1
|
Lingwood C. Is cholesterol both the lock and key to abnormal transmembrane signals in Autism Spectrum Disorder? Lipids Health Dis 2024; 23:114. [PMID: 38643132 PMCID: PMC11032007 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-024-02075-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Disturbances in cholesterol homeostasis have been associated with ASD. Lipid rafts are central in many transmembrane signaling pathways (including mTOR) and changes in raft cholesterol content affect their order function. Cholesterol levels are controlled by several mechanisms, including endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation (ERAD) of the rate limiting HMGCoA reductase. A new approach to increase cholesterol via temporary ERAD blockade using a benign bacterial toxin-derived competitor for the ERAD translocon is suggested.A new lock and key model for cholesterol/lipid raft dependent signaling is proposed in which the rafts provide both the afferent and efferent 'tumblers' across the membrane to allow 'lock and key' receptor transmembrane signals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clifford Lingwood
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Research Institute, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
- Departments of Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Machin JM, Kalli AC, Ranson NA, Radford SE. Protein-lipid charge interactions control the folding of outer membrane proteins into asymmetric membranes. Nat Chem 2023; 15:1754-1764. [PMID: 37710048 PMCID: PMC10695831 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01319-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Biological membranes consist of two leaflets of phospholipid molecules that form a bilayer, each leaflet comprising a distinct lipid composition. This asymmetry is created and maintained in vivo by dedicated biochemical pathways, but difficulties in creating stable asymmetric membranes in vitro have restricted our understanding of how bilayer asymmetry modulates the folding, stability and function of membrane proteins. In this study, we used cyclodextrin-mediated lipid exchange to generate liposomes with asymmetric bilayers and characterize the stability and folding kinetics of two bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMPs), OmpA and BamA. We found that excess negative charge in the outer leaflet of a liposome impedes their insertion and folding, while excess negative charge in the inner leaflet accelerates their folding relative to symmetric liposomes with the same membrane composition. Using molecular dynamics, mutational analysis and bioinformatics, we identified a positively charged patch critical for folding and stability. These results rationalize the well-known 'positive-outside' rule of OMPs and suggest insights into the mechanisms that drive OMP folding and assembly in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Machin
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Antreas C Kalli
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Neil A Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Sheena E Radford
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shi Y, Ruan H, Xu Y, Zou C. Cholesterol, Eukaryotic Lipid Domains, and an Evolutionary Perspective of Transmembrane Signaling. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:a041418. [PMID: 37604587 PMCID: PMC10626259 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Transmembrane signaling is essential for complex life forms. Communication across a bilayer lipid barrier is elaborately organized to convey precision and to fine-tune strength. Looking back, the steps that it has taken to enable this seemingly mundane errand are breathtaking, and with our survivorship bias, Darwinian. While this review is to discuss eukaryotic membranes in biological functions for coherence and theoretical footing, we are obliged to follow the evolution of the biological membrane through time. Such a visit is necessary for our hypothesis that constraints posited on cellular functions are mainly via the biomembrane, and relaxation thereof in favor of a coordinating membrane environment is the molecular basis for the development of highly specialized cellular activities, among them transmembrane signaling. We discuss the obligatory paths that have led to eukaryotic membrane formation, its intrinsic ability to signal, and how it set up the platform for later integration of protein-based receptor activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine; Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Snyder Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Hefei Ruan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine; Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yanni Xu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine; Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chunlin Zou
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Medicine; Institute for Immunology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Watanabe H, Hanashima S, Yano Y, Yasuda T, Murata M. Passive Translocation of Phospholipids in Asymmetric Model Membranes: Solid-State 1H NMR Characterization of Flip-Flop Kinetics Using Deuterated Sphingomyelin and Phosphatidylcholine. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:15189-15199. [PMID: 37729012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Although lateral and inter-leaflet lipid-lipid interactions in cell membranes play roles in maintaining asymmetric lipid bilayers, the molecular basis of these interactions is largely unknown. Here, we established a method to determine the distribution ratio of phospholipids between the outer and inner leaflets of asymmetric large unilamellar vesicles (aLUVs). The trimethylammonium group, (CH3)3N+, in the choline headgroup of N-palmitoyl-sphingomyelin (PSM) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) gave rise to a relatively sharp signal in magic-angle spinning solid-state 1H NMR (MAS-ss-1H NMR). PSM and DOPC have the same headgroup structure, but one phospholipid was selectively observed by deuterating the trimethylammonium group of the other phospholipid. The addition of Pr3+ to the medium surrounding aLUVs selectively shifted the chemical shift of the (CH3)3N+ group in the outer leaflet from that in the inner leaflet, which allowed estimation of the inter-leaflet distribution ratio of the unlabeled lipid in aLUVs. Using this method, we evaluated the translocation of PSM and DOPC between the outer and inner leaflets of the cholesterol-containing aLUVs, with PSM and DOPC mostly distributed in the outer and inner leaflets, respectively, immediately after aLUV preparation; their flip and flop rates were approximately 2.7 and 6.4 × 10-6 s-1, respectively. During the passive symmetrization of aLUVs, the lipid translocation rate was decreased due to changes in the membrane order, probably through the formation of the registered liquid-ordered domains. Comparison of the result with that of symmetric LUVs revealed that lipid asymmetry may not significantly affect the lipid translocation rates, while the lateral lipid-lipid interaction may be a dominant factor in lipid translocation under these conditions. These findings highlight the importance of considering the effects of lateral lipid interactions within the same leaflet on lipid flip-flop rates when evaluating the asymmetry of phospholipids in the cell membrane.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Watanabe
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shinya Hanashima
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
- Graduate School of Engineering, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-cho Minami, Tottori 680-8550, Japan
| | - Yo Yano
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Yasuda
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
- Forefront Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
| | - Michio Murata
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
- Forefront Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yang GS, Wagenknecht-Wiesner A, Yin B, Suresh P, London E, Baird BA, Bag N. Lipid-driven interleaflet coupling of plasma membrane order regulates FcεRI signaling in mast cells. Biophys J 2023:S0006-3495(23)00478-2. [PMID: 37533258 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Interleaflet coupling-the influence of one leaflet on the properties of the opposing leaflet-is a fundamental plasma membrane organizational principle. This coupling is proposed to participate in maintaining steady-state biophysical properties of the plasma membrane, which in turn regulates some transmembrane signaling processes. A prominent example is antigen (Ag) stimulation of signaling by clustering transmembrane receptors for immunoglobulin E (IgE), FcεRI. This transmembrane signaling depends on the stabilization of ordered regions in the inner leaflet for sorting of intracellular signaling components. The resting inner leaflet has a lipid composition that is generally less ordered than the outer leaflet and that does not spontaneously phase separate in model membranes. We propose that interleaflet coupling can mediate ordering and disordering of the inner leaflet, which is poised in resting cells to reorganize upon stimulation. To test this in live cells, we first established a straightforward approach to evaluate induced changes in membrane order by measuring inner leaflet diffusion of lipid probes by imaging fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, by imaging fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (ImFCS), before and after methyl-α-cyclodexrin (mαCD)-catalyzed exchange of outer leaflet lipids (LEX) with exogenous order- or disorder-promoting phospholipids. We examined the functional impact of LEX by monitoring two Ag-stimulated responses: recruitment of cytoplasmic Syk kinase to the inner leaflet and exocytosis of secretory granules (degranulation). Based on the ImFCS data in resting cells, we observed global increase or decrease of inner leaflet order when outer leaflet is exchanged with order- or disorder-promoting lipids, respectively. We find that the degree of both stimulated Syk recruitment and degranulation correlates positively with LEX-mediated changes of inner leaflet order in resting cells. Overall, our results show that resting-state lipid ordering of the outer leaflet influences the ordering of the inner leaflet, likely via interleaflet coupling. This imposed lipid reorganization modulates transmembrane signaling stimulated by Ag clustering of IgE-FcεRI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gil-Suk Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Boyu Yin
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Pavana Suresh
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Erwin London
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Barbara A Baird
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Nirmalya Bag
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Real Hernandez LM, Levental I. Lipid packing is disrupted in copolymeric nanodiscs compared with intact membranes. Biophys J 2023; 122:2256-2266. [PMID: 36641625 PMCID: PMC10257115 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Discoidal lipid-protein nanoparticles known as nanodiscs are widely used tools in structural and membrane biology. Amphipathic, synthetic copolymers have recently become an attractive alternative to membrane scaffold proteins for the formation of nanodiscs. Such copolymers can directly intercalate into, and form nanodiscs from, intact membranes without detergents. Although these copolymer nanodiscs can extract native membrane lipids, it remains unclear whether native membrane properties are also retained. To determine the extent to which bilayer lipid packing is retained in nanodiscs, we measured the behavior of packing-sensitive fluorescent dyes in various nanodisc preparations compared with intact lipid bilayers. We analyzed styrene-maleic acid (SMA), diisobutylene-maleic acid (DIBMA), and polymethacrylate (PMA) as nanodisc scaffolds at various copolymer-to-lipid ratios and temperatures. Measurements of Laurdan spectral shifts revealed that dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) nanodiscs had increased lipid headgroup packing compared with large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) above the lipid melting temperature for all three copolymers. Similar effects were observed for DMPC nanodiscs stabilized by membrane scaffolding protein MSP1E1. Increased lipid headgroup packing was also observed when comparing nanodiscs with intact membranes composed of binary mixtures of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphocholine (POPC) and di-palmitoyl-phosphocholine (DPPC), which show fluid-gel-phase coexistence. Similarly, Laurdan reported increased headgroup packing in nanodiscs for biomimetic mixtures containing cholesterol, most notable for relatively disordered membranes. The magnitudes of these ordering effects were not identical for the various copolymers, with SMA being the most and DIBMA being the least perturbing. Finally, nanodiscs derived from mammalian cell membranes showed similarly increased lipid headgroup packing. We conclude that nanodiscs generally do not completely retain the physical properties of intact membranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Real Hernandez
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Ilya Levental
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Arribas Perez M, Beales PA. Dynamics of asymmetric membranes and interleaflet coupling as intermediates in membrane fusion. Biophys J 2023; 122:1985-1995. [PMID: 36203354 PMCID: PMC10257014 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a tool to increase the complexity of model membrane systems. Here, we use silica nanoparticles to fuse liquid-disordered DOPC giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and liquid-ordered DPPC:cholesterol (7:3) GUVs. After fusion, GUVs display large membrane domains as confirmed by fluorescence confocal microscopy. Laurdan spectral imaging of the membrane phases in the fused GUVs shows differences compared with the initial vesicles indicating some lipid redistribution between phase domains as dictated by the tie lines of the phase diagram. Remarkably, using real-time confocal microscopy we were able to record the dynamics of formation of asymmetric membrane domains in hemifused GUVs and detected interleaflet coupling phenomena by which the DOPC-rich liquid-disordered domains in outer monolayer modulates the phase state of the DPPC:cholesterol inner membrane leaflet which transitions from liquid-ordered to liquid-disordered phase. We find that internal membrane stresses generated by membrane asymmetry enhance the efficiency of full fusion compared with our previous studies on symmetric vesicle fusion. Furthermore, under these conditions, the liquid-disordered monolayer dictates the bilayer phase state of asymmetric membrane domains in >90% of observed cases. By comparison to the findings of previous literature, we suggest that the monolayer phase that dominates the bilayer properties could be a mechanoresponsive signaling mechanism sensitive to the local membrane environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Arribas Perez
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Paul A Beales
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology and School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK; Bragg Centre for Materials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Yasuda T, Watanabe H, Hirosawa KM, Suzuki KGN, Suga K, Hanashima S. Fluorescence Spectroscopic Analysis of Lateral and Transbilayer Fluidity of Exosome Membranes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:14695-14703. [PMID: 36421004 PMCID: PMC9731264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) involved in distal cell-cell communication and cancer migration by transferring functional cargo molecules. Membrane domains similar to lipid rafts are assumed to occur in exosome membranes and are involved in interactions with target cells. However, the bilayer membrane properties of these small vesicles have not been fully investigated. Therefore, we examined the fluidity, lateral domain separation, and transbilayer asymmetry of exosome membranes using fluorescence spectroscopy. Although there were some differences between the exosomes, TMA-DPH anisotropy showing moderate lipid chain order indicated that ordered phases comprised a significant proportion of exosome membranes. Selective TEMPO quenching of the TMA-DPH fluorescence in the liquid-disordered phase indicated that 40-50% of the exosome membrane area belonged to the ordered phase based on a phase-separated model. Furthermore, NBD-PC in the outer leaflet showed longer fluorescence lifetimes than those in the inner leaflets. Therefore, the exosome membranes maintained transbilayer asymmetry with a topology similar to that of the plasma membranes. In addition, the lateral and transbilayer orders of exosome membranes obtained from different cell lines varied, probably depending on the different membrane lipid components and compositions partially derived from donor cells. As these higher membrane orders and asymmetric topologies are similar to those of cell membranes with lipid rafts, raft-like functional domains are possibly enriched on exosome membranes. These domains likely play key roles in the biological functions and cellular uptake of exosomes by facilitating selective membrane interactions with target organs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomokazu Yasuda
- Graduate
School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka560-0043, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Watanabe
- Graduate
School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka560-0043, Japan
| | - Koichiro M. Hirosawa
- Institute
for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu501-1193, Japan
| | - Kenichi G. N. Suzuki
- Institute
for Glyco-core Research (iGCORE), Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu501-1193, Japan
| | - Keishi Suga
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-07, Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi980-8579, Japan
| | - Shinya Hanashima
- Graduate
School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka560-0043, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lpcat3 deficiency promotes palmitic acid-induced 3T3-L1 mature adipocyte inflammation through enhanced ROS generation. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2022; 55:117-130. [PMID: 36331295 PMCID: PMC10157521 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2022161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphatidylcholines (PCs) are major phospholipids in the mammalian cell membrane. Structural remodeling of PCs is associated with many biological processes. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3 (Lpcat3), which catalyzes the incorporation of polyunsaturated fatty acyl chains into the sn-2 site of PCs, plays an important role in maintaining plasma membrane fluidity. Adipose tissue is one of the main distribution organs of Lpcat3, while the relationship between Lpcat3 and adipose tissue dysfunction during overexpansion remains unknown. In this study, we reveal that both polyunsaturated PC content and Lpcat3 expression are increased in abdominal adipose tissues of high-fat diet-fed mice when compared with chow-diet-fed mice, indicating that Lpcat3 is involved in adipose tissue overexpansion and dysfunction. Our experiments in 3T3-L1 adipocytes show that inhibition of Lpcat3 does not change triglyceride accumulation but increases palmitic acid-induced inflammation and lipolysis. Conversely, Lpcat3 overexpression exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-lipolytic effects. Furthermore, mechanistic studies demonstrate that Lpcat3 deficiency promotes reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by increasing NOX enzyme activity by facilitating the translocation of NOX4 to lipid rafts, thereby aggregating 3T3-L1 adipocyte inflammation induced by palmitic acid. Moreover, overexpression of Lpcat3 exhibits the opposite effects. These findings suggest that Lpcat3 protects adipocytes from inflammation during adipose tissue overexpansion by reducing ROS generation. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that Lpcat3 deficiency promotes palmitic acid-induced inflammation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by enhancing ROS generation.
Collapse
|
10
|
Heterogeneity and deformation behavior of lipid vesicles. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2022.101646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
11
|
London E. Ordered Domain (Raft) Formation in Asymmetric Vesicles and Its Induction upon Loss of Lipid Asymmetry in Artificial and Natural Membranes. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:870. [PMID: 36135889 PMCID: PMC9503047 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12090870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Lipid asymmetry, the difference in the lipid composition in the inner and outer lipid monolayers (leaflets) of a membrane, is an important feature of eukaryotic plasma membranes. Investigation of the biophysical consequences of lipid asymmetry has been aided by advances in the ability to prepare artificial asymmetric membranes, especially by use of cyclodextrin-catalyzed lipid exchange. This review summarizes recent studies with artificial asymmetric membranes which have identified conditions in which asymmetry can induce or suppress the ability of membranes to form ordered domains (rafts). A consequence of the latter effect is that, under some conditions, a loss of asymmetry can induce ordered domain formation. An analogous study in plasma membrane vesicles has demonstrated that asymmetry can also suppress domain formation in natural membranes. Thus, it is possible that a loss of asymmetry can induce domain formation in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erwin London
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bag N, London E, Holowka DA, Baird BA. Transbilayer Coupling of Lipids in Cells Investigated by Imaging Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:2325-2336. [PMID: 35294838 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasma membranes host numerous receptors, sensors, and ion channels involved in cellular signaling. Phase separation within the plasma membrane has emerged as a key biophysical regulator of signaling reactions in multiple physiological and pathological contexts. There is much evidence that plasma membrane composition supports the coexistence of liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phases or domains at physiological conditions. However, this phase/domain separation is nanoscopic and transient in live cells. It has been recently proposed that transbilayer coupling between the inner and outer leaflets of the plasma membrane is driven by their asymmetric lipid distribution and by dynamic cytoskeleton-lipid composites that contribute to the formation and transience of Lo/Ld phase separation in live cells. In this Perspective, we highlight new approaches to investigate how transbilayer coupling may influence phase separation. For quantitative evaluation of the impact of these interactions, we introduce an experimental strategy centered around Imaging Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (ImFCS), which measures membrane diffusion with very high precision. To demonstrate this strategy, we choose two well-established model systems for transbilayer interactions: cross-linking by multivalent antigen of immunoglobulin E bound to receptor FcεRI and cross-linking by cholera toxin B of GM1 gangliosides. We discuss emerging methods to systematically perturb membrane lipid composition, particularly exchange of outer leaflet lipids with exogenous lipids using methyl alpha cyclodextrin. These selective perturbations may be quantitatively evaluated with ImFCS and other high-resolution biophysical tools to discover novel principles of lipid-mediated phase separation in live cells in the context of their pathophysiological relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nirmalya Bag
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Erwin London
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - David A Holowka
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Barbara A Baird
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Suresh P, London E. Using cyclodextrin-induced lipid substitution to study membrane lipid and ordered membrane domain (raft) function in cells. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183774. [PMID: 34534531 PMCID: PMC9128603 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Methods for efficient cyclodextrin-induced lipid exchange have been developed in our lab. These make it possible to almost completely replace the lipids in the outer leaflet of artificial membranes or the plasma membranes of living cells with exogenous lipids. Lipid replacement/substitution allows detailed studies of how lipid composition and asymmetry influence the structure and function of membrane domains and membrane proteins. In this review, we both summarize progress on cyclodextrin exchange in cells, mainly by the use of methyl-alpha cyclodextrin to exchange phospholipids and sphingolipids, and discuss the issues to consider when carrying out lipid exchange experiments upon cells. Issues that impact interpretation of lipid exchange are also discussed. This includes how overly naïve interpretation of how lipid exchange-induced changes in domain formation can impact protein function.
Collapse
|
14
|
Ge Y, Boopathy S, Nguyen TH, Lugo CM, Chao LH. Absence of Cardiolipin From the Outer Leaflet of a Mitochondrial Inner Membrane Mimic Restricts Opa1-Mediated Fusion. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 8:769135. [PMID: 35004847 PMCID: PMC8728091 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.769135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiolipin is a tetra-acylated di-phosphatidylglycerol lipid enriched in the matrix-facing (inner) leaflet of the mitochondrial inner membrane. Cardiolipin plays an important role in regulating mitochondria function and dynamics. Yet, the mechanisms connecting cardiolipin distribution and mitochondrial protein function remain indirect. In our previous work, we established an in vitro system reconstituting mitochondrial inner membrane fusion mediated by Opa1. We found that the long form of Opa1 (l-Opa1) works together with the proteolytically processed short form (s-Opa1) to mediate fast and efficient membrane fusion. Here, we extend our reconstitution system to generate supported lipid bilayers with asymmetric cardiolipin distribution. Using this system, we find the presence of cardiolipin on the inter-membrane space-facing (outer) leaflet is important for membrane tethering and fusion. We discuss how the presence of cardiolipin in this leaflet may influence protein and membrane properties, and future applications for this approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Ge
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sivakumar Boopathy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tran H Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Camila Makhlouta Lugo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Luke H Chao
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vázquez RF, Ovalle-García E, Antillón A, Ortega-Blake I, Muñoz-Garay C, Maté SM. Formation and Nanoscale Characterization of Asymmetric Supported Lipid Bilayers Containing Raft-Like Domains. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2402:243-256. [PMID: 34854049 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1843-1_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The development of new strategies for achieving stable asymmetric membrane models has turned interleaflet lipid asymmetry into a topic of major interest. Cyclodextrin-mediated lipid exchange constitutes a simple and versatile method for preparing asymmetric membrane models without the need for sophisticated equipment. Here we describe a protocol for preparing asymmetric supported lipid bilayers mimicking membrane rafts by cyclodextrin-mediated lipid exchange and the main guidelines for obtaining structural information and quantitative measures of their mechanical properties using Atomic force microscopy and Force spectroscopy; two powerful techniques that allow membrane characterization at the nanoscale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romina F Vázquez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), CCT-La Plata, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Erasmo Ovalle-García
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Armando Antillón
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Iván Ortega-Blake
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Carlos Muñoz-Garay
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Sabina M Maté
- Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), CCT-La Plata, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Barrantes FJ. Fluorescence sensors for imaging membrane lipid domains and cholesterol. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2021; 88:257-314. [PMID: 34862029 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctm.2021.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Lipid membrane domains are supramolecular lateral heterogeneities of biological membranes. Of nanoscopic dimensions, they constitute specialized hubs used by the cell as transient signaling platforms for a great variety of biologically important mechanisms. Their property to form and dissolve in the bulk lipid bilayer endow them with the ability to engage in highly dynamic processes, and temporarily recruit subpopulations of membrane proteins in reduced nanometric compartments that can coalesce to form larger mesoscale assemblies. Cholesterol is an essential component of these lipid domains; its unique molecular structure is suitable for interacting intricately with crevices and cavities of transmembrane protein surfaces through its rough β face while "talking" to fatty acid acyl chains of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids via its smooth α face. Progress in the field of membrane domains has been closely associated with innovative improvements in fluorescence microscopy and new fluorescence sensors. These advances enabled the exploration of the biophysical properties of lipids and their supramolecular platforms. Here I review the rationale behind the use of biosensors over the last few decades and their contributions towards elucidation of the in-plane and transbilayer topography of cholesterol-enriched lipid domains and their molecular constituents. The challenges introduced by super-resolution optical microscopy are discussed, as well as possible scenarios for future developments in the field, including virtual ("no staining") staining.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Barrantes
- Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Catholic University of Argentina (UCA)-National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Loss of plasma membrane lipid asymmetry can induce ordered domain (raft) formation. J Lipid Res 2021; 63:100155. [PMID: 34843684 PMCID: PMC8953672 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2021.100155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In some cases, lipids in one leaflet of an asymmetric artificial lipid vesicle suppress the formation of ordered lipid domains (rafts) in the opposing leaflet. Whether this occurs in natural membranes is unknown. Here, we investigated this issue using plasma membrane vesicles (PMVs) from rat leukemia RBL-2H3 cells. Membrane domain formation and order was assessed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer and fluorescence anisotropy. We found that ordered domains in PMVs prepared from cells by N-ethyl maleimide (NEM) treatment formed up to ∼37°C, whereas ordered domains in symmetric vesicles formed from the extracted PMV lipids were stable up to 55°C, indicating the stability of ordered domains was substantially decreased in intact PMVs. This behavior paralleled lesser ordered domain stability in artificial asymmetric lipid vesicles relative to the corresponding symmetric vesicles, suggesting intact PMVs exhibit some degree of lipid asymmetry. This was supported by phosphatidylserine mislocalization on PMV outer leaflets as judged by annexin binding, which indicated NEM-induced PMVs are much more asymmetric than PMVs formed by dithiothreitol/paraformaldehyde treatment. Destroying asymmetry by reconstitution of PMVs using detergent dilution also showed stabilization of domain formation, even though membrane proteins remained associated with reconstituted vesicles. Similar domain stabilization was observed in artificial asymmetric lipid vesicles after destroying asymmetry via detergent reconstitution. Proteinase K digestion of proteins had little effect on domain stability in NEM PMVs. We conclude that loss of PMV lipid asymmetry can induce ordered domain formation. The dynamic control of lipid asymmetry in cells may regulate domain formation in plasma membranes.
Collapse
|
18
|
Kakuda S, Li B, London E. Preparation and utility of asymmetric lipid vesicles for studies of perfringolysin O-lipid interactions. Methods Enzymol 2021; 649:253-276. [PMID: 33712189 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Studying the interaction of pore-forming toxins, including perfringolysin O (PFO), with lipid is crucial to understanding how they insert into membranes, assemble, and associate with membrane domains. In almost all past studies, symmetric lipid bilayers, i.e., bilayers having the same lipid composition in each monolayer (leaflet), have been used to study this process. However, practical methods to make asymmetric lipid vesicles have now been developed. These involve a cyclodextrin-catalyzed lipid exchange process in which the outer leaflet lipids are switched between two lipid vesicle populations with different lipid compositions. By use of alpha class cyclodextrins, it is practical to include a wide range of sterol concentrations in asymmetric vesicles. In this article, protocols for preparing asymmetric lipid vesicles are described, and to illustrate how they may be applied to studies of pore-forming toxin behavior, we summarize what has been learned about PFO conformation and its lipid interaction in symmetric and in asymmetric artificial lipid vesicles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shinako Kakuda
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Bingchen Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Erwin London
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Soteriou C, Kalli AC, Connell SD, Tyler AII, Thorne JL. Advances in understanding and in multi-disciplinary methodology used to assess lipid regulation of signalling cascades from the cancer cell plasma membrane. Prog Lipid Res 2020; 81:101080. [PMID: 33359620 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2020.101080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The lipid bilayer is a functional component of cells, forming a stable platform for the initiation of key biological processes, including cell signalling. There are distinct changes in the lipid composition of cell membranes during oncogenic transformation resulting in aberrant activation and inactivation of signalling transduction pathways. Studying the role of the cell membrane in cell signalling is challenging, since techniques are often limited to by timescale, resolution, sensitivity, and averaging. To overcome these limitations, combining 'computational', 'wet-lab' and 'semi-dry' approaches offers the best opportunity to resolving complex biological processes involved in membrane organisation. In this review, we highlight analytical tools that have been applied for the study of cell signalling initiation from the cancer cell membranes through computational microscopy, biological assays, and membrane biophysics. The cancer therapeutic potential of extracellular membrane-modulating agents, such as cholesterol-reducing agents is also discussed, as is the need for future collaborative inter-disciplinary research for studying the role of the cell membrane and its components in cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Soteriou
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds LS29JT, UK; Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK; Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - A C Kalli
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - S D Connell
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - A I I Tyler
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds LS29JT, UK
| | - J L Thorne
- School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds LS29JT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|