Benzyl alcohol differently affects fluid phase endocytosis and exocytosis in renal epithelial cells

The Effect of Small Molecule Pharmacological Agents on the Triterpenoid Saponin Induced Endolysosomal Escape of Saporin and a Saporin-Based Immunotoxin in Target Human Lymphoma Cells

Triterpenoid saponins augment the cytotoxicity of saporin based immunotoxins. It is postulated that this results from a saponin-mediated increase in the endolysosomal escape of the toxin to the cytosol, but this remains to be confirmed. To address this issue, we used a number of pharmacological inhibitors of endocytic processes as probes to investigate the role played by saponin in the endolysosomal escape of fluorescently labeled saporin and a saporin based immunotoxin targeted against CD38 on human lymphoma and leukemia cell lines. Endolysosomal escape of the toxin was measured by flow cytometric pulse shape analysis. These results were compared to the effects of the various inhibitors on the saponin-mediated augmentation of toxin and immunotoxin cytotoxicity. Inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, micropinocytosis, and endosomal acidification abrogated the saponin-induced increase in the endolysosomal escape of the toxin into the cytosol, suggesting that these processes may be involved in the internalization of saponin to the same endolysosomal vesicle as the toxin. Alternatively, these processes may play a direct role in the mechanism by which saponin promotes toxin escape from the endolysosomal compartment to the cytosol. Correlation with the effects of these inhibitors on the augmentation of cytotoxicity provides additional evidence that endolysosomal escape is involved in driving augmentation.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is required for ANE 30-100K-induced autophagy

BACKGROUND

We identified an autophagy-inducing areca nut (AN) ingredient (AIAI) in the 30-100 kDa fraction of AN extract (ANE 30-100K). This study was to analyze the role of endocytosis in ANE 30-100K-induced autophagy.

METHODS

We used benzyl alcohol, dynasore, and shRNA of clathrin and dynamin to assess whether ANE 30-100K-induced cytotoxicity and accumulation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II were affected in oral (OECM-1) and esophageal (CE81T/VGH) carcinoma cells.

RESULTS

Both benzyl alcohol and dynasore effectively reduced ANE 30-100K-induced cytotoxicity and LC3-II accumulation in OECM-1 and CE81T/VGH cells. Downregulated protein expression of both clathrin and dynamin by their shRNA also significantly attenuated ANE 30-100K-induced elevation of LC3-II levels in CE81T/VGH cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that AIAI may be engulfed by cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis, which promotes the execution of the following autophagy program.

The uptake of soluble and particulate antigens by epithelial cells in the mouse small intestine

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) overlying the villi play a prominent role in absorption of digested nutrients and establish a barrier that separates the internal milieu from potentially harmful microbial antigens. Several mechanisms by which antigens of dietary and microbial origin enter the body have been identified; however whether IECs play a role in antigen uptake is not known. Using in vivo imaging of the mouse small intestine, we investigated whether epithelial cells (enterocytes) play an active role in the uptake (sampling) of lumen antigens. We found that small molecular weight antigens such as chicken ovalbumin, dextran, and bacterial LPS enter the lamina propria, the loose connective tissue which lies beneath the epithelium via goblet cell associated passageways. However, epithelial cells overlying the villi can internalize particulate antigens such as bacterial cell debris and inert nanoparticles (NPs), which are then found co-localizing with the CD11c+ dendritic cells in the lamina propria. The extent of NP uptake by IECs depends on their size: 20–40 nm NPs are taken up readily, while NPs larger than 100 nm are taken up mainly by the epithelial cells overlying Peyer's patches. Blocking NPs with small proteins or conjugating them with ovalbumin does not inhibit their uptake. However, the uptake of 40 nm NPs can be inhibited when they are administered with an endocytosis inhibitor (chlorpromazine). Delineating the mechanisms of antigen uptake in the gut is essential for understanding how tolerance and immunity to lumen antigens are generated, and for the development of mucosal vaccines and therapies.

Human papillomavirus types 16, 18, and 31 share similar endocytic requirements for entry

Human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18), one of the HPVs with malignant potential, enters cells by an unknown endocytic mechanism. The key cellular requirements for HPV18 endocytosis were tested in comparison to those for HPV16 and -31 endocytoses. HPV18 (like HPV16 and -31) entry was independent of clathrin, caveolin, dynamin, and lipid rafts but required actin polymerization and tetraspanin CD151, and the viruses were routed to the same LAMP-1-positive compartment. Hence, the viruses shared similar cellular requirements for endocytic entry.

Deciphering the mechanisms of cellular uptake of engineered nanoparticles by accurate evaluation of internalization using imaging flow cytometry

Background

The uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) by cells remains to be better characterized in order to understand the mechanisms of potential NP toxicity as well as for a reliable risk assessment. Real NP uptake is still difficult to evaluate because of the adsorption of NPs on the cellular surface.

Results

Here we used two approaches to distinguish adsorbed fluorescently labeled NPs from the internalized ones. The extracellular fluorescence was either quenched by Trypan Blue or the uptake was analyzed using imaging flow cytometry. We used this novel technique to define the inside of the cell to accurately study the uptake of fluorescently labeled (SiO₂) and even non fluorescent but light diffracting NPs (TiO₂). Time course, dose-dependence as well as the influence of surface charges on the uptake were shown in the pulmonary epithelial cell line NCI-H292. By setting up an integrative approach combining these flow cytometric analyses with confocal microscopy we deciphered the endocytic pathway involved in SiO₂ NP uptake. Functional studies using energy depletion, pharmacological inhibitors, siRNA-clathrin heavy chain induced gene silencing and colocalization of NPs with proteins specific for different endocytic vesicles allowed us to determine macropinocytosis as the internalization pathway for SiO₂ NPs in NCI-H292 cells.

Conclusion

The integrative approach we propose here using the innovative imaging flow cytometry combined with confocal microscopy could be used to identify the physico-chemical characteristics of NPs involved in their uptake in view to redesign safe NPs.

Entry of human papillomavirus type 16 by actin-dependent, clathrin- and lipid raft-independent endocytosis

Infectious endocytosis of incoming human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16), the main etiological agent of cervical cancer, is poorly characterized in terms of cellular requirements and pathways. Conflicting reports attribute HPV-16 entry to clathrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms. To comprehensively describe the cell biological features of HPV-16 entry into human epithelial cells, we compared HPV-16 pseudovirion (PsV) infection in the context of cell perturbations (drug inhibition, siRNA silencing, overexpression of dominant mutants) to five other viruses (influenza A virus, Semliki Forest virus, simian virus 40, vesicular stomatitis virus, and vaccinia virus) with defined endocytic requirements. Our analysis included infection data, i.e. GFP expression after plasmid delivery by HPV-16 PsV, and endocytosis assays in combination with electron, immunofluorescence, and video microscopy. The results indicated that HPV-16 entry into HeLa and HaCaT cells was clathrin-, caveolin-, cholesterol- and dynamin-independent. The virus made use of a potentially novel ligand-induced endocytic pathway related to macropinocytosis. This pathway was distinct from classical macropinocytosis in regards to vesicle size, cholesterol-sensitivity, and GTPase requirements, but similar in respect to the need for tyrosine kinase signaling, actin dynamics, Na⁺/H⁺ exchangers, PAK-1 and PKC. After internalization the virus was transported to late endosomes and/or endolysosomes, and activated through exposure to low pH.

Human papillomavirus type 16 is the main etiological agent of cervical cancer. Despite advances in our understanding of transformation and cancer progression, as well as preventative vaccination strategies, the early events in papillomavirus infections are incompletely understood. Here, we investigated which strategies and cellular mechanisms the virus uses to enter epithelial cells. Entry was slow and asynchronous likely due to several structural alterations, which needed to occur on the cell exterior. Interestingly, the virus hijacked a potentially novel pathway of endocytosis for entry, which was distinct from classical macropinocytosis in regards to vesicle size, cholesterol-sensitivity, and GTPase requirements, but similar in respect to tyrosine kinase signaling, actin dynamics, Na⁺/H⁺ exchangers, PAK-1 and PKC requirements. This cellular mechanism may also be used by other viruses such as influenza A virus, echo virus 1, and choriomeningitis virus.

Modulation of cytokine gene expression by cathelicidin BMAP-28 in LPS-stimulated and -unstimulated macrophages

Apart from direct bacterial killing, antimicrobial host defence peptides (HDPs) exert various other biological activities that also include modulation of immune responses to infection. The bovine cathelicidin BMAP-28 has been extensively studied with regard to its direct antibacterial activity while little is known about its effects on immune cell function. We have investigated its ability to affect inflammatory pathways and to influence the proinflammatory response induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 macrophages, in terms of modulation of TLR4 activation and cytokine gene induction. BMAP-28 on its own elicited ERK1/2, p38 and NF-κB activation leading to upregulation of IL-1β gene expression in these cells, suggesting it has the capacity to activate selected cellular pathways through direct effects on macrophages. As expected based on its in vitro LPS-binding properties, BMAP-28 blocked LPS-induced cytokine gene expression when added to the cell culture in combination with LPS. However it enhanced the induction of IL-1β and IL-6 genes and suppressed that of IFN-β when added prior to or following LPS stimulation over a 30-60 min time interval, or when co-administered with taxol as another TLR4 stimulant. It did not inhibit the expression of IFN-β induced by the TLR3 ligand poly(I:C). Overall these results, and the fact that BMAP-28 increased the LPS-stimulated activation of NF-κB while diminishing that of IRF-3, suggest that the peptide potentiates the early TLR4-mediated proinflammatory cytokine response while inhibiting the TLR4/TRAM/TRIF signaling pathway leading to IRF-3 activation and IFN-β gene expression. Using a TLR4-specific antibody we also found that BMAP-28 decreased the LPS-induced internalization of surface TLR4 required for initiating the TRAM/TRIF signaling pathway, which provides a mechanism for the inhibitory effect of the peptide on the TLR4/TRAM/TRIF pathway.

Effects of perfluorocarbons on surfactant exocytosis and membrane properties in isolated alveolar type II cells

Background

Perfluorocarbons (PFC) are used to improve gas exchange in diseased lungs. PFC have been shown to affect various cell types. Thus, effects on alveolar type II (ATII) cells and surfactant metabolism can be expected, data, however, are controversial.

Objective

The study was performed to test two hypotheses: (I) the effects of PFC on surfactant exocytosis depend on their respective vapor pressures; (II) different pathways of surfactant exocytosis are affected differently by PFC.

Methods

Isolated ATII cells were exposed to two PFC with different vapor pressures and spontaneous surfactant exocytosis was measured. Furthermore, surfactant exocytosis was stimulated by either ATP, PMA or Ionomycin. The effects of PFC on cell morphology, cellular viability, endocytosis, membrane permeability and fluidity were determined.

Results

The spontaneous exocytosis was reduced by PFC, however, the ATP and PMA stimulated exocytosis was slightly increased by PFC with high vapor pressure. In contrast, Ionomycin-induced exocytosis was decreased by PFC with low vapor pressure. Cellular uptake of FM 1-43 - a marker of membrane integrity - was increased. However, membrane fluidity, endocytosis and viability were not affected by PFC incubation.

Conclusions

We conclude that PFC effects can be explained by modest, unspecific interactions with the plasma membrane rather than by specific interactions with intracellular targets.

Pharmacological inhibition of endocytic pathways: is it specific enough to be useful?

Eukaryotic cells constantly form and internalize plasma membrane vesicles in a process known as endocytosis. Endocytosis serves a variety of housekeeping and specialized cellular functions, and it can be mediated by distinct molecular pathways. Among them, internalization via clathrin-coated pits, lipid raft/caveolae-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis/phagocytosis are the most extensively characterized. The major endocytic pathways are usually distinguished on the basis of their differential sensitivity to pharmacological/chemical inhibitors, although the possibility of nonspecific effects of such inhibitors is frequently overlooked. This review provides a critical evaluation of the selectivity of the most widely used pharmacological inhibitors of clathrin-mediated, lipid raft/caveolae-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis/phagocytosis. The mechanisms of actions of these agents are described with special emphasis on their reported side effects on the alternative internalization modes and the actin cytoskeleton. The most and the least-selective inhibitors of each major endocytic pathway are highlighted.

Inhibition of the renal betaine transporter by calcium ions

Chronic upregulation of the renal betaine/GABA transporter (BGT1) by hypertonic stress has been well documented, but it is not known whether BGT1 can be regulated acutely after insertion in the basolateral plasma membrane. Related transporters, such as the rat brain GABA transporter, can be rapidly removed from the plasma membrane through activation of G protein-coupled receptors. The goal of the present study was to determine whether acute changes in extracellular and/or intracellular Ca2+will regulate BGT1 transport activity at the plasma membrane level in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells subjected to 24-h hypertonic stress. After brief pretreatment with a Ca2+-free solution, the addition of extracellular Ca2+in the transport assay produced dose-dependent inhibition of Na+-GABA cotransport. Maximum inhibition was 49% at 2 mM Ca2+( P < 0.05). Fura 2 imaging confirmed that addition of 2 mM Ca2+produced a transient increase in intracellular Ca2+that preceded transport inhibition. Acute inhibition of Na+-GABA cotransport was reproduced by addition of thapsigargin (5 μM) and ionomycin (10 μM). Amino acid transport system A, assayed as a control, was not inhibited. Brief treatment with phorbol esters reproduced the specific inhibition of Na+-GABA cotransport, and the inhibition was blocked by staurosporine. Surface biotinylation confirmed that the response to phorbol esters was accompanied by loss of BGT1 protein from the plasma membrane, and immunohistochemistry showed a shift to an intracellular distribution. We conclude that BGT1 can be inhibited acutely by extracellular Ca2+through a mechanism involving BGT1 protein internalization, and protein kinase C may play a role.

Membrane fluidization triggers membrane remodeling which affects the thermotolerance in Escherichia coli

Treatment of Escherichia coli with non-lethal doses of heat or benzyl alcohol (BA) causes transient membrane fluidization and permeabilization, and induces the rapid transcription of heat-shock genes in a sigma32-dependent manner. This early response is followed by a rapid adaptation (priming) of the cells to otherwise lethal elevated temperature, in strong correlation with an observed remodeling of the composition and alkyl chain unsaturation of membrane lipids. The acquisition of cellular thermotolerance in BA-primed cells is unrelated to protein denaturation and is not accompanied by the formation of major heat-shock proteins, such as GroEL and DnaK. This suggests that the rapid remodeling of membrane composition is sufficient for the short-term bacterial thermotolerance.

Procaine-induced enhancement of fluid-phase endocytosis and inhibition of exocytosis in human skin fibroblasts

Local anaesthetics are often applied directly onto the skin, and for this reason the effect of some local anaesthetics upon morphology and cytoskeleton organisation in human skin fibroblasts was investigated. In this paper the authors report that procaine (p-aminobenzoic acid diethylamino-etyl ester hydrochloride) induced vacuolisation of cytoplasm and great enhancement of neutral red accumulation in human skin fibroblasts cultured in vitro. Procaine-induced vacuolisation of cell's cytoplasm was observed to be associated with the enhanced uptake and inhibited release of fluid taken by endocytosis. All these effects appeared fully reversible. The cell vacuolisation cannot be prevented by 3-methyadenine, brefeldine A, and cytochalasine D. On the other hand, nocodazole and caffeine prevent cytoplasm vacuolisation induced by procaine. These observations suggest that procaine-induced formation of great vacuoles is due to an impairment of membrane traffic between endosomes. The authors' results also demonstrate that neutral red uptake assay, if used as a cell viability test, must be interpreted with great caution.

Azithromycin, a lysosomotropic antibiotic, impairs fluid-phase pinocytosis in cultured fibroblasts

The dicationic macrolide antibiotic azithromycin inhibits the uptake of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by fluid-phase pinocytosis in fibroblasts in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion without affecting its decay (regurgitation and/or degradation). The azithromycin effect is additive to that of nocodazole, known to impair endocytic uptake and transport of solutes along the endocytic pathway. Cytochemistry (light and electron microscopy) shows a major reduction by azithromycin in the number of HRP-labeled endocytic vesicles at 5 min (endosomes) and 2 h (lysosomes). Within 3 h of exposure, azithromycin also causes the appearance of large and light-lucentlelectron-lucent vacuoles, most of which can be labeled by lucifer yellow when this tracer is added to culture prior to azithromycin exposure. Three days of treatment with azithromycin result in the accumulation of very large vesicles filled with pleiomorphic content, consistent with phospholipidosis. These vesicles are accessible to fluorescein-labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) and intensively stained with filipin, indicating a mixed storage with cholesterol. The impairment of HRP pinocytosis directly correlates with the amount of azithromycin accumulated by the cells, but not with the phospholipidosis induced by the drug. The proton ionophore monensin, which completely suppresses azithromycin accumulation, also prevents inhibition of HRP uptake. Erythromycylamine, another dicationic macrolide, also inhibits HRP pinocytosis in direct correlation with its cellular accumulation and is as potent as azithromycin at equimolar cellular concentrations. We suggest that dicationic macrolides inhibit fluid-phase pinocytosis by impairing the formation of pinocytic vacuoles and endosomes.

Modeling of P-glycoprotein-involved epithelial drug transport in MDCK cells

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) on the apical membranes of epithelial cells is known as a drug efflux pump. However, unclear is its integral quantitative role in the overall epithelial drug transfer, which also involves distinct diffusion processes in parallel and sequence. We used a simple three-compartment model to obtain kinetic parameters of each drug transfer mechanism, which can quantitatively describe the transport time courses of P-gp substrates, digoxin and vinblastine, across P-gp-expressing MDCK cell monolayers grown on permeable filters. Our results show that the model, which assumes a functionally single drug efflux pump in the apical membrane with diffusion across two membranes and intercellular junctions, is the least complex model with which to quantitatively reproduce the characteristics of the data. Interestingly, the model predicts that the MDCK apical membranes are less diffusion permeable than the basolateral membrane for both drugs and that the distribution volume of vinblastine is 10-fold higher than that of digoxin. Additional experiments verified these model predictions. The modeling approach is feasible to quantitatively describe overall kinetic picture of epithelial drug transport. Further model refinement is necessary to incorporate other modes of drug transport such as transcytosis. Also, whether P-gp solely accounts for the pump function in this model awaits more studies.

Clostridium perfringens epsilon-toxin acts on MDCK cells by forming a large membrane complex

Epsilon-toxin is produced by Clostridium perfringens types B and D and is responsible for a rapidly fatal enterotoxemia in animals, which is characterized by edema in several organs due to an increase in blood vessel permeability. The Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line has been found to be susceptible to epsilon-toxin (D. W. Payne, E. D. Williamson, H. Havard, N. Modi, and J. Brown, FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 116:161-168, 1994). Here we present evidence that epsilon-toxin cytotoxic activity is correlated with the formation of a large membrane complex (about 155 kDa) and efflux of intracellular K+ without entry of the toxin into the cytosol. Epsilon-toxin induced swelling, blebbing, and lysis of MDCK cells. Iodolabeled epsilon-toxin bound specifically to MDCK cell membranes at 4 and 37 labeled C and was associated with a large complex (about 155 kDa). The binding of epsilon-toxin to the cell surface was corroborated by immunofluorescence staining. The complex formed at 37 degrees C was more stable than that formed at 4 degrees C, since it was not dissociated by 5% sodium dodecyl sulfate and boiling.

Myoglobin toxicity in proximal human kidney cells: roles of Fe, Ca2+, H2O2, and terminal mitochondrial electron transport

The purpose of this study was to gain direct insights into mechanisms by which myoglobin induces proximal tubular cell death. To avoid confounding systemic and hemodynamic influences, an in vitro model of myoglobin cytotoxicity was employed. Human proximal tubular (HK-2) cells were incubated with 10 mg/ml myoglobin, and after 24 hours the lethal cell injury was assessed (vital dye uptake; LDH release). The roles played by heme oxygenase (HO), cytochrome p450, free iron, intracellular Ca2+, nitric oxide, H2O2, hydroxyl radical (-OH), and mitochondrial electron transport were assessed. HO inhibition (Sn protoporphyrin) conferred almost complete protection against myoglobin cytotoxicity (92% vs. 22% cell viability). This benefit was fully reproduced by iron chelation therapy (deferoxamine). Conversely, divergent cytochrome p450 inhibitors (cimetidine, aminobenzotriazole, troleandomycin) were without effect Catalase induced dose dependent cytoprotection, virtually complete, at a 5000 U/ml dose. Conversely, -OH scavengers (benzoate, DMTU, mannitol), xanthine oxidase inhibition (oxypurinol), superoxide dismutase, and manipulators of nitric oxide expression (L-NAME, L-arginine) were without effect. Intracellular (but not extracellular) calcium chelation (BAPTA-AM) caused approximately 50% reductions in myoglobin-induced cell death. The ability of Ca2+ (plus iron) to drive H2O2 production (phenol red assay) suggests one potential mechanism. Blockade of site 2 (antimycin) and site 3 (azide), but not site 1 (rotenone), mitochondrial electron transport significantly reduced myoglobin cytotoxicity. Inhibition of Na, K-ATPase driven respiration (ouabain) produced a similar protective effect. We conclude that: (1) HO-generated iron release initiates myoglobin toxicity in HK-2 cells; (2) myoglobin, rather than cytochrome p450, appears to be the more likely source of toxic iron release; (3) H2O2 generation, perhaps facilitated by intracellular Ca2+/iron, appears to play a critical role; and (4) cellular respiration/terminal mitochondrial electron transport ultimately helps mediate myoglobin's cytotoxic effect. Formation of poorly characterized toxic iron/H2O2-based reactive intermediates at this site seems likely to be involved.

Temperature dependence of endocytosis in renal epithelial cells in culture

Temperature dependence of fluid-phase endocytosis was determined in two renal epithelial cell lines, MDCK cells and LLC-PK1 cells, using Lucifer Yellow or horseradish peroxidase as markers. For both cell lines, grown on solid support as a confluent monolayer, biphasic curves of marker uptake vs. temperature were obtained. The changes in slope occurred around 27 degrees C, a critical temperature at which the lipids of the plasma membrane of MDCK cells enter in the gel state. Activation energies were significantly higher above 27 degrees C (15-22 kcal/mol) than below that critical temperature (9-12 kcal/mol). These data indicate that changes in membrane physical state have marked effects on endocytic processes. They suggest that two mechanisms, with different activation energies are involved in the fluid phase endocytosis by renal epithelial cells in culture.