Modulation of lymphocyte functions by group A streptococcal membrane

Protoplast membranes isolated from group A streptococci suppress functions of mouse B cells in vivo and in vitro. Intraperitoneal injection 24 or 72 hr (but not 12 hr) before collection of lymphoid cells results in a selective decrease in the mitogenic response of bone marrow cells to dextran sulfate (DS). The response of bone marrow cells to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and spleen cells to both DS and LPS, is unaltered. In vitro exposure of lymphocytes to membranes concomitantly with mitogen reduces the response to both DS and LPS, however, the DS response is more susceptible to low doses of membrane. Suppression of the response to DS in vitro is not mediated by cells bearing Thy 1.2 antigen. Neither the phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-responsive cells nor the adherent cells participate in suppression of the LPS response in vitro. In contrast to the suppression of B-cell functions neither the PHA nor concanavalin A (Con A) response of mouse bone marrow, spleen, or thymus cells is altered by streptococcal protoplast membranes injected 24 hr before collection of cells. In vitro exposure of spleen cells to a limited range of concentrations of membrane results in an enhanced proliferative response of spleen cells stimulated by suboptimal doses of PHA. This synergism is not mediated by the adherent cells. Addition of membranes to spleen cell cultures in vitro has no effect upon the response of spleen cells to suboptimal doses of Con A or to optimal doses of either Con A or PHA. Higher concentrations of membranes reduce the proliferative response of both control and mitogen-stimulated cells. This nonselective suppression by high doses of membranes is not due to toxicity. Delayed hypersensitivity to sheep erythrocytes is potentiated by injection of membranes. These studies suggest that streptococcal membranes preferentially suppress the immature B cells and enhance certain T-cell functions.     

In vitro effects of retinoids on murine thymus-dependent and thymus-independent mitogenesis

The effects of three retinoids: all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA), and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4-HPR) on murine splenic lymphocyte proliferative responses to mitogens were evaluated. The responses to T-cell mitogens, PHA and Con A, and a T-cell-dependent B-cell mitogen, PWM were significantly potentiated by these retinoids. However proliferative responses to a B-cell mitogen, Escherichia coli LPS were unaffected or inhibited. All three retinoids at concentrations ranging from 10(-6) to 10(-15) M significantly potentiated Con A-induced proliferative responses. In response to PWM, 10(-13) M RA, 10(-12) M 13-cis RA, and 10(-11) M 4-HPR were the lowest concentrations producing significant potentiation. Endpoint concentrations of retinoids significantly potentiating responses to PHA were; 10(-9) M RA, 10(-8) M 13-cis RA, and 10(-6) M 4-HPR. These responses were independent of retinol contained in fetal calf serum supplemented medium since responses were reproduced in serum-free medium devoid of retinol. Optimal potentiation by retinoids of responses to these T-cell-dependent mitogens were found at superoptimal concentrations of mitogen suggesting a selective inhibition of T-suppressor cells. Thus, potentiation of T-cell-dependent mitogen responses provides the most sensitive biological assay yet described for detection of retinoid activity and is a reproducible system to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms of retinoid-mediated immunopotentiation.     

Effect of chlorpromazine, imipramine and lithium on MAO-A and MAO-B activity in rat brain mitochondria

Drugs with efficacy in psychiatric disorders affect the function of central neurotransmitter amines, which are inactivated primarily by monoamine oxidase (MAO). Effect of these drugs on the two types of MAO (MAO-A and MAO-B) has been studied in rat brain. The result showed that chlorpromazine (CPZ) and imipramine (IMI) at concentrations of 1x10(-2), 5x10(-3) and 2.5x10(-3) M inhibited rat brain mitochondrial MAO-A activity in vitro by 82, 50, 39 and 86, 74, 38 %, respectively. CPZ at concentrations of 5x10(-3), 2.5x10(-3), 1x10(-3) M inhibited rat brain mitochondrial MAO-B activity in vitro by 83, 55, 39 %, respectively, while IMI at concentrations of 5x10(-4), 2.5x10(-4), 1x10(-4) M inhibited the in vitro enzyme activity by 43, 35, 21 %, respectively. Lithium at concentration of 5x10(-3) M could not either inhibit MAO-A or MAO-B in the mitochondrial fraction of rat brain.     

Inhibition of mitogen-stimulated T lymphocyte proliferation by calcitonin gene-related peptide

The effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on mouse lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by mitogens was studied. CGRP (10(-10)-10(-7) M) dose-dependently inhibited the proliferative response of mouse lymph node cells and spleen cells stimulated by T cell mitogens concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA), whereas a B cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not inhibit this response. The maximal inhibition by this peptide was 50% to 80% at 10(-8) and 10(-7) M. The addition of 10(-8) and 10(-7) M CGRP to lymph node cell cultures 24 hr after stimulation with Con A or PHA also had a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferative response. Furthermore, in the same concentration range (10(-10)-10(-7) M) CGRP increased intracellular cyclic AMP concentration in nylon wool nonadherent cells, but not in nylon wool adherent cells. CGRP had no significant effect on intracellular cyclic GMP concentration. In addition, specific binding of CGRP was observed in mouse spleen cells. Our present study suggests that CGRP inhibits the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to the mitogens by interacting with cell receptors coupled with adenylate cyclase. CGRP may be implicated in the regulation of T cell function.     

A comparative study of the effects of procaine, lidocaine, tetracaine and dibucaine on the functions and ultrastructure of isolated rat liver mitochondria

The effects of procaine, lidocaine, tetracaine and dibucaine (10(-5) - 10(-2) M) were tested on isolated rat liver mitochondria by measurements of the respiratory rates and of the membrane potential and by electron microscopy. A general concentration-dependent stimulation of the basal state (respiration before ADP addition) was observed for all local anesthetics studied. Up to the concentration of 10(-3) M, the order of stimulation was: procaine less than lidocaine less than dibucaine less than tetracaine. However, with the exception of dibucaine, which inhibited state-3 respiration (ADP present) in a strictly concentration-dependent manner, the other drugs had a biphasic effect: slight stimulation of state 3 at low and moderate concentrations (less than or equal to 10(-3) M) and inhibition at higher concentrations. Nevertheless, due to a stronger stimulation of the basal state, the acceptor control ratio decreases progressively (uncoupling effect) as the concentration of the drugs increases. The only exception to this observation is procaine in the range of 10(-5) - 10(-4) M, where the stimulation of the two respiration states (although small) is approximately equal and thus the uncoupling effect is absent or negligible. Membrane potential recordings suggested that membrane integrity and phosphorylation capacity were negatively affected at high drug concentrations (greater than 10(-3) M), especially in the case of tetracaine and dibucaine, when 5 x 10(-3) M even produced the collapse of the membrane potential and complete loss of the phosphorylation ability. Electron microscopy confirmed these effects, showing an abundance of either swollen or supercondensed mitochondria, with many membrane ruptures. The action mechanisms of the tertiary amines studied are discussed in terms of interaction of drug with the lipid bilayer and with the membrane proteins. It is concluded that both the inhibitory and the uncoupling effects are dependent, in the first place, on the degree of hydrophobicity of each local anesthetic.     

Ultrastructural changes in Blastomyces dermatitidis after in vitro exposure to lidocaine

Electron microscopic examination of yeasts of Blastomyces dermatitidis, exposed in vitro to concentrations of lidocaine that occur when the drug is used for topical anesthesia, showed that lidocaine rapidly damaged intracellular structures. The extent of damage was dependent on the concentration of drug and length of exposure. The observed ultrastructural changes were very similar to those reported for other drugs that directly damage membranes. This relationship suggests that the antifungal effect of lidocaine is the result of direct membrane damage.     

Interaction of two phenothiazine derivatives with phospholipid monolayers

This paper addresses the cooperative interaction of two phenothiazine drugs, viz. trifluoperazine (TFP) and chlorpromazine (CPZ), with phospholipid monolayers as the model membrane system. Surface pressure and surface potential isotherms were obtained for mixed Langmuir monolayers of either dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-choline (DPPC) or dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol (DPPG) co-spread with TFP or CPZ. The changes in monolayer behavior caused by incorporation of a few molar ratio of drug molecules were practically within the experimental dispersion for the zwitterionic DPPC, and therefore a more refined analysis will be required to probe the interactions in an unequivocal way. For the charged DPPG, on the other hand, the surface pressure and the dipole moment were significantly affected even for TFP or CPZ concentrations as low as 0.002 molar ratio. Overall, the effects from CPZ and TFP are similar, but small differences exist which are probably due to the different protonation properties of the two drugs. For both drugs, changes are more prominent at the liftoff of the surface pressure, i.e. at the gas-condensed phase transition, with the surface pressure and surface potential isotherms becoming more expanded with the drug incorporation. With DPPG/CPZ monolayers, in particular, an additional phase transition appears at higher CPZ concentrations, which resembles the effects from increasing the subphase temperature for a pure DPPG monolayer. The dipole moment for DPPG/CPZ and DPPG/TFP monolayers decreases with the drug concentration, which means that the effects from the charged drugs are not associated with changes in the double-layer potential. Otherwise, the effective dipole moment should increase with the drug concentration. The changes caused in surface pressure and dipole moment by small concentrations of TFP or CPZ can only be explained by some cooperative effect through which the contribution from DPPG molecules changes considerably, i.e. even DPPG molecules that are not neighbor to a CPZ or TFP molecule are also affected. Such changes may occur either through a significant reorientation of the DPPG molecules or to a change in their hydration state. We discuss the cooperativity semi-quantitatively by estimating the number of lipid molecules affected by the drug interaction. CPZ and TFP also affect the morphology of DPPG monolayers, which was confirmed with Brewster angle microscopy. The biological implications from the cooperative, non-specific interaction of CPZ and TFP with membranes are also commented upon.     

Regulation of in vitro lymphocyte responses: I. Adjuvant effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on low-zone unresponsiveness to concanavalin A

Simultaneous addition of concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to cultures of rat spleen lymphocytes resulted in a synergistic effect on DNA synthesis as measured by increased [³H]thymidine uptake after 3 days. This effect was maximal when 10 μg of LPS was added to understimulating doses of Con A (synergistic index = 14) and diminished with increasing doses of the mitogen. In contrast to increasing concentrations of serum factors, LPS was not able to unblock the nonresponse of lymphocytes stimulated with supraoptimal doses of Con A. LPS did not exert its adjuvant effect by stimulating lymphocytes with the help of soluble factors released by Con A-activated cells. Both Con A and LPS seem rather to act together on a distinct population of T-cells which can be separated on nylon columns and respond twice as much as nonseparated cells to their synergistic combination. Rat B-cells were unresponsive to stimulation with Con A and LPS added alone or simultaneously. These results help to better understand some of the mechanisms involved in the immunological enhancement observed with LPS.     

A spin probe study of the effects of chlorpromazine and its derivatives on lipid-protein interactions in synaptosomal membranes.

The electron spin resonance spectra of 16-doxyl stearic acid (16-SA) incorporated into synaptosomes mostly showed a fluid lipid component and a minor motionally-restricted component (MRC) of the molar fraction of 10-20%, measured at 0 degree C. At 10 mmol/l concentration, thioridazine (TRZ), chlorpromazine (CPZ), chlorprothixene (CPT), perphenazine (PFZ) and levopromazine (LPZ) raised the MRC molar fraction in the synaptosomes to 100, 92, 65, 41 and 39%, respectively (as detected by the spin probe at 0 degrees C). At 4% concentration, TRZ, CPZ, CPT, PFZ, and LPZ the respective MRC percentages were 100, 75, 41, 24 and 17%. In synaptosomal membranes, AMRC splitting values of MRC, induced by TRZ and CPZ, were similar to those of the probe in human serum albumin. MRC induced by CPZ and TRZ was constant (+/- 15%) within the temperature range from 0 to 30 degrees C. At drug/lipid ratios > or = 2 : 1, TRZ and CPZ formed rigid complexes with total lipids isolated from the rat brain. The complexes melted upon increasing the temperature of the samples over 10-20 degrees C. The drugs decreased the lipid concentrations in synaptosomes in the order of potency TRZ > CPZ > CPT > PFZ > or = LPZ; this was similar to their effect on MRC increase. The drugs tested increased the membrane dynamics/disordering, and their potency fairly correlated with their MRC increasing effects. It is supposed that the drug-induced 16-SA probe MRC increase in synaptosomes was a result of mainly decreased lipid/protein ratio in the synaptosomal membranes, which in turn probably is connected with perturbation of lipid-protein interactions and/or membrane proteins. The perturbation of lipid-protein interactions and/or membrane proteins may be connected with the drug perturbation effect on the bulk lipid membrane part.     

In vitro proliferation of blood,spleen and thymus leukocytes from the turtle Mauremys caspica

Cell-mediated immune responses is commonly evaluated by cell proliferation assays. Mitogens are known to induce a vigorous proliferative response in lymphoid cells from mammals but relatively fewer studies have investigated mitogen-mediated lymphoproliferation in non-mammalian animals. In the present work, we incubated spleen, thymus and blood leukocytes with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM), by different times of incubation (96 and 120 h) and at different concentrations. Our results show that the optimal mitogen concentrations inducing proliferation on leukocytes from Mauremys caspica were 20 microg/ml PHA, 1 microg/ml Con A, 12.5 microg/ml LPS and 1/150 dilution PWM. The optimal time of incubation was dependent on the type of leukocytes (peripheral blood leukocytes, splenic leukocytes or thymic cells) and the mitogen utilized.     

Inhibitory effect of antipsychotic drugs on the Con A- and LPS-induced proliferative activity of mouse splenocytes: a possible mechanism of action.

Antipsychotic drugs are widely used to alleviate a number of psychic disorders and have been found to modulate some immune parameters, but the molecular mechanism of their action on the proliferative activity has been poorly recognized. In the present study, we investigated effects of various antipsychotics on the proliferative activity of lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Chlorpromazine (3 x 10(-6)-10(-4) M) showed the most potent effect in inhibiting 3H-thymidine incorporation into C57BL/6 mouse spleen cells stimulated by Con A and LPS. Treatment of the cells with thioridazine (10(-5)-10(-4) M), promazine (10(-5)-10(-4) M), haloperidol (10(-5)-10(-4) M), risperidone (10(-5)-10(-4) M), raclopride (3 x 10(-5) - 10(-4) M), remoxipride (3 x 10(-5)-10(-4) M) and clozapine ( 3 x 10(-5)-10(-4) M), but not with sulpiride (10(-7)-10(-4) M), suppressed proliferative activity of splenocytes after Con A stimulation. On the other hand, LPS-induced proliferation of splenocytes was inhibited by clozapine, promazine, thioridazine and haloperidol, but not by risperidone, remoxipride, sulpiride and raclopride. In the next part of the study, the influence of some kinase modulators on chlorpromazine- and clozapine-evoked inhibition of the proliferative activity of splenocytes was determined. Wortmannin, a selective phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor, blocked chlorpromazine and clozapine inhibitory effect on the mitogen-stimulated splenocyte proliferation. The involvement of PI 3-K /protein kinase B (PKB, Akt) pathway was confirmed by the results of the Western blot study, which showed that both drugs increased the level of active phospho-Ser-473 Akt, without changing the total Akt level, and decreased the level of active, nonphosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3beta). Additionally, we have found that chlorpromazine action was also attenuated by a selective p-38-MAPK inhibitor, while clozapine effect was suppressed by a protein kinase C (PKC) activator. The obtained results indicated that atypical antipsychotic drugs markedly inhibited the proliferative activity of splenocytes only after ConA stimulation. Inhibition of the proliferative capability of splenocytes by chlorpromazine and clozapine resulted mainly from the activation of PI3-K/Akt pathway.     

The Neuroleptic Chlorpromazine Inhibits the Cationic and Stimulates the Anionic Phospholipid Precursor Synthesis in Human Lymphocytes

The widely used neuroleptic drug chlorpromazine (CPZ) influences membrane functions at the levels of ionic channels and receptors as shown. Here we show the effect of short term treatments by CPZ (30 μM), on the nucleotide-containing phospholipid precursors in human lymphocyte primary cultures. During 60 minutes incubation of the cells, the CDP-ethanolamine (CDP-EA) content was only slightly reduced (87 to 76 pmol/10⁶ cells), the amount of CDP-choline (CDP-Ch) was inhibited totally (from 25 to 0 pmol) upon the treatment with 30 μM CPZ under the same conditions. It has been shown earlier, that dCTP can be used as well as CTP for biosynthesis of phospholipids. Thus, the separation of the corresponding ribo- and deoxyribo-liponucleotides was developed. CPZ almost completely inhibited the synthesis of both dCDP-EA and dCDP-Ch under the same conditions The synthesis of the activated liponucleotide precursors, can be measured by incorporation of extracellular 14C-dCyt into both dCDP-EA and dCDP-Ch, as shown earlier. While the cationic deoxyribo-liponucleotide content (dCDP-Ch, dCDP-EA) was decreased, the labelling of the anionic phospholipid precursor dCDP-diacylglycerol (dCDP-DAG) was enhanced several times, it could be labelled only in the presence of CPZ from 14C-dCyd. Thus, a principal disturbance of the membrane phospholipid synthesis is presented (i.e., inhibition of the cationic and enhancement of the anionic dCDP-DAG synthesis). This profound influence on the membrane phospholipids by chlorpromazine, might be the primary effect that contributes to the wide spectrum of CPZ effects on neuronal cells.     

Evolution of the lymphoid system. I. Evidence for lymphocyte heterogeneity in rainbow trout revealed by the organ distribution of mitogenic responses.

Leukocytes from the various lymphoid tissues of rainbow trout (RBT) were tested for their capacity to respond to the lymphocyte mitogens concanavalin A (Con A), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD). Thymocytes responded to Con A but not to LPS or PPD. In contrast, leukocytes from anterior kidney were stimulated with LPS but not with Con A or PPD. Cells from spleen and peripheral blood were stimulated by each mitogen. However, the degree of stimulation at optimally stimulatory concentrations of each mitogen was distinctive. The finding that the patterns of mitogenic responses of cells from each tissue were significantly different suggested that there is lymphoid heterogeneity in the RBT with a unique tissue distribution. The species source of serum utilized as a medium supplement appeared to be capable of markedly affecting mitogenesis. Thus, LPS and PPD stimulation occurred in medium supplemented with rainbow trout serum (RBTS). On the other hand, LPS and PPD stimulation was not observed in medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS), with the exception of peripheral blood leukocytes which were stimulated by LPS in culture medium supplemented with FBS. Con A stimulated leukocytes from each lymphoid tissue in medium supplemented with RBTS and, with the exception of cells from anterior kidney, also stimulated cells from each tissue in medium supplemented with FBS. The kinetic profiles of the responses of peripheral blood leukocytes to Con A, LPS, and PPD suggested that the extent as well as the time required for maximal stimulation was dependent on the dose of mitogen.     

Changes in erythrocyte morphology induced by imipramine and chlorpromazine

Chlorpromazine (CPZ), a phenothiazine derivative, is a potent antipsychotic agent and imipramine (IP) is a widely used tricyclic antidepressant. The interaction between these molecules and erythrocyte membranes is of particular interest considering the role of these cells in the transport and release of these drugs at the central nervous system. In the present paper, we intend to study the effects of IP on erythrocyte membranes and to compare these effects with those of CPZ. Erythrocytes from adult Sprague-Dawley rats were incubated separately with different concentrations of IP or CPZ for lh at room temperature, fixed and stained by Giemsa. Changes in erythrocyte morphology were quantified by an image analysis system. The interaction of both drugs, CPZ and IP, with the erythrocyte membrane causes similar changes in cell shape. Increasing concentrations of both drugs induces the formation of stomatocytes, spherostomatocytes and spherocytes, because of an irreversible loss of area and volume, probably due to endovesiculation. Our results also show that the CPZ is more potent than IP.     

ESR studies on the effect of cholesterol on chlorpromazine interaction with saturated and unsaturated liposome membranes

In this study, the effects of chlorpromazine (CPZ) on lipid order and motion in saturated (DMPC, DMPG) and unsaturated (SOPC) liposome membranes were investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) spin labeling technique. We have shown that above the main phase transition temperature of membrane lipids (T(M)), CPZ slightly increases lipid order in membranes without cholesterol, whereas below T(M) it has a strong opposite effect. Addition of 30 mol% of cholesterol into DMPC and SOPC membranes changes significantly the CPZ effects both above and below T(M). Additionally, above T(M), the ordering effect of CPZ on pure SOPC membrane is stronger at pH 7.4 than at pH 9.0, whereas below T(M), as well as in the presence of cholesterol, pH does not seem to play a role in CPZ effect on both membranes. Because of the strong influence of membrane composition on CPZ effect on membranes, the use of cholesterol as a marker of CPZ photosensitized reactions has been discussed.     

Differential inhibition of mitogen induced T cell proliferation by 5-azacytidine and cytosine-arabinoside

The cytotoxic drugs 5-azacytidine and cytosine-arabinoside influence the enzymatic methylation of DNA in opposite ways (1,2). The in vitro effects of these two drugs on Con A induced proliferation of thymic and splenic rat lymphocytes were investigated. Cytosine-arabinoside was found to inhibit mitogen induced proliferation already at a concentration of 0.001 microM, whereas 5-azacytidine was inhibitory only above concentrations of 1 microM. A stimulation of mitogen induced T cell proliferation was consistently seen with 5-azacytidine, but not with cytosine-arabinoside, at concentrations lower than the cytotoxic concentration. The results show that 5-azacytidine and cytosine-arabinoside interfere with mitogen stimulated lymphocyte proliferation by different mechanisms and suggest that hypomethylated DNA plays a role in the proliferation of T cells.     

Effects of con A and other lectins on pure 5'nucleotidase isolated from lymphocyte plasma membranes.

Inhibition of purified or membrane-bound 5′nucleotidase by various lectins was studied in lymphocytes from pig mesenteric lymph nodes. Con A or $\text{Lens culinaris}$ lectin LcH inhibited (75 %) purified 5′nucleotidase by a non-competitive process without cooperativity. Inhibition by these lectins of 5′ nucleotidase activity in whole lymphocytes, plasma membranes (untreated or solubilized) and LcH-receptor fraction displayed high positive cooperativity, reached higher level (90 %) and was of mixed type. An interaction between lectin receptors and 5′nucleotidase accounted for these differences. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and divalent Con A which are not mitogenic for T lymphocytes had no effect on 5′nucleotidase; pokeweed mitogen (PWM), mitogen of T and B cells, was not inhibitor. When membrane proteins were cross-linked by glutaraldehyde, Con A inhibition of whole lymphocyte 5′nucleotidase presented the same properties as the purified enzyme. Possible correlation between 5′nucleotidase inhibition and lymphocyte stimulation is discussed.     

Differential effect of asparaginase on lymphocyte subpopulations and alleviation of the immunosuppression by lipopolysaccharide

Summary The effect of a range of E. coli L-asparaginase (EC2) concentrations on mouse splenocyte blastogenesis was examined at various concentrations of both T- and B-lymphocyte mitogens. At optimal mitogen concentration and with 0.1 unit EC2/ml inhibition of the Con A (T cell) response was 2.5 times as great as inhibition of the LPS (B cell) response. Another T-cell stimulant, periodate, was inhibited in a manner comparable to Con A while the PHA response was inhibited to an intermediate degree. In vivo the PFC response was suppressed to 19% of normal when 100 units EC2 was given with SRBC. However, when T-cell participation in this response was by-passed by simultaneously giving LPS, the residual activity rose from 19% to 52%, again suggesting that T-lymphocytes were the more severely depressed population. These observations demonstrate that a nonspecific stimulant of the immune system may alleviate the depression of immune responsiveness induced by a chemotherapeutic agent.     

Calcium and chlorpromazine interactions in rat synaptic plasma membranes. A spin-label and fluorescence probe study.

The effects of calcium and of the psychoactive drug chlorpromazine (CPZ) on the rat synaptic plasma membrane have been studied using two stearic nitroxide spin labels having their doxyl groups in positions 5 and 16 and the fluorescent probe 1-anilinonaphtalene-8-sulfonate (ANS). The mobility of the 5-doxyl stearic spin label which probes the membrane phospholipids in the vicinity of their polar heads is decreased in the presence of both compounds. Calcium is more efficient in this respect than CPZ. In spite of this qualitative similarity of action, CPZ inhibits the effect of calcium and vice versa. No modification of the 16-doxyl stearic spectrum has been observed even at high calcium or CPZ concentrations. An increase in fluorescence intensity and a blue shift in the emission wavelength of ANS-probed membranes are observed with very low CPZ concentrations (10^?7 to 10^?5m). With higher concentrations, a further intensity increase and a further blue shift are due to direct interaction between ANS and CPZ. Calcium also increases the fluorescence intensity of ANS-labeled membranes in the concentration range 10^?5–10^?2m. As for the spin-label data, the effects of both compounds are mutually competitive. It is concluded that calcium interacts principally with the phospholipid polar heads of this type of membrane. However, the competition with CPZ suggests indirectly that this ion is also bound to membrane proteins. CPZ has an affinity for membrane lipids only at high concentrations. In its pharmacologically active concentration range, it is located preferentially on the membrane proteins.     

Concanavalin A binding to human erythrocytes leads to alterations in properties of the membrane skeleton.

Three properties related to the erythrocyte membrane skeleton are found to be altered after the binding of concanavalin A (Con A) to erythrocytes or their isolated membranes. Con A binding to normal erythrocytes imparts resistance to heat (49 degrees C)-induced fragmentation of the cells. The fragmentation, due to denaturation of spectrin at 49 degrees C, is prevented by Con A in a dose-dependent manner, but levels off at concentrations of Con A in excess of 100 micrograms/ml. The binding of Con A to ghosts isolated from normal, trypsin- or Pronase-treated cells prevents (completely or substantially) the elution of the skeletal protein complex when the membranes are extracted under low-ionic-strength conditions in the cold. The Con A-agglutinated membranes of trypsin- and Pronase-treated, but not normal, cells show cross-linking of skeletal proteins and band 3 with dimethyl adipimidate, a 0.86 nm (8.6 A)-span bifunctional reagent. The extent of cross-linking is greater in the Pronase-treated membrane than in the less-agglutinable trypsin-treated membranes. The results show that, after Con A has bound, rearrangements occur in the membrane that alter properties of the skeletal proteins. Additionally, redistribution of the skeletal proteins and the Con A receptor occurs in the lectin-agglutinated membranes.