Acetylcholine, ATP, and Proteoglycan Are Common to Synaptic Vesicles Isolated from the Electric Organs of Electric Eel and Electric Catfish as Well as from Rat Diaphragm

Cholinergic synaptic vesicles were isolated from the electric organs of the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) and the electric catfish (Malapterurus electricus) as well as from the diaphragm of the rat by density gradient centrifugation followed by column chromatography on Sephacryl-1000. This was verified by both biochemical and electron microscopic criteria. Differences in size between synaptic vesicles from the various tissue sources were reflected by their elution pattern from the Sephacryl column. Specific activities of acetylcholine (ACh; in nmol/mg of protein) of chromatography-purified vesicle fractions were 36 (electric eel), 2 (electric catfish), and 1 (rat diaphragm). Synaptic vesicles from all three sources contained ATP in addition to ACh (molar ratios of ACh/ATP, 9-12) as well as binding activity for an antibody raised against Torpedo cholinergic synaptic vesicle proteoglycan. Synaptic vesicles from rat diaphragm contained binding activity for the monoclonal antibody asv 48 raised against a rat brain 65-kilodalton synaptic vesicle protein. Antibody asv 48 binding was absent from electric eel and electric catfish synaptic vesicles. These antibody binding results, which were obtained by a dot blot assay on isolated vesicles, directly correspond to the immunocytochemical results demonstrating fluorescein isothiocyanate staining in the respective nerve terminals. Our results imply that ACh, ATP, and proteoglycan are common molecular constituents of motor nerve terminal-derived synaptic vesicles from Torpedo to rat. In addition to ACh, both ATP and proteoglycan may play a specific role in the process of cholinergic signal transmission.     

A Kinetic Study of Stimulus-Induced Vesicle Recycling in Electromotor Nerve Terminals Using Labile and Stable Vesicle Markers

The kinetics of recovery, by recycling electromotor synaptic vesicles, of the biophysical parameters of the reserve population has been studied in perfused blocks of electric organ of Torpedo marmorata prestimulated in vivo, followed by density gradient separation of the extracted vesicles in a zonal rotor using labile (acetylcholine and ATP) and stable (proteoglycan) vesicle markers. Stimulation in vivo at 0.15 Hz for 3.3 h depleted tissue acetylcholine much less than stimulation at 1 Hz for 1 h but nevertheless generated a much larger pool of recycled vesicles that recovered more slowly. At the lower rate of stimulation, recovery of the biophysical characteristics of the reserve population by the recycled vesicles, identified by their content of newly synthesized transmitter, was essentially complete by 8 h. The stable proteoglycan marker was immunochemically assayed and was bimodally distributed in the vesicle-containing portion of the density gradient even in experiments with unstimulated or recovered tissue. The second peak corresponded with that of newly synthesized transmitter and was thus identified as containing the recycled vesicles. Its normalized acetylcholine/proteoglycan ratio was lower than that of the first peak, which is consistent with earlier findings that recycled vesicles, before recovery, are only partially loaded with transmitter. However, as expected, the proportion of total vesicular proteoglycan and acetylcholine associated with the recycled vesicle fraction was very much lower in preparations derived from unstimulated or recovered tissue than in those from recently stimulated tissue.     

Simultaneous Release of Acetylcholine and ATP from Stimulated Cholinergic Synaptosomes

Abstract: The release of acetylcholine (ACh) and ATP from pure cholinergic synaptosomes isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo was studied in the same perfused sample. A presynaptic ATP release was demonstrated either by depolarization with KCl or after the action of a venom extracted from the annelid Glycera convoluta (GV). The release of ATP exhibited similar kinetics to that of ACh release and was therefore probably closely related to the latter. The ACh/ATP ratio in perfusates after KCl depolarization was 45; this was much higher than the ACh/ATP ratio in cholinergic synaptic vesicles, which was 5. The ACh/ATP ratio released after the action of GV was also higher than that of synaptic vesicles. These differences are discussed. The stoichiometry of ACh and ATP release is not consistent with the view that the whole synaptic vesicle content is released by exocytosis after KCl depolarization, as is the case for chromatin cells in the adrenal medulla.     

Phospholipid Transverse Diffusion in Synaptosomes: Evidence for the Involvement of the Aminophospholipid Translocase

We have studied in Torpedo marmorata electric organ synaptosomes the equilibration kinetics of spin-labeled phospholipid analogues initially incorporated into the outer plasma membrane monolayer. As assayed by evoked releases of both ATP and acetylcholine, the nerve endings were closed vesicles containing an energy source. The aminophospholipids (phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine) were translocated toward the inner membrane leaflet faster and to a higher extent than their choline-containing counterparts (phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin). This difference was abolished by incubation of synaptosomal membranes with N-ethylmaleimide, suggesting that the accumulation of aminophospholipids in the inner layer was driven by a protein. This phenomenon is comparable with what was described in plasma membranes of other eucaryotic cells (erythrocyte, lymphocyte, platelet, fibroblast), and thus we would suggest that an aminophospholipid translocase, capable of moving the aminophospholipids from the outer to the inner layer at the expense of ATP, is also present in the synaptosomal plasma membrane.     

Isolation of synaptosomal plasma membranes from cholinergic nerve terminals and a comparison of their proteins with those of synaptic vesicles

Plasma membranes were purified from purely cholinergic nerve endings (synaptosomes) isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata. Synaptosomes were lysed, membranes recovered and further separated by density gradient centrifugation. A fraction was obtained enriched in 5'-nucleotidase, Na+, K+-activated ATPase and acetylcholine esterase. Morphological examination showed abundant membrane fragments of the size range of synaptosomes and few of vesicle size. The fraction has a characteristic protein composition upon gel electrophoresis. Five reproducible major bands with apparent Mr of 100000, 75000, 52000, 42000 and 35000--33000 are found. A gel-electrophoretic comparison with proteins from synaptic vesicles from the same source (major bands Mr 160000, 147000, 34000 and 25000) was made. Comigration of major bands was detected in one-dimensional gel electrophoresis with the 42000-Mr, 35000--33000-Mr and 34000-Mr components. Upon two-dimensional gel electrophoresis the 42000-Mr component comigrates with a similar component in vesicles, recently characterized as actin; the other components are different. The presence of tubulin-like polypeptides is unlikely. Beside actin, all major vesicle proteins are often detected in small amounts in the plasma membrane preparation. It cannot be decided if they result from fused or contaminating vesicle membranes, but since they are essentially absent in some preparations, it seems that the plasma membrane does not contain vesicle proteins.     

Characterization of a membrane protein from cholinergic synaptic vesicles isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata

Rabbits were immunized with cholinergic synaptic vesicles isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata. The resultant antiserum had one major antibody activity against an antigen called the Torpedo vesicle antigen. This antigen could not be demonstrated in muscle, liver or blood and is therefore, suggested to be nervous-tissue specific. The vesicle antigen was quantified in various parts of the nervous system and in subcellular fractions of the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata and was found to be highly enriched in synaptic vesicle membranes. The antigen bound to concanavalin A, thereby demonstrating the presence of a carbohydrate moiety. By means of charge-shift electrophoresis, amphiphilicity was demonstrated, indicating that the Torpedo vesicle antigen is an intrinsic membrane protein. The antigen was immunochemically unrelated to other brain specific proteins such as 14-3-2, S-100, the glial fibrillary acidic protein and synaptin. Furthermore, it was unrelated to two other membrane proteins, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and acetylcholinesterase, present in Torpedo electric organ. The antiserum against Torpedo synaptic vesicles did not react with preparations of rat brain synaptic vesicles or ox adrenal medullary chromaffin granules.     

Exchangeability of radioactive acetylcholine with the bound acetylcholine of synaptosomes and synaptic vesicles

1. The exchangeability with added radioactive acetylcholine of the acetylcholine in isolated presynaptic nerve terminals (synaptosomes) and isolated synaptic vesicles was studied by a Sephadex-column method. 2. A substantial proportion of the synaptosomal acetylcholine is exchangeable with added radioactive acetylcholine. It is liberated by hypo-osmotic shock and ultrasonic treatment, and behaves as though it occupies the cytoplasmic compartment of synaptosomes. 3. Methods of isolating vesicles from hypo-osmotically ruptured synaptosomes in optimum yield are discussed. 4. The acetylcholine of synaptic vesicles isolated on a sucrose density gradient is released by hypo-osmotic conditions, suggesting that it is enclosed by a semi-permeable membrane; however, it is not easily released by ultrasonic treatment. 5. Added radioactive acetylcholine does not exchange with vesicular acetylcholine under a variety of different conditions. These include addition of ATP and Mg(2+), and pre-loading of the synaptosome with radioactive acetylcholine before hypo-osmotic rupture. This failure to exchange is discussed in terms of the possible storage mechanism of vesicular acetylcholine.     

Separation of Recycling and Reserve Synaptic Vesicles from Cholinergic Nerve Terminals of the Myenteric Plexus of Guinea Pig Ileum

Acetylcholine-rich synaptic vesicles were isolated from myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle strips derived from the guinea pig ileum by the method of Dowe, Kilbinger, and Whittaker [J. Neurochem. 35, 993-1003 (1980)] using either unstimulated preparations or preparations field-stimulated at 1 Hz for 10 min using pulses of 1 ms duration and 10 V . cm-1 intensity. The organ bath contained either tetradeuterated (d4) choline (50 microM) or [3H]acetate (2 muCi . ml-1); d4 acetylcholine was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. As with Torpedo electromotor cholinergic vesicle preparations made under similar conditions the distribution of newly synthesized (d4 or [3H]) acetylcholine in the zonal gradient from stimulated preparations was not identical with that of endogenous (d0, [1H]) acetylcholine, but corresponded to a subpopulation of denser vesicles (equivalent to the VP2 fraction from Torpedo) that had preferentially taken up newly synthesized transmitter. The density difference between the reserve (VP1) and recycling (VP2) vesicles was less than that observed in Torpedo but this smaller difference can be accounted for theoretically by the difference in size between the vesicles of the two tissues. At rest, a lesser incorporation of labelled acetylcholine into the vesicle fraction was observed, and the peaks of endogenous and newly synthesized acetylcholine coincided. Stimulation in the absence of label followed by addition of label did not lead to incorporation of labelled acetylcholine, suggesting that the synthesis and storage of acetylcholine in this preparation and its recovery from stimulation is much more rapid than in Torpedo.     

Ultrastructural Changes Induced by 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-Acetate in Pure Cholinergic Synaptosomes of Torpedo Electric Organ

We have studied the morphological changes induced by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) treatment on pure cholinergic synaptosomes from Torpedo electric organ. These changes were studied by both ultrathin sections and freeze-fracture techniques. We found that after a treatment with TPA, a redistribution of synaptic vesicles inside the nerve endings and exocytotic images could be observed. Also, TPA, under conditions that induced the acetylcholine release, did not change the density of intramembrane particles at the synaptosomal protoplasmic hemimembrane leaflet. Similar results were found when calcium was not present in the extrasynaptosomal medium, and our results suggest that acetylcholine release induced by phorbol ester is probably mediated by exocytosis of synaptic vesicles.     

The release of acetylcholine: from a cellular towards a molecular mechanism

The isolation of synaptic vesicles rich in acetylcholine (ACh) from the electric organ of Torpedo has indeed strengthened the hypothesis of transmitter exocytosis, but soon after it was found that non-vesicular free ACh was released and renewed upon stimulation. In contrast, vesicular ACh and the number of vesicles remained stable during physiological stimulations. In addition free ACh variations (representing the cytoplasmic pool) were correlated to the release kinetics as measured by the electroplaque discharge. Consequently, the mechanism releasing ACh from the cytoplasm in a packet form was searched at the presynaptic membrane itself. With synaptosomes isolated from the electric organ of Torpedo, it became possible to freeze them rapidly at the peak of ACh release and study their membrane and contents after cryofracture. A statistical analysis showed that the main structural change was the occurrence of large intramembrane particles at the peak of ACh release and under all release conditions. This impressive change contrasted with the stability in the number of vesicles. Another role for the vesicle was envisaged during intense stimulations when the cytoplasmic ACh and ATP pools become exhausted. The decrease in ATP leads to an increase in calcium and protons in the cytoplasm; this signals the depletion of vesicular ACh and ATP stores in the cytoplasm. Release can go on, while ATP promotes the uptake of calcium by vesicles. At the end of its cycle the vesicle will be full of calcium and will perhaps release it. As far as the mechanism of ACh release is concerned it probably depends on a membrane component (perhaps the large particles) activated by calcium and able to translocate ACh in a quantal or subquantal form. In most recent work we showed that if a lyophilized presynaptic membrane was used to make proteoliposomes filled with ACh, they released ACh upon calcium action.     

Cholinergic synaptic vesicles from Torpedo marmorata contain an atractyloside-binding protein related to the mitochondrial ADP/ATP carrier

Atractyloside is known to bind to the ADP/ATP translocase of the inner mitochondrial membrane, a complex formed by two basic protein subunits of relative molecular mass around 30 000. We found that synaptic vesicles from the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata, which store acetylcholine and ATP, bind atractyloside as well. Similarly to mitochondria, a protein-atractyloside complex could be solubilized from vesicle membranes with Triton X-100. Characterization of the complex by gel filtration, isoelectric focusing and gel electrophoresis revealed that atractyloside was bound to protein V11, earlier described as a major vesicle membrane component with a relative molecular mass around 34 000 and a basic isoelectric point. Since earlier experiments have already shown that uptake of ATP into isolated vesicles in vitro is inhibited by atractyloside, we can conclude now that V11 constitutes the nucleotide carrier of this secretory organelle. The structural and functional relationship of the mitochondrial and vesicular nucleotide translocases suggest a common evolutionary origin.     

Isolation and Characterization of Secretory Granules Storing a Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide-Like Peptide in Torpedo Cholinergic Electromotor Neurones

Previous immunocytochemical work showed that the cholinergic electromotor neurones of Torpedo marmorata contain a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity (VIPLI) that is conveyed to the terminals by axonal transport from the cell bodies where it is presumably synthesized. In extension of this work, we have now succeeded in isolating the VIPLI storage granules from both the terminals and the axons of these neurones and characterizing them morphologically and biochemically. They were readily separated from synaptic vesicles but contained several components in common that had previously been regarded as specific for synaptic vesicles. Among these were a heparan sulphate type of proteoglycan, synaptophysin, and a Mg2+-dependent ATPase. The VIPLI concentration in lobe tissue and the amount of tissue available were both insufficient to permit the isolation of granules from the electromotor cell bodies by the same technique but it was possible to establish the presence of such granules by particle-exclusion chromatography, using the stable markers mentioned above. In contrast to the VIPLI-containing granules, axonal synaptic vesicles differed from their terminal counterparts in having a very low acetylcholine content relative to stable vesicle markers: they presumably fill up on reaching the terminal where they are exposed to higher concentrations of cytoplasmic acetylcholine.     

Preparation of right-side-out, acetylcholine receptor enriched intact vesicles from Torpedo californica electroplaque membranes.

Intact vesicles enriched in acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica electroplaque membranes can be separated from collapsed or leaky vesicles and membrane sheets on sucrose density gradients. alpha-Bungarotoxin binding in intact vesicles reveals that approximately 95% of the acetylcholine receptor containing vesicles are formed outside-out (with the synaptic membrane face exposed on the vesicle exterior). The binding data also indicated that only 5% or less of the sites for alpha-bungarotoxin binding to synaptic membranes are located on the interior, cytoplasmic face. Intact vesicles are stable to gentle pelleting and resuspension but are easily osmotically shocked. The vesicles are impermeable to sucrose and Ficoll, but glycerol readily transverses to membrane barrier. Intact vesicles provide a sealed, oriented membrane preparation for studies of vectorial acetylcholine receptor mediated processes.     

Adenosine triphosphate. A constituent of cholinergic synaptic vesicles

1. Synaptic vesicles separated by density-gradient centrifugation from extracts of the cholinergic nerve terminals of the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata were found to contain appreciable amounts of ATP as well as acetylcholine. 2. Vesicular ATP was stable in the presence of concentrations of apyrase and myokinase that rapidly destroyed equivalent amounts of endogenous or added free ATP; pre-treatment of cytoplasmic extracts of electric tissue with these enzymes destroyed endogenous free ATP, but did not affect the vesicular ATP. 3. When [U-(14)C]ATP was added to electric tissue at the time of comminution and extraction of the vesicles, all the radioactivity was associated with soluble components in the subsequent fractionation: none was associated with vesicles or membrane fragments; thus it is unlikely that vesicular ATP can be accounted for by the sequestration of endogenous free ATP within any vesicles formed during comminution and extraction of the tissue. 4. When synaptic vesicles were passed through iso-osmotic columns of Bio-Gel A-5m, which separates vesicles from soluble proteins and small molecules, all the recovered ATP and acetylcholine passed through together in the void volume. 5. Regression analysis showed that vesicular ATP content was highly correlated with vesicular acetylcholine content in different experiments, the molar ratio acetylcholine/ATP being 5.32+/-(s.e.m.) 0.45 (21 expts.) for the peak density-gradient fraction. The ratio varied, however, somewhat across the density-gradient peak suggesting some degree of chemical heterogeneity in the vesicle population.     

Synaptic vesicles in electromotoneurones. II. Heterogeneity of populations is expressed in uptake properties; exocytosis and insertion of a core proteoglycan into the extracellular matrix.

The three populations of synaptic vesicles in electromotor nerve terminals were analysed quantitatively. Empty vesicles (VP0), fully charged vesicles (VP1) and charged but smaller VP2-type vesicles are present in approximately equal amounts in the nerve terminal. The populations show differences in the kinetics of in vitro uptake of acetylcholine, ATP and Ca2+. VP0 and VP2 accumulate acetylcholine and ATP but no Ca2+, whereas VP1 shows negligible acetylcholine and ATP but high Ca2+ uptake. Thus the expression of uptake properties of this secretory organelle depend on the stage it has reached in its life cycle and might constitute a signal for processing. VP2 was found to contain much less core proteoglycan than VP0 and VP1 indicating that part of it has been lost by exocytosis. In synaptic extracellular matrix containing fractions an antigen is detectable that cross-reacts with an antiserum against the vesicle proteoglycan. This material elutes upon gel filtration in a position similar to a smaller form of proteoglycan found in vesicles. We conclude that the electromotor nerve terminal releases a proteoglycan by the regulated secretory pathway that is deposited in the extracellular matrix. It might have a function in keeping pre- and postsynaptic structures in alignment constituting a transsynaptic signal. Based on the findings described, a model of the vesicles' life-cycle is discussed, whereby the VP2 population is the major source of quantal release of acetylcholine.     

Synaptic vesicles in electromotoneurones. I. Axonal transport, site of transmitter uptake and processing of a core proteoglycan during maturation.

We were able by using an in vivo pulse-label technique to trace part of the life cycle of a secretory organelle, the acetylcholine-storing synaptic vesicle from electromotoneurones of Torpedo marmorata. This technique uses [35S]sulphate incorporation into the cell bodies of the electromotoneurones which results in radioactive labelling of a synaptic vesicle heparansulphate proteoglycan--a major core component. Vesicles are anterogradely transported in the axons at a fast rate as 'empty' organelles (VP0 population). In the nerve terminal, maturation of the granule to a population (VP1) fully charged with acetylcholine and ATP occurs. Finally after a longer time interval a change to a third population (VP2) is observed. This population is reduced in diameter as compared to VP0 and VP1 suggesting, in agreement with earlier reports, that it has undergone exo-endocytosis. The changes from VP0 to VP1 and VP2 are accompanied by a degradation of the core proteoglycan as measured by gel filtration of the 35S-labelled compound. The results show that vesicles are axonally transported as preformed organelles, exist in the neurone at least in three different populations and that the nerve terminal is the major site of transmitter uptake.     

Neurotransmitter release from viable purely cholinergic Torpedo synaptosomes

Viable synaptosomes from the electric organ of Torpedo have been prepared and partially purified. The synaptosomes contain about 100 fold more acetylcholine (Ach) than do mammalian synaptosomes, synaptic vesicles and mitochondria. The Torpedo synaptosomes release Ach by K depolarization in the presence of Ca ions, and manifest an ionophore-mediated Ca-dependent Ach release. These results demonstrate that the synaptosomes contain the neurosecretion apparatus in a functional viable state. Since this preparation uniquely contains only one neurotransmission system (cholinergic), it is most suitable for structural and functional investigations of neuro transmission.     

Binding of a Glycera convoluta neurotoxin to cholinergic nerve terminal plasma membranes

The crude extract of venom glands of the polychaete annelid Glycera convoluta triggers a large Ca2+-dependent acetylcholine release from both frog motor nerve terminals and Torpedo electric organ synaptosomes. This extract was partially purified by Concanavalin A affinity chromatography. The biological activity was correlated in both preparations to a 300,000-dalton band, as shown by gel electrophoresis. This confirmed previous determinations obtained with chromatographic methods. This glycoprotein binds to presynaptic but not postsynaptic plasma membranes isolated from Torpedo electric organ. Pretreatment of intact synaptosomes by pronase abolished both the binding and the venom- induced acetylcholine release without impairing the high K+-induced acetylcholine release. Pretreatment of nerve terminal membranes by Concanavalin A similarly prevented the binding and the biological response. Binding to Torpedo membranes was still observed in the presence of EGTA. An antiserum directed to venom glycoproteins inhibited the neurotoxin so we could directly follow its binding to the presynaptic membrane. Glycera convoluta neurotoxin has to bind to a ectocellularly oriented protein of the presynaptic terminal to induce transmitter release.     

Recycled Synaptic Vesicles Contain Vesicle but Not Plasma Membrane Marker, Newly Synthesized Acetylcholine, and a Sample of Extracellular Medium

To monitor the fate of the synaptic vesicle membrane compartment, synaptic vesicles were isolated under varying experimental conditions from blocks of perfused Torpedo electric organ. In accordance with previous results, after low-frequency stimulation (0.1 Hz, 1,800 pulses) of perfused blocks of electric organ, a population of vesicles (VP2 type) can be separated by density gradient centrifugation and chromatography on porous glass beads that is denser and smaller than resting vesicles (VP1 type). By simultaneous application of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran as extracellular volume marker and [3H]acetate as precursor of vesicular acetylcholine, and by identifying the vesicular membrane compartment with an antibody against the synaptic vesicle transmembrane glycoprotein SV2, we can show that the membrane compartment of part of the synaptic vesicles becomes recycled during the stimulation period. It then contains both newly synthesized acetylcholine and a sample of extracellular medium. Recycled vesicles have not incorporated the presynaptic plasma membrane marker acetylcholinesterase. Cisternae or vacuoles are presumably not involved in vesicle recycling. After a subsequent period of recovery (18 h), all vesicular membrane compartments behave like VP1 vesicles on subcellular fractionation and still retain both volume markers. Our results imply that on low-frequency stimulation, synaptic vesicles are directly recycled, equilibrating their luminal contents with the extracellular medium and retaining their membrane identity and capability to accumulate acetylcholine.     

Protease effects on the structure of acetylcholine receptor membranes from Torpedo californica

Protease digestion of acetylcholine receptor-rich membranes derived from Torpedo californica electroplaques by homogenization and isopycnic centrifugation results in degradation of all receptor subunits without any significant effect on the appearance in electron micrographs, the toxin binding ability, or the sedimentation value of the receptor molecule. Such treatment does produce dramatic changes in the morphology of the normally 0.5- to 2-microns-diameter spherical vesicles when observed by either negative-stain or freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Removal of peripheral, apparently nonreceptor polypeptides by alkali stripping (Neubig et al. 1979, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 76:690-694) results in increased sensitivity of the acetylcholine receptor membranes to the protease trypsin as indicated by SDS gel electrophoretic patterns and by the extent of morphologic change observed in vesicle structure. Trypsin digestion of alkali- stripped receptor membranes results in a limit degradation pattern of all four receptor subunits, whereupon all the vesicles undergo the morphological transformation to minivesicles. The protein-induced morphological transformation and the limit digestion pattern of receptor membranes are unaffected by whether the membranes are prepared so as to preserve the receptor as a disulfide bridged dimer, or prepared so as to generate monomeric receptor.