Characterization of functional domains of the lymphocyte plasma membrane

Highly purified plasma membranes of calf thymocytes were fractionated by means of affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose into two subfractions; one (fraction 1) eluted freely from the affinity column, the second (fraction 2) adhered specifically to concanavalin A-Sepharose. Previous analysis showed that both subfractions were right-side-out (Resch, K., Schneider, S. and Szamel, M. (1981) Anal. Biochem. 117, 282-292). The ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid was nearly identical in plasma membrane and both subfractions. When isolated plasma membranes were labelled with tritiated NaBH4, both subfractions exhibited identical specific radioactivities. After enzymatic radioiodination of thymocytes, the relative distribution of labelled proteins and externally exposed phospholipids was very similar in isolated plasma membranes and in both membrane subfractions, indicating the plasma membrane nature of the subfractions separated by affinity chromatography on concanavalin A-Sepharose. This finding was further substantiated by the nearly identical specific activities of some membrane-bound enzymes, Mg2+-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The specific activities of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and of lysolecithin acyltransferase were several-fold enriched in fraction 2 compared to fraction 1, especially after rechromatography of fraction 1 on concanavalin A-Sepharose. Unseparated membrane vesicles contained two types of binding site for concanavalin A. In contrast, isolated subfractions showed a linear Scatchard plot; fraction 2 exhibited fewer binding sites for concanavalin A: the association constant was, however, 3.5-times higher than that measured in fraction 1. When plasma membranes isolated from concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocytes were separated by affinity chromatography, the yield of the two subfractions was similar to that of membranes from unstimulated lymphocytes. Upon stimulation with concanavalin A, Mg2+-ATPase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase were suppressed in their activities in both membrane subfractions. In contrast, the specific activities of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and lysolecithin acyltransferase were enhanced preferentially in the adherent fraction (fraction 2). The data suggest the existence of domains in the plasma membrane of lymphocytes which are formed by a spatial and functional coupling of receptors with high affinity for concanavalin A, and certain membrane-bound enzymes, implicated in the initiation of lymphocyte activation.     

Isolation and characterization of Neurospora crassa plasma membranes.

The isolation and characterization of plasma membranes from a cell wall-less mutant of Neurospora crassa are described. The plasma membranes are stabilized against fragmentation and vesiculation by treatment of intact cells with concanavalin A just prior to lysis. After lysis, the concanavalin A-stabilized plasma membrane ghosts are isolated by low speed centrifugation techniques and the purified ghosts subsequently converted to vesicles by removal of the bulk of the concanavalin A. The yield of ghosts is about 50% whereas the yield of vesicles is about 20%. The isolated plasma membrane vesicles have a characteristically high sterol to phospholipid ratio, Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity and (Na+ plus K+)-stimulated Mg2+ATPase activity. Only traces of succinate dehydrogenase and 5'-nucleotidase are present in the plasma membrane preparations.     

Subfractionation of rat liver plasma membrane. Uneven distribution of plasma membrane-bound enzymes on the liver cell surface.

Plasma membranes were isolated from rat liver mainly under isotonic conditions. As marker enzymes for the plasma membrane, 5'-nucleotidase and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase were used. The yield of plasma membrane was 0.6-0.9 mg protein per g wet weight of liver. The recovery of 5'-nucleotidase and (Na+ +K+)-ATPase activity was 18 and 48% of the total activity of the whole-liver homogenate, respectively. Judged from the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and succinate dehydrogenase in the plasma membrane, and from the electron microscopic observation of it, the contamination by microsomes and mitochondria was very low. A further homogenization of the plasma membrane yielded two fractions, the light and heavy fractions, in a discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. The light fraction showed higher specific activities of 5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase, (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase, whereas the heavy one showed a higher specific activity of adenylate cyclase. Ligation of the bile duct for 48 h decreased the specific activities of (Na2+ +K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase in the light fraction, whereas it had no significant influence on the activities of these enzymes in the heavy fraction. The specific activity of alkaline phosphate was elevated in both fractions by the obstruction of the bile flow. Electron microscopy on sections of the plasma membrane subfractions showed that the light fraction consisted of vesicles of various sizes and that the heavy fractions contained membrane sheets and paired membrane strips connected by junctional complexes, as well as vesicles. The origin of these two fractions is discussed and it is suggested that the light fraction was derived from the bile front of the liver cell surface and the heavy one contained the blood front and the lateral surface of it.     

Control of brain slice respiration by (Na+ + K+)-activated adenosine triphosphate and the effects of enzyme inhibitors.

The involvement of membrane (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (Mg2+-dependent, (Na+ + K+)-activated ATP phosphohydrolase, E.C. 3.6.1.3) in the oxygen consumption of rat brain cortical slices was studied in order to determine whether (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity in intact cells can be estimated from oxygen consumption. The stimulation of brain slice respiration with K+ required the simultaneous presence of Na+. Ouabain, a specific inhibitor of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, significantly inhibited the (Na+ + K+)-stimulation of respiration. These observations suggest that the (Na+ + K+)-stimulation of brain slice respiration is related to ADP production as a result of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. However, ouabain also inhibited non-K+ -stimulated respiration. Additionally, ouabain markedly reduced the stimulation of respiration by 2,4-dinitrophenol in a high (Na+ + K+)-medium. Thus, ouabain depresses brain slice respiration by reducing the availability of ADP through (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibition and acts additionally by increasing the intracellular Na+ concentration. These studies indicate that the use of ouabain results in an over-estimation of the respiration related to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. This fraction of the respiration can be estimated more precisely from the difference between slice respiration in high Na+ and K+ media and that in choline, K+ media. Studies were performed with two (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitors to determine whether administration of these agents to intact rats would produce changes in brain respiration and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. The intraperitoneal injection of digitoxin in rats caused an inhibition of brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and related respiration, but chlorpromazine failed to alter either (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity or related respiration.     

Early inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase ion pump during acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rat

The status of Na+ regulation was examined during early stages of alkylation insult to rat liver. Na+/K+-ATPase activity in plasma membranes declined by 52% within 3 hr of treatment with 850 mg/kg acetaminophen. This loss preceded the release of alanine aminotransferase (2880 +/- 1550 U/ml) and necrosis (2+) seen at 24 hr. Activities of 5'-nucleotidase and Mg2+-ATPase and recovery of plasma membranes were comparatively unchanged at 3 hr. Because damage to Na+/K+-ATPase appeared early in the pathogenesis of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity, loss of hepatocellular Na+ regulation could represent one of the critical molecular consequences of lethal alkylation by acetaminophen.     

Changes in some marker enzyme activities of liver plasma membranes during regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats.

Liver plasma membranes were isolated from regenerating rat livers between 20 h and 10 days after partial hepatectomy in order to study the effect of partial hepatectomy on some membrane enzyme activities. Mg2+-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.4) activity, but not (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, decreased slightly at 2 days, whereas leucyl beta-naphthylamidase (EC3.4.1.1) and 5'-nucleotidase (EC3.1.3.5) activities increased considerably at 1-2 and 3-5 days, respectively. These changes were not parallel to a sharp increase in mitotic activity of liver cells which occurred at 36 h.     

Studies of (Na+ + K+)-sensitive ATPase activity in pig lymphocytes. Effects of concanavalin A.

(Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity is demonstrated in plasma membranes from pig mesenteric lymph nodes. After dodecyl sulfate treatment plasma membranes have an 18-fold higher (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, while their ouabain-insensitive Mg2+-ATPase is markedly lowered. A solubilized (Na+ +K+)-ATPase fraction, obtained by Lubrol WX treatment of the membranes, has very high specific activity (21 mumol Pi/h per mg protein). Concanavalin A has no effect on these partially purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, while inhibits (40%) this activity in less purified fractions which still contain Mg2+-ATPase activity.     

Effect of colchicine on rat liver plasma membrane

Colchicine effect has been tested on rat liver plasma membrane-bound enzymes after in vitro or in vivo treatment. It appears that the in vitro treatment does not affect 5'-nucleotidase, Mg2+-ATPase and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, whereas adenylate cyclase is sensitive to both in vitro and in vivo treatment, the latter condition being also effective for 5'-nucleotidase.     

The surface membrane of the small intestinal epithelial cell. I. Localization of adenyl cyclase.

The subcellular distribution of adenyl cyclase was investigated in small intestinal epithelial cells. Enterocytes were isolated, disrupted and the resulting membranes fractionated by differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Separation of luminal (brush border) and contra-luminal (basolateral) plasma membrane was achieved on a discontinuous sucrose gradient. The activity of adenyl cyclase was followed during fractionation in relation to other enzymes, notably those considered as markers for luminal and contraluminal plasma membrane. The luminal membrane was identified by the membrane-bound enzymes sucrase and alkaline phosphatase and the basolateral region by (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. Enrichment of the former two enzymes in purified luminal plasma membrane was 8-fold over cells and that of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in purified bisolateral plasma membranes was 13-fold. F--activated adenyl cyclase co-purified with (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, suggesting a common localization on the plasma membrane. The distribution of K+-stimulated phosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase also followed (Na+ + K+)-ATPase during fractionation.     

Effect of concanavalin A on membrane-bound enzymes from mouse lymphocytes

The ionic influence and ouabain sensitivity of lymphocyte Mg²⁺-ATPase and Mg²⁺-(Na⁺ + K⁺)-activated ATPase were studied in intact cells, microsomal fraction and isolated plasma membranes. The active site of 5′-nucleotidase and Mg²⁺-ATPase seemed to be localized on the external side of the plasma membrane whereas the ATP binding site of (Na⁺ + K⁺)-ATPase was located inside the membrane.Concanavalin A induced an early stimulation of Mg²⁺-ATPase and (Na⁺ + K⁺)-ATPase both on intact cells and purified plasma membranes. In contrast, 5′-nucleotidase activity was not affected by the mitogen. Although the thymocyte Mg²⁺-ATPase activity was 3–5 times lower than in spleen lymphocytes, it was much more stimulated in the former cells (about 40 versus 20 %). (Na⁺ + K⁺)-ATPase activity was undetectable in thymocytes. However, in spleen lymphocytes (Na⁺ + K⁺)-ATPase activity can be detected and was 30 % increased by concanavalin A. Several aspects of this enzymic stimulation had also characteristic features of blast transformation induced by concanavalin A, suggesting a possible role of these enzymes, especially Mg²⁺-ATPase, in lymphocyte stimulation.     

Membrane adenosine triphosphatase activities in rat pancreas

The membrane ATPase activities present in rat pancreas were studied to investigate the possible role of ATPase enzymes in HCO3(-) secretion in the pancreas. It was found that all the HCO3(-)-sensitive (anion-sensitive) ATPase activity was accountable as pancreatic mitochondrial ATPase, thus supporting the view that a distinct plasma membrane 'bicarbonate-ATPase' is not involved in HCO3(-) secretion in pancreas. A remarkably high Mg+- and CA2+-requiring ATPase activity (30 mumol ATP hydrolysed/min per mg) was found in the plasma membrane fraction (rho = 1.10-1.13). This activity has been characterized in some detail. It is inhibited by p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine, an affinity label analogue of ATP and the analogue appears to label covalently a protein of Mr approximately 35 000. The (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity did not form a 'phosphorylated-intermediate' and was vanadate-insensitive. These and other tests have served to demonstrate that the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity is different in properties from (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, (H+ + K+)-ATPase or mitochondrial H+-ATPase. Apart from the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of plasma membrane and mitochondrial ATPase, the only other membrane ATPase activities noted were (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, which occurred in the same fractions as the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-AtPase at rho = 1.10-1.13 and was of surprisingly low activity, and an ATPase activity in light membrane fractions (rho - 1.08-1.09) derived from zymogen granule membranes. At this time, therefore, there is no obvious candidate for an ATPase activity at the luminal surface of pancreatic cells which is directly involved in ion transport, but the results presented here direct attention to the high activity (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in the plasma membrane fraction.     

Comparison of plasma membranes and endoplasmic reticulum fractions obtained from whole white adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes.

The influence of the mode of preparation upon some of the characteristics of white adipose tissue plasma membranes and microsomes has been reported. Plasma membrane fractions prepared from mitochondrial pellet were shown to have higher specific activities of (Mg2+ + Na+ + K+)-ATPase than plasma membranes originating in crude microsomes. Isolation of fat cells by collagenase treatment was found to result in a decrease in specific activity of the plasma membrane enzymes; in plasma membranes prepared from isolated fat cells, the specific activity values obtained for (Mg2+ + Na+ +k+)-ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase were only 42% and 6.3% respectively of those obtained in plasma membranes prepared from whole adipose tissue. Purification of whole adipose tissue crude microsomes by hypotonic treatment caused extensive solubilization of the endoplasmic reticulum marker enzymes, NADH oxidase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase. The lability of endoplasmic reticulum marker enzymes, however, was found to be greatly diminished in the preparations from isolated fat cells. The possibility that NADH oxidase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activities found in the plasma membranes are microsomal enzymes adsorbed by the plasma membranes is discussed. The peptide patterns as well as the NADH oxidase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity patterns of plasma membranes and purified microsomes were compared by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate or Triton X-100 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

Sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase activity of human lymphocyte membrane vesicles: kinetic parameters, substrate specificity, and effects of phytohemagglutinin.

We have prepared human blood lymphocyte membrane vesicles of high purity in sufficient quantity for detailed enzyme analysis. This was made possible by the use of plateletpheresis residues, which contain human lymphocytes in amounts equivalent to thousands of milliliters of blood. The substrate specificity and the kinetics of the cofactor and substrate requirements of the human lymphocyte membrane Na+, K+-ATPase activity were characterized. The Na+, K+-ATPase did not hydrolyze ADP, AMP, ITP, UTP, GTP or TTP. The mean ATPase stimulated by optimal concentrations of Na+ and K+ (Na+, K+-ATPase) was 1.5 nmol of P(i) hydrolyzed, microgram protein-1, 30 min-1 (range 0.9-2.1). This activity was completely inhibited by the cardiac glycoside, ouabain. The K(m) for K+ was approximately 1.0 mM and the K(m) for Na+ was approximately 15 mM. Active Na+ and K+ transport and ouabain-sensitive ATP production increase when lymphocytes are stimulated by PHA. Na+, K+-ATPase activity must increase also to transduce energy for the transport of Na+ and K+. Some studies have reported that PHA stimulates the lymphocyte membrane ATPase directly. We did not observe stimulation of the membrane Na+, K+-ATPase when either lymphocytes or lymphocyte membranes were treated with mitogenic concentrations of PHA. Moreover, PHA did not enhance the reaction velocity of the Na+, K+-ATPase when studied at the K(m) for ATP, Na+, K+ OR Mg++, indicating that it does not alter the affinity of the enzyme for its substrate or cofactors. Thus, our data indicate that the increase in ATPase activity does not occur as a direct result of PHA action on the cell membrane.     

Purification of plasma membrane fractions from the bovine pars intermedia and neurohypophyseal lobe and properties of associated adenylate cyclase.

A procedure for the isolation of plasma-membrane-enriched fractions from bovine 'pars intermedia' and neurohypophysis is described. Various fractions are isolated by differential centrifugation and discontinuous sucrose density gradients. The plasma-membrane-enriched fractions have a density in sucrose of 1.14 and 1.16 and the yields are 1.8 mg and 1.5 mg per gram of tissue for the pars intermedia and neural lobe, respectively. The fractions are characterized by electron microscopy and enzymatic assays. The plasma membrane fractions are mainly vesicular in nature and are free of nuclei, mitochondria, and microsomes when examined by electron microscopy. 5'-Nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) and Mg2+-(Na+ + K+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) activities are concentrated in the plasma-membrane-enriched fraction. Also, adenylate cyclase (EC 4.61.1) shows a 5 to 10-fold purification in the isolated membrane fraction. NaF (10mM) gives a two to three-fold stimulation of enzymatic activity in all fractions studied The yields of adenylate cyclase, 5'-nucleotidase, and Mg2+-(Na+ +K+)-ATPase are about 6% in the membrane fraction.     

Isolation of impermeable inside-out vesicles from an enriched sarcolemma fraction of rat heart

Sarcolemmal vesicles isolated from relaxed rat cardiac ventricles were 120-fold enriched in (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase activities (final recoveries, 50%). The alpha and beta chains of the former enzyme were visualized by the immunological approach. Inside-out sarcolemmal vesicles were isolated by affinity chromatography on immobilized concanavalin A. The yield of membranes was 0.45 mg of protein/g of muscle. The orientation of the unbound vesicles was studied by the increased accessibility of sarcolemma outer face markers (ouabain- and K+-binding sites, 5'-nucleotidase, and sialic acids) with permeability-increasing treatments: freeze-thaw cycles, sodium dodecyl sulfate, methanol, and valinomycin. The total ATP hydrolysis remained constant with a conversion of ouabain-insensitive activity into an ouabain-sensitive one. These agents caused a parallel increase in the ouabain sensitivity, the number of [3H]ouabain-binding sites, the monovalent cation stimulation of ATPase, and the 5'-nucleotidase activity. Valinomycin revealed that most vesicles were sealed to sequestered and exogenous K+. Inside-out vesicles were 80% pure in sidedness and sealing. The affinity chromatography did not affect the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity (200 mumol of product/mg of protein/h). This model of sarcolemma vesicles offers a new tool for ion transport studies.     

AlF4- reversibly inhibits ''P''-type cation-transport ATPases, possibly by interacting with the phosphate-binding site of the ATPase.

The only known cellular action of AlF4- is to stimulate the G-proteins. The aim of the present work is to demonstrate that AlF4- also inhibits 'P'-type cation-transport ATPases. NaF plus AlCl3 completely and reversibly inhibits the activity of the purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (Na+- and K+-activated ATPase) and of the purified plasmalemmal (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase (Ca2+-stimulated and Mg2+-dependent ATPase). It partially inhibits the activity of the sarcoplasmic-reticulum (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase, whereas it does not affect the mitochondrial H+-transporting ATPase. The inhibitory substances are neither F- nor Al3+ but rather fluoroaluminate complexes. Because AlF4- still inhibits the ATPase in the presence of guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate, and because guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate does not inhibit the ATPase, it is unlikely that the inhibition could be due to the activation of an unknown G-protein. The time course of inhibition and the concentrations of NaF and AlCl3 required for this inhibition differ for the different ATPases. AlF4- inhibits the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and the plasmalemmal (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase noncompetitively with respect to ATP and to their respective cationic substrates, Na+ and Ca2+. AlF4- probably binds to the phosphate-binding site of the ATPase, as the Ki for inhibition of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and of the plasmalemmal (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase is shifted in the presence of respectively 5 and 50 mM-Pi to higher concentrations of NaF. Moreover, AlF4- inhibits the K+-activated p-nitrophenylphosphatase of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase competitively with respect to p-nitrophenyl phosphate. This AlF4- -induced inhibition of 'P'-type cation-transport ATPases warns us against explaining all the effects of AlF4- on intact cells by an activation of G-proteins.     

Myometrial (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase and its Ca2+ sensitivity

Ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity in the rat myometrial microsome fraction could only be determined following detergent treatment. The (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity manifested by detergent treatment proved very stable even to high concentrations of NaN3, in contrast Mg+-ATPase activity was reduced to about 30 percent of the control. The major part of the Mg2+-ATPase in the myometrial membrane preparation was found to be identical with the NaN3-sensitive ATP diphosphohydrolase capable of ATP and ADP hydrolysis. This monovalent-cation-insensitive ATP hydrolysis could be extensively reduced by DMSO. Furthermore DMSO prevented the inactivation of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. 10-100 microM Ca2+ inhibited the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity obtained in the presence of SDS by 15-50 percent. The Ca2+ sensitivity of the enzyme was considerably decreased if the proteins solubilized by the detergent had been separated from the membrane fragments by ultracentrifugation. The inhibitory effect could be regained by combining the supernatant with the pellet. Ca2+ sensitivity of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity was preserved even after removal of the solubilized proteins provided that DMSO had been applied. It appears that a factor in the plasma membrane solubilized by SDS may be responsible for the loss of Ca2+ sensitivity of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, the solubilization of which can be prevented by DMSO.     

Effects of L-phenylalanine on acetylcholinesterase, (Na+,K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase activities in adult rat whole brain and frontal cortex

The effect of different L-phenylalanine (Phe) concentrations (0.12-12.1 mM) on acetylcholinesterase (AChE), (Na+,K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase activities was investigated in homogenates of adult rat whole brain and frontal cortex at 37 degrees C. AChE, (Na+,K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase activities were determined after preincubation with Phe. AChE activity in both tissues showed a decrease up to 18% (p<0.01) with Phe. Whole brain Na+,K+-ATPase was stimulated by 30-35% (p<0.01) with high Phe concentrations, while frontal cortex Na+,K+-ATPase was stimulated by 50-55% (p<0.001). Mg2+-ATPase activity was increased only in frontal cortex with high Phe concentrations. It is suggested that: a) The inhibitory effect of Phe on brain AChE is not influenced by developmental factors, while the stimulation of Phe on brain Na+,K+-ATPase is indeed affected; b) The stimulatory effect of Phe on rat whole brain Na+,K+-ATPase is decreased with age; c) Na+,K+-ATPase is selectively more stimulated by high Phe concentrations in frontal cortex than in whole brain homogenate; d) High (toxic) Phe concentrations can affect Mg2+-ATPase activity in frontal cortex, but not in whole brain, thus modulating the amount of intracellular Mg2+.     

Determination of total (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity of isolated or cultured cells

The aim of this work was to determine if the total (Na+ + K+)-ATPase of the plasma membrane of a cell population could be assayed without cell homogenization and partial purification of the enzyme. Several types of intact cells that were placed in an assay medium containing MgATP, Na+, and K+ hydrolyzed little or none of the added ATP. When the cells were pretreated with the ionophore alamethicin and then placed in the assay medium, they exhibited an ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity that increased and reached a limiting value with increasing alamethicin concentration. Since alamethicin did not increase the activity of the purified membrane-bound (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, its effects on the intact cells are probably due to the formation of large channels within the plasma membrane that allow the free access of the components of the assay medium to the intracellular domains of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. Utilizing whole cells treated with alamethicin, total (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity was determined in clonal pheochromocytoma cells (PC12), neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells (NG108-15), and myocytes isolated from adult and neonatal rat hearts. With the use of this whole-cell assay, the ouabain sensitivities of the enzymes in adult and neonatal rat heart myocytes were determined and found to be the same as those that have been determined with the use of partially purified enzymes.     

Concanavalin A induced changes of lymphocyte p-nitrophenylphosphatase (author's transl)]

The effect of K+, Na+, Mg2+ and ATP on the p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity was investigated. As an enzyme preparation a microsomal fraction of sheep lymphocytes was used. Low concentrations of Mg2+, K+ and Na+ increased, whereas high concentrations decreased the enzyme activity. There was an inhibition of activity by ATP without Na+ in the incubation medium and an increase of enzyme activity at low K:Na-ratio. By concanavalin A in a concentration of 15 mug/ml the p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity was increased in intact cells and the microsomal fraction for 30-40%. The activation was not Na+, K+, Mg2+, p-nitrophenylphosphate or ATP dependent.