Time course for labeling of brain membrane phosphoinositides and other phospholipids after intracerebral injection of [32P]-ATP. Evaluation by an improved HPTLC procedure

An improved two-dimensional HPTLC procedure was developed for separating phospholipids including individual phosphoinositides, phosphatidic acids and plasmalogens. This procedure was used to examine the time course for uptake of label by phospholipids in brain subcellular membranes after intracerebral injection of [gamma-32P]-ATP. There were considerable differences in the phospholipid labeling pattern among different subcellular fractions. In particular, a high proportion of labeled phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphates and phosphatidic acids was found in the myelin fraction during the initial 4 hr after injection. In other subcellular fractions, labeling of phosphoinositides was maximum at 2 hr, but with prolonged time, poly-phosphoinositides started to show a decline in radioactivity whereas labeling of other phospholipids continued to show a steady increase instead. Results indicate at least two different modes for the uptake of label by brain membrane phospholipids after intracerebral injection of [32P]-ATP.     

Prolonged ischemia differently affects phospholipase C acting against phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in brain subsynaptosomal fraction

The effect of 10 min ischemia on the activity of phospholipase C acting against [3H]inositol-phosphatidylinositol (PI) and [3H]inositol-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) in the brain subsynaptosomal fractions was investigated. In the presence of endogenous CaCl2, specific activity of phospholipase C acting on phosphatidylinositol was as follows: synaptic cytosol (SC) greater than synaptic vesicles (SV) greater than synaptic plasma membrane SPM). Brain ischemia activated phospholipase C acting on PI by about 60% and 40% in SV and SPM, respectively. The enzyme of synaptic cytosol was not affected by ischemic insult. Phospholipase C acting against PIP2 in the presence of endogenous calcium expressed the specific activity in the following order: SV greater than SPM greater than SC. After 10 min of brain ischemia, activity of phospholipase C acting on PIP2 was significantly suppressed in all subsynaptosomal fractions by about 50-60%. These results indicate that prolonged ischemia produced activation exclusively of phospholipase C acting against phosphatidylinositol.     

Cerebral ischemia induced quantitative changes in rat brain membrane lipids involved in phosphoinositide metabolism

The content and acyl group composition of phosphatidylinositol, poly-phosphoinositides, diacylglycerols, phosphatidic acids, and free fatty acids in rat brain homogenates of cerebral cortex and subcellular fractions were examined with respect to a 2 min post-decapitative ischemic treatment. With the exception of free fatty acids, these lipids are involved in the cyclic event associated with the receptor-mediated poly-phosphoinositide turnover. The ischemic treatment elicited a decrease in poly-phosphoinositide level in brain homogenates, synaptosomes, plasma membranes, and microsomes but not in myelin, and an increase in diacylglycerols, which was observed in brain homogenates and synaptosomes but not in other subcellular fractions. On the other hand, the level of phosphatidylinositol was not altered. The acyl groups of phosphoinositides are enriched in stearic and arachidonic acids. The diacylglycerols and free fatty acids that accumulated during the ischemic treatment are also enriched with the same fatty acids. There is a decrease in phosphatidic acid level after the ischemic treatment, but the change was only found in brain homogenates and synaptosomes. Therefore, the diacylglycerols increased during the ischemic treatment may be derived from hydrolysis of poly-phosphoinositides and phosphatidic acids. However, the amount of poly-phosphoinositides degraded is not enough to account for both diacylglycerols and free fatty acid increase.     

Decapitation-induced changes in inositol phosphates in rat brain

Decapitation resulted in a time-dependent production of inositol phosphates in rat brain. This production was analyzed by measuring both the radioactivity and the concentrations of inositol phosphates generated from [3H]inositol-labeled phospholipids. Both measurements produced the same time-dependent changes, including a rapid decrease in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate within 1.5 min, a 6-fold increase in inositol 1,4-bisphosphate to a maximum at 1.5 min, a 5-fold rise in inositol 4-monophosphate to a maximum at 2.5 min, and little change in inositol 1-monophosphate. The temporal changes in the mass and radioactivity of these compounds, together with the decrease in labeling of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphates, support the idea that the inositol phosphates originate from the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphates and not from either the direct hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphates or phosphatidylinositols.     

Distribution of Six Synaptic Membrane Antigens in Subcellular Fractions of Rat Brain Cortex

Abstract: The subcellular distribution in rat brain cortex of six synaptic membrane antigens (56K, 58K, 62K, 63K, 64K, 66K) was studied by rocket immunoelectrophoresis, using antiserum to a highly purified synaptic plasma membrane fraction. Initial analysis of the insoluble portion of subcellular fractions showed that these antigens were also present in smooth microsomes, rough microsomes, and synaptic vesicles; that only traces were present in synaptic junctions; and that none was present in nuclei, mitochondria, and myelin. A trace amount of activity was also present in synaptic vesicle cytosol, but none in whole brain cytosol. Quantitative measurements of synaptic plasma membranes, smooth microsomes, and synaptic vesicles showed that all six antigens were present in synaptic plasma membranes and smooth microsomes, but that the 66K antigen was absent from synaptic vesicles. The 56K, 58K, 62K, 63K, and 64K antigens were present in highest concentration in synaptic plasma membranes, whereas the 66K antigen content was highest in smooth microsomes. Only the 58K, 62K, and 63K antigens were detectable in the membrane fraction of whole brain. Their enrichments in synaptic plasma membranes were 10.9, 5.4, and 5.9, respectively. We conclude that the 56K, 58K, 62K, 63K and 64K antigens are primary components of synaptic plasma membranes. The presence of synaptic plasma membrane antigens in smooth microsomes and synaptic vesicles probably represents material being actively transported, consistent with the hypothesis that proteins of synaptic plasma membranes and synaptic vesicles are transported via smooth endoplasmic reticulum.     

Substrate specificity of neutral phospholipase D from rat brain studied by selective labeling of endogenous synaptic membrane phospholipids in vitro.

We have designed a novel approach for studying the specificity of neutral phospholipase D from rat brain synaptic plasma membranes for endogenous phospholipid substrates in native membranes. A procedure was established that provides synaptic membranes labeled in selected phospholipids. This labeling procedure exploits the presence of endogenous acyl-coenzyme A synthetase and acyl-coenzyme A:lysophospholipid acyltransferase in synaptosomes for acylating various lysophospholipid acceptors with radioactive fatty acid. With [3H]arachidonate for acylation and optimal concentrations of the respective lysophospholipids, membranes were labeled in either of the following phospholipids: phosphatidylcholine (93% of total label in phospholipids), 1-O-alkyl-phosphatidylcholine (87%), phosphatidylinositol (90%), phosphatidylethanolamine (85%), phosphatidylethanolamine-plasmalogen (81%) or phosphatidylserine (59%). These membranes were employed to study the substrate specificity of the neutral, oleate-activated rat brain phospholipase D. This phospholipase exhibited almost absolute specificity for the choline-phospholipids phosphatidylcholine and 1-O-alkyl-phosphatidylcholine: 0.34% of the former labeled substrate were transphosphatidylated to phosphatidylpropanol during the assay and 0.28% of the latter. Activity toward other phospholipids was barely detectable and could largely be accounted for by utilization of residual labeled phosphatidylcholine present in those preparations. The phospholipase D exhibited some preference for fatty acids in the C-2 position of phosphatidylcholine in the following order: 2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (0.67% of this labeled phosphatidylcholine were converted to phosphatidylpropanol), 2-myristoyl-phosphatidylcholine (0.60%), 2-palmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (0.46%) and 2-arachidonoyl-phosphatidylcholine (0.34%). The present approach of labeling membrane phospholipids in vitro could be useful in studies of phospholipase specificity as an alternative to the use of sonicated vesicles or mixed detergent-phospholipid micellar systems.     

Affinity-Purified Anti-B-50 Protein Antibody: Interference with the Function of the Phosphoprotein B-50 in Synaptic Plasma Membranes

Abstract: Affinity-purified anti-B-50 protein antibodies were used to study the previously proposed relationship of the phosphorylation state of B-50 protein and polyphosphoinositide metabolism in synaptic plasma membranes. Antibodies were raised against a membrane extract enriched in the B-50 protein and its adrenocorticotropin-sensitive protein kinase, obtained from rat brain. Anti-B-50 protein immunoglobulins were purified by affinity chromatography on a solid immunosorbent prepared from B-50 protein isolated by an improved procedure. The purified antibodies reacted only with the B-50 and B-60 protein, a proteolysis derivative (of B-50), as assessed by the sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel immunoperoxidase method. These antibodies inhibited specifically the endogenous phosphorylation of B-50 protein in synaptic plasma membranes, without affecting notably the phosphorylation of other membrane proteins. This inhibition was accompanied by changes of the formation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-diphosphate and phosphatidic acid in synaptic plasma membranes, whereas formation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was not altered. Inhibition by ACTH _1–24 of the endogenous phosphorylation of B-50 protein in membranes was associated only with an enhancement of the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-diphosphate. These data support our hypothesis on the functional interaction of B-50 protein and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate kinase in rat brain membranes. The evidence shows that purified anti-B-50 protein antibodies can be used to probe specifically the function of B-50 protein in membranes.     

Enhancement of synaptic vesicle attachment to the plasma membrane fraction by copper

Synaptic vesicles from rat brain were labeled with¹²⁵I, and the association of the vesicles with other subcellular components of brain was examined using a centrifugation assay. Copper at micromolar concentrations enhances the binding of the vesicles to the synaptic membrane as well as other fractions. Magnesium, Ca²⁺, and calmodulin with Ca²⁺ are ineffective. There is virtually no binding of synaptic vesicles to the microtuble fraction and only a slight enhancement with Cu²⁺. These findings support the hypothesis that Cu may serve as a bridge between synaptic vesicles and the plasma membrane.     

Subcellular incorporation of 32P into phosphoinositides and other phospholipids in isolated hepatocytes

Isolated rat hepatocytes were incubated with 32Pi for various times and then fractionated into plasma membranes, mitochondria, nuclei, lysosomes, and microsomes by differential centrifugation and Percoll density gradient centrifugation. The phospholipids were isolated and deacylated by mild alkaline treatment. The glycerophosphate esters were separated by anion exchange high pressure liquid chromatography and assayed for radioactivity. It was found that plasma membranes, mitochondria, nuclei, lysosomes, and microsomes displayed similar rates of 32P incorporation into the major phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidic acid. This suggests that the phospholipids of these organelles are undergoing rapid turnover and replacement with newly synthesized phospholipids from the endoplasmic reticulum. However, the plasma membrane fraction incorporated 32P into phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (DPI) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (TPI) at rates 5-10 and 25-50 times, respectively, faster than any of the other subcellular fractions. Although the plasma membrane is the primary site of 32P incorporation into DPI and TPI, this study also demonstrates that significant incorporation of 32P into DPI occurs in other subcellular sites, especially lysosomes.     

Localization of Thiamine-Binding Protein in Synaptosomes from the Rat Brain

Using preparations of synaptosomes and subsynaptosomal fractions from the rat brain, we studied the localization of thiamine-binding protein (TBP) in the subcellular structures of the neurons. In addition, we studied the distribution in synaptosomes of two types of activity typical of TBP (thiamine triphosphatase and thiamine-binding activities), as well as the effects of factors destroying the plasma membrane of synaptosomes on binding of [¹⁴C]thiamine with the latter. We found that the thiamine-associated activity of TBP was the highest in fractions of the synaptic vesicles and plasma membranes. Hydrolysis of thiamine triphosphate was also most active in these structures. Our results allow us to conclude that TBP is localized mostly in the synaptic vesicles and plasma membranes of synaptosomes.     

B lymphocyte activation. Transmembrane signal transduction by membrane immunoglobulin in isolated cell membranes

We report the development of cell-free systems in which ligation of B cell membrane immunoglobulin leads to demonstrable mono- and polyphosphatidylinositol hydrolysis. Membranes were prepared by differential centrifugation of sonicates of normal murine B cells. Incubation of these membranes with 32P-adenosine triphosphate in the presence of Mg2+ effected the radiolabeling of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP2) and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdInsP). Alternately, membranes were labeled with exogenous 3H(inositol)-PtdInsP2 in sodium cholate. Stimulation of labeled membranes with anti-immunoglobulin, but not anti-Ia or anti-H2 antibodies, resulted in hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol, PdtInsP, PtdInsP2 and generation of inositol phosphates indicative of activation of a phospholipase C. The response was rapid, being detectable within 30 sec of stimulation, and independent of Ca2+ and guanosine 5'-triphosphate. Optimal responses were dependent on the presence of a cytosolic factor presumed to be phospholipase C. Development of these systems represents an important step towards reconstitution of membrane immunoglobulin-mediated transmembrane signaling in artificial membranes.     

Subcellular localisation of inositol lipid kinases in rat liver

The subcellular distribution of the enzymes which phosphorylate phosphatidylinositol sequentially to form phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was investigated in rat liver. We demonstrate that whilst phosphatidylinositol kinase is present in Golgi, lysosomes and plasma membranes, the kinase that forms phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate is localised predominantly at the plasma membrane. The role of the inositol lipid kinases in cell function is discussed.     

Subcellular localization of inositol lipids in blood platelets as deduced from the use of labelled precursors.

1. By rapid fractionation of blood platelet lysates on Percoll density gradients at alkaline pH (9.6), a very pure plasma-membrane fraction was obtained, as well as discrimination between endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes. 2. Labelling of intact platelets with [32P]Pi followed by subcellular fractionation showed an exclusive localization of all inositol lipids in the plasma membrane. 3. Preincubation of whole platelets with myo-[3H]inositol in a buffer containing 1 mM-MnCl2 allowed incorporation of the label into PtdIns (phosphatidylinositol) of both plasma and endoplasmic-reticulum membrane, whereas [3H]PtdIns4P (phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate) and [3H]PtdIns(4,5)P2 (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate) were exclusively found on the plasma membrane. 4. It is concluded that PtdIns4P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 are exclusively localized in the plasma membrane, whereas PtdIns is present in both plasma and endoplasmic-reticulum membranes. This could provide an explanation for previously reported data on hormone-sensitive and -insensitive inositol lipid pools.     

Localization and subcellular distribution of smg p25A, a ras p21-like GTP-binding protein, in rat brain

We have made a monoclonal antibody which specifically recognizes smg p25A among many ras p21/ras p21-like GTP-binding proteins thus far purified from bovine brain membranes. By use of this antibody, we have investigated the localization and subcellular distribution of smg p25A in rat brain by light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry and by immunoblotting. By light microscopic immunocytochemistry, specific immunoreactivity is widely distributed, most abundant in neuropil, weak in neuronal somata, and absent from white matter. By electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, intense labeling is demonstrated on most of the synapses and concentrated in the presynaptic area where synaptic vesicles are observed. Presynaptic plasma membranes are weakly labeled but mitochondria, postsynaptic plasma membranes, and postsynaptic densities are unlabeled. In subcellular fractionation analysis of cerebrum, about one-fifth of smg p25A is found in the soluble cytosol fraction and the rest is found in the particulate fraction. About half of the particulate-bound smg p25A is recovered in the P2 fraction containing synaptosomes, mitochondria, and myelin, among which a major portion of smg p25A is recovered in the synaptosomal fraction. In the synaptosomal fraction, smg p25A is concentrated about 8-fold in the fraction containing synaptic vesicles and about 3-fold in the fraction containing synaptic plasma membranes compared with the original homogenate. smg p25A is present at a low level in the fraction containing synaptosomal soluble substances but almost absent from the fractions containing intrasynaptosomal mitochondria or post-synaptic densities. These results suggest that smg p25A plays important roles in the regulation of synaptic functions such as exo-endocytotic recycling of synaptic vesicles during neurotransmitter release.     

Phosphoinositide phosphorylation and hydrolysis in pancreatic islet cell membrane

Membranes were isolated from dispersed rat pancreatic islet cells by attachment to Sephadex beads. When these membranes were exposed to [gamma-32P]ATP, formation of 32P-labeled phosphatidate, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate was observed. Carbamylcholine, added 10 s prior to lipid extraction, caused a dose-related fall in 32P-labeled phospholipids. The effect of the cholinergic agent was suppressed by atropine, ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid, and verapamil, and simulated, in part, by an increase in Ca2+ concentration. When the membranes were derived from islet cells prelabeled with [U-14C]arachidonate, carbamylcholine stimulation, in addition to decreasing labeled polyphosphoinositides, was accompanied by an increased production of labeled diacylglycerol, without a concomitant increase in labeled phosphatidylinositol. These results indicate that activation of a plasma membrane-associated phospholipase C directed against polyphosphoinositides represents a primary event in the functional response of the pancreatic beta cell to cholinergic agents.     

Correlation of glutamate binding activity with glutamate-binding protein immunoreactivity in the brain of control and alcohol-treated rats

Specific antibodies raised against a glutamate binding protein purified from bovine brain were used to trace the immunoreactivity of this protein in rat brain subcellular fractions. In the subcellular fractions obtained from whole brain homogenates, the synaptic membranes had the highest immunochemical reactivity towards the anti-glutamate-binding protein antibodies. The combination of measurements of glutamate binding activity and glutamate-binding protein immunoreactivity indicated that in brain synaptic membranes from control animals the highest activity in these two measures was associated with a synaptic plasma membrane subfraction that was enriched with synaptic junctions. In animals treated with ethanol for 14 days, there was a significant increase in the density of synaptic membrane glutamate binding sites. This increase in glutamate binding capacity was correlated with a greater than two-fold increase in the glutamate binding activity and binding protein immunoreactivity of the light synaptic membrane subfraction, a subfraction which does not contain many recognizable synaptic junctions. Acute administration of ethanol to rats produced a moderate but non-significant decrease in glutamate binding capacity of synaptic membranes. The increase in the number of glutamate binding protein subunits in brain plasma membranes may be an adaptive response of central nervous system neurons to the acute effects of ethanol on glutamate synaptic transmission.     

Generation of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate proceeds through an intracellular route in rat hepatocytes

The subcellular distribution in rat hepatocytes of enzymes participating in the entire generation cycle of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, and phosphorylated intermediates of this pathway, has been examined by Nycodenz gradient centrifugation. Our results indicate that the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum, and that its phosphorylation to phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate occurs intracellularly in low-density membranes before translocation to the plasma membrane, where it is further phosphorylated to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. The intracellular formation of PIP implies a vesicular transport to the plasma membrane.     

The content and composition of gangliosides in brain subcellular fractions of the frog Rana temporaria

Ganglioside distribution in various frog brain subcellular fractions (myelin, microsomes, mitochondria, synaptosomes, plasma membranes of nerve endings and synaptic vesicles) was investigated. The synaptosomes and plasma membranes of nerve endings were found to be the main places of ganglioside localization, ganglioside concentration being 2.42 and 1.79 times higher than that in homogenates. Gangliosides were shown to be present in synaptic vesicles. The characteristic features of gangliosides from frog brain and its subcellular fractions are the predominance of polysialogangliosides with 3-5 sialic acid residues (up to 57.4%), low content of monosialogangliosides (not more than 7%) and the presence of disialogangliosides with short carbohydrate chain. The increase of ganglioside content per one nerve cell during phylogenetic development of vertebrates is discussed.     

The stimulation by transmitter substances and putative transmitter substances of the net activity of phospholipase A2 of synaptic membranes of cortex of guinea-pig brain.

1. The distribution of the hydrolyses of phosphatidylcholine by phospholipase A2 and phospholipase A1, and the hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine by lysophospholipase, in subcellular and subsynaptosomal fractions of cerebral cortices of guinea-pig brain, was determined. 2. Noradrenaline stimulated hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 in whole synaptosomes, synaptic membranes and fractions containing synaptic vesicles. 3. Stimulation of hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 in synaptic membranes by noradrenaline was enhanced by CaCl2, and by a mixture of ATP and MgCl2. The optimum concentration of CaCl2, in the presence of ATP and MgCl2, for stimulation by 10 muM-noradrenaline was in the range 1-10muM. The optimum concentration for ATP-2MgCl2 in the presence of 1 muM-CaCl2 was in the range 0.1-1mM. 4. Hydrolysis by phospholipase A2 of synaptic membranes was also stimulated by acetylcholine, carbamoylcholine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine (3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine), histamine, psi-aminobutyric acid, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. With appropriate concentrations of cofactors, sigmoidal dose-response curves were obtained, half-maximum stimulations being obtained with concentrations of stimulant in the range 0.1-1muM. 5. Taurine also stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine by phospholipase A2. There were only slight stimulations with methylamine, ethylenediamine or spermidine. No stimulation was obtained with glucagon.     

Release of the phophodiesterase activator by cyclic AMP-dependent ATP:protein phosphotransferase from subcellular fractions of rat brain

The subcellular distribution of the endogenous phosphodiesterase activator and its release from membranes by a cyclic AMP-dependent ATP:protein phosphotransferase was studied in fractions and subfractions of rat brain homogenate. These fractions were obtained by differential centrifugation and sucrose density gradient; their identity was ascertained by electron microscopy and specific enzyme markers.In the subcellular particulate fractions, the concentration of activator is highest in the microsomal fraction, followed by the mictochondrial and nuclear fractions. Gradient centrifugation of the main mitochondrial subfraction revealed that activator was concentrated in those fractions containing mainly synaptic membranes.Activator was released from membranes by a cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation of membrane protein. The release of activator occurred mainly from the mitochondrial subfractions containing synaptic membranes and synaptic vesicles.The data support the view that a release of activator from membranes may be important in normalizing the elevated concentration of cyclic AMP following persistent transsynaptic activation of adenylate cyclase.