Phospholipase A2 hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids causes structural alteration of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Alzheimer's Disease as a Membrane Disorder: Spatial Cross-Talk Among Beta-Amyloid Peptides, Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Lipid Rafts

Biological membranes show lateral and transverse asymmetric lipid distribution. Cholesterol (Chol) localizes in both hemilayers, but in the external one it is mostly condensed in lipid-ordered microdomains (raft domains), together with saturated phosphatidyl lipids and sphingolipids (including sphingomyelin and glycosphingolipids). Membrane asymmetries induce special membrane biophysical properties and behave as signals for several physiological and/or pathological processes. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with a perturbation in different membrane properties. Amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein together with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration are the most characteristic cellular changes observed in this disease. The extracellular presence of Aβ peptides forming senile plaques, together with soluble oligomeric species of Aβ, are considered the major cause of the synaptic dysfunction of AD. The association between Aβ peptide and membrane lipids has been extensively studied. It has been postulated that Chol content and Chol distribution condition Aβ production and posterior accumulation in membranes and, hence, cell dysfunction. Several lines of evidence suggest that Aβ partitions in the cell membrane accumulate mostly in raft domains, the site where the cleavage of the precursor AβPP by β- and γ- secretase is also thought to occur. The main consequence of the pathogenesis of AD is the disruption of the cholinergic pathways in the cerebral cortex and in the basal forebrain. In parallel, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor has been extensively linked to membrane properties. Since its transmembrane domain exhibits extensive contacts with the surrounding lipids, the acetylcholine receptor function is conditioned by its lipid microenvironment. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is present in high-density clusters in the cell membrane where it localizes mainly in lipid-ordered domains. Perturbations of sphingomyelin or cholesterol composition alter acetylcholine receptor location. Therefore, Aβ processing, Aβ partitioning, and acetylcholine receptor location and function can be manipulated by changes in membrane lipid biophysics. Understanding these mechanisms should provide insights into new therapeutic strategies for prevention and/or treatment of AD. Here, we discuss the implications of lipid-protein interactions at the cell membrane level in AD.

Crystal structure and dynamics of a lipid-induced potential desensitized-state of a pentameric ligand-gated channel

Desensitization in pentameric ligand-gated ion channels plays an important role in regulating neuronal excitability. Here, we show that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a key ω−3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in synaptic membranes, enhances the agonist-induced transition to the desensitized state in the prokaryotic channel GLIC. We determined a 3.25 Å crystal structure of the GLIC-DHA complex in a potentially desensitized conformation. The DHA molecule is bound at the channel-periphery near the M4 helix and exerts a long-range allosteric effect on the pore across domain-interfaces. In this previously unobserved conformation, the extracellular-half of the pore-lining M2 is splayed open, reminiscent of the open conformation, while the intracellular-half is constricted, leading to a loss of both water and permeant ions. These findings, in combination with spin-labeling/EPR spectroscopic measurements in reconstituted-membranes, provide novel mechanistic details of desensitization in pentameric channels.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23886.001

The nerve cells (or neurons) in the brain communicate with each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters that bind to ion channels on neighboring neurons. This ultimately causes ions to flow in or out of the receiving neuron through these ion channels; this ion flow determines how the neuron responds.

One family of ion channels that is found at the junction between neurons, and between neurons and muscle fibers, is known as the pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (or pLGICs). These channels act as ‘gates’ that open to allow ions through them when a neurotransmitter binds to the channel. In addition to the open ‘active’ state, the channels can take on two different ‘inactive’ states that do not allow ions to pass through the channel: a closed (resting) state and a desensitized state (that is still bound to the neurotransmitter). Understanding how channels switch between these states is important for designing drugs that correct problems that cause the channels to work incorrectly.

Problems that affect the desensitized state have been linked to neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Medically important molecules such as anesthetics and alcohols are thought to affect desensitization, and drugs that target desensitized ion channels may present ways of treating neurological disorders with fewer side effects.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an abundant lipid molecule that is present in the membranes of neurons. It is one of the key ingredients in fish oil supplements and is thought to enhance learning and memory. DHA affects the desensitization of pLGICs but it is not clear exactly how it does so.

Basak et al. now show that DHA affects a bacterial pLGIC in the same way as it affects human channels – by enhancing desensitization. Using a technique called X-ray crystallography to analyze the channel while bound to DHA revealed a previously unobserved channel structure. The DHA molecule binds to a site at the edge of the channel and causes a change in its structure that leaves the upper part of the channel open while the lower part is constricted. Basak et al. predict that molecules such as anesthetics target this desensitized state.

The next step will be to obtain the structures of bacterial and human pLGIC channels in a natural membrane environment. This will allow us to better understand the changes in structure that the channels go through as they transmit signals between neurons, and so help in the development of new treatments for neurological disorders.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23886.002

Fatty Acid Regulation of Voltage- and Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Function

Free fatty acids (FFA) are essential components of the cell, where they play a key role in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and most particularly in cell membranes, where they are central actors in shaping the physicochemical properties of the lipid bilayer and the cellular adaptation to the environment. FFA are continuously being produced and degraded, and a feedback regulatory function has been attributed to their turnover. The massive increase observed under some pathological conditions, especially in brain, has been interpreted as a protective mechanism possibly operative on ion channels, which in some cases is of stimulatory nature and in other cases inhibitory. Here we discuss the correlation between the structure of FFA and their ability to modulate protein function, evaluating the influence of saturation/unsaturation, number of double bonds, and cis vs. trans isomerism. We further focus on the mechanisms of FFA modulation operating on voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channel function, contrasting the still conflicting evidence on direct vs. indirect mechanisms of action.

Inhibition of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, a novel facet in the pleiotropic activities of snake venom phospholipases A2

Phospholipases A2 represent the most abundant family of snake venom proteins. They manifest an array of biological activities, which is constantly expanding. We have recently shown that a protein bitanarin, isolated from the venom of the puff adder Bitis arietans and possessing high phospholipolytic activity, interacts with different types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and with the acetylcholine-binding protein. To check if this property is characteristic to all venom phospholipases A2, we have studied the capability of these enzymes from other snakes to block the responses of Lymnaea stagnalis neurons to acetylcholine or cytisine and to inhibit α-bungarotoxin binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and acetylcholine-binding proteins. Here we present the evidence that phospholipases A2 from venoms of vipers Vipera ursinii and V. nikolskii, cobra Naja kaouthia, and krait Bungarus fasciatus from different snake families suppress the acetylcholine- or cytisine-elicited currents in L. stagnalis neurons and compete with α-bungarotoxin for binding to muscle- and neuronal α7-types of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, as well as to acetylcholine-binding proteins. As the phospholipase A2 content in venoms is quite high, under some conditions the activity found may contribute to the deleterious venom effects. The results obtained suggest that the ability to interact with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors may be a general property of snake venom phospholipases A2, which add a new target to the numerous activities of these enzymes.

Fluorescence and molecular dynamics studies of the acetylcholine receptor γM4 transmembrane peptide in reconstituted systems

A combination of fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) is applied to assess the conformational dynamics of a peptide making up the outermost ring of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) transmembrane region and the effect of membrane thickness and cholesterol on the hydrophobic matching of this peptide. The fluorescence studies exploit the intrinsic fluorescence of the only tryptophan residue in a synthetic peptide corresponding to the fourth transmembrane domain of the AChR gamma subunit (gammaM4-Trp(6)) reconstituted in lipid bilayers of varying thickness, and combine this information with quenching studies using depth-sensitive phosphatidylcholine spin-labeled probes and acrylamide, polarization of fluorescence, and generalized polarization of Laurdan. A direct correlation was found between bilayer width and the depth of insertion of Trp(6). We further extend our recent MD study of the conformational dynamics of the AChR channel to focus on the crosstalk between M4 and the lipid-belt region. The isolated gammaM4 peptide is shown to possess considerable orientational flexibility while maintaining a linear alpha-helical structure, and to vary its tilt depending on bilayer width and cholesterol (Chol) content. MD studies also show that gammaM4 also establishes contacts with the other TM peptides on its inner face, stabilizing a shorter TM length that is still highly sensitive to the lipid environment. In the native membrane the topology of the M4 ring is likely to exhibit a similar behavior, dynamically modifying its tilt to match the hydrophobic thickness of the bilayer.

Modulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor conformational state by free fatty acids and steroids

Steroids and free fatty acids (FFA) are noncompetitive antagonists of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Their site of action is purportedly located at the lipid-AChR interface, but their exact mechanism of action is still unknown. Here we studied the effect of structurally different FFA and steroids on the conformational equilibrium of the AChR in Torpedo californica receptor-rich membranes. We took advantage of the higher affinity of the fluorescent AChR open channel blocker, crystal violet, for the desensitized state than for the resting state. Increasing concentrations of steroids and FFA decreased the K(D) of crystal violet in the absence of agonist; however, only cis-unsaturated FFA caused an increase in K(D) in the presence of agonist. This latter effect was also observed with treatments that caused the opposite effects on membrane polarity, such as phospholipase A(2) treatment or temperature increase (decreasing or increasing membrane polarity, respectively). Quenching by spin-labeled fatty acids of pyrene-labeled AChR reconstituted into model membranes, with the label located at the gammaM4 transmembrane segment, disclosed the occurrence of conformational changes induced by steroids and cis-unsaturated FFA. The present work is a step forward in understanding the mechanism of action of this type of molecules, suggesting that the direct contact between exogenous lipids and the AChR transmembrane segments removes the AChR from its resting state and that membrane polarity modulates the AChR activation equilibrium by an independent mechanism.

Structural basis for lipid modulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor function

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is the archetype molecule in the superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels (LGIC). Members of this superfamily mediate fast intercellular communication in response to endogenous neurotransmitters. This review is focused on the structural and functional crosstalk between the AChR and lipids in the membrane microenvironment, and the modulation exerted by the latter on ligand binding and ion translocation. Experimental approaches using Laurdan extrinsic fluorescence and Förster-type resonance energy transfer (FRET) that led to the characterization of the polarity and molecular dynamics of the liquid-ordered phase AChR-vicinal lipids and the bulk membrane lipids, and the asymmetry of the AChR-rich membrane are reviewed first. The topological relationship between protein and lipid moieties and the changes in physical properties induced by exogenous lipids are discussed next. This background information lays the basis for understanding the occurrence of lipid sites in the AChR transmembrane region, and the selectivity of the protein-lipid interactions. Changes in FRET efficiency induced by fatty acids, phospholipid and cholesterol (Chol), led to the identification of discrete sites for these lipids on the AChR protein, and electron-spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy has recently facilitated determination of the stoichiometry and selectivity for the AChR of the shell lipid. The influence of lipids on AChR function is discussed next. Combined single-channel and site-directed mutagenesis data fostered the recognition of lipid-sensitive residues in the transmembrane region, dissecting their contribution to ligand binding and channel gating, opening and closing. Experimental evidence supports the notion that the interface between the protein moiety and the adjacent lipid shell is the locus of a variety of pharmacologically relevant processes, including the action of steroids and other lipids.

Unique effects of different fatty acid species on the physical properties of the torpedo acetylcholine receptor membrane

To study the effects produced by free fatty acids (FFA) on the biophysical properties of Torpedo marmorata nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-rich native membranes and to investigate the topology of their binding site(s), fluorescence measurements were carried out using the fluorescent probe Laurdan (6-dodecanoyl-2-(dimethylamino) naphthalene) and ADIFAB, an Acrylodan-derivatized intestinal fatty acid-binding protein. The generalized polarization (GP) of the former probe was used to learn about the physical state of the membrane upon FFA binding. Saturated FFA induced a slight increase in GP, whereas cis-unsaturated fatty acids decreased GP. Double bond isomerism could also be distinguished; oleic acid (18:1cis) induced a net disordering effect, whereas elaidic acid (18:1trans) produced no changes in GP. The changes in the efficiency of the Förster energy transfer from the protein to Laurdan brought about by addition of FFA, together with the distances involved in this process, indicate that all FFA studied share a common site at the lipid-protein interface. However, despite being located at the same site, each class of FFA differs in its effect on the physical properties of the membrane. These data lead us to suggest that it is the direct action of FFA at the lipid-protein interface, displacing essential lipids from their sites rather than changes in bulk properties such as membrane fluidity that accounts for the effect of FFA on the acetylcholine receptor membrane.

Binding sites for exogenous and endogenous non-competitive inhibitors of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is the paradigm of the neurotransmitter-gated ion channel superfamily. The pharmacological behavior of the AChR can be described as three basic processes that progress sequentially. First, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) binds the receptor. Next, the intrinsically coupled ion channel opens upon ACh binding with subsequent ion flux activity. Finally, the AChR becomes desensitized, a process where the ion channel becomes closed in the prolonged presence of ACh. The existing equilibrium among these physiologically relevant processes can be perturbed by the pharmacological action of different drugs. In particular, non-competitive inhibitors (NCIs) inhibit the ion flux and enhance the desensitization rate of the AChR. The action of NCIs was studied using several drugs of exogenous origin. These include compounds such as chlorpromazine (CPZ), triphenylmethylphosphonium (TPMP+), the local anesthetics QX-222 and meproadifen, trifluoromethyl-iodophenyldiazirine (TID), phencyclidine (PCP), histrionicotoxin (HTX), quinacrine, and ethidium. In order to understand the mechanism by which NCIs exert their pharmacological properties several laboratories have studied the structural characteristics of their binding sites, including their respective locations on the receptor. One of the main objectives of this review is to discuss all available experimental evidence regarding the specific localization of the binding sites for exogenous NCIs. For example, it is known that the so-called luminal NCIs bind to a series of ring-forming amino acids in the ion channel. Particularly CPZ, TPMP+, QX-222, cembranoids, and PCP bind to the serine, the threonine, and the leucine ring, whereas TID and meproadifen bind to the valine and extracellular rings, respectively. On the other hand, quinacrine and ethidium, termed non-luminal NCIs, bind to sites outside the channel lumen. Specifically, quinacrine binds to a non-annular lipid domain located approximately 7 A from the lipid-water interface and ethidium binds to the vestibule of the AChR in a site located approximately 46 A away from the membrane surface and equidistant from both ACh binding sites. The non-annular lipid domain has been suggested to be located at the intermolecular interfaces of the five AChR subunits and/or at the interstices of the four (M1-M4) transmembrane domains. One of the most important concepts in neurochemistry is that receptor proteins can be modulated by endogenous substances other than their specific agonists. Among membrane-embedded receptors, the AChR is one of the best examples of this behavior. In this regard, the AChR is non-competitively modulated by diverse molecules such as lipids (fatty acids and steroids), the neuropeptide substance P, and the neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). It is important to take into account that the above mentioned modulation is produced through a direct binding of these endogenous molecules to the AChR. Since this is a physiologically relevant issue, it is useful to elucidate the structural components of the binding site for each endogenous NCI. In this regard, another important aim of this work is to review all available information related to the specific localization of the binding sites for endogenous NCIs. For example, it is known that both neurotransmitters substance P and 5-HT bind to the lumen of the ion channel. Particularly, the locus for substance P is found in the deltaM2 domain, whereas the binding site for 5-HT and related compounds is putatively located on both the serine and the threonine ring. Instead, fatty acid and steroid molecules bind to non-luminal sites. More specifically, fatty acids may bind to the belt surrounding the intramembranous perimeter of the AChR, namely the annular lipid domain, and/or to the high-affinity quinacrine site which is located at a non-annular lipid domain. Additionally, steroids may bind to a site located on the extracellular hydrophi

Phospholipid interactions of a peptide from the fusion-related domain of the glycoprotein of VHSV, a fish rhabdovirus

Previous studies mapped a p2 domain (aa 82-109) which binds phosphatidylserine (PS) (Estepa and Coll, 1996a) and contains three contiguous hydrophobic amino acid heptad repeats followed by a positively charged stretch (Coll, 1995b) in the glycoprotein G of the viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), a fish rhabdovirus. Anti-p2 antibodies inhibited low-pH VHSV-induced fusion (Estepa and Coll, 1997) and low-pH PS binding to VHSV (Estepa and Coll, 1996a). We report here further studies on the interaction of the synthetic peptide p2 with phospholipid vesicles. The synthetic p2 peptide was able to mediate aggregation, lipid mixing, and leakage of contents only with negatively charged phospholipid vesicles and in a concentration-dependent manner. As shown by its effect on lipid phase transitions deduced from data with fluorescence polarization and differential scanning calorimetry, the p2 peptide becomes inserted into the hydrophobic negatively charged phospholipid vesicle bilayers. In addition, data based on circular dichroism showed that the p2 peptide folds as a structure with a high content of beta-sheets stabilized by interaction with anionic phospholipids. These studies are potentially relevant to viral fusion in VHSV.

Effect of phospholipase A2 activation on the receptor function in the rat left atrium: unmasking of a positive inotropic effect of methacholine

1. To elucidate the functional consequence of endogenous phospholipase A2 activation, the effect of pretreatment with melittin on (-)-isoprenaline, forskolin and methacholine inotropic responses in isolated rat left atria was studied. 2. Melittin pretreatment resulted in a significant decrease of the positive inotropic response of (-)-isoprenaline, whereas no significant change in the forskolin response was seen. 3. A more prominent negative inotropic effect of methacholine could be perceived after melittin pretreatment. These effects of melittin were not simply reversed by mepacrine, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor. 4. After combined mepacrine/melittin pretreatment, a positive inotropic response was elicited by methacholine, which could be blocked by atropine but not by (+/-)-propranolol. 5. It is suggested that the combination of mepacrine/melittin abolishes the activity of an inhibitory G protein.

Interaction between ion channel-inactivating peptides and anionic phospholipid vesicles as model targets

Studies of rapid (N-type) inactivation induced by different synthetic inactivating peptides in several voltage-dependent cation channels have concluded that the channel inactivation "entrance" (or "receptor" site for the inactivating peptide) consists of a hydrophobic vestibule within the internal mouth of the channel, separated from the cytoplasm by a region with a negative surface potential. These protein domains are conformed from alternative sequences in the different channels and thus are relatively unrestricted in terms of primary structure. We are reporting here on the interaction between the inactivating peptide of the Shaker B K+ channel (ShB peptide) or the noninactivating ShB-L7E mutant with anionic phospholipid vesicles, a model target that, as the channel's inactivation "entrance," contains a hydrophobic domain (the vesicle bilayer) separated from the aqueous media by a negatively charged vesicle surface. When challenged by the anionic phospholipid vesicles, the inactivating ShB peptide 1) binds to the vesicle surface with a relatively high affinity, 2) readily adopts a strongly hydrogen-bonded beta-structure, likely an intramolecular beta "hairpin," and 3) becomes inserted into the hydrophobic bilayer by its folded N-terminal portion, leaving its positively charged C-terminal end exposed to the extravesicular aqueous medium. Similar experiments carried out with the noninactivating, L7E-ShB mutant peptide show that this peptide 1) binds also to the anionic vesicles, although with a lower affinity than does the ShB peptide, 2) adopts only occasionally the characteristic beta-structure, and 3) has completely lost the ability to traverse the anionic interphase at the vesicle surface and to insert into the hydrophobic vesicle bilayer. Because the negatively charged surface and the hydrophobic domains in the model target may partly imitate those conformed at the inactivation "entrance" of the channel proteins, we propose that channel inactivation likely includes molecular events similar to those observed in the interaction of the ShB peptide with the phospholipid vesicles, i.e., binding of the peptide to the region of negative surface potential, folding of the bound peptide as a beta-structure, and its insertion into the channel's hydrophobic vestibule. Likewise, we relate the lack of channel inactivation seen with the mutant ShB-L7E peptide to the lack of ability shown by this peptide to cross through the anionic interphase and insert into the hydrophobic domains of the model vesicle target.

Effect of phospholipids on the reconstitution and thermal stability of delipidated rat ovarian luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptors in proteoliposomes

The role of lipids and a possible structure-functional alteration of delipidated LH/hCG receptor reconstituted into proteoliposomes was analyzed by thermal perturbation techniques. Delipidated receptor lost to a great extent its binding activity and thermal stability. The LH/hCG receptor was almost fully reactivated by the reconstitution into proteoliposomes with phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SpM) and partly with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidic acid (PA). The heat inactivation profile of delipidated LH/hCG binding sites was shifted to a lower temperature by about 4 degrees C (T50 values). Thermal inactivation of the receptor by delipidation was entirely inverted by treatment with soybean PC, dioleoyl PC and dipalmitoyl PC and partially with SpM. The presence of negatively charged phospholipids, phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylglycerol (PGl) and PA, did not change the heat-inactivation profile of the LH/hCG receptor modified the differential scanning calorimetric profile and the quenching of protein fluorescence characteristic for control proteoliposomes. Delipidation increased membrane lipid rigidity. Reconstitution of delipidated proteoliposomes with soybean PC, dioleoyl PC, PGl, PS and PA decreased, and that of dipalmitoyl PC, lysoPC, SpM and cholesterol increased the degree of fluorescence polarization of DPH of proteoliposomes. The different action of phospholipids on the reconstitution, thermal inactivation of the receptor and membrane lipid fluidity in proteoliposomes suggests that lipid fluidity is not related to the stabilizing action of phospholipids on the LH/hCG receptor.

Phospholipid metabolism of lymphocytes with inhibited glutathione synthesis using L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine

The potential role of phospholipid metabolism in restricting lymphocyte proliferation under conditions of oxidative stress was investigated using [1-14C]-arachidonic acid (14C-AA) and 32P-orthophosphoric acid. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and PBL depleted of glutathione with L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO-PBL) were compared. The relative uniformity of glutathione depletion in the PBL population was assessed by flow cytometry. BSO-PBL were 40 to 90% depleted of glutathione 1 to 3 days after activation, respectively, and the BSO-PBL had unimpaired early activation events based on 32P-phosphatidylinositol levels. However, unlike stimulated PBL, which showed a progressive decrease in radioactivity incorporated into phosphatidylcholine and a corresponding increase into phosphatidylethanolamine, no significant differences occurred with BSO-PBL. Prelabeled BSO-PBL showed considerably more 14C radioactivity in the supernatant following 72-120 h stimulation with anti-CD3 than control PBL, which was mostly in the form of unmetabolized 14C-AA. Higher levels of leukotriene B4, 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoate and 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoate also were observed with L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine treatment, which could explain the impaired proliferation obtained with a depletion of cellular glutathione. Both lysophosphatidylcholine and liberated free 14C-AA increased with L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine treatment following 72 h stimulation, suggesting functional impairment in the reacylating enzymes. The increased release of 14C-AA by BSO-PBL also may contribute to the imparied proliferation that occurs with loss of glutathione.

Effects of partial delipidation of rat ovarian membranes on thermal stability of LH/hCG receptors

The role of lipids and of possible structure-functional properties of the LH/hCG receptor were analyzed by thermal perturbation techniques in its native membrane environment. A method for the reversible removal of lipids from membranes with a mild detergent Tween 20 was developed. The receptor was reactivated with phosphatidylcholine (PC) by its reconstitution into proteoliposomes. The heat inactivation profile of LH/hCG binding sites in delipidated membranes was shifted to a temperature lower by approx. 8 C degrees (T50 values). Thermal inactivation of the delipidated LH/hCG receptor was found to be a quick process. Occupation of receptor binding sites by the agonist before thermal perturbation induced stabilization of the receptor. Thermal inactivation of the receptor by delipidation was fully reversed by treatment with soybean PC, dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), partly with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and sphingomyelin (SpM), but not with phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylglycerol (PGl) or cholesterol. Delipidation modified the differential scanning calorimetric profile characteristic of control membranes. Delipidation of ovarian membranes also increased membrane lipid rigidity. The addition of PC, DOPC and PS to delipidated membranes decreased, that of DPPC and SpM increased, while PGl did not change the degree of fluorescence polarization of DPH, suggesting that membrane lipid fluidity was not involved in the stabilizing action of specific phospholipids against thermal inactivation of the ovarian LH/hCG receptor.

Labeling of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor by a photoactivatable steroid probe: effects of cholesterol and cholinergic ligands

A photoactivatable steroid, p-azidophenacyl 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24- ate (APL), has been synthesized and used instead of cholesterol to functionally reconstitute purified acetylcholine receptor (AcChR) into vesicles made of asolectin phospholipids. Upon irradiation, the extent of AcChR photolabeling by APL is directly proportional to the amount of APL incorporated into the reconstituted vesicles and the maximum stoichiometry observed corresponds to approx. 50 mol of APL bound per mol of AcChR. Furthermore, all four subunits of the AcChR become labeled by APL and the observed labeling pattern resembles the 2:1:1:1 stoichiometry characteristic of these subunits within the AcChR complex. The presence of either cholesterol or neutral lipids from asolectin in the reconstituted bilayer decreases both, the incorporation of APl into the vesicles and the covalent labeling of the AcChR upon irradiation, without altering the stoichiometry of labeling in AcChR subunits stated above. This suggests that the potential interaction sites for the photoactivatable probe in the reconstituted AcChR are mostly those normally occupied by the natural neutral lipids. Carbamylcholine, a cholinergic agonist, also reduces the extent of APL photolabeling of the AcChR in a dose-dependent manner but, in contrast to the effects of cholesterol, the presence of carbamylcholine alters the stoichiometry of labeling in the AcChR subunits. This, along with the observation that such a decrease in the extent of APL photolabeling caused by carbamylcholine can be blocked by preincubation with alpha-bungarotoxin, suggest that AcChR desensitization induced by prolonged exposure to cholinergic agonists encompasses a rearrangement of transmembrane portions of the AcChR protein, which can be sensed by the photoactivatable probe. Conversely, presence of (+)-tubocurarine, a competitive cholinergic antagonist, has no effects on altering either the extent of APL photolabeling of the AcChR or the distribution of the labeling among AcChR subunits.

Effect of oxidative stress on receptors and signal transmission

Reactive oxygen metabolites affect binding of ligands to membrane receptors and also coupling of receptors to G-proteins and effector enzymes. Peroxidation of membrane lipids may lead to a lowered receptor density and also will alter the viscosity of the plasma membrane, which affects receptor coupling. Reactive oxygen species may also interact with thiol/disulfide moieties on receptor proteins or on other factors in the receptor system, which is responsible for alterations in receptor binding or coupling. Moreover, lipid peroxidation is associated with the phospholipase A2 pathway, which might indirectly affect receptor function. Moreover, oxidative stress may lead to a disturbance in cellular Ca(2+)-homeostasis. This might be related to an effect on Ca(2+)-mobilizing receptors, but there is also evidence for a decreased Ca(2+)-sequestration by ATPases. In addition, peroxidation of membrane lipids increases membrane permeability to Ca2+. Finally, reactive oxygen species interfere with actions of nitric oxide, thus affecting another pharmacological messenger system.

Bicuculline induces free fatty acid release from phospholipids in neuro-2A cells in culture

This study characterizes free fatty acid release in a neuroblastoma cell line (Neuro-2A), a potential model system for the study of factors that control phospholipase A2 in neurons. Two compounds, bicuculline (an antagonist at gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors), and A23187 (a Ca2+ ionophore), were examined. The release of endogenous fatty acids and the turnover of radiolabeled arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids were measured. The cells actively incorporated radiolabeled fatty acids into various glycerolipid pools. Both endogenous fatty acids and radiolabeled fatty acids were released from glycerolipids in a time-dependent manner. Phosphatidylcholine was a major source of released fatty acids. Release of free fatty acids was markedly stimulated by both bicuculline and A23187. We conclude that the Neuro-2A cells contain phospholipase activity that is sensitive to Ca2+ ionophore and bicuculline, and may provide a good system for further studies on the regulation of phospholipase A2 in neurons.

Verapamil prevents the effects of daunomycin on the thermotropic phase transition of model lipid bilayers

High-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence-depolarization techniques were used to study how the presence of daunomycin and/or verapamil affect the thermotropic behaviour of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) vesicles. Daunomycin, a potent anti-cancer agent, perturbs the thermodynamic parameters associated with the lipid phase transition: it decreases the enthalpy change, lowers the transition temperature and reduces the co-operative behavior of the phospholipid molecules. Verapamil, on the other hand, produces smaller alterations in the lipid phase transition. However, when daunomycin and verapamil are present simultaneously in the DPPC vesicles, it is observed that verapamil prevents, in a concentration-dependent manner, the alteration in the phospholipid phase transition expected from the presence of daunomycin in the bilayer. Furthermore, drug-binding studies suggest that the observed interference of verapamil in the daunomycin/phospholipid interaction occurs without a decrease in the amount of daunomycin bound to the lipid bilayer and without the formation of a daunomycin-verapamil complex. Because of the importance of drug-membrane interactions in anthracycline cytotoxicity, we speculate that the lipid bilayer of biological membranes may provide appropriate sites at which the presence of verapamil influences the activity of daunomycin.

Modulatory effects of phosphatidylserine on the binding of muscarinic cholinergic receptor ligands. Studies in vitro and in vivo

The modulation of the binding of muscarinic cholinergic receptor ligands by phosphatidylserine purified from bovine cerebral cortex (BC-PS) was examined in vitro and in vivo. The enrichment of bovine cerebral cortical synaptosomal membranes with BC-PS, using a fusion technique, produced a concentration-dependent decrease in the affinity (increase in Kd) of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate (3H-QNB) specific binding to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR), without changes in their maximal number (Bmax). Similar results were observed when [3H]oxotremorine (3H-OXO) was used to label a high affinity subpopulation of mAChR. On the other hand, preincubation of BC-PS liposomes with synaptosomal membranes in a nonoptimum fusion condition (at pH 7.4) did not alter the binding properties of both radioligands. Fusion experiments using a pure phosphatidylserine preparation from spinal cord revealed a similar decrement in the affinity of 3H-QNB specific binding. Five day's intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 15 mg/kg of BC-PS liposomes in rats increased the maximal number of cerebral cortical binding sites for 3H-OXO. Scatchard analysis revealed no changes in the apparent dissociation constant. This modification is selective in relation to the neural structure studied. Thus, BC-PS treatment did not modify 3H-OXO binding in the hippocampal formation and cerebellum. In contrast, parallel experiments using the muscarinic antagonist 3H-QNB showed no alteration in the binding properties of mAChR. Five day's i.p. administration of 15 mg/kg/d of phosphatidylcholine from bovine cerebral cortex (BC-PC) liposomes produced quite similar results to those obtained with BC-PS. These results indicate that mAChR are under the modulatory action of phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), and suggest that this endogenous phospholipids may play a regulatory role on the mAChR. The possible implications of these findings on the effects of PC or PS treatment in neurological disorders involving a decrease in central cholinergic functions are discussed.

Leukotriene and prostaglandin production in rat brain synaptosomes treated with phospholipase A2 neurotoxins and enzymes

beta-Bungarotoxin (beta-BuTX) and notexin cause an irreversible blockade of neurotransmitter release through specific and potent effects at the presynaptic nerve terminal, however, the mechanism of action is uncertain. We examined the effects of beta-BuTX and notexin on LT and PG production in rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes in order to determine if eicosanoid production might mediate or regulate the pharmacological actions of these phospholipase A2 (PLA2) neurotoxins. The effects of the PLA2 enzymes isolated from Naja naja atra and Naja nigricollis snake venoms (which are not presynaptic selective) on LT and PG production were compared with the effects of beta-BuTX and notexin. N. n. atra PLA2, beta-BuTX, and notexin (all 50 nM) produced a time dependent rise in free fatty acids as measured in synaptic plasma membranes isolated from treated synaptosomes. Both the PLA2 neurotoxins and enzymes stimulated LTC4, LTB4, and PGE2 production, as measured by radioimmunoassay. In all cases, the PLA2 enzymes were more potent than the PLA2 neurotoxins. This observation correlates with their relative enzymatic potencies, as measured by free fatty acid generation. EDTA and BSA antagonized PLA2 induced LTB4 production and BSA also antagonized PLA2 induced PGE2 production. These results suggest that stimulation of eicosanoid production does not mediate the potent and specific presynaptic actions of beta-BuTX and notexin.

The lipid environment of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in native and reconstituted membranes

Detailed knowledge of the membrane framework surrounding the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is key to an understanding of its structure, dynamics, and function. Recent theoretical models discuss the structural relationship between the AChR and the lipid bilayer. Independent experimental data on the composition, metabolism, and dynamics of the AChR lipid environment are analyzed in the first part of the review. The composition of the lipids in which the transmembrane AChR chains are inserted bears considerable resemblance among species, perhaps providing this evolutionarily conserved protein with an adequate milieu for its optimal functioning. The effects of lipids on the latter are discussed in the second part of the review. The third part focuses on the information gained on the dynamics of AChR and lipids in the membrane, a section that also covers the physical properties and interactions between the protein, its immediate annulus, and the bulk lipid bilayer.