Conformational change of rabbit aminopeptidase N into enterocyte plasma membrane domains analyzed by flow cytometry fluorescence energy transfer

Analysis of cell surface molecular distributions and cellular signaling by flow cytometry

Flow cytometry is a fast analysis and separation method for large cell populations, based on collection and processing of optical signals gained on a cell-by-cell basis. These optical signals are scattered light and fluorescence. Owing to its unique potential ofStatistical data analysis and sensitive monitoring of (micro)heterogeneities in large cell populations, flow cytometry-in combination with microscopic imaging techniques-is a powerful tool to study molecular details of cellular signal transduction processes as well. The method also has a widespread clinical application, mostly in analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations for diagnostic (or research) purposes in diseases related to the immune system. A special application of flow cytometry is the mapping of molecular interactions (proximity relationships between membrane proteins) at the cell surface, on a cell-by-cell basis. We developed two approaches to study such questions; both are based ondistance-dependent quenching of excited state fluorophores (donors) by fluorescent or dark (nitroxide radical) acceptors via Förstertype dipole-dipole resonance energy transfer (FRET) and long-range electron transfer (LRET) mechanisms, respectively. A critical evaluation of these methods using donor- or acceptor-conjugated monoclonal antibodies (or their Fab fragments) to select the appropriate cell surface receptor or antigen will be presented in comparison with other approaches for similar purposes. The applicability of FRET and LRET for two-dimensional antigen mapping as well as for detection of conformational changes in extracellular domains of membrane-bound proteins is discussed and illustrated by examples of several lymphoma cell lines. Another special application area of flow cytometry is the analysis of different aspects of cellular signal transduction, e.g., changes of intracellular ion (Ca(2+), H(+), Na(+)) concentrations, regulation of ion channel activities, or more complex physiological responses of cell to external stimuli via correlated fluorescence and scatter signal analysis, on a cell-by-cell basis. This way different signaling events such as changes in membrane permeability, membrane potential, cell size and shape, ion distribution, cell density, chromatin structure, etc., can be easily and quickly monitored over large cell populations with the advantage of revealing microheterogeneities in the cellular responses. Flow cytometry also offers the possibility to follow the kinetics of slow (minute- and hour-scale) biological processes in cell populations. These applications are illustrated by the example of complex flow cytometric analysis of signaling in extracellular ATP-triggered apoptosis (programmed cell death) of murine thymic lymphocytes.

The X-ray crystal structure of human aminopeptidase N reveals a novel dimer and the basis for peptide processing

Human aminopeptidase N (hAPN/hCD13) is a dimeric membrane protein and a member of the M1 family of zinc metallopeptidases. Within the rennin-angiotensin system, its enzymatic activity is responsible for processing peptide hormones angiotensin III and IV. In addition, hAPN is also involved in cell adhesion, endocytosis, and signal transduction and it is an important target for cancer therapy. Reported here are the high resolution x-ray crystal structures of the dimeric ectodomain of hAPN and its complexes with angiotensin IV and the peptidomimetic inhibitors, amastatin and bestatin. Each monomer of the dimer is found in what has been termed the closed form in other M1 enzymes and each monomer is characterized by an internal cavity surrounding the catalytic site as well as a unique substrate/inhibitor-dependent loop ordering, which in the case of the bestatin complex suggests a new route to inhibitor design. The hAPN structure provides the first example of a dimeric M1 family member and the observed structural features, in conjunction with a model for the open form, provide novel insights into the mechanism of peptide processing and signal transduction.

Structure and activity of CPNGRC: a modified CD13/APN peptidic homing motif

Asn-Gly-Arg peptides have been designed as vehicles for the delivery of chemotherapeutics, magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, and fluorescence labels to tumor cells, and cardiac angiogenic tissue. Specificity is derived via an interaction with aminopeptidase N, also known as CD13, a cell surface receptor that is highly expressed in angiogenic tissue. Peptides containing the CNGRC homing sequence tethered to a pro-apoptotic peptide sequence have the ability to specifically induce apoptosis in tumor cells. We have now identified a modification to the Asn-Gly-Arg homing sequence motif that improves overall binding affinity to aminopeptidase N. Through the addition of a proline residue, the new peptide with sequence, CPNGRC, inhibits aminopeptidase N proteolytic activity with an IC(50) of 10 microM, a value that is 30-fold lower than that for CNGRC. Both peptides are cyclized via a disulfide bridge between cysteines. Steady-state kinetic experiments suggest that efficient aminopeptidase N inhibition is achieved through the highly cooperative binding of two molecules of CPNGRC. We have used NMR-derived structural constraints for the elucidation of the solution structures CNGRC and CPNGRC. Resulting structures of CNGRC and CPNGRC have significant differences in the backbone torsion angles, which may contribute to the enhanced binding affinity and demonstrated enzyme inhibition by CPNGRC.

The moonlighting enzyme CD13: old and new functions to target

Aminopeptidase N (CD13) is a widely expressed ectoenzyme with functions that do not always depend on its enzymatic activity: an aspect that has been overlooked. Numerous CD13-targeting tools have been developed in the last few years. Several of them are already undergoing clinical trials, and there are promising reports on the effectiveness of others in animal models of disease. However, their efficacy might be obscured by their effects on unrecognized functions of CD13, resulting in unexpected complications. The purpose of this review is (i) to discuss the various functions ascribed to CD13 and the possible mechanisms behind them and (ii) to consider some of the questions that need to be answered to achieve a better understanding of the biological relevance of these functions, a more precise interpretation of the results obtained after their manipulation and a more rational design of CD13-targeting agents.

Epithelial cell polarity as reflected in enterocytes

Absorptive cells are the main cells present in the intestinal epithelium. The plasma membrane of these tall columnar cells reflects their high degree of polarization, by dividing into apical and basolateral domains with different compositions. The most characteristic structure of these cells consists of closely packed apical microvilli with the same height, looking like a brush, which is why they were named the brush border. The concentrated pattern of some apical markers observed in a restricted brush border domain shows that mature enterocytes are hyperpolarized epithelial cells: the filamentous brush border glycocalyx is anchored at the top of the microvilli and the annexin XIII is concentrated in the lower three fourths. Many studies have been carried out on the biosynthesis and intracellular pathway of domain markers. The results show clearly that the basolateral markers take a direct pathway from the trans-Golgi network to the basolateral membrane. However, the two apical pathways, one direct and one indirect pathway via the basolateral membrane, are used, depending on the apical protein involved. Efficient protein sorting and addressing are essential to the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity, on which the integrity of the epithelial barrier depends.

Characterization of a peptide-loading compartment by monoclonal antibodies

Whether or not peptide-loading compartments are classical or specialized compartments of the endocytic pathway of antigen presenting cells is still a matter of debate. One way to solve this discrepancy would be to characterize specific markers for the peptide-loading compartment. We chose to generate monoclonal antibodies against the peptide-loading compartment that we previously characterized as lysozyme loading compartment (LLC) [Escola, J.M., Grivel, J.C., Chavrier, P., Gorvel, J.P., 1995. Different endocytic compartments are involved in the tight association of class II molecules with processed hen egg lysozyme and ribonuclease A in B cells. J. Cell Sci. 108, 2337; Escola, J.M., Deleuil, F., Stang, E., Boretto, J., Chavrier, P., Gorvel, J.P., 1996. Characterization of a lysozyme-major histocompatibility complex class II molecule-loading compartment as a specialized recycling endosome in murine B lymphocytes. J. Biol Chem. 271, 27360]. A preliminary screening by dot blot enabled us to identify several monoclonal antibodies recognizing the LLC and not early and late endosomes. One of these antibodies, the 20C4, was then characterized. It is directed against mature class II molecules of all murine haplotypes. By electron microscopy, 20C4 labeling was restricted to both the plasma membrane and the LLC. These reagents may be useful in the further characterization of the specialized function of these intracellular organelles.

Polarized localizations of annexins I, II, VI and XIII in epithelial cells of intestinal, hepatic and pancreatic tissues

The cellular and subcellular localizations of annexins I, II, VI and XIII in the rabbit intestine, liver and pancreas were studied by performing immunofluorescence labeling on thin frozen tissue sections using specific monoclonal antibodies. The expression of annexins was found to be finely regulated. Annexins XIII and I were expressed exclusively in the small intestine and the colon, respectively, whereas annexin II was present in all the tissues tested and annexin VI specifically in the liver and pancreas. These different annexins were concentrated in the basolateral domain of polarized cells, and some of them had an extra-apical localization: annexin XIII was concentrated in the lower 3/4 of enterocyte brush border microvilli; annexin II was present in the upper part of the terminal web in intestinal absorbent cells as well as in the bile canalicular area in hepatocytes, whereas annexin VI was detected on some apical vesicles concentrated around the bile canaliculi. In pancreatic acinar cells, the presence of annexin II on some zymogen granules provides further evidence that annexin II may be involved in exocytic events. In conclusion, this study shows that the basolateral domain of polarized cells appears to be the main site where annexins are located, and they may therefore be involved in the important cellular events occurring at this level.

Caspase-dependent ceramide production in Fas- and HLA class I-mediated peripheral T cell apoptosis

We recently demonstrated that the engagement of HLA class I alpha1 domain induced Fas-independent apoptosis in human T and B lymphocytes. We analyzed the signaling pathway involved in HLA class I-mediated apoptosis in comparison with Fas (APO-1, CD95)-dependent apoptosis. The mouse mAb90 or the rat YTH862 monoclonal antibodies which bind the human HLA class I alpha1 domain induced the production of ceramide which was blocked by addition of the phosphatidylcholine-dependent phospholipase C inhibitor, D609. Furthermore, HLA class I-mediated apoptosis involved at least two different caspases, an interleukin-1 converting enzyme-like protease and another protease inhibited by the CPP32-like protease inhibitor Ac-DEVD-CHO. Despite similarity between Fas and HLA class I signaling pathways, we failed to demonstrate any physical association between these two molecules. We also report that the pan-caspase inhibitory peptide zVAD-fmk, but not Ac-DEVD-CHO and Ac-YVAD-CHO, inhibited decrease of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and generation of ceramide induced by anti-HLA class I and anti-Fas monoclonal antibodies, whereas all three peptides efficiently inhibited apoptosis. Altogether these results suggest that signaling through Fas and HLA class I involve caspase(s), targeted by zVAD-fmk, which act upstream of ceramide generation and mitochondrial events, whereas interleukin-1 converting enzyme-like and CPP32-like proteases act downstream of the mitochondria.

Changes in expression and subcellular localization of annexin IV in rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells during primary culture

In the present study, we investigated the polarized expression of annexin IV at various stages in the growth of rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells (PTC) in primary cultures. The results of immunoblotting analysis and indirect immunofluorescence studies using a specific anti-annexin IV monoclonal antibody, indicated that annexin IV is expressed in proximal tubule cultured cells, although it was not detected in the proximal tubules present in frozen sections of kidney cortex and freshly isolated proximal tubule cells. In either non-confluent or confluent cells which remained attached to the collagen-coated support, annexin IV was mainly concentrated around the nucleus, whereas in PTC forming the monolayer of domes, it was restricted to the basolateral membrane domain. This basolateral localization was identical to that observed in other polarized epithelial cell types such as enterocytes. When the domes burst, the cells returned to the collagen-coated support and the annexin IV was again localized around the nuclei. The fact that the change of localization was very rapid suggested the existence of a considerable difference between the differentiation states of dome forming and adherent confluent cells. Moreover, a transient association of annexin IV with the basal body of apically located cilia also seemed to be correlated with a particular polarization state and/or differentiation states of adherent cultured cells, corresponding to the beginning of the polarized expression of aminopeptidase N, a hydrolase located in the apical brush border membrane, and to the falling of cells onto the support, subsequent to the bursting of the domes. In conclusion, these results provide evidence that annexin IV may constitute a new marker of the basolateral membrane domain of polarized epithelial renal cells in primary cultures.

Localization and biosynthesis of aminopeptidase N in pig fetal small intestine

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Little is known about the expression of brush border enzymes in fetal enterocytes. The aim of this study was to describe the localization and biosynthesis of porcine fetal aminopeptidase N.

METHODS

This study was performed using histochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy and [35S]methionine labeling of cultured mucosal explants.

RESULTS

Enzyme activity was present in the brush border membrane and extended into the apical cytoplasm. The protein was colocalized with cationized ferritin at the surface of endocytic structures including coated pits, vesicles, tubules, and large vacuoles in the apical cytoplasm. The transient high mannose-glycosylated form of fetal aminopeptidase N was processed to the mature complex-glycosylated form at a markedly slower rate than the enzyme in adult intestine. Likewise, dimerization occurred slowly compared with the adult form of aminopeptidase N, and it took place mainly after the Golgi-associated complex glycosylation. The enzyme had a biphasic appearance in the Mg(2+)-precipitated and microvillar fractions, indicating that the bulk of newly made aminopeptidase N is transported to the brush border membrane before appearing in the apical endocytic structures.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison with the adult enzyme, fetal aminopeptidase N has a more widespread subcellular distribution with substantial amounts present in apical endocytic compartments characteristic of the fetal enterocyte.

Purification and characterization of the thyrotropin-releasing-hormone-degrading ectoenzyme

The membrane-bound enzyme which catalyzes the degradation of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; Glp-His-Pro-NH2) could be released from membranes of rat and pig brain by treatment with trypsin under very mild incubation conditions. The solubilized enzyme was purified 200,000-fold, with an overall yield of 20%, by conventional chromatographic methods. The enzyme preparation appeared to be electrophoretically homogenous since SDS/PAGE analysis revealed a single band with a molecular mass of 116,000 Da. By gel-filtration chromatography, a molecular mass of 230,000 Da was estimated, suggesting that the enzyme consists of two identical subunits. The enzyme could be identified as a glycoprotein by lectin-binding analysis and by the reduction of the molecular mass to 97,000 Da upon treatment of the denatured enzyme with endoglycosidase-F/N-glycosidase F. In its native form, however, the enzyme was only partially deglycosylated and retained full enzymatic activity. In addition to TRH, the enzyme also hydrolyzed L-5-oxoprolyl-beta-naphthylamide, and thus a convenient fluorimetric assay could be established to determine high enzyme activities. The hydrolysis of both substrates was found to obey Michaelis-Menten kinetics, but considerable differences in the respective Km and Vmax values were noticed.

Fluorescence energy transfer as a probe for nucleic acid structures and sequences

The primary or secondary structure of single-stranded nucleic acids has been investigated with fluorescent oligonucleotides, i.e., oligonucleotides covalently linked to a fluorescent dye. Five different chromophores were used: 2-methoxy-6-chloro-9-amino-acridine, coumarin 500, fluorescein, rhodamine and ethidium. The chemical synthesis of derivatized oligonucleotides is described. Hybridization of two fluorescent oligonucleotides to adjacent nucleic acid sequences led to fluorescence excitation energy transfer between the donor and the acceptor dyes. This phenomenon was used to probe primary and secondary structures of DNA fragments and the orientation of oligodeoxynucleotides synthesized with the alpha-anomers of nucleoside units. Fluorescence energy transfer can be used to reveal the formation of hairpin structures and the translocation of genes between two chromosomes.

A mouse aminopeptidase N is a marker for antigen-presenting cells and appears to be co-expressed with major histocompatibility complex class II molecules

To analyze the expression of mouse aminopeptidase N (APN) on the cells of the immune system a panel of rat monoclonal antibodies against mouse intestinal APN was generated. These antibodies were used to affinity purify functional mouse APN from both intestine and kidney, and by flow cytometry to examine the APN expression of the cells of the mouse immune system. An APN closely related, perhaps identical, to the intestinal APN was expressed on a subpopulation of spleen cells and stimulated peritoneal exudate cells, primarily representing antigen-presenting cells, such as B cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and veiled cells. In contrast this APN expression could not be detected on thymocytes or spleen T cells. As a corollary, APN was expressed on monocyte, macrophage, and B lymphoma cell lines, but not on T hybridoma or thymoma cell lines. The expression of APN showed a striking correlation with the MHC class II expression in all the cell populations studied. This apparent co-expression suggests a role for APN in antigen processing.

Dynamic physical interactions of plasma membrane molecules generate cell surface patterns and regulate cell activation processes

Molecular interaction and transmembrane signal transducing events generate a very dynamic and ever changing "pattern" in the plasma membranes. Lymphocytes, the key functional elements of the immune system, are eminently suited to be the primary targets to investigate these proximity, mobility, or other physical-chemical changes in their plasma membranes. Recently, a number of experiments suggested that processed peptides from antigens can bind specific components of MHC molecules (Elliott et al., 1991). This is certainly a way to alter their structure. Cell surface patterns of topological nature, assembly and disassembly of oligomeric receptor structure like the IL-2 receptor have been investigated by sophisticated biophysical techniques. The dynamic changes in the two-dimensional cell surface pattern and intramolecular conformational changes within this "larger" macro-pattern may have a strong regulatory role in signal transducing and intercellular recognition processes. Recent data on these problems are presented together with brief and critical discussions.

Aminopeptidase N is a major receptor for the entero-pathogenic coronavirus TGEV

CORONAVIRUSES, like many animal viruses, are characterized by a restricted host range and tissue tropism¹. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), a major pathogen causing a fatal diarrhoea in newborn pig, replicates selectively in the differentiated enterocytes covering the villi of the small intestine². To investigate the molecular determinants of the infection, we characterized the surface molecule used by the virus for binding and entry into host cells. Here we report that aminopeptidase N, an ectoenzyme abundantly expressed at the apical membrane of the enterocytes, serves as a receptor for TGEV. Monoclonal antibodies were selected for their ability to block infection by TGEV of porcine cell lines. They recognized a brush-border membrane protein of M_r, 150K, which was identified as aminopeptidase N by ammo-terminal sequencing. Two lines of evidence supported the view that the peptidase itself acts as a receptor. First, virions bound specifically to aminopep-tidase N that was purified to homogeneity. Second, recombinant expression of aminopeptidase N conferred infectivity by TGEV to an otherwise non-permissive cell line.

Expression and different polarity of aminopeptidase N in normal human colonic mucosa and colonic tumors

Expression and cellular localization of brush-border enzymes (aminopeptidase N, dipeptidylpeptidase IV, lactase, maltase) in normal human colon, colonic polyps and malignant intestinal tumors were investigated with a panel of monoclonal antibodies reacting with either native or denatured proteins. The enzymes were detected on cryostat sections by indirect immunofluorescence staining, or affinity-purified and analyzed by gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Dipeptidylpeptidase IV, lactase and maltase were absent from all samples examined, while aminopeptidase N (APN) was detected at the basal membrane of the epithelial cells in most specimens of colon obtained from individuals free of intestinal tumors. In contrast, APN was frequently localized at the luminal membrane of the surface epithelium in large-intestinal mucosa distal to tumors, adenomas and hyperplastic polyps, and from members of hereditary colon cancer syndrome families. APN was also expressed in colonic tumors, where it was present in an apical cell membrane location in 3/23 adenomas and 14/35 adenocarcinomas examined. No correlation was found between tumor-cell invasiveness (classified by "Dukes" stage) and expression or cellular location of aminopeptidase N. Histologically, all positive tumors were moderately or well differentiated. These results suggest that aminopeptidase N is normally expressed in adult human colon, but epithelial cells in the large and small intestine differ in their ways of sorting this enzyme intracellularly and eventually inserting it into different aspects of their surface membrane, a process which may be altered at an early stage of carcinogenesis.

A sodium channel opener inhibits stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The role of membrane potential changes in T cell activation was studied on human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin. Addition of bretylium tosylate, a sodium channels opener, to PHA treated lymphocytes modified the membrane potential and consequently blocked cell activation in a dose-dependent fashion. BT was non-toxic even in long-term (72 hr) incubations. It was reversibly removable, and the removal restored the stimulatory effect of PHA. 3H-thymidine incorporation was blocked if BT was present during the first 20-24 hr of the mitogenic activation. The later BT was added after PHA, the less inhibition of proliferation was observed. BT hyperpolarized the lymphocytes also in the presence of PHA. BT hindered the depolarizing effect of high extracellular potassium concns. The sustained polarized state of the lymphocytes did not influence the intracellular calcium increase upon PHA treatment. IL-2 and transferrin receptor expression was not hindered by BT during PHA stimulation of lymphocytes. Addition of rIL-2 did not abolish the inhibitory effect of BT. According to cell-cycle analysis BT arrested the majority of the cells in G1 phase. It is suggested that cell activation demands the flexible maintenance of a relatively narrow membrane potential "window". Any sustained and significant hyper-, or depolarization, may dramatically decrease the effectivity of transmembrane signalling.

Electroimmunology: membrane potential, ion-channel activities, and stimulatory signal transduction in human T lymphocytes from young and elderly

There are conflicting data on the functional role and direction of the changes in membrane potential and ion currents accompanying lymphocyte stimulation. Recently, we discovered that a known sodium channel opener, bretylium tosylate (BT), may influence the stimulatory processes of lymphocyte activation at more than one site. Parallel flow cytometric and electrophysiological measurements with patch clamp techniques showed that BT quickly repolarizes previously slightly depolarized human peripheral blood as well as splenic murine lymphocytes. The repolarization occurred through opening ligand- and voltage-gated, hitherto unknown sodium channels, and the sodium influx activated Na(+)-K(+)-dependent, electrogenic ATP-ase activity. A comparison of the flexible responsiveness of the membrane potential was carried out between lymphocytes from young and elderly using the above mechanism and a number of combinations of channel blockers and ionophores in order to obtain information on the alleged changes in immunological behavior. A significant difference has been found between lymphocytes from human young and elderly volunteers in the readiness to respond to channel-activating perturbations. An explanation is offered, based upon known physicochemical changes in the plasma membrane during aging.

Biogenetic pathways of plasma membrane proteins in Caco-2, a human intestinal epithelial cell line

We studied the sorting and surface delivery of three apical and three basolateral proteins in the polarized epithelial cell line Caco-2, using pulse-chase radiolabeling and surface domain-selective biotinylation (Le Bivic, A., F. X. Real, and E. Rodriguez-Boulan. 1989. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 86:9313-9317). While the basolateral proteins (antigen 525, HLA-I, and transferrin receptor) were targeted directly and efficiently to the basolateral membrane, the apical markers (sucrase-isomaltase [SI], aminopeptidase N [APN], and alkaline phosphatase [ALP]) reached the apical membrane by different routes. The large majority (80%) of newly synthesized ALP was directly targeted to the apical surface and the missorted basolateral pool was very inefficiently transcytosed. SI was more efficiently targeted to the apical membrane (greater than 90%) but, in contrast to ALP, the missorted basolateral pool was rapidly transcytosed. Surprisingly, a distinct peak of APN was detected on the basolateral domain before its accumulation in the apical membrane; this transient basolateral pool (at least 60-70% of the enzyme reaching the apical surface, as measured by continuous basal addition of antibodies) was efficiently transcytosed. In contrast with their transient basolateral expression, apical proteins were more stably localized on the apical surface, apparently because of their low endocytic capability in this membrane. Thus, compared with two other well-characterized epithelial models, MDCK cells and the hepatocyte, Caco-2 cells have an intermediate sorting phenotype, with apical proteins using both direct and indirect pathways, and basolateral proteins using only direct pathways, during biogenesis.