Dorothy F. Bainton

GMP-140, a platelet alpha-granule membrane protein, is also synthesized by vascular endothelial cells and is localized in Weibel-Palade bodies.

We used an immunoperoxidase procedure to examine the tissue distribution of the platelet alpha-granule membrane protein, GMP-140. In addition to its presence in megakaryocytes and platelets, GMP-140 antigen was found in vascular endothelial cells of diverse human organs, but it was not detected in other types of secretory cells. [35S]Cysteine-labeled human umbilical vein endothelial cells synthesized a GMP-140 molecule containing complex N-linked oligosaccharides similar to those previously demonstrated in platelets and the megakaryocytic HEL cell line. Using an immunogold procedure on frozen thin sections of endothelial cells, we found GMP-140 antigen to be localized to membranes of electron-dense storage granules. In double-label experiments there was colocalization of GMP-140 with vWf, indicating that these granules are Weibel-Palade bodies. When endothelial cells were stimulated with histamine, GMP-140 rapidly redistributed to the plasma membrane. Immunoassays of cell lysates indicated that, relative to total cell protein, less GMP-140 is present in human umbilical vein endothelial cells than in platelets. The restricted expression of GMP-140 in secretory granules of platelets and endothelium suggests that it has a specific function in the vascular system rather than a general role related to inducible secretion.

Stimulated mobilization of monocyte Mac-1 and p150,95 adhesion proteins from an intracellular vesicular compartment to the cell surface.

Monocytes were stimulated to increase their cell surface quantity of leukocyte adhesion proteins p150,95 and Mac-1 by the chemoattractant formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, or other mediators such as platelet-derived growth factor, tumor necrosis factor, C5a, and leukotriene B4. Dose-response curves indicated variations in the sensitivity of monocytes and granulocytes to these mediators. These increases were independent of protein synthesis and half-maximal at 2 min. Human alveolar and murine peritoneal macrophages, cells that had previously diapedised, could not be induced to upregulate Mac-1 or p150,95. Detergent permeabilization studies in monocytes indicated that these proteins were stored in internal latent pools, which were reduced upon stimulation. Electron microscopy utilizing rabbit antiserum against p150,95 revealed these proteins on the plasma membrane, and in intracellular vesicles and peroxidase negative granules. Together with other functional studies, these findings suggest that the mobilization of Mac-1 and p150,95 from an intracellular compartment to the plasma membrane regulates the monocytes ability to adhere and diapedese.

The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia

Abstract Studies in a group of patients with iron deficiency anemia indicate that 16 per cent saturation of plasma transferrin or less implies an inadequate supply of iron to the erythroid marrow and is associated in time with hypochromic, microcytic anemia. In some patients with infection similar depressions in transferrin saturation were observed, and these were also associated with a decrease in red cell hemoglobin. It is further documented that decreased erythropoiesis, due to an inadequate iron supply, is not immediately associated with changes in cell indices and that an inadequate supply of iron to the individual cell has no relation to the total amount of blood being produced. Marrow hemosiderin has been shown, together with the circulating hemoglobin level, to be the best criterion for determination of total body iron, whereas it does not indicate the adequacy of iron supply to the marrow. Iron deficient erythropoiesis is defined as a state in which the supply of iron is inadequate to support optimal erythropoiesis in the developing red cell mass. This may occur as a result of depletion in total body iron or through an inadequate supply of plasma iron, which may be due either to a block in discharge of iron from the reticuloendothelial cell, as occurs in infection, or to absence of circulating transferrin. The best criterion of iron deficient erythropoiesis in this sense is the per cent saturation of transferrin. Sideroblast count has been shown to reflect not only iron supply, but hemoglobin synthesis by the red cells. A discrepancy in sideroblast count from that predicted by the iron supply (per cent saturation of transferrin) is a sensitive indication of a block in hemoglobin synthesis.

Human neutrophil granules and secretory vesicles

Abstract: The traditional classification of neutrophil granules as peroxidase‐positive (azurophil, or primary) and peroxidase‐negative (specific or secondary) has proven to be too simple to explain the differential exocytosis of granule proteins and incorporation of granule membrane into the plasma membrane which is an important aspect of neutrophil activation. Combined subcellular fractionation and immunoelectron microscopy has revealed heterogeneity among both peroxidase‐positive and peroxidase‐negative granules with regard to their content, mobilization and time of formation. Peroxidase‐negative granules may be classified according to their content of lactoferrin and gelatinase: 15% of peroxidase‐negative granules contain lactoferrin, but no gelatinase. 60% contain both lactoferrin and gelatinase. The term specific or secondary granule should be reserved for these two subsets. In addition, 25% of peroxidase‐negative granules contain gelatinase but no lactoferrin. These should be termed gelatinase granules or tertiary granules. Gelatinase granules are formed later than specific granules and mobilized more readily. In addition, a distinct, highly mobilizable intracellular compartment, the secretory vesicle, has now been recognized as an important store of surface membrane‐bound receptors. This compartment is formed in band cells and segmented cells by endocytosis. This heterogeneity among the neutrophil granules is of functional significance, and may also be reflected in the dysmaturation which is an important feature of myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic disorders.

Changes in subcellular localization and surface expression of L-selectin, alkaline phosphatase, and Mac-1 in human neutrophils during stimulation with inflammatory mediators.

The localization of the adhesion protein L‐selectin in human neutrophils was determined by sub‐cellular fractionation and immunoelectron microscopy and compared with the localization of Mac‐1 (α m β z ) and alkaline phosphatase, the marker for secretory vesicles. L‐selectin was found to be localized exclusively on the plasma membrane of unstimulated cells and also of stimulated cells, although markedly diminished. This was in contrast to Mac‐1, which was also localized in secretory vesicles and in specific/gelatinase granules as shown previously [Sengeiov, H., et al. J. Clin. Invest. (1993) 92, 1467–1476]. Stimulation of neutrophils with inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), platelet‐activating factor (PAF), or f‐Met‐Leu‐Phe (fMLP), induced parallel up‐regulation of the surface membrane content of alkaline phosphatase and Mac‐1 and down‐regulation of L‐selectin, as evidenced by flow cytometry. Preimbedding immunoelectron microscopy confirmed that L‐selectin was present mainly on tips of microvilli in unstimulated cells and showed that alkaline phosphatase and Mac‐1 were randomly distributed on the surface membrane of fMLP‐stimulated cells. These studies indicate that the transition of neutrophils from L‐selectin‐presenting cells to Mac‐l‐presenting cells induced by inflammatory mediators is mediated by incorporation of secretory vesicle membrane, rich in Mac‐1 and devoid of L‐selectin, into the plasma membrane. J. Leukoc. Biol. 56: 80–87; 1994.

A functional integrin ligand on the surface of platelets: intercellular adhesion molecule-2.

Activated platelets express P-selectin and release leukocyte chemoattractants; however, they have not been known to express integrin ligands important in the stabilization of leukocyte interactions with the vasculature. We now demonstrate the presence of intercellular adhesion molecular-2 (ICAM-2) (CD102), and lack of expression of other beta 2-integrin ligands, ICAM-1 (CD54) and ICAM-3 (CD50), on the surface of resting and stimulated platelets. ICAM-2 isolated from platelets migrates as a band of 59,000 M(r) in reducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Staining of bone marrow aspirates with anti-ICAM-2 mAb demonstrates strong reactivity to megakaryocytes. Using frozen thin sections and immunogold labeling, the antigen was shown to be present on the plasma membrane and surface-connected canalicular system of resting platelets. The average number of ICAM-2 molecules per platelet is 3,000 +/- 230 and does not change after activation. In adhesion assays, resting and stimulated platelets were capable of binding through ICAM-2 to purified leukocyte function-associated antigen-1. Activation of T lymphocytes with PMA stimulated binding to platelets that was Mg2+ dependent and could be specifically inhibited by mAbs to either ICAM-2 or leukocyte function-associated antigen-1. ICAM-2 is the only known beta 2-integrin ligand present on platelets, suggesting that it may play an important role in leukocyte-platelet interactions in inflammation and thrombosis.

Quantitation of L-selectin distribution on human leukocyte microvilli by immunogold labeling and electron microscopy.

L-Selectin is a leukocyte cell adhesion receptor that contributes to neutrophil (PMN) rolling on activated endothelium at sites of inflammation and mediates lymphocyte attachment to high endothelial venules in peripheral lymph nodes. Localization of this receptor to the tips of PMN and lymphocyte microvilli has been demonstrated. However, its distribution on these cells has not been quantified, and its localization on other leukocytes and the morphometry of microvilli on different leukocyte subpopulations have not been previously examined. In this study, PMN and mononuclear leukocytes were isolated from anticoagulated blood by dextran sedimentation and density centrifugation, fixed in 2% paraformaldehyde and 0.05% glutaraldehyde, immunogold-labeled for L-selectin, and embedded in Epon resin. The distribution of L-selectin was determined by counting gold particles on the plasma membrane of sectioned cells, and the surface microstructure of these cells was surveyed on two-dimensional transmission electron micrographs. On average, 78% of PMN, 72% of monocyte, and 71% of lymphocyte L-selectin was observed on the microvilli, with more variance on lymphocytes than the other cell types. Typical PMN and monocyte sections had 26 microvilli, whereas typical lymphocyte sections had 23. Quantitation of the distribution of L-selectin and leukocyte surface topology offers a foundation from which to study the requirement of microvilli or microvillus-localized L-selectin for leukocyte tethering and rolling in model systems that mimic microvascular environments.

Purification and characterization of human lysosomal membrane glycoproteins

Two human cell lysosomal membrane glycoproteins of approximately 120 kDa, hLAMP-1 and hLAMP-2, were identified by use of monoclonal antibodies prepared against U937 myelomonocytic leukemia cells or blood mononuclear cells. The two glycoproteins were purified by antibody affinity chromatography and each was found to be a major constituent of human spleen cells, representing approximately 0.05% of the total detergent-extractable protein. Both molecules were highly glycosylated, being synthesized as polypeptides of 40 to 45 kDa and cotranslationally modified by the addition of Asn-linked oligosaccharides. NH2-terminal sequence analysis indicated that each was approximately 50% identical to the corresponding mLAMP-1 or mLAMP-2 of mouse cells. Electron microscopic studies of human blood monocytes, HL-60, and U937 cells demonstrated that the principal location of these glycoproteins was intracellular, in vacuoles and lysosomal structures but not in the peroxidase-positive granules of monocytes. Transport of the proteins between organelles was evidenced by their marked accumulation in the membranes of phagolysosomes. A fraction of each glycoprotein was also detected on the plasma membrane of U937 and HL-60 cells but not on a variety of other tissue culture cells. This cell-surface expression may be differentiation related, since the proteins were not detected in the plasma membrane of normal blood monocytes and their expression on U937 and HL-60 cells was reduced when the cells were treated with differentiating agents. Cell-surface expression of both glycoproteins was markedly increased in blood monocytes but not in U937 cells after exposure to the lysosomotropic reagent methylamine HCl, indicating differences in LAMP-associated membrane flow in these cell types.

Neutrophil tethering to and rolling on E-selectin are separable by requirement for L-selectin

Neutrophil tethering and rolling in shear flow are mediated by selectins and have been thought to be two indistinguishable manifestations of a single molecular interaction between selectin and ligand. However, we report that under physiologic flow conditions, tethering to E-selectin requires a ligand distinct from the one that supports neutrophil rolling. Tethering under shear to E-selectin requires a carbohydrate ligand that is closely associated with the lectin domain of L-selectin on the neutrophil surface, as enzymatic removal of L-selectin, chemotactic factor-induced shedding of L-selectin, and L-selectin MAbs effectively block tethering. In contrast, this ligand is dispensable for the ability to roll on E-selectin, since rolling adhesions formed after static incubations were not affected by the presence or absence of L-selectin. Thus, E-selectin interactions with ligands on neutrophils persist after L-selectin shedding. These findings add an additional step for regulation of leukocyte localization in inflammatory sites.

Electron microscopic demonstration of lysosomal inclusion bodies in lung, liver, lymph nodes, and blood leukocytes of patients with amiodarone pulmonary toxicity☆

The mechanism of amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity is unknown. Two cases of amiodarone pulmonary toxicity are presented in which abnormal inclusion bodies containing whorls of membrane were seen on electron microscopy of extrapulmonary tissues. These cytoplasmic lysosomal inclusion bodies were observed in lymphocytes, plasma cells, granulocytes, tissue macrophages, and hepatocytes. These widespread histopathologic changes in extrapulmonary tissues and in a variety of cell types are similar to more extensively investigated findings in animal models that are thought to represent a drug-induced lysosomal storage disease, phospholipidosis.