Ouabain binding to intact lymphocytes. Enhancement by phytohemagglutinin and leucoagglutinin

Linkage of boronated polylysine to glycoside moieties of polyclonal antibody; boronated antibodies as potential delivery agents for neutron capture therapy

Among the ways to deliver comparatively large amounts of boron to cells in vitro for boron neutron capture studies is the linkage of a boronated macromolecule such as polylysine to an antibody. In order to reduce interference with immunoreactivity, boronated polylysine (BPL) was linked to oligosaccharide moieties on the IgG molecule distant from the antibody combining sites. The resultant bioconjugate was chromatographically separated from free BPL and unconjugated antibody using a Sephacryl S300 column. The total measured boron per BPL-IgG conjugate, determined by direct current plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, was estimated to be approximately 6 x 10(3) atoms. This, together with molecular weight estimations, indicated conjugation of about 3 polylysines to each IgG molecule. Immunoreactivity of the conjugate was found to be the same as that of the unconjugated polyclonal antibody. This was based on its concentration dependent interference with immunometric reactions for an antigen (TSH), whereas heat inactivated or non-specific antibody had no such inhibitory effects. The results support the hypothesis that the binding affinity of the conjugate for antigen was preserved after its linkage to BPL under the conditions described. The methodology described in this report may have applicability for the preparation of boronated antibodies as delivery agents for BNCT.

The upregulation of Na+,K(+)-ATPase pump numbers in lymphocytes from the first-degree unaffected relatives of patients with manic depressive psychosis in response to in vitro lithium and sodium ethacrynate

Patients with manic depressive disorder (DSM-III-R bipolar disorder) have an abnormality of the Na+,K(+)-ATPase pumps in their lymphocytes: the pump numbers do not upregulate to stimulation with lithium and ethacrynate. We have now investigated the in vitro adaptive responses of lymphocyte Na+,K(+)-ATPase pumps in the first-degree unaffected relatives of patients with a clear history of manic depressive disorder. The lymphocytes of the healthy relatives upregulated their Na+,K(+)-ATPase pumps normally, suggesting that the abnormal response that we have previously observed in patients with the disorder reflects a complex relation between the biochemical phenotype and the development of clinical symptoms.

The effects of a low extracellular concentration of potassium on the activity and numbers of Na+/K+ pumps in an EB-virus transformed human lymphocyte cell line

The BM1A EB-virus transformed human lymphocyte cell line contains approximately 950,000 Na+/K(+)-ATPase sites per cell. The turnover number of each site is approx. 2240 molecules of rubidium per min. When cells are exposed to a low extracellular concentration of potassium the intracellular concentration of sodium rises, and the cells respond in the short term by increasing the Vmax of 86Rb+ uptake. In the longer term the cells respond by increasing both the Vmax of 86Rb+ uptake and the Bmax of [3H]ouabain binding. The suggestion that increases in the intracellular concentration of sodium is responsible for these changes is supported by the finding that monensin, which increases intracellular sodium without affecting intracellular potassium, is capable of inducing both the short- and long-term changes associated with a low external concentration of potassium.

Binding of ouabain to normal and tumoral pancreatic islet cells

The binding of [3H(G)]ouabain was examined in both rat pancreatic islets and tumoral islet cells (RINm5F line). In the islets, the specific binding was considered too low to allow for extensive investigations, taking into account the limited number of islets readily available. In the RINm5F cells, which bound more ouabain than normal islet cells, the time course for binding, its temperature dependency, its competitive inhibition by K+, the number of binding sites, their affinity, and the turnover of ATP per binding site were all similar to those found in other cell types. An incomplete dissociation of [3H(G)]ouabain by unlabelled glycoside and the stimulation of binding by D-glucose were noticed, both phenomena being possibly attributable, in part at least, to the functional response of the RINm5F cells to D-glucose with resulting activation of exocytosis-endocytosis coupling.

Amiloride-induced suppression of lymphocyte proliferation: inhibition of IL 2 receptor expression after blockade of early sodium influx

Increased rates of monovalent cation fluxes are implicated in the activation of lymphocytes by mitogens. Our report shows that amiloride and dimethylamiloride, two inhibitors of the Na+/H+ antiport, dose dependently prevent the proliferation of mitogen-activated human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The action of these drugs follows several mechanisms, since their inhibitory effect can be reversed by extensive washing when they are used at low concentrations (150 microM for amiloride, 40 microM for dimethylamiloride), while at higher non cytotoxic concentrations this reversibility is no longer observed. We have studied the mechanism whereby amiloride inhibits the blastogenesis by measuring their effect on: 1) IL 2 production, 2) acquisition of IL 2 responsiveness and induction of IL 2 receptors, 3) IL 2-induced proliferation. Unlike the expression of IL 2 receptors, IL 2 production and IL 2-dependent proliferation were not inhibited by the low drug concentrations which indeed prevent blastogenesis. Moreover under these conditions, an enhanced accumulation of IL 2 was observed in the supernatants of stimulated cells. These results show that the drugs interact differently with the different cell populations involved in T cell proliferation: increase of an amiloride-dependent sodium influx is an obligatory step required to induce the early increase of the ouabain-dependent potassium influx which is needed for the expression of IL 2 receptors. On the contrary, the influx of potassium necessary for the IL 2-dependent proliferation does not seem to be controlled by the amiloride-dependent sodium flux.

Sodium ion influx in proliferating lymphocytes: an early component of the mitogenic signal

Stimulation of pig peripheral blood lymphocytes with concanavalin A (Con A) provoked a rapid increase (two- to threefold) in the rate of ouabain-inhibitable K+ uptake observable within 3-10 min of stimulation with mitogen. At least two phases can be distinguished in the activation of the Na+/K+ pump: the early phase (till 3 h) is characterized by an unaltered number of ouabain binding sites and the later phase (noted at 5 h) by an increased number of such sites. Both K+ efflux and influx increased to the same extent, thereby maintaining [K+]i at the same level as in resting cells (120 mM). Within 3 min of addition of mitogen, the rates of total and amiloride-inhibitable Na+ uptake went up two- and fourfold, respectively, thus resulting in rapid increase in [Na+]i from 20 to about 50 mM. Activation of the Na+/K+ pump was not observed when the cells were stimulated with Con A in low Na+ medium (9 mM), nor did the usual rise in [Na+]i occur. When monensin (30 microM), a Na+/H+ ionophore, was added to resting cells, an increase in both [Na+]i and active K+ uptake occurred in normal medium but not when cells were suspended in low Na+ isotonic buffer. Amiloride (500 microM), on the other hand, prevented both the Con A-induced increase in [Na+]i and the activation of the Na+/K+ pump. Despite complete inhibition of the Na+,K+-ATPase in the presence of ouabain (1 mM), Con A activated the amiloride-inhibitable Na+ uptake in the usual way. In mouse splenocytes stimulated with Con A, there was also a parallel rise in both [Na+]i and active K+ uptake but this took considerably longer to occur than was the case in pig peripheral blood lymphocytes. Increase in both ionic fluxes, the former passive and the latter active, is essential to the entry and maintenance of the cells in proliferative cycle.

(3H)ouabain binding to leukaemic cells and intralymphocytic sodium content in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia; no evidence for alterations of the Na+/K+-pump

The number of specific (3H)ouabain binding sites and dissociation constants (Kd) were determined by Scatchard analysis of values for leucocytes from patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), acute blastic leukaemia (AL) and healthy subjects. CLL lymphocytes and normal B-cells bound significantly less (3H)ouabain than did normal T-lymphocytes. CML granulocytes showed the same binding characteristics as normal granulocytes, while blast cells from AL patients bound significantly more (3H)ouabain than did normal granulocytes or B-cells. The increased binding capacity in blast cells might, at least partly, reflect their larger cell size. A decrease in Kd values was only found in CLL lymphocytes, as compared with normal B-cells. Intralymphocytic sodium content in CLL lymphocytes was significantly increased, as compared with that in T-cell-enriched normal lymphocytes. (3H)ouabain binding did not show any relationship to different prognostic variables in CLL. The present data mainly argue against altered Na+/K+-ATPase enzyme activity as an indicator of malignancy.

Sodium-pump density of cells from dog tracheal mucosa

Uptake of tritiated ouabain by cells isolated from dog tracheal epithelium showed two components: a saturable component with a Km of 5.1 X 10(-8) M and a maximal uptake of 8.3 X 10(5) molecules/cell and a nonsaturating component of uptake that was linear with concentration. Several criteria indicated that the saturable uptake component represented binding to the Na+-K+-ATPase. To estimate the average surface area per cell, a known number of cells were pelleted and weighed, and the average surface area was calculated, assuming the cells to be perfectly spherical. The validity of this assumption was confirmed by comparing the calculated surface areas of cells in isotonic and hypotonic media. From the values for maximal saturable uptake and average surface area, a pump density of approximately 2,400 sites/micron2 was calculated. Given that the apical membrane lacks Na pumps and accounts for only approximately 5% of the total surface area, this value corresponds to the pump density of the basolateral cell membrane. The pump densities of ciliated, goblet, and basal cells were compared by autoradiography. The three cell types had approximately the same density of pump sites.

Measurement of specific [3H]-ouabain binding to different types of human leucocytes

We have studied the specific binding of [3H]-ouabain to intact mononuclear leucocytes (82% lymphocytes) and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. In both types of cells [3H]-ouabain binding was saturable, confined to a single site of high affinity, slow to reach equilibrium, slow to reverse, temperature-dependent, competitively antagonized by potassium, and facilitated by the presence of divalent cations. The equilibrium dissociation constants were 2.4 +/- 0.7 nmol/l (polymorphs) and 2.4 +/- 0.4 nmol/l (mononuclear cells) (NS). The values of maximal specific ouabain binding, measured by Scatchard analysis of concentration vs binding curves (Bmax), were 33.9 +/- 6.0 fmol/10(6) cells (polymorphs) and 59.3 +/- 11.6 fmol/10(6) cells (mononuclear cells) (P less than 0.02). The corresponding numbers of sites per cell were 20415 +/- 3616 and 35712 +/- 6986 respectively (P less than 0.02). When the numbers of binding sites were expressed per square micron of cell surface area the difference between the two cell types was proportionately greater (83 and 186 sites per micron 2 respectively). We conclude that the [3H]-ouabain binding sites on mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leucocytes are similar in nature, but different in both number and density on the cell surface. Measurements of Bmax in mixed cell populations should therefore take account of cell type as well as cell size and number.

Alterations in monovalent cation transport in Sindbis virus-infected chick cells

Influx experiments using the potassium tracer 86Rb+ indicated that the activity of the Na+K+ ATPase, or sodium pump, was reduced 40-50% as a consequence of Sindbis virus infection of avian fibroblasts. The inhibition of this ouabain-sensitive, active transport system temporally correlated with a decrease in the intracellular K+ concentration and the termination of cellular protein synthesis. By contrast, the rate of influx facilitated by the furosemide-sensitive (Na+K+Cl-) cotransport system was only slightly depressed. Efflux experiments indicated that no alterations in the relative rate of nonspecific permeability or "leakage" of K+ could be detected in chick cells infected by Sindbis virus. The amount of [3H]ouabain bound to Sindbis virus-infected cells paralleled the reduction in Na+K+ ATPase activity. These binding studies revealed no difference in the number of Na+ pump sites. The Km of ouabain binding, however, increased approximately 3.5-fold in the virus-infected cells. No change in the apparent affinity of the Na+ pump for K+ could be detected, yet the Vmax for ouabain-sensitive K+ transport was decreased. These experiments suggest that a reduction in Na+K+ ATPase turnover results in the altered intracellular monovalent cation levels found in Sindbis virus-infected chick cells.

Enhancing effect of lithium and potassium ions on lectin-induced lymphocyte proliferation in aging and Down's syndrome subjects

The effect of different concentrations of LiCl or KCl (0.6-20 meq/liter) on PHA-stimulated lymphocytes from young, old, and Down's syndrome subjects was studied. LiCl showed a dramatic enhancing effect on [3H]thymidine incorporation induced by a suboptimal dose of PHA in old subjects and Down's syndrome patients. An increase of [3H]thymidine incorporation in human lymphocytes stimulated by a suboptimal dose of PHA was also observed with KCl. This effect was higher in old subjects than that observed in young and Down's subjects. LiCl and KCl can modulate and partially restore the derangement in early events of mitogen stimulation which seems to be present in lymphocytes from both old and Down's syndrome subjects.

Stretch-induced growth of skeletal myotubes correlates with activation of the sodium pump

Skeletal myotubes responded to passive stretch by increased amino acid uptake (as measured with [3H]alpha-aminoisobutyric acid), increased incorporation of amino acids into total cellular protein and myosin heavy chains, and increased accumulation of total cellular protein and myosin heavy chains. These alterations were preceded by an increase in the uptake of ouabain-sensitive rubidium-86 (86Rb+), a potassium tracer used to measure membrane sodium pump activity (Na+K+ATPase). This stretch-induced stimulation of 86Rb+ uptake resulted from a 60-70% increase in the Vmax of the Na pump with little change in the Km. [3H] ouabain binding studies showed no stretch-induced change in the number of membrane Na pumps, indicating that stretch activates the Na pumps that are already present on the cell surface. Since the stretch-induced increases in amino acid transport and amino acid incorporation into proteins were inhibited by ouabain, Na pump activation may be involved in stretch-induced cell growth of skeletal muscle cells by hypertrophy.

Effect of concanavaline A on intracellular K+ and Na+ concentration and K+ transport of human lymphocytes

Incubation of human lymphocytes with ConA causes an increase in [Na+]i and a decrease in [K+]i. This effect is not due to the experimental washing procedure, but is due to the ConA-induced increase in permeability which is not fully compensated by the increase in active transport. The ConA-induced increase in 42K+ uptake consists of an increase in leak flux which is independent of [Na+]o, and of an increase in pump flux which is dependent on [Na+]o. The increase in leak flux may be caused by increased membrane fluidity. The increase in pump flux may be produced by the increased [Na+]i and by a stimulation of Na+, K+ATPase.

The apparent discrepancy of ouabain inhibition of cation transport and of lymphocyte proliferation is explained by time-dependency of ouabain binding

Mitogenesis of human blood lymphocytes in culture is inhibited by concentrations of ouabain that are approximately one order of magnitude lower than those that block Na and K transport. For example, the 50% inhibition (ID50) of Na-K transport, 280 nM, is seven-fold greater than the Id50 for RNA synthesis, DNA synthesis, or blastogenesis, approximately 40 nM. Yet, inhibition of transport and consequent reduction in cell K is considered responsible for the effects of ouabain on mitogenesis. Since synthetic processes are assessed at least 24 hours after lymphocyte stimulation, this discrepancy could be explained by either 1) a progressive increase in K leak, or 2) a progressive inhibition of Na-K transport by ouabain during 24 hours of PHA treatment. We found that the lymphocyte membrane leak rate of K increased immediately after PHA treatment but did not increase further from 4 to 24 hours. In contrast, the ouabain sensitivity of 42K uptake was markedly increased with time: ID50 for 42K uptake of 35 nM at 24 hours as compared to 280 nM at 30 minutes. Measurement of ouabain binding revealed a seven-fold increase in the lymphocyte-associated ouabain after 24 hours compared to binding at 1 hour. These data indicate that the dose response of ouabain inhibition of active K transport and lymphocyte proliferation are closely correlated if one considers the slow membrane binding of ouabain at low concentrations.

Isolation of diploid human lymphoblast mutants presumably homozygous for ouabain resistance

From a mass culture of diploid human lymphoblasts we have isolated a subline resistant to 1 muM ouabain, and from this, a subline resistant to 10 muM ouabain. These sublines occurred spontaneously, but similar mutants were induced with 10-fold increased frequency by treatment with mutagens, in which case they could be selected as clones in soft agarose. Scatchard plot analyses of ouabain binding indicated that the subline resistant to 1 muM ouabain retained an average of 39% of the high-affinity ouabain receptors of the parental lymphoblast line, and the subline resistant to 10 muM ouabain retained an average of 8.4%. The ouabain binding site is known to be located in the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) molecule, an essential cell membrane enzyme that mediates ion transport. Studies on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, using (86)Rb in the absence and presence of ouabain, indicated that our parental lymphoblasts contained one population of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules highly sensitive to ouabain inhibition, the subline resistant to 10 muM ouabain contained one population relatively insensitive to ouabain, and the subline resistant to 1 muM ouabain contained both populations. Thus, the moderately resistant subline appears to be heterozygous for ouabain resistance, probably containing a structural mutation in the ouabain receptor region of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecule in one of the two homologous loci for this enzyme, whereas the highly resistant subline derived from it appears to be homozygous, containing an additional mutation in the other Na(+),K(+)-ATPase locus.

Post recognition ion dependent events in mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation and in cytotoxic effector cell responses

This review discusses the increased permeability and enhanced uptake transport of monovalent and divalent cations following mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. The observed Ca2+ uptake is discussed in terms of gated Ca2+ channels. The importance of divalent cations, particularly Ca2+, is discussed in terms of triggering of cytotoxic effector cell responses for three model systems (antibody dependent cytotoxicity, mitogen-induced cytotoxicity and cell mediated cytotoxicity); (85).