Uptake of liposomes containing the photoprotein obelin by rat isolated adipocytes. Adhesion, endocytosis or fusion?

Microinjection and Micropipette-Controlled Phagocytosis Methods for Neutrophils

The ability to microinject substances into the cytosol of living neutrophils opens the possibility of manipulating the chemistry within the cell and also of monitoring changes using indicators which otherwise cannot be introduced into the cell. However, neutrophils cannot be microinjected by the conventional glass pipette insertion method. Here we outline two techniques which work well with neutrophils, namely, SLAM (Simple Lipid-Assisted Microinjection) and electromicroinjection. As these methods utilize micropipettes, we also include a simple method which uses a micropipette to deliver a phagocytic stimulus to a specific cell at a defined time, enable detailed study of the phagocytic process from particle contact to particle internalization.

Microinjection methods for neutrophils

The ability to microinject substances into the cytosol of living neutrophils opens the possibility of manipulating the chemistry within the cell and also of monitoring changes using indicators which otherwise cannot be introduced into the cell. However, neutrophils cannot be microinjected by the conventional glass pipette insertion method. Here, we outline two techniques which work well with neutrophils, namely, SLAM (simple lipid-assisted microinjection) and electroinjection.

Characterization of an established endothelial cell line from primary cultures of fetal sheep hypothalamus

Immortalized cell lines from fetal brain are an experimental model for studying the in vitro molecular pathways regulating neural cell differentiation and the development of neural networks. The procedures are described to obtain an established cell line from the 90-day old fetal sheep hypothalamus. Viral oncogene LT-SV40 transformation was used to isolate a stable cell line (ENOS-01) that was characterized immunocytochemically. Immortalized cells can be classified as an endothelial cell line of hypothalamic microvasculature. Furthermore, mRNA expression and immunocytochemical of estrogen receptors α and β were also evaluated. Since it is known that cerebral vessels are directly targeted by sex steroids, our established cell line represents an alternative system to study estradiol/receptor interactions during brain development. Our in vitro model can provide a tool to investigate the complex relationships among the cell types forming the blood-brain barrier, which is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of sheep transmissible neurological diseases.

Lipid-protein cargo transfer: a mode of direct cell-to-cell communication for lipids and their associated proteins

Cells in tissues or in experimental cell colonies respond to stimuli in a co-ordinated manner when they are electrically and chemically coupled by gap junctions. These junctions permit the cell-to-cell passage of small molecules, such as inositol tris phosphate (IP(3)) within the colony and are important in co-ordinating tissue activity. This is the only recognised mechanism of direct chemical signalling that does not involve the release of an extracellular messenger between cells. However, the data in this article demonstrates a new mode of intercellular communication. Two potentially important signalling lipids, PIP(2) and ganglioside G-M1 were shown to move between cells in colonies by tracking (i) fluorescent lipids loaded into the plasma membranes of individual cells in a cell colony using a novel micropipette technique and (ii) movement of fluorescent lipids after localised photobleaching. Furthermore, a large protein molecule, cholera toxin B subunit bound to extracellularly facing ganglioside G-M1 was also shown to transfer between cells. The transfer was inhibited by pre-treatment with poly-L-lysine and polyethylenimine, suggesting a role for tight junctions, perhaps by permitting diffusion of lipids and their protein "cargo" across these cell-to-cell contact points. This is a hitherto unsuspected form of molecular signalling within cell colonies and tissues which may have implications for understanding co-ordinated cell colony behaviour.

Measurement of intracellular calcium

To a certain extent, all cellular, physiological, and pathological phenomena that occur in cells are accompanied by ionic changes. The development of techniques allowing the measurement of such ion activities has contributed substantially to our understanding of normal and abnormal cellular function. Digital video microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and more recently multiphoton microscopy have allowed the precise spatial analysis of intracellular ion activity at the subcellular level in addition to measurement of its concentration. It is well known that Ca2+ regulates numerous physiological cellular phenomena as a second messenger as well as triggering pathological events such as cell injury and death. A number of methods have been developed to measure intracellular Ca2+. In this review, we summarize the advantages and pitfalls of a variety of Ca2+ indicators used in both optical and nonoptical techniques employed for measuring intracellular Ca2+ concentration.

Lipid-assisted microinjection: introducing material into the cytosol and membranes of small cells

The microinjection of synthetic molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids into the cytosol of living cells is a powerful technique in cell biology. However, the insertion of a glass micropipette into the cell is a potentially damaging event, which presents significant problems, especially for small mammalian cells (spherical diameter = 2-15 micron), especially if they are only loosely adherent. The current technique is therefore limited to cells that are both sufficiently large or robust and firmly attached to a substrate. We describe here a modification of the standard technique that overcomes some of the problems associated with conventional microinjection but that does not involve the insertion of a micropipette deep into the cell cytoplasm. Instead, this method depends on lipid fusion at the micropipette tip to form a continuous but temporary conductance pathway between the interiors of the micropipette and cell. This technique thus also provides a novel method of transferring lipids and lipid-associated molecules to the plasma membrane of cells.

Physical determinants of intermembrane protein transfer

Intermembrane protein transfer between erythrocytes and phospholipid vesicles was examined under a variety of conditions to investigate physical factors governing this process. Human erythrocytes were incubated with sonicated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles containing trace [14C]dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. Protein-vesicle complexes were separated from cells and from membrane fragments by density gradient centrifugation. The yield of isolated protein vesicles was determined from the 14C-vesicle marker; protein compositions were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Enzymatic removal of portions of the cytoplasmic or exoplasmic domains of cell membrane proteins had little effect on the extent of protein transfer. Membrane additives such as cholate produced a 2-fold increase in protein-vesicle yield. The selectivity of protein transfer from erythrocytes was influenced by the lipid composition of recipient vesicles: inclusion of cholesterol increased band 3 content while the presence of anionic phospholipids reduced transfer. Proteins transferred from 32P-labeled cells differed in specific radioactivity from bulk cell proteins: glycophorin, highly phosphorylated in the cell membrane, showed no detectable labeling in the corresponding protein-vesicle band. These observations suggest that cell-to-vesicle protein transfer is insensitive to bulk steric and electrostatic properties of cell membranes, but enhanced by membrane defects. Recipient membrane composition influences the selectivity of transferred proteins and may reveal subtle differences in the membrane association of protein subpopulations.

Transfer of phospholipid and protein into the envelope of gram-negative bacteria by liposome fusion

A liposome-bacterial fusion system was developed in order to introduce preformed terminal complement complexes, C5b-9, into the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Liposomes were prepared from a total phospholipid extract of Salmonella minnesota Re595. Fusion between liposomes and Salmonella sp. or Escherichia coli 17 was dependent on time, temperature, pH, and Ca2+ and PO4- concentration. Only Salmonella sp. with attenuated LPS core regions were able to fuse efficiently with liposomes. It was demonstrated that fusion of liposomes with S. minnesota Re595 or E. coli 17 under optimum conditions resulted in (i) quantitative transfer of the self-quenching fluorescent membrane probe octadecyl rhodamine B chloride from the liposomal bilayer to the bacterial envelope, (ii) transfer of radiolabeled liposomal phospholipid to the bacterial outer membrane and its subsequent translocation to the cytoplasmic membrane, demonstrated by isolation of the bacterial membranes following fusion, and (iii) delivery of liposome-entrapped horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to the periplasmic space, confirmed by a chemiluminescent assay. Following fusion of liposomes incorporating C5b-9 complexes with S. minnesota Re595 or E. coli 17, immunological analysis of the isolated membranes revealed C5b-9 complexes located exclusively in the outer membrane.

Coelenterate photoproteins as indicators of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ in small cells

The Ca2+-activated photoproteins aequorin and obelin are capable of detecting rapid changes in free Ca2+ over the range 10nM-100uM. Whilst they have been used to quantify free Ca transients in giant cells for some time, their use in small mammalian cells has been restricted because of the difficulty of incorporating them into live cells without impairment of cell function. We have developed three methods for incorporating photoproteins into small cells (a) reversible cell swelling (b) membrane fusion and (c) intracellular release from pinocytotic vesicles. Formation of the membrane attack complex of complement (C5b6789), via a specific cell surface antibody to activate complement, causes a rapid increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ detectable within 5-10 s. It provides a specific method for quantifying cytoplasmic photoprotein. As a result new insights into the role of intracellular Ca2+ in cell physiology and pathology have been established.

Phospholipid-induced inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose transport in isolated adipocytes: interactions of phospholipids with inhibitors of glucose transport and insulinmimetic agents

Upon interaction with phospholipid vesicles containing phosphatidylserine, isolated rat adipocytes demonstrate an inhibition of insulin-stimulated hexose uptake. In order to elucidate the mechanism of this effect, adipocytes were treated with agents, alone or in combination with vesicles, which affected the insulin-sensitive response at the receptor and post-receptor level. The effect of vesicles at a maximal inhibitory concentration proved to be non-additive with dexamethasone, suggesting that vesicles may act in a manner similar to this agent. In contrast, fat cells treated with vesicles and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) or trypsin at submaximally effective concentrations demonstrate a partially additive inhibition of insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose uptake. Vesicle treatment of adipocytes before stimulation with agents which mimic insulin, such as Con A and H2O2, demonstrates the same effects as insulin with respect to hexose uptake. These results support the contention that vesicles inhibit insulin action at least partially at the post-receptor level, and may directly interfere with the hexose transport site.

Direct measurement of intracellular free Ca2+ in rat peritoneal macrophages: correlation with oxygen-radical production

A novel method has been developed, based on osmotic lysis of intracellular pinocytotic vesicles, to introduce the Ca2+-activated photoprotein obelin into the cytoplasm of rat peritoneal macrophages. The change in osmolarity of the incubating medium necessary to induce lysis of the pinocytotic vesicles did not significantly affect the viability or responsiveness of the cells. The method enabled on average 3 fl of external medium to be introduced into each cell. Macrophages loaded with photoprotein had a resting intracellular Ca2+ concentration of 0.24 +/- 0.02 microM, calculated from the obelin consumption rate. The calcium ionophore, A23187, induced a prolonged rise in intracellular Ca2+ and also stimulated oxygen-radical production, monitored by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. The chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, 1 microM, produced a transient increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ which reached a plateau of 1.2 +/- 0.64 microM (n = 7) and declined with a half-time of approximately 40 sec. Unopsonized particles, latex beads (diameter = 1 micron), did not produce any detectable rise in intracellular Ca2+. Incorporation of a calcium chelator EGTA-ethylene-glycol-bis-(aminoethylether) tetra-acetate--into the cytoplasm abolished the transient intracellular Ca2+ rise induced by chemotactic peptide. Oxygen-radical production was also abolished. However, oxygen radical production induced by unopsonized particles was unaffected by intracellular EGTA. It was concluded that oxygen-radical production detected by chemiluminescence can be triggered by a rise in intracellular Ca2+. Chemotactic peptide induces oxygen-radical production by this mechanism. However, unopsonized particles induce oxygen-radical production by a mechanism independent of a rise in intracellular Ca2+.

Uptake of liposomal phosphatidylcholine by granular pneumocytes in primary culture

Reuptake of pulmonary surfactant phospholipids was investigated with rat granular pneumocytes in primary culture and L-alpha-[2-palmitoyl-9,10-3H]dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine:egg phosphatidylcholine:phosphatidylglycerol:cholesterol (10:5:2:3, mol/mol) liposomes. Uptake of liposomal phosphatidylcholine by granular pneumocytes increased with time and concentration of phosphatidylcholine in the medium. With 150 microM phosphatidylcholine, uptake was about 5 nmol/mg cell protein in 2 h. Phosphatidylcholine uptake was in large part due to net transfer of vesicles as indicated by uptake of [14C]sucrose encapsulated in the aqueous compartment of liposomes. Using dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine:cholesterol (1:1) liposomes, uptake was inhibited significantly at 26 degrees C and completely at 4 degrees C. Inhibitors and uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation had no effect on uptake although uptake was somewhat inhibited in the presence of either 5.6 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose or 10 mM sodium fluoride. Cell-associated lipid radioactivity decreased after treatment with 0.25% trypsin. The percent radioactivity that was trypsin releasable decreased with increasing time and phosphatidylcholine concentration. The results suggest that uptake of phospholipids by these cells is by surface binding followed by internalization. After 2 h of incubation, 65.3 +/- 3.1% of the cell-associated radioactivity was present in phosphatidylcholine, a small fraction in phosphatidylglycerol, and the remainder in lysophosphatidylcholine, free fatty acids, and other neutral lipids, suggesting metabolic degradation of internalized lipids. This process of phospholipid uptake and degradation may have a physiological role in metabolism of surfactant phospholipids in the lung.

Direct measurement of the increase in intracellular free calcium ion concentration in response to the action of complement

1. The effect of rabbit anti-(pigeon erythrocyte) antibodies plus human complement on the concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ in sealed pigeon erythrocyte 'ghosts' was investigated with the photoprotein obelin. 2. The addition of human serum, as a source of complement, to 'ghosts' coated with antibody caused a rapid increase in intracellular free Ca2+ after a lag of 20-40 s, as detected by an increase in obelin luminescence. 3. The increase in obelin luminescence could not be explained by release of obelin into the medium. It was also Ca2+-dependent in that extracellular EGTA abolished the effect and intracellular EGTA inhibited it and required the complete terminal complex (C56789). No effect was seen with C5678. 4. The concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ before addition of complement was approx. 0.3 microM. This increased to a maximum of 5-30 microM after complement addition and then remained constant for at least 1-2 min. 5. Antibody plus complement induced a rapid increase in 42K+ efflux and an inhibition of cyclic AMP formation. 6. When partially purified complement components (C5b-9) were used in 'reactive lysis' it was possible to inhibit the release of macromolecules from pigeon erythrocyte 'ghosts' by extracellular EGTA. 7. It was concluded that the increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration caused by anti-cell antibody plus complement occurred before cell lysis and may be involved in the mechanism of complement-induced cell injury.