Membrane dynamic alterations associated with viral transformation and reversion. Decay of fluorescence emission and anisotropy studies of 3T3 cells

Intrinsic fluorescence polarization of amniotic fluid: evaluation of human fetal lung maturity

This article reports a novel approach for the evaluation of fetal lung maturity based on fluorescence polarization (FP). The technique determines the intrinsic fluorescence polarization ratio (IFPR) of the amniotic fluid (AF). In vitro measurements of the IFPR indicate a clear dichotomy: high values for young pregnancies and low values for mature pregnancies. The new method has the potential to be a noninvasive procedure because the excitation of the AF and the collection of its fluorescence emission can be performed through the intact cervical amniotic membranes.

Coexistence of domains with distinct order and polarity in fluid bacterial membranes

In this study we sought the detection and characterization of bacterial membrane domains. Fluorescence generalized polarization (GP) spectra of laurdan-labeled Escherichia coli and temperature dependencies of both laurdan's GP and fluorescence anisotropy of 1,3-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) (rDPH) affirmed that at physiological temperatures, the E. coli membrane is in a liquid-crystalline phase. However, the strong excitation wavelength dependence of rlaurdan at 37 degrees C reflects membrane heterogeneity. Time-resolved fluorescence emission spectra, which display distinct biphasic redshift kinetics, verified the coexistence of two subpopulations of laurdan. In the initial phase, <50 ps, the redshift in the spectral mass center is much faster for laurdan excited at the blue edge (350 nm), whereas at longer time intervals, similar kinetics is observed upon excitation at either blue or red edge (400 nm). Excitation in the blue region selects laurdan molecules presumably located in a lipid domain in which fast intramolecular relaxation and low anisotropy characterize laurdan's emission. In the proteo-lipid domain, laurdan motion and conformation are restricted as exhibited by a slower relaxation rate, higher anisotropy and a lower GP value. Triple-Gaussian decomposition of laurdan emission spectra showed a sharp phase transition in the temperature dependence of individual components when excited in the blue but not in the red region. At least two kinds of domains of distinct polarity and order are suggested to coexist in the liquid-crystalline bacterial membrane: a lipid-enriched and a proteolipid domain. In bacteria with chloramphenicol (Cam)-inhibited protein synthesis, laurdan showed reduced polarity and restoration of an isoemissive point in the temperature-dependent spectra. These results suggest a decrease in membrane heterogeneity caused by Cam-induced domain dissipation.

On the regulatory role of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (=CD=adenosine deaminase complexing protein) on adenosine deaminase activity

The molecular mechanism controlling the variable activity of the malignancy marker adenosine deaminase (ADA) is enigmatic. ADA activity was found to be modulated by the membrane-bound adenosine deaminase complexing protein (CP=DPPIV=CD26). The role of lipid-protein interactions in this modulation was sought. While direct solubilization of ADA in vesicles resulted in loss of ADA activity, the binding of ADA to CP reconstituted in vesicles restored the specific activity. The activity of ADA, free or bound to CP in solution, resulted in continuous linear Arrhenius plots. However, ADA bound to reconstituted CP exhibited two breaks associated with approximately 30% increased activity, at 25 and 13 degrees C, yielding three lines with similar apparent activation energies (E(a)). Continuum solvent model calculations of the free energy of transfer of the transmembrane helix of CP from the aqueous phase into membranes of various widths show that the most favorable orientations of the helix above and below the main phase transition may be different. We suggest that the 20% change in the thickness of the bilayer below and above the main phase transition may modify the orientation of CP in the membrane, thereby affecting substrate accessibility of ADA. This could account for ADA's reduced activity associated with increased membrane fluidity in transformed vs. normal fibroblasts.

Chicken embryo fibroblasts exposed to weak, time-varying magnetic fields share cell proliferation, adenosine deaminase activity, and membrane characteristics of transformed cells

Chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) exposed to a sinusoidally varying magnetic field (SVMF) (100 Hz, 700 microT, for 24 h) showed a remarkable rise of segmental rotational relaxation rate of adenosine deaminase (ADA, EC 3.5.4.4) as determined by multifrequency phase fluorometry. Pyrene-labeled, small subunit ADA was applied to cultured (normal) CEF, which have available and abundant ADA complexing protein (ADCP) on their plasma membranes. Sine-wave-modulated fluorometry of the pyrene yielded a profile of phase angle vs. modulation frequency. In SVMF-treated cells and in Rous-sarcoma-virus (RSV) transformed cells the differential phase values at low modulation frequencies of the excitation are remarkably reduced. This effect is magnetic rather than thermal, because the temperature was carefully controlled and monitored; nevertheless to further check this matter we studied CEF, infected by the RSV-Ts68 temperature-sensitive mutant (36 degrees C transformed, 41 degrees C "revertant"). When grown at 36 degrees C in the SVMF, cells did not show the slightest trend towards reversion, as would be expected had there been local heating. Concomitant with the increased segmental rotational relaxation rate of ADA, there was a decrease in fluorescence lifetime and a slight, yet significant, increase in membrane lipid "microfluidity." These biophysical observations prompted us to examine the effect of SVMF on cell proliferation and ADA activity (a malignancy marker): higher rates of cell proliferation and reduced specific activity of ADA were observed.

Anisotropy decay associated fluorescence spectra and analysis of rotational heterogeneity. 2. 1,6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene in lipid bilayers

The application of a new spectroscopic tool [Knutson, J. R., Davenport, L., & Brand, L. (1986) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)] for studying rotational microheterogeneity of probe location in lipid bilayer systems is described. Anisotropy decay associated spectra are derived from experimentally obtained polarized emission components. "Early" difference spectra (IV - IH) contain contributions from both fast and slow rotors, while "late" difference spectra predominantly reflect the emission from slowly rotating fluorophores. Anisotropy decay associated spectra have been used to resolve the emission spectra of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) imbedded within a known rotationally heterogeneous mixture of two vesicle types (L-alpha-dimyristoyllecithin and L-alpha-dipalmitoyllecithin). At 29 degrees C, diphenylhexatriene within pure dimyristoyllecithin vesicles rotates rapidly, with a small r infinity, while diphenylhexatriene in dipalmitoyllecithin vesicles exhibits a large r infinity. Spectra for diphenylhexatriene imbedded in the two vesicle types show small but significant spectral differences. A spectrum of a mixture of the two vesicle types with DPH lies between these characteristic component spectra. The spectrum extracted for "immobilized" probes in the mixture correctly overlays the dipalmitoyllecithin spectrum. Further studies have shown that diphenylhexatriene exhibits more than one emission anisotropy decay associated spectrum in vesicles of a single lipid type, when that lipid is near its phase transition temperature. Diphenylhexatriene apparently inhabits more than one rotational environment even in these "homogeneous" vesicle preparations.

The current state of research with peripheral tissues in Huntington disease

Huntington disease is a neurological autosomal dominant disease of unknown origin and the search for a suitable diagnostic marker has been extended to the peripheral tissues. It is generally believed that a membrane defect exists in Huntington disease although the evidence is controversial. It is the aim of this review to examine the validity of these claims for each of the peripheral tissues and techniques involved, and it is not intended to include all other aspects of research into Huntington disease.

Simplified derivation of angular order and dynamics of rodlike fluorophores in models and membranes. Simultaneous estimation of the order and fluidity parameters for diphenylhexatriene by only coupling steady-state illumination polarization and lifetime of fluorescence

We compare numerous values of average degrees of order, (S), and of average correlation times, (phi), as given by many authors for 1-6-diphenyl-1-3-5-hexatriene (DPH) in membrane models. From these comparisons, a relationship arises between (phi),(S), and the absolute temperature, T. This means that each of these variables is a function of both the others: omega [(phi), (S), T] equal 0, and this function defines a surface in a three-dimensional space. Note that omega identical for a large variety of sonicated lipid vesicles. This statement is a new formation of the conclusions of Van Blitterswijk W. J., R. P. Van Hoeven, and B. W. Van Dermeer, 1981, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 644:323-332, in the light of other recent studies (Kinosita K., Jr., R. Kataoka, Y. Kimura, O. Gotoh, and A. Ikegami, 1981, Biochemistry, 20:4270-4277). It seemed useful to seek an approximate analytical expression for the omega function (supposed unique). Various arguments have led us to define the omega function as the ratio of a diffusive (Arrhenius-type) numerator, v(T), divided by a temperature-independent denominator, sigma((s)) (Kinosita, K., Jr., S. Kawato, and A. Ikegami, 1977, Biophys. J., 20:289-305; Lipari, G., and A. Szabo, 1980, Biophys. J., 30:489-506). However, one could not a priori discard a dependence of the activation energy of v(T) on both the temperature and/or on (S). The analytical form of the proposed approximate omega function and the numerical values of the constants involved are checked for much of the data obtained from DPH/biomembranes systems described in the literature. As a consequence of this new relationship, a simplified procedure is proposed to obtain the order parameter, (S), in unknown systems. In this procedure the starting experimental quantities are only in the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy, (r), the weighted average fluorescence lifetime, tau, and T. In turn, evaluation of a weighted average correlation time, (phi), sometimes becomes simultaneously possible, at least for membranes in their liquid-crystal phase, but with less accuracy than for the determination of (S). Because the method is founded on results arising from transient experiments, it seems difficult to conceive that it could replace these techniques in a generalized manner. However, because fast tests are frequently required in routine studies on biomembranes, the method could still have a broad application provided that some transient-control measurements are performed at the limits of the experimental range studied.

Activation of human lymphocytes by concanavalin A or purified protein derivative results in no alteration of fluorescence polarization of lipid probes although the electrophoretic mobility of the cells is changed

Upon stimulation with either concanavalin A or the tuberculin antigen, purified protein derivative, human peripheral blood lymphocytes, purified on Ficoll-Hypaque, did not exhibit a concomitant lipid fluidity alteration as measured by fluorescence polarization (P) of the lipid probe, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3-5-hexatriene (DPH). This result was independent of the incubation period, ranging from 10 min to 72 h. However, a general reduction in polarization value, from P = 0.287 (maintained for up to 2 h of incubation) to P = 0.225 after 20 h was observed for both experimental and control samples. Moreover, fluorescence polarization studies of the nonpenetrating modified DPH cationic lipid probe, 1-[4'-trimethylaminophenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3-5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH), also failed to show any change in lipid fluidity subsequent to a 1-3 h incubation of lymphocytes with concanavalin A. Cell electrophoretic mobility, however, was altered (mean cell mobility increased by 10-15%) in a fast response to stimulation and was observed within several hours of in vitro application of concanavalin A and purified protein derivative. This initial response disappeared with further incubation at 37 degrees C (greater than 3 h) and was followed by a decline of cellular mobility of the concanavalin A-exposed cells after 48 and 72 h of incubation. The unstimulated control cells did not change in mobility as a function of incubation time. The slow decline in mean cell mobility of the experimental cells is believed to be associated with blastogenesis. It is concluded that neither blastogenic transformation nor short term membrane alterations associated with human lymphocyte activation lead to lipid fluidity changes as measured in steady state by the fluorescence polarization of both DPH and TMA-DPH.

Fluorescence studies on the lipoprotein complex of the fatty acid synthetase from the insect Ceratitis capitata

The fatty acid synthetase complex from the insect Ceratitis capitata forms a stable lipoprotein complex. The intrinsic fluorescence of the complex was studied by observing the emission spectra with different excitation wavelengths, both in the native complex and after temperature with sodium cholate and sodium dodecyl sulfate. The excitation spectrum of the native form also was recorded. The fluorescence behavior of the native enzyme showed two families of tryptophan residues. Cholate influenced the fluorescence, suggesting that phospholipids are the conformational support at this level. The two families of fluorescing tryptophan residues were similarly accessible to quenching by acrylamide. Thermal changes in the fluorescence characteristics were observed; warming caused a decrease in the quantum yield as well as a red shift in the emission maximum. The high fluorescence remaining after the thermal transition suggested that the lipid-protein interaction was affected but maintained shielding of the fluorophore by the lipids. Fluorescent probe molecules 1,6-diphenyl-hexa-1,3,5-triene (DPH) and dansylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPE) also were used. DPH uptake was temperature dependent, with a middle point consistent with the thermal conformation transition, indicating that internal lipids are nonrandomly distributed within the complex. DPE uptake did not reach the saturation of the complex, suggesting that its solubilization sites would be located on the lipoprotein surface.

Fluorescent substrate analogue for adenosine deaminase: 3'-O-[5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonyl]adenosine

The synthesis of the fluorescent derivative of adenosine, by reaction with 5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonyl chloride in dry pyridine at low temperature, yielding 3'-O-[5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1-sulfonyl]adenosine (3'-O-dansyladenosine), is here described. 3'-O-Dansyladenosine is partially soluble in water (approximately 10(-4) M) and upon excitation at 325 nm exhibits maximum fluorescence emission at 516 +/- 22 nm (corrected) in buffered aqueous solution at pH 7.6 with a quantum yield of 0.21 and a lifetime of 11.8 +/- 0.2 ns. The fluorescence of 3'-O-dansyladenosine is sensitive to the polarity of its solvent: in pyridine, a quantum yield of 0.61 at the emission maximum of 435 nm was observed. 3'-O-Dansyladenosine is a reversible competitive inhibitor of adenosine deaminase with a moderate inhibitive dissociation constant K1 = (1.54 +/- 0.13) X 10(-5) M. The enzyme-substrate analogue association constant was determined by equilibrium dialysis to be K = (0.69 +/- 0.05) X 10(5) M-1, very close to KI-1. The hydrophobic nature of its binding site in adenosine deaminase is evident from the strong blue shift of the fluorescence emission maximum to 440 nm, the 4-fold increase in fluorescence quantum yield, and the longer lifetime of 15.8 +/- 0.2 ns; the tight, rigid nature of the complex is evident from its high fluorescence polarization value, 0.23. An 85% decrease in the fluorescence emission intensity of the adenosine deaminase-3'-O-dansyladenosine complex in the presence of adenosine indicates the selective binding to the enzyme active site. Correlation between the conformation of the probe, either when free in various solvents or when bound to the enzyme, and its fluorescence quantum yield is noted. 3'-O-Dansyladenosine is suitable for fluorescent labeling of adenosine deaminase in cell systems.

Membrane dynamic alterations associated with activation of human platelets by thrombin

Two fluorescent probes, N-carboxymethylisatoic anhydride, which binds to membrane proteins, and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, a lipophilic label, have been used to follow membrane microenvironmental changes. Activation of human platelets by thrombin resulted in a simultaneous increase in values of fluorescence polarization (P) of both probes during the stages of shape change and secretion, which further increased during platelet aggregation. The similar pattern of changes in P for both probes indicates the interdependence of lipids and proteins in the activated platelet membrane.

Membrane dynamic alteration associated with the tumorigenicity of polyoma-transformed and revertant hamster cells

Steady state fluorescence polarization studies were carried out on membranes of polyoma-virus-transformed, revertants, re-revertants, and normal golden hamster cells. Four clones of revertant cells which exhibit different levels of reversion were isolated. The degree of reversion in these revertant clones was characterized in vitro by their contact inhibition behavior and in vivo by their tumorigenicity to hamsters. A good correlation between these two criteria was observed. Re-revertant cells were obtained from that revertant clone which exhibited the highest degree of reversion (similar to normal cells) and which could still produce tumors in hamsters. Re-revertants resembled the polyomavirus-transformed cells in both contact inhibition and tumorigenicity. Fluorescence polarization values of 1.6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene-labelled cells correlated well with cell tumorigenicity: normal and revertant cells which were not malignant exhibited distinctly lower fluorescence polarization values than those of the tumorigenic transformed and re-revertant cells. Intermediary revertant clones exhibited fluorescence polarization values in between those of normal and transformed cells, yet indistinguishable within experimental uncertainty.