Colchicine affects kinetics of concanavalin a-mediated agglutination of hepatoma cells and plasma membranes from liver and hepatoma cells

Effect of colchicine on the uptake of prolactin and insulin into Golgi fractions of rat liver

In previous studies we have shown that 125I-labeled prolactin is taken up by a receptor-dependent process and concentrated in an intact form in Golgi elements from female rat liver (J. Biol. Chem., 1979, 254:209-214). In this study we have examined the effect of colchicine on this uptake process into Golgi elements. Colchicine [25 mumol (10 mg)/100 gm body wt] was injected intraperitoneally in adult female rats, and hepatic Golgi fractions were prepared at 1, 2, and 3 h postinjection. The enzyme recoveries and morphological appearance of fractions from colchicine-treated and control (alcohol alone) animals were similar. At times greater than 1 h after colchicine there was a marked (greater than 60%) inhibition of uptake of 125I-ovine prolactin (125I-oPRL) into Golgi light and intermediate fractions but no inhibition of uptake into Golgi heavy and plasmalemma elements. At times from 2 to 45 min postinjection, 125I-oPRL was extracted from Golgi elements and found to be largely intact as judged by rebinding to receptors. The inhibitory effect of colchicine was seen at doses ranging from 0.25 mumol to 25 mumol/100 g body wt. Vincristine also inhibited 125I-oPRL uptake into the Golgi light and intermediate fractions but lumicolchicine had no inhibitory effect. There was a smaller effect of colchicine both at early (1 h) and later (3 h) times on the extent and pattern of 125I-insulin uptake. Colchicine treatment did not produce a significant change in lactogen receptor levels in the Golgi fractions. These results demonstrate that colchicine treatment inhibited the transfer of prolactin into Golgi vesicular elements. The much smaller effect on insulin uptake suggests that there may be differences in the manner in which the two hormones are handled in the course of internalization.

Shear-induced concanavalin A agglutination of human erythrocytes

The mechanism by which cell suspensions are agglutinated by plant lectins remains obscure. The agglutination of a particular cell line in the presence of a specific plant lectin probably depends on several factors including the number and valence of lectin molecules bound to the cell surface, the mobility of receptor molecules in the membrane, the surface morphology and charge and the metabolic state of the cell1-6. The assay system used to assess cell agglutination also seems to be important, since many laboratories studying the same agglutination reaction have reported dissimilar or contradictory results. To provide further information on the molecular mechanism of agglutination we have begun a systematic study on the aggregation of human red cells by the lectin concanavalin A (Con A). By using an adaptation of our previously described aggregation assay which provides a continuous measure of both the rate and degree of intercellular adhesion in the presence of controlled shear forces, we have found that the agglutination of erythrocytes by Con A can be resolved into three stages, two of which are observed only if the system is exposed to shear.

Diglyceride kinase activity of microtubules. Characterization and comparison with the protein kinase and ATPase activities associated with vinblastine-isolated tubulin of chick embryonic muscles

Vinblastine-isolated microtubule protein from chick embryonic muscles has an enzymatic activity which catalyzes the formation of phosphatidic acid from diglycerides and ATP. The pH optimum (6.4), sedimentation on sucrose gradients (Mr = 85 000), and sensitivity to ions of this diglyceride kinase activity are different to those of a similar enzymatic activity present in 150 000 X g supernatants of chick embryonic muscle homogenates, suggesting that it is a different species which is associated specifically with the microtubules. The reaction requires a divalent ion (e.g. 0.4 mM Mg2+ gives half-maximal stimulation), and GTP can replace ATP rather effectively, especially at nucleotide concentrations lower than 50 muM. The sedimentation of the diglyceride kinase on sucrose gradients coincides with that of the microtubules-associated protein kinase (Mr = 75 000); the heat-stability and sensivitity to proteolysis of both activities are also very similar. Stimulation of one reaction by the addition of the corresponding exogenous substrate does not impair the phosphorylation of the other, and no radioactivity is lost from phosphatidic acid or the protein moiety upon incubation of pre-labelled microtubules with a large excess of unlabelled ATP or GTP. In addition to diglyceride and protein kinase activities (0.2 and 0.3 nmol 32P-transferred X min-1 X mg-1 microtubular protein, respectively), microtubules also contain an associated ATPase (2.8 nmol X min-1 X mg-1), which requires either Mg2+ or Ca2+, can hydrolyze GTP quite effectively, and sediments with a molecular weight of 95000. The results obtained are discussed in connection with the possible relationships existing among these enzymatic activities, as well as their probable role in microtubular functions.