Isolation of plasma membranes from rat lungs. Effect of age on the subcellular distribution of adenylate cyclase activity

A simple and rapid method of isolating plasma membranes from rat lungs is described. The method involves homogenization of tissue in isotonic sucrose-buffered medium followed by differential and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Plasma membranes obtained by this procedure were essentially free from other subcellular contamination. Plasma membranes isolated from 2-day-old rat lungs showed 6 to 7-fold purification of adenylate cyclase and 5′-nucleotidase activities compared to the original homogenate In contrast, plasma membranes from 35-day-old rat lungs showed no purification of adenylate cyclase activity although 5′-nucleotidase activity showed similar enrichment. These results suggest that adenylate cyclase activity is not a reliable marker for plasma membranes from adult rat lungs.     

Radiation modulation of the activity of the enzymatic systems in isolated plasma membranes in early ontogeny

The activity of adenylate cyclase (Ac), cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) and 5'-nucleotidase was studied in plasma membranes from the liver of rat embryo of the 20th day of development normally and after exposure to ionizing radiation. Gamma-irradiation of plasma membranes with doses ranging from 0.1 to 100 kR was shown to inhibit the activity of Ac, this effect being more pronounced during stimulation with higher doses of isoproterenol. The activity of 5'-nucleotidase and PDE remained unchanged up to the dose of 100 kR.     

Changes in plasma membrane enzyme activities during liver regeneration in the rat.

Changes in activities of plasma membrane enzymes during liver regeneration may be related to the maintenance of hepatic function or to the regulation of cell proliferation. Plasma membranes were isolated from rat livers at various times after partial hepatectomy, and the specific activities of alkaline phosphatase, (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, leucine aminopeptidase, 5'-nucleotidase, and adenylate cyclase (basal and with glucagon or epinephrine) were measured. Alkaline phosphatase and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity increased 3.6-fold and 2-fold respectively, during the first 48 h after partial hepatectomy. The time of onset and duration of change suggest that these increases in activity are involved in the maintenance of bile secretion. Decreases in leucine aminopeptidase activity at 48--108 h and in 5'-nucleotidase activity at 12--24 h were observed, which may be involved in the restoration of protein and accumulation of RNA. The basal activity of adenylate cyclase increased after partial hepatectomy. The response of adenylate cyclase to epinephrine showed a transitory increase between 36 and 108 h after surgery, while the response to glucagon was decreased by approximately 50% at all time points through 324 h after surgery. These changes in the hormone responsiveness of adenylate cyclase are similar to those previously observed in fetal and preneoplastic liver.     

Separation of the microvillous (maternal) from the basal (fetal) plasma membrane of human term placenta: methods and physiological significance of marker enzyme distribution.

Plasma membranes from normal, full-term human placental trophoblast have been isolated by a new procedure. The method depends upon isopycnic zonal centrifugation using linear sucrose/Ficoll density gradients. Enrichment of plasma membrane marker enzymes with respect to trophoblast homogenate is found in two distinct peaks (designated B and D) of the fractionated effluent recovered from the rotor. Fraction B is enriched with membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase, but not with (Na+, K+)-ATPase of F(-)-stimulated adenylate cyclase. It is suggested that this material is derived from the maternal-facing microvillous plasma membrane. Fraction D, enriched with (Na+, K+)-ATPase, F(-)-stimulated adenylate cyclase and, to a smaller extent, with 5'-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphatase is, by exclusion, proposed to be derived from the fetal-facing basal plasma membrane. Both plasma membrane fractions are shown to be free of appreciable contamination, using specific markers for endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, nuclei and lysosomes. The separation of the two membrane fractions is shown to depend both upon these membranes forming closed vesicles during homogenization and upon the buoyant densities of such vesicles differing in such a way that microvillous plasma membranes band at a lower density than basal plasma membranes. No separation of the membranes is achieved in gradients in which the vesicles are collapsed.     

Binding of parathyroid hormone to bovine kidney-cortex plasma membranes

1. Plasma membranes were purified from bovine kidney cortex, with a fourfold increase in specific activity of parathyroid hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase over that in the crude homogenate. The membranes were characterized by enzyme studies. 2. Parathyroid hormone was labelled with (125)I by an enzymic method and the labelled hormone shown to bind to the plasma membranes and to be specifically displaced by unlabelled hormone. Parathyroid hormone labelled by the chloramine-t procedure showed no specific binding. (75)Se-labelled human parathyroid hormone, prepared in cell culture, also bound to the membranes. 3. Parathyroid hormone was shown to retain biological activity after iodination by the enzymic method, but no detectable activity remained after chloramine-t treatment. 4. High concentration of pig insulin inhibited binding of labelled parathyroid hormone to plasma membranes and partially inhibited the hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity in a crude kidney-cortex preparation. 5. EDTA enhanced and Ca(2+) inhibited binding of labelled parathyroid hormone to plasma membranes. 6. Whereas rat kidney homogenates were capable of degrading labelled parathyroid hormone to trichloroacetic acid-soluble fragments, neither crude homogenates nor purified membranes from bovine kidney showed this property. 7. Binding of parathyroid hormone is discussed in relation to metabolism and initial events in hormone action.     

Comparison of bone and osteosarcoma adenylate cyclase. Partial purification of membranes and kinetic properties of enzyme.

The purpose of this study was to compare the adenylate cyclase of a tumour (rat osteosarcoma) growing in vivo with that of fast-growing embryonic bone. In the tumour the enzyme activity per total protein or DNA (under the same assay conditions) was 6--10-fold lower than in embryonic bone. To characterize this difference, we examined the kinetic properties of the enzyme in partially purified plasma membranes from the two tissues. A purification procedure based on differential centrifugation and discontinuous-sucrose-gradient centrifugation yielded a 10-fold increase in the specific activities of adenylate cyclase and 5'-nucleotidase in bone. The same procedure yielded an enriched membrane preparation from the tumour, but, relative to 5'-nucleotidase, a loss of 30% in adenylate cyclase occurred, which could not be recovered from another fraction. Kinetic analysis revealed that the lower adenylate cyclase activity in the tumour was due to a decrease in Vmax.. There was no significant difference in Ks (approx. 0.15 mM), and in the Km for GTP and p[NH]ppG. There were marked differences, however, in the extent of stimulation by p[NH]ppG, GTP and hormone, which was greater in tumour, and in the K1 for adenosine inhibition, which was 140 microM in bone and 500 microM in tumour. Under maximum stimulatory conditions, the enzyme activity in the tumour approached that in bone. The kinetic differences between bone and tumour enzyme were decreased by detergent solubilization, suggesting that the membrane environment plays a role in the generation of the observed differences.     

The purification and characterization of plasma membranes and the subcellular distribution of adenylate cyclase in mouse parotid gland.

1. Plasma membranes have been purified 17-fold from mouse parotid gland homogenates prepared in hypertonic sucrose media using differential centrifugation. The method is fast and simple. The membranes were characterised by electron microscopy, enzyme composition and chemical composition. Further purification was achieved by isopycnic centrifugation in discontinuous sucrose gradients. 2. The purified membranes contain an adenylate cyclase activity which is stimulated by isoproterenol and fluoride. Only 50% of the total adenylate cyclase activity sedimented in the plasma membrane fraction. The rest of the activity resided in the crude nuclear and mitochondrial pellets. However, this adenylate cyclase activity was not associated with these organelles but with membrane fragments in the pellets. Purified nuclei did not contain adenylate cyclase activity. 3. Adenylate cyclase activity was also localised by electron microscopic cytochemistry. Besides being found at the plasma membrane, large amounts of adenylate cyclase were found in a small proportion of the vesicles within the acinar cells, which appeared to be secondary lysosomes. 4. Adenylate cyclase activities, under standard assay conditions, are proportional to the time of incubation and the concentration of enzyme. The enzyme requires both Mg-2+ and CA-2+ for activity. Isoproterenol increased activity 2-fold and this increase is abolished by beta-adrenergic blocking agents.     

Two site binding of bepridil and modulation of adenylate cyclase in cardiac sarcolemmal membranes

A preparation of cardiac sarcolemmal membranes is described. These membranes exhibit 9-24-fold purification of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, potassium-stimulated nitrophenolphosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, adenylate cyclase, sialic acid content, and beta-receptor number. Sarcolemmal membranes have two classes of binding sites for the calcium entry blocker, bepridil, 70 X 10(12) high-affinity sites/mg, Kd 25-40 nM; and 30 X 10(15) low-affinity sites/mg, Kd 54-70 microM. Binding of bepridil to these sites appears responsible for inhibition of isoprenaline-stimulated and activation of fluoride-stimulated adenylate cyclase. Since basal adenylate cyclase activity is not influenced, bepridil must act not at the catalytic site, but by altering the interactions between beta-receptor and catalytic and regulatory components of adenylate cyclase.     

Hormone regulated enzyme activities of plasma membrane of decidual endometrium of the rat

Plasma membranes were purified from deciduoma of pseudopregnant rats and rat liver. Preparations contained 80% plasma membrane-derived material as based on electron microscope morphometry and analysis of enzyme markers. Several plasma membrane enzymes were tested for direct response to hormones. NADH-ferricyanide reductase of plasma membranes from both tissues was stimulated by glucagon and inhibited by insulin but was unresponsive to steroids. For steroids, responsiveness was limited to a reduction in NaF-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity by the steroid R5020. Thus, interaction of steroid hormones with plasma membranes, unlike that of glucagon and insulin, is not reflected in an altered activity of plasma membrane-bound dehydrogenases but may be exerted directly on adenylate cyclase.     

Localization of particulate guanylate cyclase in plasma membranes and microsomes of rat liver.

The subcellular localization of guanylate cyclase was examined in rat liver. About 80% of the enzyme activity of homogenates was found in the soluble fraction. Particulate guanylate cyclase was localized in plasma membranes and microsomes. Crude nuclear and microsomal fractions were applied to discontinuous sucrose gradients, and the resulting fractions were examined for guanylate cyclase, various enzyme markers of cell components, and electron microscopy. Purified plasma membrane fractions obtained from either preparation had the highest specific activity of guanylate cyclase, 30 to 80 pmol/min/mg of protein, and the recovery and relative specific activity of guanylate cyclase paralleled that of 5'-nucleotidase and adenylate cyclase in these fractions. Significant amounts of guanylate cyclase, adenylate cyclase, 5'-nucleotidase, and glucose-6-phosphatase were recovered in purified preparation of microsomes. We cannot exclude the presence of guanylate cyclase in other cell components such as Golgi. The electron microscopic studies of fractions supported the biochemical studies with enzyme markers. Soluble guanylate cyclase had typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics with respect to GTP and had an apparent Km for GTP of 35 muM. Ca-2+ stimulated the soluble activity in the presence of low concentrations of Mn-2+. The properties of guanylate cyclase in plasma membranes and microsomes were similar except that Ca-2+ inhibited the activity associated with plasma membranes and had no effect on that of microsomes. Both particulate enzymes were allosteric in nature; double reciprocal plots of velocity versus GTP were not linear, and Hill coefficients for preparations of plasma membranes and microsomes were calculated to be 1.60 and 1.58, respectively. The soluble and particulate enzymes were inhibited by ATP, and inhibition of the soluble enzyme was slightly greater. While Mg-2+ was less effective than Mn-2+ as a sole cation, all enzyme fractions were markedly stimulated with Mg-2+ in the presence of a low concentration of Mn-2+. Triton X-100 increased the activity of particulate fractions about 3- to 10-fold and increased the soluble activity 50 to 100%.     

Further purification and partial characterization of the rat lung cytoplasmic factors modulating adenylate cyclase activity in plasma membrane

Summary The adult rat lung cytoplasm contains some factors which markedly stimulate adenylate cyclase activity in plasma membranes (Nijjar, M. S. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 584:43–50, 1979). Adenylate cyclase activator (ACA) was purified from rat lungs by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, preparative isoelectric focusing and by repeated high-performance liquid chromatography on a Sepharogel TSK 2000SW column. The final preparation showed about 200 fold purification in ACA activity over the original lung supernatant, and appeared to be homogeneous on the basis of its migration into a single band on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and co-elution of ACA activity with protein from a gel exclusion column. ACA is an acidic (pl 4.8 ± 0.1), heat labile, monomeric protein of 40000 ± 2000 dalton molecular weight, and does not resemble calmodulin.     

Subfractionation of rat liver plasma membrane. Uneven distribution of plasma membrane-bound enzymes on the liver cell surface.

Plasma membranes were isolated from rat liver mainly under isotonic conditions. As marker enzymes for the plasma membrane, 5'-nucleotidase and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase were used. The yield of plasma membrane was 0.6-0.9 mg protein per g wet weight of liver. The recovery of 5'-nucleotidase and (Na+ +K+)-ATPase activity was 18 and 48% of the total activity of the whole-liver homogenate, respectively. Judged from the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase and succinate dehydrogenase in the plasma membrane, and from the electron microscopic observation of it, the contamination by microsomes and mitochondria was very low. A further homogenization of the plasma membrane yielded two fractions, the light and heavy fractions, in a discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. The light fraction showed higher specific activities of 5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase, (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase, whereas the heavy one showed a higher specific activity of adenylate cyclase. Ligation of the bile duct for 48 h decreased the specific activities of (Na2+ +K+)-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase in the light fraction, whereas it had no significant influence on the activities of these enzymes in the heavy fraction. The specific activity of alkaline phosphate was elevated in both fractions by the obstruction of the bile flow. Electron microscopy on sections of the plasma membrane subfractions showed that the light fraction consisted of vesicles of various sizes and that the heavy fractions contained membrane sheets and paired membrane strips connected by junctional complexes, as well as vesicles. The origin of these two fractions is discussed and it is suggested that the light fraction was derived from the bile front of the liver cell surface and the heavy one contained the blood front and the lateral surface of it.     

Effects of 4-hydroxynonenal on adenylate cyclase and 5'-nucleotidase activities in rat liver plasma membranes

Adenylate cyclase and 5'-nucleotidase activities in rat liver plasma membranes were assayed in vitro in the presence of 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (HNE), a major end-product of microsomal lipid peroxidation. Both basal and glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, even at micromolar HNE concentrations, whereas fluoride-stimulated activity increased. A biphasic, dose- and time-dependent effect was noted when the basal activity was monitored at increasing doses. 5'-Nucleotidase activity was also decreased by HNE, but only at millimolar concentrations. These findings are related to the view that aldehydes, especially HNE, may act as diffusible cytotoxic compounds when lipid peroxidative derangement of membrane lipids is provoked by toxic conditions.     

Isolation of a caveolae-enriched fraction from rat lung by affinity partitioning and sucrose gradient centrifugation

Caveolae were isolated from rat lungs by a combination of affinity partitioning and sucrose gradient centrifugation. After homogenization of the lungs directly in a polyethylene glycol-dextran two-phase system and conventional phase partitioning, the polyethylene glycol-rich top phase was affinity partitioned with fresh bottom phase containing dextran-linked wheat-germ agglutinin. The lectin selectively attracted plasma membranes to the bottom phase. The isolated plasma membrane fraction was treated with Triton X-100 or, alternatively, sonicated before centrifugation in a stepwise sucrose gradient. Caveolin-enriched material collected at the 5/24% sucrose boundary. This material also contained 5'-nucleotidase activity and actin. Electron microscopy showed the material to consist of a homogeneous population of 50- to 100-nm vesicles. This purification protocol should allow the facile purification of caveolae also from other tissues, facilitating structural and functional studies.     

Studies on isolated subcellular components of cat pancreas. I. Isolation and enzymatic characterization.

Pancreas of the cat was fractionated into its subcellular components by centrifugation through an exponential ficoll-sucrose density gradient in a zonal rotor. This enables a preparation of four fractions enriched in plasma membranes, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and zymogen granules, respectively. The first fraction, enriched by 9- to 15-fold in the plasma membrane marker enzymes, hormone-stimulated adenylate cyclase, (Na+K+)-ATPase, and 5'-nucleotidase, is contaminated by membranes derived from endoplasmic reticulum but is virtually free from mitochondrial and zymogen-granule contamination. The second fraction from the zonal gradient shows only moderate enrichment of the above marker enzymes but contains a considerable quantity of plasma membrane marker enzymes and represents mostly rough endoplasmic reticulum. The third fraction contains the bulk of mitochondria and the fourth mainly zymogen granules as assessed by electron microscopy and marker enzymes for both mitochondria and zymogen granules, namely succinic dehydrogenase, trypsin and amylase. Further purification of the plasma membrane fractions by differential and sucrose step-gradient centrifugation yields plasma membranes enriched 40-fold in basal and hormone-stimulated adenylate cyclase and (Na+K+)-ATPase.     

Adenylate cyclase activity in crude plasma membranes of subcutaneous adipocytes during ontogenetic development of rats

In order to explain the differences in the hormone stimulated lipolysis during ontogenic development of rats, the activity of adenylate cyclase was determined in crude plasma membranes of subcutaneous adipocytes of 5, 14, 21 and 45 to 55-day-old animals. Stimulatory effects of nonhormonal and hormonal agents were expressed as the increment in percentage of basal values which were not significantly changed in the age groups studied. The highest stimulatory effect was observed after sodium fluoride in 14 and 21-day-old rats. Guanylylimidodiphosphate and GTP revealed the lowest stimulatory effects in adult animals (greater than 45-day-old). The beta-adrenergic agent isoproterenol revealed the highest stimulatory effect in the 5 and 45-day-old group while in the preparation from 14-day-old rats the adenylate cyclase activity was significantly lower. On the other hand, tetracosactide (beta 1-24-corticotropin) revealed the smallest stimulatory effect on the preparation from 5-day-old rats; its stimulatory effect steadily increased and reached the highest value in adenylate cyclase preparations from adult animals. It can be concluded that the adenylate cyclase system in subcutaneous adipocytes is already basically mature at early ontogenic stages of development in rats. Nevertheless, the explanation for the small variations of the enzyme activity in different age groups requires further study.     

Changes in the form of Arrhenius plots of the activity of glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase and other hamster liver plasma-membrane enzymes occurring on hibernation.

1. Arrhenius plots of the glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase, 5'-nucleotidase, (Na+ + K+)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase and Mg2+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase activities of control hamster liver plasma membranes exhibited two break points at around 25 and 13 degrees C, whereas Arrhenius plots of their activities in hibernating hamster liver plasma membranes exhibited two break points at around 25 and 4 degrees C. 2. A single break occurring between 25 and 26 degrees C was observed in Arrhenius plots of the activities of fluoride-stimulated adenylate cyclase, basal adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase of liver plasma membranes from both control and hibernating animals. 3. Arrhenius plots of phosphodiesterase I activity showed a single break at 13 degrees C for membranes from control animals, and a single break at around 4 degrees C for liver plasma membranes from hibernating animals. 4. The temperature at which break points occurred in Arrhenius plots of glucagon- and fluoride-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity were decreased by about 7--8 degrees C by addition of 40 mm-benzyl alcohol to the assays. 5. Discontinuities in the Arrhenius plots of 4-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulphonic acid fluorescence occurred at around 24 and 13 degrees C for liver plasma membranes from control animals, and at around 25 and 4 degrees C for membranes from hibernating animals. 6. We suggest that in hamster liver plasma membranes from control animals a lipid phase separation occurs at around 25 degrees C in the inner half of the bilayer and at around 13 degrees C in the outer half of the bilayer. On hibernation a change in bilayer asymmetry occurs, which is expressed by a decrease in the temperature at which the lipid phase separation occurs in the outer half of the bilayer to around 4 degrees C. The assumption made is that enzymes expressing both lipid phase separations penetrate both halves of the bilayer, whereas those experiencing a single break penetrate one half of the bilayer only.     

Partial purification and properties of the cytoplasmic factors modulating adenylate cyclase activity in rat lung plasma membranes

The adult rat lung supernatant contains some factors which markedly enhance adenylate cyclase activity in membranes (Nijjar, M.S. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 584, 43–50). These factors were separated into two less active components (peaks 1 and 2) by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. However, their recombination restored the full activation of adenylate cyclase. Further purification and characterization of these factors revealed that the activation in peak 1 contained two proteins of low (14 500) and high (65 000) molecular weight whereas the activator in peak 2 contained only one protein of 65 000. The kinetics of adenylate cyclase activation revealed that both the K_m and V values were affected. The data also demonstrate that calmodulin was not involved in the cytoplasmic activation of adenylate cyclase in rat lungs.     

Subcellular localization and partial characterization of bovine corpus luteum adenylate cyclase.

The subcellular localization of adenylate cyclase (ATP pyrophosphatelyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1) in bovine corpus luteum was studied using isotonic and hypotonic homogenization and fractionation conditions. All fractions prepared were assayed for adenylate cyclase, marker enzymes and DNA. Only plasma membrane marker enzyme, 5'-nucleotidase paralleled the distribution of adenylate cyclase under both isotonic and hypotonic conditions (conditionsoth isotonic and hypotonic conditions (coefficient of correlation = 0.95). Two main fractions prepared under hypotonic conditions were subfractionated by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. The highest amount of adenylate cyclase was found in a fraction having a density approximately equal to 1.13 g/cm3. The specific activity of this fraction was 4--6 times higher than that of the homogenate. The electron microscopic study of this fraction revealed the presence of a single type of particulate material consisting of small vesicles exhibiting a typical unit membrane structure. It is concluded that this adenylate cyclase is primarily localized in the plasma membranes. Basal adenylate cyclase activity of plasma membranes was stimulated 2--3 times by luteinizing hormone (10 mug/ml), 3--4 times by prostaglandin E2 (10 mug/ml), 4--6 times by NaF (0.01 M) and two times by methanol (0.2%).     

Immunohistochemical Localization of 2'',3''-Cyclic Nucleotide 3''-Phosphodiesterase and Myelin Basic Protein in the Chick Retina

A GTP-dependent regulatory component of adenylate cyclase was found in myelin from rat brain. The fraction solubilized from myelin contained a component that reconstituted guanine nucleotide-responsive adenylate cyclase activity when combined with the catalytic unit of adenylate cyclase prepared from rat brain. Purified myelin demonstrated little adenylate cyclase activity, even in the presence of F- or Mn2+. The reconstituted activity was dependent on the amount of the solubilized myelin fraction and required the presence of 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate, a hydrolysis-resistant analog of GTP. The elution pattern of the component solubilized from myelin in gel filtration was very similar to that of a GTP-dependent regulatory component from synaptic plasma membranes. The content of the regulatory component-like activity in myelin was estimated to be 50-60% of that in synaptic plasma membranes. Cholera toxin ADP-ribosylated proteins having molecular weights of 48,000, 38,000, 23,000, 20,000, and 15,000 and other minor peptides in myelin, some of which were also present in synaptic plasma membranes. We conclude that myelin contained a GTP-dependent regulatory component of adenylate cyclase despite the apparent lack of adenylate cyclase activity in myelin.