-p-nitrophenyl ester phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.3.35), and the relatively low activity for marker enzymes associated to other subcellular fractions; (iii) the highest sialic acid, cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations. The chemical composition of the platelet membrane isolated is: total proteins, 49%; lipids, 47%; carbohydrates, congruent to 3.4% (the content of hexoses is twice as high as that of hexosamines and sialic acid). The similarities and differences of this preparation with others from several sources are discussed.

Characterization of the proteins of isolated human platelet alpha-granules. Evidence for a separate alpha-granule-pool of the glycoproteins IIb and IIIa

The protein composition of a well-defined alpha-granule preparation isolated from human platelets has been studied. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis against polyspecific platelet antibodies revealed more than 20 immunoprecipitates. The glycoprotein IIb-IIIa complex represented a major antigen in the Triton X-100-solubilized alpha-granule preparation and cross-reacted with the corresponding platelet membrane antigen. Furthermore, after lactoperoxidase-catalyzed 125I-iodination of whole platelets it was not labelled, in contrast to its membrane-located counterpart. This indicates an intracellular location of glycoproteins IIb and IIIa, probably as constituents of the alpha-granules. Fibrinogen, platelet factor 4, albumin, factor VIII-related antigen and the main granule glycoprotein (thrombinsensitive protein, thrombospondin) were identified in the alpha-granule preparation by the crossed immunoelectrophoresis technique. Crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis using lectins revealed the presence of at least seven glycoproteins, and six sialoglycoproteins were identified by their altered electrophoretic mobility after neuraminidase treatment. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of reduced samples of the alpha-granules revealed at least 15 Coomassie Brilliant Blue-staining polypeptide bands, one of which comigrated with myosin heavy chain. No prominent band was observed in the actin region. Five glycopolypeptide bands were observed after periodic acid-Schiff staining. The dominant three represented the main granule glycoprotein, glycoprotein IIb and glycoprotein IIIa, respectively. More glycoproteins seem to be present in the alpha-granules than was previously recognized.

Rapid separation of cytosol and particle fraction of human platelets by digitonin-induced cell damage

Current cell disruption and fractionation techniques are time consuming and unsuitable for metabolic studies. We have developed a rapid method for platelets in which separation of cytosol and particle fraction is obtained within 50 s. Isolated platelet suspensions were incubated with low concentrations of digitonin followed by separation of soluble and particle fraction by centrifugation through a phthalate layer. Cell disruption was 90.1+/-4.2% (mean+/-SD, n=18; lactate dehydrogenase leakage). Contamination of granules: acid hydrolase vesicles 16.2+/-3.6% (n=18, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase), dense granules 7--9% (n=3, 14C-serotonin), mitochondrial matrix 0.6+/-0.1% (n=18, glutamate dehydrogenase). Low concentrations of digitonin did not affect sialic acid content, nucleoside diphosphate kinase and phosphodiesterase activity in isolated membranes. The method showed that most enzymes of glycolysis and hexose monophosphate shunt were localized in the cytosol except for hexokinase (96% particle bound), phosphoglucose isomerase (10% bound) and glutathion reductase (26% bound). About half the total ATP+ADP and most glycolytic intermediates were found partly particle bound, especially fructose 1,6-diphosphate (40% bound). The data suggest that in platelets glycolysis occurs in different cell compartments.

Phospholipase activities in subcellular fractions of human platelets

A homogenate of human platelets was fractionated by zonal ultracentrifugation into membranes, various granules and mitochondria. The membrane fraction was composed of two populations. The first, which represented 75% of the proteins, was rich in plasma membranes; the second, which represented the remaining 25%, was rich in microsomal membranes. Lysophospholipase was essentially localised in the cytosol. Phospholipase A1 which was only weakly bound to membranes, was mostly found in the soluble fraction (75%); the remainder was located in the plasma membranes and the mitochondria. Two-thirds of the phospholipase A2 was found in the particulate fractions.

Further characterization of calcium-accumulating vesicles from human blood platelets

Human blood platelets are capable of removing Ca2+ from the cytoplasm by means of an active, ATP-dependent and cyclic AMP-stimulated transport system. Calcium-accumulating vesicles are obtained by sonicating platelets. On density gradient centrifugation, this activity is found in the heavier of two membrane fractions. Concentrated in this fraction are also the Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+-ATPase and glucose-6-phosphatase, believed to be a marker for internal membrane systems. When the isolated vesicles are loaded with Ca2+, a third band separates from the two vesicular fractions in the density gradient. This band C contains virtually all the Ca2+-accumulating activity. Evidence that this activity is due to an active uptake and not to surface binding or adsorption is presented. Whereas electron microscopy does not reveal striking differences between active and inactive fractions, differences in protein composition are revealed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, this band contains an enzyme system which converts arachidonic acid to malondialdehyde and therefore this fraction must be the site of prostaglandin synthesis. Membranes prepared by loading platelets with glycerol, followed by osmotic lysis are unable to accumulate calcium. In sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis such membranes show significant differences in their protein pattern as compared to the actively Ca2+-accumulating vesicular membranes of band C. All preparations with Ca2+-accumulating activity also contain markers for plasma membranes and the question whether this activity is due exclusively to an intracellular structural element equivalent to the sarcoplasmic reticulum of muscle or whether an "extrusion pump" expelling Ca2+ to the outside of the cell is also involved, cannot yet be ;nswered.

Bis-(4-methylumbelliferyl) phosphate as a substrate for the surface membrane-associated phosphodiesterase activity of pig platelets

It was found that the newly-available compound, bis-(4-methylumbelliferyl) phosphate, could be used as a substrate for the pig platelet surface membrane-associated phosphodiesterase activity, usually assayed with bis-(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate. This enzyme activity is distinct from the phosphodiesterase activity towards 5'-dTMP-P-nitrophenyl ester, which is probably associated with intracellular membrane structures in platelets. Consequently, the use of the 4-methylumbelliferyl derivative as substrate for the phosphodiesterase activity provides a sensitive, fluorimetric assay for this marker enzyme of the platelet surface membrane.

Comparative studies on the glycoprotein composition of mammalian platelets

1. The membrane glycoprotein composition of the blood platelets of 13 mammalian species has been compared by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 2. A basic pattern of 2-3 predominant high molecular weight glycoprotein bands was observed, however species differences in their relative rates of migration and abundance were apparent. 3. Wide species differences in the number and rate of migration of the acidic glycopeptides released by trypsin digestion of washed platelet suspensions were observed following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence of SDS.