The role of transcobalamin II in the methionine dependency of human lymphocytes

Neither normal human B lymphoblasts (RPMI 6410) transformed by the EB virus nor human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) stimulated by a mitogen replicated well when the methionine (Met) of the medium was replaced with homocysteine (Hcy). Cbl bound to human transcobalamin II (TC II) substantially increased cell division over that observed when the Cbl of the medium was in the free form. Although, as expected, the TC II enhanced the cell entry of Cbl 1000-fold, this was not the basis of the TC II effect. Through adjustment of the respective concentrations of free Cbl and TC II-Cbl in the medium, equal amounts of Cbl entered the cell, yet the TC II effect persisted. TC II-Cbl did not restore cell division in the absence of Met by virus-transformed lymphoblasts from a child with defective Met synthesis from Hcy. The TC II did not act by enhanced induction of the Cbl-dependent methionine synthase activity of cell extracts but the ability of intact cells to produce Met from Hcy by the Cbl-dependent process appeared to have a role in the TC II effect.     

The metabolism of cobalamin bound to transcobalamin II and to glycoproteins that bind Cbl in HepG2 cells (human hepatoma)

The binding, internalization, processing and release of labeled cyanocobalamin (CN[57Co]Cbl) bound to human transcobalamin II (TC II) were studied in HepG2 cells, a line of hepatocytes derived from a human hepatoma. The cells bound the TC II-Cbl by specific, high affinity receptors. Within the cell, the CN-Cbl was promptly freed from TC II and the CN-Cbl converted to more active forms including adenosyl Cbl (AdoCbl) and methyl Cbl (MeCbl). Whereas free labeled Cbl was still present at 72 hours after entry, the cells also bound Cbl to an intracellular binder (ICB) presumed to represent the holo enzymes dependent on Cbl. At levels of TC II that saturated the receptors for TC II-Cbl, much of the Cbl entering the cells remained free and was converted to AdoCbl. Under these circumstances the cells released free Cbl, mostly AdoCbl. Human R type binders of Cbl, which are glycoproteins and some having a terminal galactose, were bound by the HepG2 cells. The binding was characteristic of the receptor system responsive to a terminal galactose, or asialoglycoproteins, but was inconsistent and of low affinity. Cbl bound to R binder was internalized and converted to coenzyme forms of Cbl, but the process was much less effective than when the Cbl entered via the TC II receptor system. It was concluded that the receptors for R-Cbl were unlikely to contribute to the physiologic transport of Cbl in man, but may function in some yet unknown way.     

Cyclic activity of the receptors of cobalamin bound to transcobalamin II

The activity of receptors specific for human transcobalamin II-Cobalamin (TC II-Cbl) were measured in virus-transformed lymphoblasts, hepatocytes (hepatoma) and diploid fibro lasts. In all three types of human cells the receptor activity increased as cells went from a resting phase to the most actively dividing phase. Receptor activity declined as cell division slowed. The changes in activity of lymphoblasts and hepatocytes were produced by changes in receptor number and not by changes in affinity between receptors and TC II-Cbl. The basis of the change in fibroblasts was not clear. The Cbl-dependent methionine synthetase activity of fibroblasts, in contrast, tended to be greatest when the cultures were confluent and replication had slowed. As the fibroblasts became senescent the receptor activity for TC II-Cbl declined and the fluctuations with the phase of the cell were blunted. However, the release of apo TC II from the cells was maintained. These observations must be taken into consideration when the respective cells are used as models. Even more important are the implications of the observations of the changes in receptor activity for TC II-Cbl for the regulation of the entry of Cbl into cells.     

Hydrophobic interactions of transcobalamin II (TC II) from mammalian sera

The hydrophobic properties of mammalian transcobalamin IIs (TC II) were studied by chromatography of radioactive cyanocobalamin (CN[57Co]Cbl)-labeled serum on phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B. Mammalian holo TC IIs (CN[57Co]Cbl-TC II) exhibited species variability in their affinity for the hydrophobic matrix in the order: dog greater than mouse greater than human greater than rat greater than rabbit. Phenyl-Sepharose chromatography of the isolated CN[57Co]Cbl-TC II peaks from gel filtration of dog and rat serum showed no hydrophobic change in dog TC II, but an increase in hydrophobicity of rat TC II. Phenyl-Sepharose chromatography of CN[57Co]Cbl-labeled rabbit serum (holo TC II) and the unlabeled serum (apo TC II) showed apo TC II to be more hydrophobic than holo TC II as has been shown for human TC II (Begley et al., Biochem Biophys Res Commun 103:434-441, 1981). Thus mammalian holo TC IIs differ in their hydrophobic properties and apo TC II, in man and rabbit, is more hydrophobic than holo TC II. In addition, isolation of the TC II in some animal sera by gel filtration may result in a TC II that is more hydrophobic than the native molecule.     

Congenital disorders of vitamin B12 transport and their contributions to concepts. II.

Congenital deficiencies of Transcobalamin II (TC II) and R binders of vitamin B12 (B12, cobalamin, Cbl) have been described in several families. The deficiency of TC II exists as at least three variants. The deficiency of TC II is expressed by a profound megaloblastic pancytopenia during the first few weeks of life, but the serum Cbl is normal. In contrast, the deficiency of R binder is asymptomatic, tissues are replete in Cbl, but the serum Cbl is low. All of the R binder in the several body sources is under the same genetic control. Studies of the congenital deficiency TC II suggest the following: (1) The function of TC II is the promotion of cell uptake of physiologic amounts of Cbl, which can also be accomplished by very large amounts of Cbl, and not in any intracellular process. (2) TC II is essential for the absorption, postabsorptive distribution, and recycling of TC II. (3) The metabolic consequences of TC II deficiency are expressed primarily in rapidly dividing cells probably because they are dependent upon the constant need for new Cbl.     

Cobalamin transport proteins and their cell-surface receptors

The primary function of cobalamin (Cbl; vitamin B12) is the formation of red blood cells and the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. Before cells can utilise dietary Cbl, the vitamin must undergo cellular transport using two distinct receptor-mediated events. First, dietary Cbl bound to gastric intrinsic factor (IF) is taken up from the apical pole of ileal epithelial cells via a 460 kDa receptor, cubilin, and is transported across the cell bound to another Cbl-binding protein, transcobalamin II (TC II). Second, plasma TC II-Cbl is taken up by cells that need Cbl via the TC II receptor (TC II-R), a 62 kDa protein that is expressed as a functional dimer in cellular plasma membranes. Human Cbl deficiency can develop as a result of acquired or inherited dysfunction in either of these two transmembrane transport events. This review focuses on the biochemical, cellular and molecular aspects of IF and TC II and their cell-surface receptors.     

Cobalamin metabolism in cultured human chorionic villus cells

Cobalamin (Cbl, vitamin B₁₂) metabolism was analyzed in cultures of human chorionic villus (CV) cells obtained at 9–10 weeks of gestation. CV cells were shown to synthesize transcobalamin II (TCII) and to possess a high affinity receptor for that molecule. The cells bound and internalized radioactive cyanocobalamin (CN[⁵⁷Co]Cbl) complexed to TCII. This internalized CN[⁵⁷Co]Cbl was found to be converted to both methylCbl and adenosylCbl, the two intracellular coenzyme forms of Cbl, and bound to the two known intracellular Cbl requiring enzymes, methionine synthase (MS) and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Both enzyme systems were found to be functional in the intact cell by demonstrating the incorporation of the radioactive label from both [¹⁴C]CH₃-tetrahydrofolate and [¹⁴C]propionate into acid insoluble products. MS activity was also detected in lysed cell material. CV cells were shown not to be auxotrophic for methionine since they were able to utilize homocysteine in place of methionine for cell division. Since CV cells are capable of performing many of the complex events associated with Cbl metabolism, it may be possible to use these cells to diagnose genetic defects of Cbl metabolism. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Function and stability of human transcobalamin II: role of intramolecular disulfide bonds C98-C291 and C147-C187

The current studies have investigated the role of three disulfide bonds of human transcobalamin II (TC II), a plasma transporter of cobalamin (Cbl; vitamin B12), in its function and stability. When translated in vitro in the presence or absence of microsomal vesicles, TC II constructs with a single substitution, C3S or C249S, demonstrated synthesis of a stable functional protein. However, TC II synthesized in the presence of microsomal vesicles using constructs with a single (C98S, C147S, C187S, C291S), double (C3/147/S, C98/147/S) or triple (C3/98/147/S) substitution was unstable. In the absence of microsomal vesicles, the percentage of binding to Cbl-Sepharose matrix by TC II expressed by constructs C3S, C3/147/S, C98/147/S, or C3/98/147/S was 100, 49, 52, and 35%, respectively. Upon their reductive alkylation, the binding of TC II expressed by these constructs was reduced to approximately 25-30%. TC II constructs C3S or C249S, when expressed in TC II-deficient fibroblasts, produced a stable functional protein, but those expressed by constructs C147S, C187S, C291S, C3/147/S, C98/147/S, or C3/98/147/S were rapidly degraded. The intracellular degradation of TC II expressed by these constructs was inhibited by lactacystin or MG-132 but not by the lysosomal degradation inhibitors ammonium chloride or chloroquine. These studies suggest that optimal binding of Cbl by human TC II is supported by disulfide bonds C98-C291 and C147-C187 and that their disruption results in loss of Cbl binding and their rapid degradation by the proteasomal machinery.     

Methionine dependency of cultured human lymphocytes

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin and a lymphocyte model consisting of the RPMI 6410 cell, a human virus-transformed B cell, required added methionine (Met) for growth of the cultures. This failure to meet all needs for Met via endogenous synthesis, which is characteristic of oncogenic transformation, occurred even in the presence of adequate homocysteine, methylfolate (5-CH3-H4PteGlu) and cobalamin (Cbl)-dependent methionine synthetase activity. Folinic acid (5-CHO-H4PteGlu), which provides available folate independently of Cbl, improved growth only slightly in the absence of Met. Free Cbl at 222 nM, an amount great enough to alter other intracellular events, failed to increase growth in the absence of Met, but 0.22 nM Cbl bound to transcobalamin II did, however, enhance growth.     

Conformational changes of transcobalamin induced by aquocobalamin binding. Mechanism of substitution of the cobalt-coordinated group in the bound ligand

Binding of aquo-, cyano-, or azidocobalamin (Cbl.OH(2), Cbl.CN, and Cbl.N(3), respectively) to the recombinant human transcobalamin (TC) and haptocorrin from human plasma was investigated via stopped-flow spectroscopy. Association of cobalamins with haptocorrin always proceeded in one step. TC, however, displayed a certain selectivity for the ligands: Cbl.CN or Cbl.N(3) bound in one step with k(+1) = 1 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1) (20 degrees C), whereas binding of Cbl.OH(2) under the same conditions occurred in two steps with k(+1) = 3 x 10( 7) M(-1) s(-1) (E(a) = 30 kJ/mol) and k(+2) = 0.02 s(-1) (E(a) = 120 kJ/mol). The second step of Cbl.OH(2) binding was interpreted as a transformation of the initial "open" intermediate TC.Cbl.OH(2) to the "closed" conformation TC(Cbl) with displaced water. The backward transition from the closed to the open conformation was the reason for the identical rate-limiting steps during substitution of H(2)O in TC.Cbl.OH(2) for cyanide or azide according to the reaction TC(Cbl) --> TC.Cbl.OH(2) + CN(-)/N(3)(-). The cyano and azido forms of holo-TC which were produced behaved as the open proteins. Different conformations of holo-TC, determined by the nature of the active group in the bound Cbl, may direct transportation of cobalamins in the organism.     

Monoclonal antibody production in hollow fiber bioreactors using serum-free medium

Murine hybridoma cells that produce monoclonal antibody directed against human fibronectin have been cultured in VITAFIBER II and VITAFIBER V hollow fiber bioreactors using defined, serum-free WRC 935 medium. During a two-week growth period, following inoculation of the bioreactors, the cells proliferated to an extent where the bioreactor was filled with cultured cells. Using a 5 sq. ft. VITAFIBER V bioreactor, over 15 grams of antibody were produced during the 40 days of the experiment. This antibody was greater than 95% IgG. During the production period, this packed mass of cells produced 579 +/- 15 mg IgG per day. Because the medium is formulated for air equilibration and high cell densities, WRC 935 medium is especially useful for production of gram quantities of monoclonal antibodies using continuous feed hollow fiber bioreactor cell culture systems.     

The effect of apo E secretion on lipoprotein uptake in transfected cells.

To investigate the role of apolipoprotein E (apo E) secreted by peripheral tissues in local lipoprotein metabolism, we developed a cell strain that constitutively produced and secreted apo E. A fusion plasmid containing rat apo E genomic DNA under control of mouse metallothionein promotor was constructed and transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells. A stable transformant designated CHO-MAEII constitutively secreted rat apo E mainly in the form of sialylated free protein. The secretion was further enhanced by metal induction up to 1 micrograms apo E/ml per 12 h. When incubated with 125I-labeled very low density lipoprotein (125I-VLDL) at 37 degrees C, CHO-MAEII took up and degraded 125I-VLDL with higher affinity than control cells. Furthermore, considerable amount of methylated 125I-VLDL was degraded by CHO-MAEII, while no methylated 125I-VLDL was degraded by control cells. No significant differences were found in the uptake of 125I-LDL. The data indicated that apo E molecules secreted by CHO-MAEII were transferred to 125-VLDL particles, which caused a higher affinity of these particles for LDL receptors on the cells. It is suggested that apo E secreted from peripheral tissues enhances the uptake of lipoproteins by themselves or by surrounding cells in the local environment which demand cholesterol and express LDL receptors. CHO-MAEII was a good model for these 'auto- or paracrine-like functions' of apo E.     

Metabolism of endothelial cell-bound lipoprotein lipase. Evidence for heparan sulfate proteoglycan-mediated internalization and recycling

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) hydrolyzes triglyceride in plasma lipoprotein primarily while bound to vascular endothelial cells. LPL metabolism by cultured endothelial cells was studied. Purified radioiodinated bovine LPL bound to porcine aortic endothelial cells at 4 degrees C with an association constant of 0.18 x 10(7) m-1. Analysis of the time course of LPL dissociation from endothelial cells at 4 degrees C yielded a dissociation rate constant of 3.9 x 10(-6)s-1. After 1 h at 37 degrees C, 28% of the LPL initially bound to the cell surface was no longer releasable by heparin or trypsin treatments, suggesting that LPL was internalized by the cells. Addition of heparin to the medium or pretreatment of the cells with heparinase markedly reduced the amount of LPL internalized, establishing a requirement for cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the process. When cells containing internalized LPL were incubated at 37 degrees C, a time-dependent increase in the amount of LPL in the medium and a corresponding decrease in LPL associated with the cells was found. This suggested that internalized LPL was released back into the medium. The catalytic activity, molecular size, and heparin-binding characteristics of the released LPL was similar to native LPL. Addition of either heparin, heparinase, or excess unlabeled LPL to prevent the rebinding of released 125I-LPL to the cell surface increased the amount of 125I-LPL present in the medium, suggesting that there is a process of recycling of 125I-LPL bound to the cell surface. Studies examining the effect of pH on dissociation of LPL from its binding site showed less dissociation of cell surface bound LPL at pH 5.5 compared with pH 7.4 and 8.5. These results suggest that even at acidic pH as in endocytotic vesicles, LPL remains bound to proteoglycans and this may facilitate the recycling of internalized LPL molecules.     

Conditioned medium of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma epithelioid cell line CNE 1 contained the activities of transformed growth-inhibiting factor(s)

The hormone defined serum free conditioned medium (SFCM) of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma epithelioid cell line (CNE 1) was assaied by both the [3H] thymidine incorporation test and the soft agar test. It was found that the SFCM can stimulate the growth of long-term serum free cultured CNE 1 cells in accordence with the fact that the growth rate of long-term serum free cultured CNE 1 cells was directly proportional to the plating density. Alternatively 5% SFCM can inhibit the growth of short-term serum free cultured CNE 1 cells by 51% in which the indicator cell may remained the responsive state of growing in the serum supplemented medium to the effector of interest. Furthermore, SFCM resulted in inhibition of anchorage-independent growth of CNE 1 cells and A431 cells. Also in soft agar test, SFCM can reduce the colony formation of NRK-49F cells in the presence of EGF or EGF plus TGF-beta. These finding suggested that CNE 1 can autocrine growth stimulating factor(s) and growth inhibiting factor(s) in the serum free medium, the latter can strongly reverse malignant phenotypies of CNE 1 and A431 cells in serum supplemented surrounding.     

Gastric intrinsic factor: The gastric and small intestinal stages of cobalamin absorption. A personal journey

Intrinsic factor (IF) was first identified as a component of the gastric mucosa that reacted with an extrinsic factor, later discovered to be vitamin B12 (VB12). IF has been extensively characterized, and its cloned cDNA used to produce sufficient IF to produce high quality antibodies, and to elucidate its 3-dimensional structure bound to cobalamin (Cbl, VB12). The absorption of the IF–Cbl complex involves internalization by endocytosis, incorporation into multivesicular/lysosomal bodies, release of Cbl by lysosomal proteolysis and pH effects, with subsequent binding to transcobalamin (TC). Hereditary IF deficiency is rare, consistent with the need for IF to absorb Cbl, a vitamin essential for cell replication. When mutations occur, they are most often associated with loss of function, but some mutations occur outside the coding region. The IF-mediated intestinal uptake of Cbl has been harnessed for use as a transporter for peptides, proteins and even nanoparticles. Nanoparticle (NP) technology has produced Cbl-coated NPs that can incorporate peptides (insulin, IgG) that can be absorbed orally to function as hormones and antibodies in rodent models, but these systems are not yet ready for clinical use.     

Why does iron abrogate the cytotoxic effect of S-nitrosothiols on human and animal cultured cells?

It was found that dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNIC) with thiol-containing ligands (cysteine or glutathione) of concentrations up to 1 mM produce no cytotoxic effect on cultured cells from human milk gland carcinoma (MCF-7). The cytotoxic action on MCF-7 cells was produced by S-nitrosocysteine: at a concentration of 1 mM, it induced the death of 50% cells. A more stable S-nitrosothiol, S-nitrosoglutathione, did not produce any cytotoxic effect at the same concentration. It is assumed that the negative action of nitrosocysteine is due to its rapid degradation, which results in the accumulation of large amounts of free NO molecules followed by their oxidation by superoxide ions to peroxynitrite, an efficient inhibitor of metabolic processes. These processes seem to be not characteristic of the more stable S-nitrosoglutathione. The cytotoxic effect of nitrosocysteine was completlly abrogated by the addition of 0.2 mM ferrous citrate complex to the medium. When S-nitrosoglutathione NO (0.5 mM) or S-nitrosoglutathione (0.5 mM) + Fe(2+)-citrate (0.2 mM) were added to the medium, protein-bound dinitrosyl iron complexes formed with the involvement of endogenous or exogenous iron were detected in cells. The amount of the complexes in the presence of exogenous iron increased four times, reaching the value of 1.6 nmole/5 x 10(6) cells. Therefore, it was proposed that the blockade of the cytotoxic action of S-nitrosoglutathione by iron complexes is due to Cys-NO transformation of S-nitrosocysteine into dinitrosyl iron complexes. The high stability of these complexes ensures only a gradual accumulation of nitric oxide in cells.     

Interaction between transcobalamin II and immobilized Cibacron Blue F3GA

Human serum transcobalamin II (TC II), a vitamin B₁₂ (Cbl) transport protein, complexes with Cibacron Blue F3GA, a reactive blue dye which can bind to proteins that require nucleotides as cofactors. Apo-TC II and holo-TC II both bind, but intrinsic factor (IF) and R-type binders of Cbl do not. Other mammalian species TC II also complex with the dye. Greater than 87% of the applied TC II-CN-[⁵⁷Co]Cbl remains bound to the dye even at pH 4.0. At pH values below this, the CN-[⁵⁷Co]Cbl dissociates off TC II which remains bound to the dye. High salt concentrations will break the TC II-dye complex. Ionic forces were considered not to be involved since complexing also occurred at pH 9.0, 2.5 pH units above the isoelectric point of TC II. Failure to dissociate the TC II-dye complex with 50% glycerol makes hydrophobic interactions unlikely. In addition to the potential uses of TC II-Cibacron Blue F3GA complexes in a total scheme for protein purification, the possibility that TC II is a nucleotide-requiring protein should be explored.