Fluorescence spectroscopic studies of Huntington fibroblast membranes.

Using fluorescence spectroscopic methods, we compared the membrane properties of intact fibroblasts from both normal subjects and patients with Huntington disease (HD). Cells were stained with various fluorophores, including 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS), 2-toluidinyl-6-naphthalene sulfonic acid (TNS), 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH), and 6-lauroyl-2-(dimethylamino)-naphthalene (LAURDAN). Using these labeled cells, we measured fluorescence yields and emission maxima (ANS, TNS, and LAURDAN), polarizations (TNS, DPH, and LAURDAN), lifetimes (TNS), and differential polarized lifetimes (DPH). In each instance, comparisons were made between cells from normal and from HD individuals. These cultures were controlled for passage number in culture and for age of donor. We found no significant differences between the HD and the control fibroblasts in experiments using the above-mentioned probes and spectroscopic parameters.     

Ciliary dynein conformational changes as evidenced by the extrinsic fluorescent probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate

The binding of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) to ciliary dynein ATPase leads to a marked increase in the dye's fluorescence intensity, accompanied by a blue shift in the observed fluorescence emission maximum. We found that dynein has 37 +/- 3 ANS binding sites and that experimentally applied ANS concentrations failed to alter enzyme activity. The fluorescence properties of the enzyme-dye complex were used to learn more about the binding characteristics of dynein substrates and effectors and to probe for possible conformational changes of the enzyme. The fluorescence of the dynein-ANS complex is increased by a number of substrates, including ATP, GTP, and UTP. The transfer of excitation energy from dynein chromophores to adsorbed ANS was also investigated. Our findings indicate that dynein appears to undergo a localized conformational change in its interaction with ATP. Native dynein was also found to be conformationally different from heat-activated or NEM-modified enzyme as evidenced by the emission and excitation spectra of the various enzyme-ANS complexes.     

Flow cytometric detection of lymphocyte alterations in Huntington's disease

Several recent reports indicate that patients with Huntington's Disease (HD) may manifest membrane abnormalities in a wide variety of cells including peripheral blood lymphocytes. In this study, flow cytometry is used in conjunction with the fluorescent membrane probe, 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS), to examine peripheral blood lymphocytes from 16 HD patients and 14 age- and diet-matched control subjects. Increased ANS fluorescence intensity of lymphocytes (p less than 0.02) was found in HD patients as compared to control subjects. These differences are masked when the mean fluorescence of the total leukocyte population is measured, possibly explaining conflicting data of other investigators. These observed differences in ANS fluorescence intensity between HD patients and control subjects support the concept of a gene defect which may be expressed as membrane alterations in non-neural as well as neural cells. The selective alterations of lymphocytes may also reflect altered immunological activity reported in HD.     

Membrane Anomalies in Huntington''s Disease Fibroblasts

Plasma membranes, microsomes, and mitochondria were isolated from paired, passage number matched, cultured human fibroblasts. The cells were obtained from skin biopsies of Huntington's disease (HD) subjects and from sex and age matched controls. All fibroblasts were cultured in identical media for three to seven passages. Enrichment of surface marker enzymes such as Na+,K+-ATPase indicated a 10-fold purification of the isolated plasma membrane. The specific activity of Na+,K+-ATPase was 62 and 82% greater in the crude homogenate and isolated plasma membrane, respectively, of HD fibroblasts than in control fibroblasts. The specific activity of plasma membrane Na+,K+-ATPase was correlated with lipid composition and with membrane structure as determined by measurement of the rotational relaxation time and limiting anisotropy of fluorescence probe molecules. Major alterations in the structure of the plasma membranes in HD fibroblasts were not noted. The rotational relaxation time and limiting anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and of trans-parinaric acid were not significantly different between the plasma membrane, microsomes, or mitochondria of HD versus those of control fibroblasts. trans-Parinaric acid demonstrated the coexistence of fluid and solid domains in all three subcellular membrane fractions of the normal and HD skin fibroblasts. Lastly, both trans-parinaric acid and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene displayed characteristic breakpoints in Arrhenius plots of absorbance corrected fluorescence in plasma membranes, microsomes, and mitochondria. In all cases, similar breakpoint temperatures, indicative of phase alterations, were noted near 20 degrees and 30 degrees C. These breakpoints were unaltered in HD. In summary, the data do not support the concept of major membrane structural defects in HD.     

Interaction of a hydrophobic fluorescent probe with mouse embryo fibroblasts

Fluorescence photomicrographs show that the hydrophobic fluorescent probe 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) binds to hydrophobic components of intact 3T3 cells. Cells exposed to ANS exhibit fluorescence in the cytoplasm, intense nuclear membrane fluorescence, and well-defined fluorescent nucleoli. Fluorescence titrations of 3T3 cells with ANS show a decrease in fluorescence intensity, a blue shift of native cell emission with increasing ANS concentration and the appearance of a new peak due to ANS fluorescence. These fluorescence effects are ascribed to energy transfer processes involving bound ANS and the tryptophan and tyrosine residues of cellular proteins. ANS bound to 3T3 cells appears to quench the long wavelength component of the cellular tryptophan fluorescence, resulting in an unmasking of tryptophan and tyrosine emission at shorter wavelengths.     

Reactions of fluorescent probes with normal and chemically modified myelin.

The fluorescent probes 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) and 2-p-toluidinylnaphthalene-6-sulfonate (TNS) bind to highly purified myelin membranes obtained from bovine brain white matter. Binding of the dyes was markedly increased by environmental conditions which reduce the negative surface potential of the membrane, i.e., cations (La-3+ is greater than Ca-2+ is greater than Na-+,K-+), H-+, local anesthetics, and the antibiotic polymyxin B. Chemical alteration of accessible membrane charged groups affected dye binding in a manner consistent with the hypothesis that such binding is primarily dependent upon the membrane surface potential. Thus, binding was increased by blocking of carboxyl groups via carbodiimide activation and subsequent coupling with neutral amino acid esters, and even more so with a basic amino acid ester (e.g., arginine methyl ester). Dye binding was reduced by succinylation of amino groups, and by hydrolysis of choline and ethanolamine head groups of phospho- and sphingolipids by phospholipase C. Phospholipase C treatment of myelin, or sphingomyelin vesicles, reduced or abolished the augmentation of ANS and TNS binding due to cations, local anesthetics, or polymyxin B. Energy transfer from myelin tryptophan residues to bound ANS occurs, but with low efficiency. Oxidation of membrane tryptophan residues with N-bromosuccinimide, or alkylation with 2-hydroxy (or methoxy)-5-nitrobenzyl bromide, markedly reduced intrinsic membrane fluorescence and energy transfer to bound ANS, but did not significantly affect dye binding or the quantum yield of ANS fluorescence when excitation was at 380nm. Proteolytic digestion removed 6-30% of myelin protein, depending upon the enzyme used, but had no effect on fluorescent dye binding. It is concluded that the binding of the anionic fluorescent probes ANS and TNS to myelin is primarily a function of the membrane surface charge density and net surface potential, as is the case with other biological membranes. Conclusions about the degree of dye binding to membrane lipids or membrane proteins cannot be drawn unless additional studies are carried out on isolated water soluble membrane proteins.     

Fluorescence studies of the blood platelet membranes associated with fibrinogen

To follow microviscosity changes in membranes associated with fibrinogen binding to human platelets, specific fluorescent probes were used and their fluorescence anisotropy was analysed. The degree of fluorescence anisotropy of diphenylhexatriene, anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (ANS) and fluorescamine increased significantly when fibrinogen reacted with its membrane receptors. Fluorescence polarization analyses showed that fibrinogen binding to platelet membranes is accompanied by an increase in the membrane lipid rigidity. On the other hand, changes in the fluorescence anisotropy of membrane tryptophans and N-(3-pyrene)maleimide suggest augmented mobility of the membrane proteins. The binding of fibrinogen to the membrane receptors is not accompanied by any change in the fluorescence intensity of ANS attached to the membranes. This may suggest that covering of platelets with fibrinogen molecules does not influence the surface membrane charge.     

膜融合剂对脂质体及血影膜膜流动性的影响

本文用荧光探针ANS,DPH与A研究了几种膜融合剂对脂质体与血影膜流动性的影响.蔗糖使PS脂质体的脂双层流动性降低,探针越是在极性区流动性越小,说明蔗糖主要作用于脂双层的极性区;蔗糖也使血影膜流动性降低,此作用是可逆的.油酸甘油脂(GMO)使PS脂质体的流动性增加,且越是在疏水区内部,流动性增加得越大,说明GMO主要是作用于脂双层的非极性区:GMO也使血影膜流动性增加,此作用是不可逆的.二甲亚砜(DMSO)对血影膜的作用,两种不同荧光探针不一样,对DPH的作用出现双相让,低浓度与高浓度的作用结果分别与蔗糖和GMO的作用一致.     

Membrane fluidity in normal and cystic fibrosis fibroblasts

We have observed distinct differences in the polarization of fluorescence and temperature dependent emission intensity of the highly fluorescent phospholipid derivative (1-acyl-2-(N-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole)--aminocaproyl phosphatidylcholine (NBD-PC), when incorporated in the plasma membranes of normal and cystic fibrosis fibroblasts. Fluorescence polarization measurements indicate that the fluorochrome has a much higher degree of rotational mobility in cystic fibrosis fibroblasts as compared with normal cells. Temperature dependent transitions in the emission intensity of NBD-PC incorporated in normal fibroblasts are indicated at 17.7 and 21.2° C while the abnormal cell membranes apparently undergo transitions at 8.7 and 13.5° C. These differences might be due to changes in plasma membrane composition and/or organization, in the case of the cystic fibrosis cells.     

Apoptotic cell death increases with senescence in normal human dermal fibroblast cultures

Normal human dermal fibroblasts have a limited life-span in vitro and stop proliferation after a fixed number of cell divisions. This process by which cells stop proliferation is called senescence. Senescence is also characterized by a decrease in the total cell number. In this study, we characterized an increase in cell death in normal human dermal fibroblasts in vitro as a function of increasing cell passage. With increasing passage, human fibroblasts showed an increase in the number of dead cells and increased DNA fragmentation as determined by flow cytometry. Serial passage of human fibroblasts also resulted in mitochondrial dysfunction, represented by a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The apoptotic markers caspase-3 and cytochrome c were both found to increase in senescent cells. These results suggest the activation of an apoptotic pathway within a population of human fibroblasts as a function of cell passage.     

Linearly polarized excitation enhances signals from fluorescent voltage indicators

Voltage imaging in cells requires high-speed recording of small fluorescent signals, often leading to low signal/noise ratios. Because voltage indicators are membrane bound, their orientations are partially constrained by the plane of the membrane. We explored whether tuning the linear polarization of excitation light could enhance voltage indicator fluorescence. We tested a panel of dye- and protein-based voltage indicators in mammalian cells. The dye BeRST1 showed a 73% increase in brightness between the least and most favorable polarizations. The protein-based reporter ASAP1 showed a 22% increase in brightness, and QuasAr3 showed a 14% increase in brightness. In very thin neurites expressing QuasAr3, improvements were anomalously large, with a 170% increase in brightness between polarization parallel versus perpendicular to the dendrite. Signal/noise ratios of optically recorded action potentials were increased by up to 50% in neurites expressing QuasAr3. These results demonstrate that polarization control can be a facile means to enhance signals from fluorescent voltage indicators, particularly in thin neurites or in high-background environments.     

Age characteristics of the interaction between fluorescent probes and thyroxine with the membranes of rat liver microsomes

By means of fluorescent probes, 1-anilino naphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS), methoxybenzanthrone (MBA) and pyrene, an increase of membrane affinity to ANS, shift of MBA fluorescence maximum to the short-wave spectrum region and a change of the membrane microviscosity were observed in the liver microsome membranes during aging of rats. No significant changes of fluorescent parameters of the probes with rats aging were found in mitochondria. ANS was concurrently displaced by thyroxine, affinity to which significantly increased with aging, and in young animals during hyperthyroidism. The increase of microsome membranes affinity to thyroxine with age is considered as an intracellular mechanism which is involved in the metabolism changes of hypothyroid pattern in rat liver during aging.     

A study of carbachol-atropine interaction on intestinal smooth muscle vesicles, using a fluorescent probe.

Plasma membrane vesicles were prepared from guinea pig ileum longitudinal muscle. The vesicles were characterized by electron microscopy and analysis of lipid and protein content. They were shown to be free of gross contamination from actomyosin, sarcoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria. 8-Anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonic acid (ANS) binding characteristics were similar to those found in other membranes. Both carbachol and atropine increased the fluorescence of ANS bound to this membrane, the maximum increase for atropine being greater than that for carbachol. Since neither drug effected the apparent affinity constant for the ANS-membrane interaction. It may be assumed that the increased fluorescence was due to an increase in the number of ANS binding sites. The carbachol-dependent increase in ANS fluorescence was blocked noncompetitively by atropine but not by tubocurarine or diphenhydramine. These latter two antagonists also increased ANS fluorescence but at much higher concentrations than either carbachol or atropine. Neither atropine nor carbachol increased ANS fluorescence on either erythrocyte ghosts or liposomes (prepared from a lipid extract of the muscle membrane).     

Membrane effects of aminoglycoside antibiotics measured in liposomes containing the fluorescent probe, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate

The mechanism of membrane disturbance by aminoglycoside antibiotics was investigated in liposomes containing the fluorescent probe, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS). Liposomes of PC and different anionic phospholipids (1:1 to 15:1 molar ratios) were challenged with aminoglycosides in the presence of low (1 microM) and high (3 mM) concentrations of calcium. Liposomes containing PIP2 showed the greatest drug-induced changes in ANS fluorescence in the presence of high and low concentrations of calcium and at all PC:PIP2 molar ratios tested. Liposomes containing other anionic phospholipids (PS, PI and PIP) were not reactive toward aminoglycosides in the presence of 3 mM calcium or when the ratio of PC to anionic lipid was increased to 10:1. The aminoglycoside-induced changes of ANS fluorescence were not due to any changes in the emission spectrum of ANS, nor to changes in quantum yield, nor to a change in the binding affinity of ANS. It is concluded that a specific aminoglycoside-PIP2 interaction results in phase separation of PC and PIP2 and thus increases the number of available ANS binding sites in PC:PIP2 liposomes.     

Membrane Studies in Huntington's Disease: Steady State and Time-Dependent Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Intact Lymphocytes

Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that a membrane abnormality, expressed in peripheral tissues such as the lymphocyte, may be present in Huntington's disease (HD). Both steady state and time-dependent fluorescence spectroscopic methods were performed on lymphocytes from patients with HD and from age- and sex-matched controls. Lymphocyte membrane dynamics were studied, using fluorescence probes with known specificity for certain membrane areas. These probes included 4-phenylspiro(furan-2(3H)-1'-phthalan)-3,3'-dione (fluorescamine), which binds to surface membrane primary amines, 1–8-anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (1,8-ANS), which inserts at the aqueous-hydrocarbon interface, and 12(9) anthroyl stearate (12(9)AS), which inserts deep in the hydrocarbon core. Steady state fluorescence studies, using fluorescamine, 1–8 ANS, or 12(9)AS, revealed no significant difference between intact HD and control lymphocytes. Time-dependent energy-transfer polarization studies for fluorescamine (tryptophan → fluorescamine) did, however, reveal a slower time decay of I₁/I for intact HD lymphocytes as compared with controls. This time-dependent difference may relate to alterations in translational (lateral) and angular mobilities of membrane donors (tryptophan) relative to acceptors (fluorescamine) in intact HD lymphocytes. Such observations support the concept of a membrane abnormality in HD.     

Fluorometric studies on conformational changes in tropomyosin associated with depolymerization.

Spectrofluorometric studies on the conformational changes in tropomyosin associated with depolymerization of the molecules were carried out using 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS). When ANS-probed tropomyosin was depolymerized to its monomer, the fluorescence intensity markedly increased, with a decrease in fluorescence polarization. On the other hand, the emission maxima of the ANS-tropomyosin complexes of both forms were the same. The temperature dependence of the polarization of the complexes at various KCl concentrations suggested that the segmental motion of a moiety containing the fluorophore was considerably activated by depolymerization of tropomyosin. In the polymerized and oligomeric forms, a thermal transition in the polarization was observed with a transition temperature of 30 degrees C. Titration curves of tropomyosin with ANS showed simple saturation kinetics with both monomer and polymer, and the apparent dissociation constants were estimated to be 9.93 X 10(-5) M (monomer) and 7.43 X 10(-5) M (polymer). On the other hand, the number of the ANS-binding sites increased from 0.5 to 2.0 per tropomyosin monomer on depolymerization of the molecules. Based on these results, the conformational state of tropomyosin in the polymerized form is discussed.     

Microenvironment changes of human blood platelet membranes associated with fibrinogen binding

Alterations in the membrane organization caused by fibrinogen binding to human blood platelets and their isolated membranes were analyzed by fluorescence and electron spin resonance measurements. The degree of fluorescent anisotropy of DPH, ANS and fluorescamine increased significantly when fibrinogen reacted with its membrane receptors. Both fluorescence and ESR analyses showed that fibrinogen binding to platelet membranes is accompanied by an increase of the membrane lipid rigidity. This effect seems to be indirect in nature and is mediated by altered membrane protein interactions. As it has been shown that an increased membrane lipid rigidity leads to a greater exposure of membrane proteins, including fibrinogen receptors, this might facilitate a formation of molecular linkages between neighboring platelets. On the other hand, changes of fluorescence anisotropy of membrane tryptophans and N-(3-pyrene) maleimide suggest the augmented mobility of the membrane proteins. Evidence is presented which indicated that the binding of fibrinogen to the membrane receptors is not accompanied by any changes in the fluorescence intensity of ANS attached to the membranes. It may suggest that the covering of platelets with fibrinogen does not influence the surface membrane charge. In contrast to fibrinogen, calcium ions caused an increase of the fluorescence intensity resulting from the more efficient binding of ANS to the platelet membranes.     

Dynamic membrane studies in individuals at risk for Huntington's disease

Lymphocyte plasma membrane dynamics were studied by energy-transfer polarization in twenty-three neurologically normal individuals at-risk for Huntington's disease (HD). The results were compared to 10 normal controls and 10 known HD patients. The normal and HD subjects segregated into two distinct groups. The at-risk group had findings distributed along a continuum with values similar to known HD patients or to normal controls. These findings suggest that further studies of membrane dynamics will contribute to understanding the molecular defect in HD and to the development of a potential molecular marker.     

汞化合物对红细胞膜作用的研究

本文研究了汞化合物对红细胞膜作用的光谱变化,观察了膜蛋白的荧光和磷光,膜上DPH的荧光偏振和ANS与红细胞膜的结合,以及他们与汞产生红血球溶血的关系。 在5P7.5缓冲液中红细胞膜蛋白的荧光随HgCl_2 Hg(AC)_2和PCMB的浓度加大而降低,表现为快和慢双相变化的过程,其淬灭作用的大小为HgCl_2>Hg(AC)_2PCMB,这是由于膜上形成了不发荧光的R—Trp—Hg~ 络合物以及能量从Trp转移到R—S—Hg~ 络合物上。HgCl_2对膜蛋白磷光的作用也是随汞离子浓度加大而降低,但磷光/荧光比则是增加的。标记红细胞膜的DPH偏振度是随HgCl_2浓度增加,表明膜流动性是随汞离子浓度加大而降低。标记膜上的ANS的荧光强度随HgCl_2和Hg(AC)_2的浓度加大而增加,这是由于ANS与膜的结合数随汞离子浓度加大而增加的缘故。上述各种变化是与汞离子对红血球溶血的作用一致的。     

Membrane structure alterations in rat blood lymphocytes under external low dose rate gamma-radiation exposure

The influence of a 0.72 cGy/day dose rate of gamma-radiation on plasma membranes of peripheral blood lymphocytes of rats exposed to the doses of 1.5, 15, 30, 60 and 100 cGy was studied. Parameters characterizing the viscosity and the polarity of lipid bilayer and also an external membrane surface properties were examined using fluorescent probes pyrene and 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS). Was shown the membrane structural parameters alterations after animal exposure to the doses of 1.5, 15, 60 and 100 cGy, being of a nonmonotonous nature as the dose accumulated. After exposure to the doses lower then than 30 cGy spectral changes were revealed not in each particular experiment that was probably caused by the individual peculiarities of radiation response development. After exposure to the doses higher than 30 cGy the changes were of reproducible character. After a 1.5 cGy dose a slight lipid bilayer polarity decrease and ANS binding parameter multidirectional changes were observed. After exposure to 15, 60 and to 100 cGy was shown polarity elevation and repartition of polar groups within the bilayer, the increase of viscosity of more polar membrane regions and also ANS fluorescence reduction mostly at the expense of quantum yield decrease. After the exposure of 60 cGy was observed a viscosity decrease in hydrophobic regions along with viscosity increase in more polar regions and after a 100 cGy dose accumulation an essential surface charge shift was found. Revealed alterations indicate the reorganization of external membrane surface and of intensification of oxidative processes in lipid bilayer.