Evidence for different transport systems for oxidized glutathione and S-dinitrophenyl glutathione in human erythrocytes

The effect of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) on the ATP-dependent transport of S-dinitrophenyl glutathione (Dnp-SG) by inside-out vesicles prepared from human erythrocytes and by intact erythrocytes has been studied. It is demonstrated that the transport of Dnp-SG is not inhibited by GSSG in either intact erythrocytes or in inside-out vesicles. These results suggest that Dnp-SG and GSSG are transported out of human erythrocytes by separate systems.     

Receptor distribution and the mechanism of enhanced erythrocyte agglutination by soybean agglutinin

We have examined the role of receptor clustering in intact erythrocyte membranes exhibiting enhanced lectin-mediated cell agglutination by analyzing freeze-fracture and freeze-etch images of human erythrocytes labeled with ferritin-conjugated soybean agglutinin. We find that trypsinization and fixation of intact erythrocytes, in either order, causes no alteration of the random distribution of ferritin-conjugated soybean agglutinin on the surfaces of these cells as compared to their distribution on the surfaces of fixed erythrocytes and untreated erythrocyte ghosts. Furthermore, clustering of the intramembranous particles in the membrane of intact erythrocytes was not found with any of the cells described above.We conclude that clustering of the soybean agglutinin receptors is not a major factor involved in the enhanced agglutination of intact trypsinized erythrocytes. Caution is necessary in transferring information obtained with erythrocyte ghosts, where clustering can be induced, to intact erythrocytes.     

Fluidity of erythrocyte membranes from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: studies in intact erythrocytes and in ghosts

We have studied the alterations of fluidity in intact erythrocytes and in erythrocyte membranes from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The interest of this study was to comparison directly two types of results; these demonstrate an increase of fluidity in the erythrocytic membranes, no changes are present when the label is incorporated in intact erythrocytes. It might be inferred that hypotonic haemolysis removes components that are more weakly bound in Duchenne membranes, and that exert an immobilizing effect on the membrane lipids.     

Correlation between the oscillatory and adhesion activities in erythroid cells

The attachment kinetics of erythroid cells, such as human erythrocytes, their saponin ghosts, and erythroleukemic cells K562 to a glass surface has been studied in the presence of substances inhibiting spontaneous fluctuations of cell membranes. It has been shown that wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) slows down the attachment kinetics of K562 cells, as is the case in intact erythrocytes. Concanavalin A (Con A), which inhibits the attachment of erythrocytes to glass does not affect the adhesion of K562 cells to glass due to the absence of band 3 proteins in the membranes of K562 cells. Both lectins slow down the adhesion rate of saponin ghosts of human erythrocytes, as it takes place in intact erythrocytes. Suramin and the anionic dye ANS bind specifically to the actin protofilaments of the erythrocyte skeleton and also inhibit cell adhesion to glass. At the same time, these substances do not affect the oscillatory and adhesion activities of intact erythrocytes due to the impermeability of erythrocyte membranes for these drugs. The results obtained allow the conclusion that inhibition of erythrocyte adhesion by lectins is due to lectin binding to different constituents of the erythrocyte membrane--sialic acid moieties of glycophorin in the case of WGA and band 3 proteins in the case of Con A. The most probable mechanism of erythrocyte and K562 cell attachment to glass is the formation of the so-called local contacts between cells and the glass surface. It is also suggested that the cell surface oscillations facilitate the formation of cell contacts.     

Molecular and tissue-specific heterogeneity in HPRT deficiency

In several patients with different degrees of HPRT deficiencies, residual activities have been determined in both lysed and intact erythrocytes. No close correlation could be found between the degree of HPRT deficiency and the severity of the clinical expression. Unless HPRT activity in both intact and lysed erythrocytes was below detection level, the residual activity in intact red blood cells was higher than in lysates. Tissue-specific heterogeneity was illustrated with a patient suffering from X-linked gout. Lysates from erythrocytes, leukocytes, and cultured fibroblasts showed 1%, 8%, and 100% of normal HPRT activity, respectively. Characterization of the erythrocyte and fibroblast HPRT from this patient showed no kinetic abnormalities. However, there was a decreased heat stability. It is concluded that for a better understanding of the pathophysiology in HPRT deficiency studies on nucleated cells from the different tissues are needed.     

Comparative characteristics of the properties of erythrocyte Na,K-ATPase in man and the carp Cyprinus carpio

Studies have been made on some of the properties of Na,K-ATPase of a nuclear erythrocytes of man and nuclear erythrocytes of the carp Cyprinus carpio. Human erythrocytes yielded the enzymic activity only after their treatment by a detergent Twin-20; under optimal conditions, it amounted to 2.6 mcmole /ml of erythrocytes per 1 h. In carp erythrocytes, Na,K-ATPase activity could be detected without detergent treatment, being 10-fold higher under optimal conditions than that in human erythrocytes. Repetitive washing of carp erythrocytes from the plasma (for more than 3 times), significantly increased their viscosity and resulted in spontaneous hemolysis. Simultaneously , the activity of Na,K-ATPase increased 2-10 times depending on the composition of incubation media. Under these conditions, the pattern of changes in the enzymatic activity, resulting from shifts in Mg2+ and EDTA concentrations, was altered. The presence of latent Na,K-ATPase activity in the erythrocytes in explained by a low permeability of membranes to ATP and ions. Exogeneous ATP cannot be utilized by the enzyme in the intact human erythrocytes, whereas intact carp erythrocytes exhibit significant permeability to the exogeneous substrate. It is suggested that in vivo this fact may be of physiological importance.     

Fluorometry of turbid and absorbant samples and the membrane fluidity of intact erythrocytes.

In employing intrinsic or extrinsic fluorophores in the study of whole cells, or other strongly absorbant and/or scattering samples, the measured fluorescence intensity and polarization is seriously affected by absorption and scattering within the sample cuvet. These artifacts are analyzed and simple protocols are provided for overcoming them. An expression relating attenuation of the observed emission anisotropy to sample turbidity is derived. The validity of the method is confirmed by experiments in which the emission anisotropies and fluorescence yields of membrane probes in intact erythrocytes was measured with precision. It is also shown that the rotational mobility of the membrane probe 1-phenyl-3-(2-naphthyl)-2-pyrazoline is the same for intact erythrocytes and ghosts. These protocols are particularly useful in measuring the intrinsic fluorescence yield ratio for excimeric and monomeric emission of pyrene-containing membrane probes. This provides a method for determining the local lateral mobility of excimeric probes in intact erythrocytes.     

Membrane orientation of sheep spectrin

Based primarily on studies of human erythrocytes, current theories of the structure and organization of erythrocyte membrane localize spectrin to the membrane cytoplasmic surface. Affinity purified anti-sheep spectrin antibodies were used in indirect immunofluorescence studies of intact erythrocytes from various vertebrate species and inside-out and right-side-out impermeable sheep erythrocyte vesicles. This investigation detected immunologically reactive external and potentially transmembranal determinant(s) of the sheep erythrocyte spectrin "assembly." Parallel studies using anti-sheep and anti-human spectrin antibodies, as well as 125I surface-labelling studies of intact sheep and human erythrocytes, indicated that this particular membrane orientation of spectrin was evident in sheep but not in human erythrocytes. Antisera containing antibodies to the external portion of this spectrin "assembly" demonstrated external fluorescence to a variable degree on some, but not all, vertebrate erythrocytes surveyed, confirming that the sheep erythrocyte was not the only exception. It is suggested that there may be subtle species variability in the intermolecular associations of the spectrin "assembly" with(in) the erythrocyte membrane not requiring alterations of the spectrin molecule itself.     

The immunomodulating properties of erythrocytes induced by physical factors]

It is shown that the action of ultraviolet rays (UVR) or magnetic field (MF) on the erythrocytes of intact Wistar rats by weight 140-170 g induces the property to stimulate the immune response on sheep's T-dependent antigen-erythrocytes and on bull serum albumin in allogenic transference. The most expressed immune stimulated effect is induced by the heavy erythrocytes, which are effected by magnetic field. The warming and vibration don't induce the immunomodulating characteristics in erythrocytes. By spleen cells sticking to glass, the modified UVR and MF, the heavy erythrocytes induce factors (differentiated in mass), which stimulate the development of immune response to T-dependent antigens of sheep's erythrocytes and of bull serum albumin. These factors depress the function of antigen-specific T-suppressors and induce the immune-suppressive characteristics in light erythrocytes.     

Direct and continuous measurement of hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress on the membrane of intact erythrocytes

Having minimized spectroscopic interference by hemoglobin (Hb), peroxidation processes in intact erythrocytes could be monitored in a continuous assay using the fluorescent polyunsaturated fatty acid, parinaric acid (PnA), as a peroxidation probe. Control experiments to establish the character of the method are described in detail. As a practical application, comparative studies were performed to monitor the response of normal and sickle Hb-containing human erythrocytes to oxidative stress in the PnA assay. After 10 min of incubation with 200 microM cumene hydroperoxide (cumOOH), peroxidation of PnA was found to be enhanced in erythrocytes from sickle cell disease patients (SS: 48 +/- 9% (n = 6) of initial amount had been peroxidized) compared to healthy controls (AA: 30 +/- 4% (n = 9)). PnA peroxidation in erythrocytes from sickle cell trait individuals (AS: 30 +/- 3% (n = 4)) was equal to that in control cells. The increased oxidation of PnA in sickle erythrocytes was accompanied by enhanced oxidation of Hb (metHb and hemichrome formation), indicating that sickle Hb mediates enhanced cumOOH-derived radical generation. It is concluded that PnA can be a useful tool in studying membrane peroxidation processes in intact normal and pathological erythrocytes.     

对地贫红细胞的显微激光散射和图象分析

应用显微准弹性激光散射(MQLS)技术与显微生物医学图象分析技术对地中海贫血红细胞及胞内血红蛋白动态特性进行了研究.在实验中,比较了正常人及地贫患者红细胞胞内血红蛋白聚集体的平均流体力学半径、平均平动扩散系数及红细胞膜的搏动频率等动态特性参数,以及细胞的截面积、规化形状因子、长径、短径、灰度等图象分析数据,发现地贫红细胞的血红蛋白聚合物平均流体力学半径远远大于正常人红细胞的,其大小变异亦较正常人大,且其膜搏动频率也较为缓慢,细胞的截面积也变小.这反映了地贫红细胞内有较大的蛋白质聚合物存在和红细胞变形能力差的特性.研究还表明,显微准弹性激光散射技术结合图象分析技术,可使测量的可比性和准确性大大提高,预期可广泛适用于各种活细胞动态特性的研究.     

Alterations in human erythrocyte shape and the state of spectrin and phospholipid phosphorylation induced by cholesterol depletion

Cholesterol depletion of erythrocytes, obtained after incubation with phosphatidylcholine vesicles, induces in most of the experiments: (1) a discocytestomatocyte transformation as observed by scanning electron microscopy; (2) a specific decrease in spectrin phosphorylation of intact erythrocytes; (3) an increase in lipid phosphorylation. It is concluded that the effect of cholesterol on erythrocyte shape is probably mediated through its action on the activity o of membrane-bound enzymes, proteases or kinases.     

Characteristics of ceruloplasmin interaction with a specific receptor of human erythrocytes

The equilibrium binding of ([125I]ceruloplasmin) ([125I]CP) to a specific receptor of human erythrocytes was investigated. It was shown that reaching the binding equilibrium is a slow process. A strong dependence of binding on Ca2+ concentration (from 0.1 to 1 mM) was revealed; the optimal values were achieved at millimolar concentrations of Ca2+.Mg2+ do not affect the binding of [125I]CP. Under conditions of optimal binding (0.01 M Tris-HCl buffer pH 7.4 containing 158 mM NaCl and 1 mM Ca2+, 4 degrees C), the values of constants for [125I]CP binding to intact erythrocytes (Kd = 1.0 nm) and to membrane fragments (Kd = 0.8 nM) as well as the number of binding sites (16.3 X 10(-15) mol per 40,000,000 erythrocytes) were determined. No ceruloplasmin transport across the erythrocyte membrane was observed. This finding and the similarity of Kd values for ceruloplasmin binding to membrane fragments and to intact erythrocytes indicate that the effect of ceruloplasmin on human erythrocytes is due to the protein molecule interaction with membrane receptors.     

Effect of La(3+) on electrophoretic mobility and aggregation of intact human erythrocytes and those treated with low concentrations of glutaric aldehyde

It was shown that the treatment of erythrocytes with low concentrations of glutaraldehyde (0.01-0.1%) for 30-120 min to a variable extent the aggregation induced by 40-330 microM La3+. The effect of glutaraldehyde on the aggregation increased with concentration and time of fixation. La3+ ions decreased to a similar extent the electrophoretic mobility of intact erythrocytes and erythrocytes treated with 0.1% glutaraldehyde. No relationship was found between the change in the negative charge on the erythrocytes and the degree of their aggregation. Neuraminidase and trypsin were shown to decrease the surface charge on the erythrocytes and the aggregation of fixed erythrocytes.     

Immunogenic and adjuvant properties of rat erythrocytes subjected to exposure to a high external temperature

The erythrocytes of Wistar rats, subjected to heating at 40 degrees C (4 times, each heating lasting 40 min.) were found to be more immunogenic in mice than the erythrocytes of intact rats. The immunization of intact Wistar rats, in a single injection, with syngeneic erythrocytes obtained from the heated animals did not induce immunological response reaction, whereas 5 injections of these erythrocytes caused an increase in the number of rosette-forming cells. The injection of syngeneic erythrocytes obtained from the heated rats to intact animals also stimulated the development of immune response to sheep erythrocytes.     

Determination of Fluorescence Polarization of Membrane Probes in Intact Erythrocytes: Possible Scattering Artifacts

The anisotropy of the fluorescence of diphenylhexatriene has been reported to be less in the membranes of intact erythrocytes than in erythrocyte ghost membranes or in membranes prepared from erythrocyte lipids. Evidence is presented that this may be an artifact due to the intense light scattering by the intact erythrocytes.     

Studies of lactate dehydrogenase in the purified state and in intact erythrocytes.

Lactate dehydrogenase in intact erythrocytes was studied by observing isotope exchange between lactate and pyruvate by p.m.r. The inhibition of the enzyme in intact cells by both oxalate and pyruvate was found to be similar to that of the purified enzyme. The activity of the enzyme in intact cells indicates that the free solution NAD+ + NADH concentration in erythrocytes is about 10 microM whereas the total extractable NAD+ + NADH is about 80 nmol/ml of cell water.     

The role of sialic acid in the determination of survival of rabbit erythrocytes in the circulation

Evidence is presented to indicate a generalized role for the terminal sialic acid residues of circulating erythrocytes of rabbit. Neuraminidase is shown to remove only sialic acid from these erythrocytes. Neuraminidase-treated and intact rabbit erythrocytes have similar in vitro properties, except those of cellular charge and cellular adhesion in their sera. These properties include similar shape, osmotic fragility curve, autohemolysis at 37°, K⁺ retention and pyruvate kinase activity. The D-glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the cholinesterase activities are higher on the neuraminidase-treated erythrocytes than on the intact ones. After injection into rabbits, the sialic acid-less erythrocytes tested, were promptly removed from the circulation; intact erythrocytes, previously incubated under the same conditions but without neuraminidase, were removed from the circulation after a significantly longer period.     

Hexose monophosphate shunt-stimulated reduction of methemoglobin by divicine

Reduced divicine (2,6-diamino-4,5-dihydroxypyrimidine), an aglycone implicated in the pathogenesis of favism, reduces methemoglobin efficiently in intact erythrocytes and in hemolysates. Oxidized divicine produces the same effect when glucose or an NADPH-generating system is added to intact erythrocytes or to hemolysates. Although NADPH, NADH, and GSH have no direct methemoglobin-reducing activity in vitro, they convert oxidized divicine to the reduced hydroquinone species, which is responsible for the electron transfer to methemoglobin. Reduction of methemoglobin is optimally observed under nitrogen since, in the presence of oxygen, reduced divicine undergoes autoxidation. Several lines of evidence rule out the reduction of methemoglobin by divicine through an enzyme-catalyzed process, although it is certainly sustained by the hexose monophosphate shunt activity of erythrocytes through the generation of both NADPH and GSH. Thus, the strong enhancing effect that glucose produces on the divicine-dependent methemoglobin reduction within intact normal erythrocytes is completely absent in erythrocytes from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient subjects. This distinctive behavior might account for the enhanced methemoglobin levels that are found both in vitro in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient erythrocytes exposed to divicine and in vivo as a typical feature of the acute hemolytic crisis of favic patients.     

ATP formation from deoxyadenosine in human erythrocytes: Evidence for a hitherto unidentified route involving adenine and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase

A novel route of ATP formation has been identified using erythrocytes from patients deficient in four different enzymes associated with ATP formation. It entails prior adenine production from deoxyadenosine (or adenosine) in a reaction involving S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. The postulated route has been demonstrated in human erythrocytes which, unlike other human cells, cannot form ATP from IMP. It is based on studies by others using purified S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase preparationsin vitro. The results provide the first confirmation that this reaction occurs in intact human cellsin vitro and thus most probablyin vivo. This adenine production is normally masked in intact cells by further metabolism to ATP. Clinical significance for such a route is suggested by the fact that some adenosine analogues with potent oncostatic and antiviral properties also release adenine (or analogues)in vitro.