Change in membrane potential induced by streptolysin O,a pore-forming toxin: flow cytometric analysis using a voltage-sensitive fluorescent probe and rat thymic lymphocytes

Streptolysin O (SLO) is a bacterial pore-forming toxin that is employed to permeabilize cell membranes in some biological experiments. SLO forms various types of pores with different shapes, increasing membrane ion permeability and subsequently inducing changes in membrane potential. To characterize the pores formed by SLO, the changes in membrane potential induced by SLO in rat lymphocytes were considered using flow cytometry with a voltage-sensitive fluorescent probe, bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)trimethine oxonol (Oxonol). SLO caused three types of membrane potential responses accessed with Oxonol. One type induces a great decrease in Oxonol fluorescence (large hyperpolarization) that may be elicited via the increase of Ca²⁺-dependent K⁺ permeability by SLO-induced influx of external Ca²⁺. A second type is an increase in Oxonol fluorescence (depolarization) that may be caused by a nonspecific increase in membrane cation permeability. The third type is a small decrease in Oxonol fluorescence (small hyperpolarization), probably via an increase in Cl^– permeability. That SLO transitionally changes membrane ion permeability may have implications in the pathology of pyogenic group streptococci infections in which SLO is thought to be one of the key virulence factors.     

Electrogenic sodium-sodium exchange carried out by Na,K-ATPase containing the amino acid substitution Glu779Ala

Na,K-ATPase containing the amino acid substitution glutamate to alanine at position 779 of the alpha subunit (Glu779Ala) supports a high level of Na-ATPase and electrogenic Na+-Na+ exchange activity in the absence of K+. In microsomal preparations of Glu779Ala enzyme, the Na+ concentration for half maximal activation of Na-ATPase activity was 161 +/- 14 mM (n = 3). Furthermore, enzyme activity with 800 mM Na+ was found to be similar in the presence and absence of 20 mM K+. These results showed that Na+, with low affinity, could stimulate enzyme turnover as effectively as K+. To gain further insight into the mechanism of this enzyme activity, HeLa cells expressing Glu779Ala enzyme were voltage clamped with patch electrodes containing 115 mM Na+ during superfusion in K+-free solutions. Electrogenic Na+-Na+ exchange was observed as an ouabain-inhibitable outward current whose amplitude was proportional to extracellular Na+ (Na+(o)) concentration. At all Na+(o) concentrations tested (3-148 mM), exchange current was maximal at negative membrane potentials (V(M)), but decreased as V(M) became more positive. Analyzing this current at each V(M) with a Hill equation showed that Na+-Na+ exchange had a high-affinity, low-capacity component with an apparent Na+(o) affinity at 0 mV (K0(0.5)) of 13.4 +/- 0.6 mM and a low-affinity, high-capacity component with a K0(0.5) of 120 +/- 13 mM (n = 17). Both high- and low-affinity exchange components were V(M) dependent, dissipating 30 +/- 3% and 82 +/- 6% (n = 17) of the membrane dielectric, respectively. The low-affinity, but not the high-affinity exchange component was inhibited with 2 mM free ADP in the patch electrode solution. These results suggest that the high-affinity component of electrogenic Na+-Na+ exchange could be explained by Na+(o) acting as a low-affinity K+ congener; however, the low-affinity component of electrogenic exchange appeared to be due to forward enzyme cycling activated by Na+(o) binding at a Na+-specific site deep in the membrane dielectric. A pseudo six-state model for the Na,K-ATPase was developed to simulate these data and the results of the accompanying paper (Peluffo, R.D., J.M. Argüello, and J.R. Berlin. 2000. J. Gen. Physiol. 116:47-59). This model showed that alterations in the kinetics of extracellular ion-dependent reactions alone could explain the effects of Glu779Ala substitution on the Na,K-ATPase.     

H+ transport by reconstituted gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase

Gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase was reconstituted into artificial phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol liposomes by means of a freeze-thaw-sonication technique. Upon addition of MgATP, active H+ transport was observed, with a maximal rate of 2.1 mumol X mg-1 X min-1, requiring the presence of 100 mM K+ at the intravesicular site. However, in the absence of ATP an H+-K+ exchange with a maximal rate of 0.12 mumol X mg-1 X min-1 was measured, which could be inhibited by the well-known ATPase inhibitors vanadate and omeprazole, giving the first evidence of a passive K+-H+ exchange function of gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase. An Na+-H+ exchange activity was also measured, which was fully inhibited by 1 mM amiloride. Simultaneous reconstitution of Na+/H+ antiport and (H+ + K+)-ATPase could explain why reconstituted ATPase appeared less cation-specific than the native enzyme (Rabon, E.C., Gunther, R.B., Soumarmon, A., Bassilian, B., Lewin, M.J.M. and Sachs, G. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 10200-10212).     

Oxonol VI as an optical indicator for membrane potentials in lipid vesicles

Experiments with large unilamellar dioleoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles were carried out in order to study the effect of membrane potential on the fluorescence of Oxonol VI. A partition equilibrium of dye between membrane and water was found to exist with a partition coefficient gamma identical to c lipid/c water of about 19,000 (at zero voltage). In the presence of an inside-positive membrane potential, the negatively charged dye accumulates in the intravesicular aqueous space according to a Nernst equilibrium. This leads to an increased adsorption of dye to the inner lipid monolayer and to a concomitant increase of fluorescence. The fluorescence change can be calibrated as a function of transmembrane voltage by generating a potassium diffusion potential in the presence of valinomycin. The intrinsic fluorescence of the membrane-bound dye is not affected by voltage; the whole influence of voltage on the fluorescence results from voltage-dependent partitioning of the dye between water and membrane. The voltage dependence of the apparent partition coefficient can be quantitatively described by a three-capacitor model in which the dye is assumed to bind to adsorption planes located on the hydrocarbon side of the membrane/solution interface. Oxonol VI was found to be suitable for detecting changes of membrane potential associated with the activity of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in reconstituted vesicles. When ATP is added to the external medium, pump molecules with the ATP-binding side facing outward become activated; this results in a translocation of net positive charge towards the vesicle interior. Under this condition, fluorescence changes corresponding to (inside-positive) potentials of up to 150-200 mV are observed. After the build-up of the membrane potential, a quasi-stationary state is reached in which the pump current is compensated by a back-flow of charge through passive conductance pathways.     

The role of cytoplasmic [Ca] in glucose-induced inhibition of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in Ehrlich ascites tumour cells: a novel mechanism of the Crabtree effect

The effect of Ca²⁺ on energy-coupling parameters of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma was studied in digitonin-permeabilized cells. In nominally Ca-free medium the permeabilized cells respond to the addition of ADP by increased oxygen uptake with externally added respiratory substrates (succinate or pyruvate), decrease of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ) and alkalinization of the medium. This typical behaviour is drastically changed if Ca²⁺ is added. The subsequent addition of ADP induces neither State 3 respiration, nor decrease of Δψ, nor alkalinization of the medium, indicating a complete block of ATP synthesis. These effects are produced by both a single pulse of 100 μM Ca²⁺ and a preincubation for 2 min with 0.4–1.0 μM Ca²⁺. Preincubation of the cells with glucose or deoxyglucose prior to permeabilization makes them sensitive to Ca²⁺ concentrations as low as 0.3 μM. In view of the previous finding that glucose and deoxyglucose produce an increase of cytoplasmic [Ca²⁺] in Ehrlich ascites cells [Teplova VV. Bogucka K. Czyż A. Evtodienko YuV. Duszyński J. Wojtczak L. (1993) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 196, 1148–1154; Czyż A. Teplova VV. Sabała P. Czarny M. Evtodienko YuV. Wojtczak L. (1993) Acta Biochim. Polon., 40, 539–544], the present results suggest that cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ plays a crucial role in the Crabtree effect.     

On the mechanism by which dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and quinine inhibit K+ transport in rat liver mitochondria

Passive uptake of potassium acetate into the mitochondrial matrix can be induced by nigericin, a K+/H+ antiporter, or by A23187, a Mg2+/2H+ antiporter. The latter process is thought to reflect operation of the Mg2+-dependent, endogenous K+/H+ antiporter, but there is ambiguity with respect to the mechanism of K+ transport in this assay (Nakashima, R.A., and Garlid, K.D. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 9252-9254). Kinetic analysis of potassium acetate transport provides verification that Mg2+ depletion 1) unmasks the K+/H+ antiporter, 2) opens up an intrinsic anion uniporter, 3) has no effect on acetic acid transport, and 4) does not induce high K+ uniport conductance. Mg2+-dependent uptake of potassium acetate is thereby shown to be mediated specifically by operation of the endogenous K+/H+ antiporter, as previously proposed. An extension of this analysis confirms that N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and quinine block potassium acetate uptake via specific action on the K+/H+ antiporter. These findings support those of a previous study (Martin, W.H., Beavis, A.D., and Garlid, K.D. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 2062-2065) in which binding of [14C]N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide to membrane proteins under selective conditions was used to identify an 82,000-dalton band as the protein responsible for K+/H+ antiport in mitochondria.     

Peroxidation of liposomes in the presence of human erythrocytes and induction of membrane damage of erythrocytes by peroxidized liposomes

Hemolysis (Kobayashi, T., Takahashi, K., Yamada, A., Nojima, S. and Inoue, K. (1983) J. Biochem. 93, 675-680) and shedding of acetylcholinesterase-enriched membrane vesicles (diameter 150-200 nm) were observed when human erythrocytes were incubated with liposomes of phosphatidylcholine which contained polyunsaturated fatty acyl chains. These events occurring on erythrocyte membrane were inhibited by radical scavengers or incorporation of alpha-tocopherol into liposomes, suggesting that lipid peroxidation is involved in the process leading to membrane vesiculation and hemolysis. The idea was supported by findings that generation of chemiluminescence, formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, accumulation of conjugated diene compounds in liposomes and decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acids in liposomes occurred concomitantly during incubation. Hemolysis was also suppressed by the addition of extra liposomes, insensitive to peroxidation, or of serum albumin even after the completion of peroxidation of liposomes. These results suggest that peroxidized lipids, responsible for vesiculation and hemolysis, may be formed first in liposomes and then gradually transferred to erythrocyte membranes. The accumulation of these lipids peroxides may eventually cause membrane vesiculation followed by hemolysis.     

Electric Stimulus Opens Intercellular Spaces in Skin

Iontophoresis is a technology for transdermal delivery of ionic small medicines by faint electricity. Since iontophoresis can noninvasively deliver charged molecules into the skin, this technology could be a useful administration method that may enhance patient comfort. Previously, we succeeded in the transdermal penetration of positively charged liposomes (diameters: 200–400 nm) encapsulating insulin by iontophoresis (Kajimoto, K., Yamamoto, M., Watanabe, M., Kigasawa, K., Kanamura, K., Harashima, H., and Kogure, K. (2011) Int. J. Pharm. 403, 57–65). However, the mechanism by which these liposomes penetrated the skin was difficult to define based on general knowledge of principles such as electro-repulsion and electro-osmosis. In the present study, we confirmed that rigid nanoparticles could penetrate into the epidermis by iontophoresis. We further found that levels of the gap junction protein connexin 43 protein significantly decreased after faint electric stimulus (ES) treatment, although occludin, CLD-4, and ZO-1 levels were unchanged. Moreover, connexin 43 phosphorylation and filamentous actin depolymerization in vivo and in vitro were observed when permeation of charged liposomes through intercellular spaces was induced by ES. Ca²⁺ inflow into cells was promoted by ES with charged liposomes, while a protein kinase C inhibitor prevented ES-induced permeation of macromolecules. Consequently, we demonstrate that ES treatment with charged liposomes induced dissociation of intercellular junctions via cell signaling pathways. These findings suggest that ES could be used to regulate skin physiology.     

The sodium-calcium exchanger of bovine rod photoreceptors: K(+)-dependence of the purified and reconstituted protein

The K(+)-dependence of the rod photoreceptor sodium-calcium exchanger was investigated using the Ca2(+)-sensitive dye arsenazo III after reconstitution of the purified protein into proteoliposomes. The uptake of Ca2+ by Na(+)-loaded liposomes was found to be greatly enhanced by the presence of external K+ (EC50 approximately 1 mM) in a Michaelis-Menten manner, suggesting that one K+ ion is involved in the transport of one Ca2+ ion. We also found a minimal degree of Ca2+ uptake in the total absence of K+. Other alkali cations, notably Rb+ and, to a lesser extent, Cs+, were also able to stimulate Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. We also investigated the K(+)-dependence of the photoreceptor Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger by determining the effects of electrochemical K+ gradients on the Na(+)-activated Ca2+ efflux from proteoliposomes. We found that, under conditions of membrane voltage clamp with FCCP, inwardly directed electrochemical K+ gradients (i.e., K0+ greater than Ki+) inhibited, whereas an outwardly directed electrochemical K+ gradient (i.e., Ki+ greater than K0+) enhanced, Na(+)-dependent Ca2+ efflux, consistent with the notion that K+ is cotransported in the same direction as Ca2+. The investigation of the reconstituted exchanger at physiological (i.e. Ki+ = 110 mM, K0+ = 2.5 mM) potassium concentrations revealed that the Na(+)-dependence of Ca2(+)-efflux was highly cooperative (n = 3.01 from Hill plots), indicating that at least three, but possibly four, Na+ ions are exchanged for one Ca2+ ion. Under these conditions the reconstituted exchanger showed a Km for Na+ of 26.1 mM, and a turnover number of 115 Ca2+.s-1 per exchanger molecule. Our results with the purified and reconstituted sodium-calcium exchanger from rod photoreceptors are therefore consistent with previous reports (Cervetto, L., Lagnado, L., Perry, R.J., Robinson, D.W. and McNaughton, P.A. (1989) Nature 337, 740-743; Schnetkamp, P.P.M., Basu, D.K. and Szerencsei, R.T. (1989) Am. J. Physiol. 257, C153-C157) that the sodium-calcium exchanger of rod photoreceptors cotransports K+ under physiological conditions with a stoichiometry of 4 Na+:1 Ca2+, 1K+.     

Characterization of high affinity binding sites for charybdotoxin in synaptic plasma membranes from rat brain. Evidence for a direct association with an inactivating, voltage-dependent, potassium channel.

Charybdotoxin (ChTX), a potent peptidyl inhibitor of several types of K+ channels, binds to sites in vascular smooth muscle sarcolemma (Vázquez, J., Feigenbaum, P., Katz, G. M., King, V. F., Reuben, J. P., Roy-Contancin, L., Slaughter, R. S., Kaczorowski, G. J., and Garcia, M. L. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 20902-20909) which are functionally associated with a high conductance Ca2(+)-activated K+ channel (PK,Ca). 125I-ChTX also binds specifically and reversibly to a single class of sites in plasma membranes prepared from rat brain synaptosomes. These sites exhibit a Kd of 25-30 pM, as measured by either equilibrium or kinetic binding protocols and display a maximum density of about 0.3-0.5 pmol/mg of protein. Competition studies with native ChTX yield a Ki of 8 pM for the noniodinated toxin. The highest density of ChTX sites exists in vesicle fractions of plasma membrane origin. Binding of 125I-ChTX is modulated by metal ions that interact with K+ channels: Ba2+, Ca2+, and Cs+ cause inhibition of ChTX binding; Na+ and K+ stimulate binding at low concentration before producing complete inhibition as their concentration is increased. Stimulation of binding is due to an allosteric interaction that decreases Kd whereas inhibition results from an ionic strength effect. Tetraethylammonium ion has no effect on binding, but tetrabutylammonium ion blocks binding with a Ki of 2.5 mM. Different toxins (i.e. alpha-dendrotoxin, noxiustoxin) that inhibit an inactivating, voltage-dependent K+ channel (PK,V) block 125I-ChTX binding in brain. In marked contrast, iberiotoxin, a selective inhibitor of PK,Ca, has no effect on ChTX binding in this preparation. Inhibition of ChTX binding by alpha-dendrotoxin and noxiustoxin results from an allosteric interaction between separate binding sites for these agents and the ChTX receptor. Taken together, these results suggest that the ChTX sites present in brain are associated with PK,V rather than with PK,Ca. Therefore, 125I-ChTX is a useful probe for elucidating the biochemical properties of a number of different types of K+ channels.     

Pig gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase. Lys-497 conserved in cation transporting ATPases is modified with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate

Pig gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase can be covalently modified with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) (about 1 mol/mol enzyme), and this modification is not observed in the presence of ATP, suggesting that PLP binds to a specific Lys residue in the ATP binding site or the region in its vicinity (Maeda, M., Tagaya, M., and Futai, M. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 3652-3656). The peptides labeled with radioactive PLP could be released from the gastric membrane vesicles quantitatively by chymotrypsin treatment, and two peptides were purified by high performance liquid chromatographies. These peptides were not obtained from vesicles incubated with PLP in the presence of ATP. The sequences of the two peptides were NH2-Asn-Ser-Thr-Asn-Lys-Phe-COOH and NH2-Ser-Thr-Asn-Lys-Phe-COOH, exactly corresponding to residues 493-498 and 494-498, respectively, of pig gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase sequenced recently (Maeda, M., Ishizaki, J., and Futai, M. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 157, 203-209). Lys-497 was concluded to be the binding site of PLP, as pyridoxyl-Lys was identified at the corresponding position. This Lys residue is conserved in (Na+ + K+)- and Ca2+-ATPases. The possible amino acid residues in the catalytic site of gastric (H+ + K+)-ATPase are discussed.     

Diacylglycerol specifically blocks spontaneous integration of membrane proteins and allows detection of a factor-assisted integration

We recently found that the spontaneous integration of M13 procoat is blocked by diacylglycerol (DAG) (Nishiyama, K., Ikegami, A., Moser, M., Schiltz, E., Tokuda, H., and Muller, M. (2006) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 35667-35676). Here, we demonstrate that the spontaneous integration of Pf3 coat, another membrane protein that has been thought to be integrated spontaneously into liposomes, can be blocked by DAG at physiological concentrations. Moreover, the spontaneous integration of the membrane potential-independent version of Pf3 coat (3L-Pf3 coat), which is independent of YidC, was also blocked by DAG. To clarify the mechanism by which DAG blocks spontaneous integration, we examined lipid compounds similar to DAG and DAG derivatives. The blockage of spontaneous integration was specific to DAG, as fatty acids, monoacylglycerol, and phosphatidic acids were not effective for the blockage. When the acyl chains in DAG were shortened even to octanoyl residues, it still blocked spontaneous integration, whereas diheptanoylglycerol did not block it at all. Triacylglycerol was more effective than DAG. However, the lipid A-derivative-dependent integration of M13 procoat could not be reconstituted when triacylglycerol was included in the liposomes. On the other hand, when DAG was included in the liposomes, we found that the integration of 3L-Pf3 coat was strictly dependent on the lipid A-derived integration factor. We propose that the bulky structure of DAG rather than changes in membrane curvature is essential for the blockage of spontaneous integration. We also demonstrated that the blockage of spontaneous integration by DAG is also operative in native membrane vesicles.     

Theory of the effect of extracellular potassium on oscillations in the pancreatic beta-cell.

Based on the observation that potassium ions are compartmentalized near the surface of pancreatic beta-cells in mouse islets (Perez-Armendariz, E.M., I. Atwater, and E. Rojas 1985, Biophys. J. 48:741-749), we present a theoretical treatment of the effect of external potassium on oscillations in the pancreatic beta-cell. Our model includes the effects of ionic diffusion, the Ca2+-activated K+ channel, voltage-gated K+ and Ca2+ channels, and some of the effects of glucose. It is described by four ordinary differential equations. Numerical integration of these equations allows us to examine the effect of glucose, external K+, quinine, and tetraethylammonium ion (TEA) on the oscillations in membrane potential, intracellular Ca2+, and compartmentalized K+. The results are in good agreement with experiment.     

Reconstitution of Na+/K+-ATPase into phosphatidylcholine vesicles by dialysis of nonionic alkyl maltoside detergents

The reconstitution of Na+/K+-ATPase from outer medulla of rabbit kidney into large unilamellar liposomes was achieved through detergent removal by dialysis of mixed micellar solutions of synthetic dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine/octyl glucoside and Na+/K+-ATPase/decyl maltoside or decenyl maltoside. Tight, transport-active liposomes were formed when the lipid and the enzyme were solubilized separately in the nonionic detergents and mixed immediately before starting the dialysis. The two maltoside detergents with different structures of the hydrophobic part of the molecule proved to be well suited for the solubilization of Na+/K+-ATPase with high retention of enzyme activity; the inactivation of enzyme being evidently slower with the unsaturated decenyl maltoside. The diameters of the proteoliposomes, 110 and 170 nm, respectively, were also dependent on the structure of the maltoside detergent, the saturated decyl maltoside producing the bigger liposomes. After freeze-fracture, both preparations exhibited intramembranous particles as structural indicators of successful reconstitution. The electrogenic activity of the reconstituted enzyme was determined by fluorescence measurements with Oxonol VI and by tracer-flux measurements with 22Na+.     

Cholesterol and lipid/protein ratio control the oligomerization of a sphingomyelin-specific toxin, lysenin

Lysenin is a pore-forming toxin that specifically binds sphingomyelin (SM). The binding of the toxin to the membrane is accompanied by the oligomerization of the protein, leading to pore formation. The interaction of lysenin with SM is affected by the presence of other lipids found in the plasma membrane. Although a previous study showed that SM/cholesterol liposomes were 10,000 times more effective than SM liposomes in inhibiting lysenin-induced hemolysis (Yamaji, A., Sekizawa, Y., Emoto, K., Sakuraba, H., Inoue, K., Kobayashi, H., and Umeda, M. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 5300-5306), the role of cholesterol is not precisely clarified. In the present study, we examined the effects of the presence of cholesterol in the SM membrane on the inhibition of hemolysis, the binding of lysenin to SM, and the oligomerization of lysenin. The addition of cholesterol to SM liposomes dramatically inhibited lysenin-induced hemolysis as described previously. However, the presence of cholesterol did not affect the binding of lysenin to SM liposomes. The oligomerization of lysenin was facilitated by the presence of cholesterol in SM liposomes. The oligomerization of lysenin was also dependent on the SM/lysenin ratio, that is, the amount of lysenin oligomer was increased with the decrease in the SM/lysenin ratio. When the SM/lysenin molar ratio was high, lysenin associated with the membrane as a monomer, which was able to transfer to the erythrocyte membrane. Our results indicate that both cholesterol and the SM/lysenin ratio control the amount of lysenin monomer via altering the state of protein oligomerization, thus affecting hemolysis.     

Effect of potassium ions and membrane potential on the Na-Ca-K exchanger in isolated intact bovine rod outer segments

Two recent studies reported that Na-Ca exchange in the outer segments of tiger salamander rod photoreceptors (Cervetto, L., Lagnado, L., Perry, R. J., Robinson, D. W., and McNaughton, P. A. (1989) Nature 337, 740-743) and of bovine rod photoreceptors (Schnetkamp, P. P. M., Basu, D. K., and Szerencsei, R. T. (1989) Am. J. Physiol. 257, C153-157) requires and transports K+ in a 4Na/(1Ca+1K) stoichiometry. In this study, we have examined the effects of K+ ions and membrane potential on the kinetics of Na-Ca and Ca-Ca exchange in rod outer segments isolated from bovine retinas. The objective was to establish the ion selectivity and voltage dependence of the different cation binding sites on the Na-Ca-K exchange protein. Potassium ions activated Na-Ca exchange when present on the Ca2+ side, although the extent of activation decreased with decreasing Na+ concentration. Potassium ions inhibited Na-Ca exchange when present on the Na+ side; inhibition arose from competition between Na+ and K+ for a common single cation-binding site. Activation of Na-Ca exchange by K+ displayed a different ion selectivity than that observed for inhibition of Na-Ca exchange by K+. The results are interpreted in terms of a three-site model for the rod Na-Ca-K exchanger. The rate of forward Na-Ca exchange decreased by 1.75-fold for a 60 mV depolarization of the plasma membrane but only at lower Na+ concentrations. The rate of Ca-Ca exchange was not affected by changes in membrane potential.     

Synaptotagmin V is targeted to dense-core vesicles that undergo calcium-dependent exocytosis in PC12 cells

Synaptotagmins (Syts) III, V, VI, and X are classified as a subclass of Syt, based on their sequence similarities and biochemical properties (Ibata, K., Fukuda, M., and Mikoshiba, K. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 12267-12273; Fukuda, M., Kanno, E., and Mikoshiba, K. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 31421-31427). Although they have been suggested to be involved in vesicular trafficking, as in the role of the Syt I isoform in synaptic vesicle exocytosis, their exact functions remain to be clarified, and even their precise subcellular localization is still a matter of controversy. In this study, we established rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell lines that stably express Syts III-, V-, VI-, and X-GFP (green fluorescence protein) fusion proteins, respectively, to determine their precise subcellular localizations. Surprisingly, Syts III-, V-, VI-, and X-GFP proteins were found to be targeted to specific organelles: Syt III-GFP to near the plasma membrane, Syt V-GFP to dense-core vesicles, Syt VI-GFP to endoplasmic reticulum-like structures, and Syt X-GFP to vesicles (other than dense-core vesicles) present in cytoplasm. We showed that Syt V-containing vesicles at the neurites of PC12 cells were processed to exocytosis in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Immunohistochemical analysis further showed that endogenous Syt V was also localized on dense-core vesicles in the mouse brain and specifically expressed in glucagon-positive alpha-cells in mouse pancreatic islets, but not in beta- or delta-cells. Based on these results, we propose that Syt V is a dense-core vesicle-specific Syt isoform that controls a specific type of Ca2+-regulated secretion.     

Preparation of giant liposomes in physiological conditions and their characterization under an optical microscope.

Unilamellar liposomes with diameters of 25-100 microns were prepared in various physiological salt solutions, e.g., 100 mM KCl plus 1 mM CaCl2. Successful preparation of the giant liposomes at high ionic strengths required the inclusion of 10-20% of a charged lipid, such as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid, or cardiolipin, in phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine. Three criteria were employed to identify unilamellar liposomes, yielding consistent results. Under a phase-contrast microscope those liposomes that showed the thinnest contour and had a vigorously undulating membrane were judged unilamellar. When liposomes were stained with the lipophilic fluorescent dye octadecyl rhodamine B, fluorescence intensities of the membrane of individual liposomes were integer multiples (up to four) of the lowest ones, the least fluorescent liposomes being those also judged unilamellar in the phase-contrast image. Micropipette aspiration test showed that the liposomes judged unilamellar in phase and fluorescence images had an area elastic modulus of approximately 160 dyn/cm, in agreement with literature values. The giant liposomes were stable and retained a concentration gradient of K+ across the membrane, as evidenced in fluorescence images of the K(+)-indicator PBFI encapsulated in the liposomes. Ionophore-induced K+ transport and associated volume change were observed in individual liposomes.     

On the mechanism by which bupivacaine conducts protons across the membranes of mitochondria and liposomes.

Bupivacaine and etidocaine possess the remarkable property of stimulating mitochondrial respiration to levels comparable with those observed with classical anionic protonophores (Dabadie, P., Bendriss, P., Erny, P., and Mazat, J.P. (1987) FEBS Lett. 226, 77-82). We show that these amphiphilic amines conduct protons across the membranes of mitochondria and liposomes and stimulate respiration by a true protonophoretic mechanism. The kinetics of drug-induced H+ flux exhibited integer Hill coefficients that were greater than two under all conditions, suggesting that multimers are required for H+ transport. When the energy barrier for ion transport was lowered in mitochondria, by increasing the membrane potential, or in liposomes, by adding phloretin, the Hill coefficients decreased to lower integer numbers. Protonophoretic activity depended exclusively on medium concentration of free base, leading us to conclude that bupivacaine and etidocaine conduct protons as associated, intramembrane multimers of the free base. Bupivacaine-induced H+ leak was ohmic rather than nonohmic, as would be expected of a mobile charged carrier. This kinetic behavior seems improbable for a multimeric mobile carrier mechanism and suggests a channel mechanism, in which ohmicity results from splitting of the energy barrier by energy wells along the transport pathway (Garlid, K. D., Beavis, A. D., and Ratkje, S. K. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 976, 109-120). We hypothesize that bupivacaine and etidocaine act by a novel "flickering channel" mechanism, in which transient linear complexes of free base molecules provide weak binding sites (energy wells) for protons within lipid bilayer membranes.     

Stabilization of the H,K-ATPase M5M6 membrane hairpin by K+ ions. Mechanistic significance for p2-type atpases.

The integral membrane protein, the gastric H,K-ATPase, is an alpha-beta heterodimer, with 10 putative transmembrane segments in the alpha-subunit and one such segment in the beta-subunit. All transmembrane segments remain within the membrane domain following trypsinization of the intact gastric H,K-ATPase in the presence of K+ ions, identified as M1M2, M3M4, M5M6, and M7, M8, M9, and M10. Removal of K+ ions from this digested preparation results in the selective loss of the M5M6 hairpin from the membrane. The release of the M5M6 fragment is directed to the extracellular phase as evidenced by the accumulation of the released M5M6 hairpin inside the sealed inside out vesicles. The stabilization of the M5M6 hairpin in the membrane phase by the transported cation as well as loss to the aqueous phase in the absence of the transported cation has been previously observed for another P2-type ATPase, the Na, K-ATPase (Lutsenko, S., Anderko, R., and Kaplan, J. H. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 92, 7936-7940). Thus, the effects of the counter-transported cation on retention of the M5M6 segment in the membrane as compared with the other membrane pairs may be a general feature of P2-ATPase ion pumps, reflecting a flexibility of this region that relates to the mechanism of transport.