Receptor identification

Acid activation of Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) results in toxin internalization by eukaryotic cells

Helicobacter pylori VacA is a secreted toxin that induces multiple structural and functional alterations in eukaryotic cells. Exposure of VacA to either acidic or alkaline pH ('activation') results in structural changes in the protein and a marked enhancement of its cell-vacuolating activity. However, the mechanism by which activation leads to increased cytotoxicity is not well understood. In this study, we analysed the binding and internalization of [125I]-VacA by HeLa cells. We detected no difference in the binding of untreated and activated [125I]-VacA to cells. Binding of acid-activated [125I]-VacA to cells at 4 degrees C was not saturable, and was only partially inhibited by excess unlabelled toxin. These results suggest that VacA binds either non-specifically or to an abundant, low-affinity receptor on HeLa cells. To study internalization of VacA, we used a protease protection assay. Analysis by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography indicated that the intact 87 kDa toxin was internalized in a time-dependent process at 37 degrees C but not at 4 degrees C. Furthermore, internalization of the intact toxin was detected only if VacA was acid or alkaline activated before being added to cells. The internalization of activated [125I]-VacA was not substantially inhibited by the presence of excess unlabelled toxin, but was blocked if cells were depleted of cellular ATP by the addition of sodium azide and 2-deoxy-D-glucose. These results indicate that acid or alkaline pH-induced structural changes in VacA are required for VacA entry into cells, and that internalization of the intact 87 kDa toxin is required for VacA cytotoxicity.

Somatostatin binding capacity, guanylate cyclase and tyrosine phosphatase activities during pancreatic proliferation in the rat induced by gastrectomy

Gastrectomy increased pancreatic growth and this effect was associated with an increase in the number of somatostatin-14 (SS) receptors (146% of control) without altering their affinity. SS increased guanylate cyclase activity twofold in pancreatic acinar membranes from gastrectomized rats. The gastrectomy decreased pancreatic SS-like immunoreactivity (SS-LI) content (55% of control levels) and tyrosine phosphatase activity (74% of control levels). Administration of proglumide (20 mg/kg, IP), a gastrin/cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonist, suppressed the inhibitory effect of gastrectomy on basal tyrosine phosphatase activity and SS-LI content, which returned to control levels. Furthermore, proglumide suppressed the increase of the number of SS receptors and of SS-stimulated guanylate cyclase activity induced by gastrectomy. All this suggests that pancreatic acinar cell growth is associated with upregulation of SS receptors, which could represent a mechanism promoted by the cell to negatively regulate the mitogenic activity of pancreatic growth factors such as CCK. In addition, the results also suggest that the negative regulation of tyrosine phosphatase activity may be important in the events involved in the pancreatic hyperplasia observed after gastrectomy.

The effect of pentagastrin on the somatostatin receptor/effector system in rat pancreatic acinar membranes

An intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of pentagastrin (250 micrograms/kg, three times daily) for 1 week increased somatostatin like-immunoreactivity (SSLI) content in the pancreas and the number of somatostatin (SS) receptors in pancreatic acinar membranes without influencing their apparent affinity as compared with control animals. No significant differences were seen in basal or forskolin (FK)-stimulated adenylate cyclase (AC) enzyme activities in the control and pentagastrin treated rats. In spite of the increase in the number of SS receptors, SS caused a significantly lower inhibition in AC activity in these membranes. This finding is related to the fact that the stable GTP analogue, 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate (Gpp[NH]p) was a much less potent inhibitor of binding in the pancreatic acinar cell membranes from pentagastrin-treated animals than in those from controls. In addition the ability of Gpp(NH)p to inhibit FK-stimulated AC activity was also decreased in pancreatic acinar cell membranes from pentagastrin-treated rats. Pretreatment with proglumide, (20 mg/kg i.p.) a gastrin/cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor antagonist, prevented the pentagastrin-induced changes in SS level and binding as well as the inhibitory effect of SS on AC activity in pancreatic acinar cell membranes. Proglumide alone had no observable effect on the somatostatinergic system. These data suggest a SS receptor/G protein uncoupling as a result of binding of pentagastrin to gastrin receptors present in pancreatic acinar cell membranes.