Janet A. Oka

Quantitation of intracellular membrane-bound enzymes and receptors in digitonin-permeabilized cells☆

The distribution of membrane-bound receptors and enzymes between the cell surface and the cell interior can be determined without solubilization or gross disruption of cell organelles in the presence of the nonionic detergent digitonin. This steroid glycoside permeabilizes cells, releases cytoplasmic proteins with subunit molecular weights up to 200,000, and allows exogenous molecules to gain access to intracellular receptors. All cell types examined were affected similarly by digitonin. Permeabilization was complete within 2 min at 0 degree C and did not require the continued presence of digitonin. A characteristic amount of protein (approximately 50%) was lost between 0.02 and 0.08% (w/v) digitonin. Three independent systems were examined: the insulin receptor in 3T3 fibroblasts and the asialoglycoprotein receptor and the Na+/K+-ATPase in rat hepatocytes. In each case an increase in the specific activity of enzyme/receptor occurred over a range of detergent concentration in which the retention of cell protein was constant and virtually no solubilization of membrane-bound activity occurred. The binding of 125I-asialo-orosomucoid to rat hepatocytes at 0 degree C in the presence of digitonin was linear with cell number and kinetically indistinguishable from binding to intact cells. Receptors exposed by digitonin were shown to be intracellular by light microscopic examination of permeabilized cells first treated with antiserum to the receptor and then with a second antibody horseradish peroxidase conjugate. The use of digitonin has many advantages over procedures which require total cell disruption or solubilization to assess intracellular receptors. The technique has already been valuable in studies on recycling and endocytosis mediated by the asialoglycoprotein receptor (P.H. Weigel and J.A. Oka (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 5095-5102) and should also be useful in studies with other membrane-bound receptors and enzymes in other cell types.

Microtubule-depolymerizing agents inhibit asialo-orosomucoid delivery to lysosomes but not its endocytosis or degradation in isolated rat hepatocytes

Microtubule-depolymerizing drugs, such as colchicine, vinblastine sulfate, colcemide and podophyllotoxin, cause an apparent inhibition of the ability of rat hepatocytes to degrade asialo-orosomucoid. However, the binding of asialo-orosomucoid to the cell surface at 0 degrees C, the endocytosis of pre-bound glycoprotein at 37 degrees C, and the dissociation of internal receptor-glycoprotein complexes are unaffected by these microtubule drugs. Receptor recycling is slowed but still occurs, although degradation is blocked. The rate of degradation is decreased by low concentrations of drugs. (For example, 0.25 microM vinblastine sulfate, colchicine and colcemide inhibited 93%, 79% and 26%, respectively.) Neither beta- nor gamma-lumicolchicine affected any of the processes examined. The degree of inhibition with colchicine could be enhanced by a brief treatment of the cells at low temperature to depolymerize microtubules. However, if cells were allowed to endocytose asialo-orosomucoid at 37 degrees C prior to addition of the microtubule drug, then the inhibition of protein degradation was greatly reduced. The decrease in the inhibition of degradation was proportional to the amount of time that cells were exposed to asialoglycoprotein before addition of the drug. The results indicate that the segregation of protein from receptor after they dissociate and/or the subsequent translocation of internalized asialoglycoprotein from the cell perimeter to the lysosomal region requires intact microtubules.

The pathways for fluid phase and receptor mediated endocytosis in rat hepatocytes are different but thermodynamically equivalent

In isolated rat hepatocytes fluid phase endocytosis, determined by the uptake of the fluorescent dye lucifer yellow (LY), and receptor mediated endocytosis, determined using a ligand for the asialoglycoprotein receptor (asialo-orosomucoid; ASOR), are different pathways based on their different sensitivities to hyperosmolarity induced by sucrose (Oka and Weigel, J. Cell. Biol. 105, 311a, 1987). LY uptake was unaffected by 0.2 M sucrose at all temperatures tested between 12 degrees and 37 degrees C whereas the uptake of 125I-ASOR was completely inhibited at any temperature. Since the two probes are taken up by different pathways it was possible to determine independently the activation energies (Ea) for the fluid phase versus the receptor mediated coated pit endocytic process. The Ea was 26.4 +/- 3.5 and 25.8 +/- 1.9 kcal/mole for, respectively, receptor mediated and fluid phase endocytosis. These values are not significantly different, and we conclude that the fluid phase and receptor mediated pathways are thermodynamically equivalent even though they are independent.

The hepatic galactosyl receptor system: Two different ligand dissociation pathways are mediated by distinct receptor populations

After internalization of 125I-asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR) by isolated rat hepatocytes, ligand dissociates by two kinetically distinct pathways (Oka and Weigel, J. Biol. Chem. 257, 10,253, 1983). These slow and fast dissociation pathways correspond to two functionally different subpopulations of cell surface galactosyl receptors designated, respectively, State 1 and State 2 receptors. Freshly isolated cells or cells equilibrated below 24 degrees C express only State 1 receptors. Cells equilibrated at 37 degrees C express both State 1 and State 2 receptors. Ligand dissociation after internalization of surface-bound 125I-ASOR was measured using the permeabilizing detergent, digitonin. The slow dissociation pathway was mediated by State 1 receptors and was the only pathway expressed by cells which were freshly isolated or had been equilibrated at 24 degrees C. State 2 receptors are expressed at temperatures above about 20 degrees C, and both the fast and slow dissociation pathways occurred in cells equilibrated at 37 degrees C. State 2 receptors therefore mediate the rapid dissociation pathway. Dissociation and subsequent degradation of specifically bound ligand routed in either pathway were complete, respectively, within 3 and 6 hrs.

Loss of surface galactosyl receptor activity on isolated rat hepatocytes induced by monensin or chloroquine requires receptor internalization via a clathrin coated pit pathway

We studied the effect of hyperosmotic inhibition of the clathrin coated pit cycle on the monensin- and chloroquine-dependent loss of surface galactosyl (Gal) receptor activity on isolated rat hepatocytes. Cells treated for 60 min without ligand at 37 degrees C with 25 microM monensin or 300 microM chloroquine in normal medium (osmolality congruent to 275 mmol/kg) bound 40-60% less 125I-asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR) at 4 degrees C than untreated cells. Cells exposed to monensin or chloroquine retained progressively more surface Gal receptor activity, however, when the osmolality of the medium was increased above 400 mmol/kg (using sucrose as osmolite) 10 min prior to and during drug treatment. Cells pretreated for 10 min with hyperosmolal media (600 mmol/kg) alone internalized less than or equal to 10% of surface-bound 125I-ASOR. Thus, the ligand-independent loss of surface Gal receptor activity on monensin- and chloroquine-treated hepatocytes requires internalization of constitutively recycling receptors via a coated pit pathway.

Vanadate modulates the activity of a subpopulation of asialoglycoprotein receptors on isolated rat hepatocytes: Active surface receptors are internalized and replaced by inactive receptors

In the absence of ligand, sodium vanadate causes a time- and dose-dependent loss of up to approximately 50% of the surface galactosyl receptor (GalR) activity in rat hepatocytes at 37 degrees C. The effect on total (surface plus intracellular) GalR activity is also dependent on exposure time and vanadate concentration. At less than 1 mM, vanadate induces a transient decrease and then partial recovery of cell surface GalR activity. At greater than 3 mM vanadate, surface GalR activity decreases rapidly (t1/2 approximately 2 min). Lost surface activity is initially recovered in digitonin-permeabilized cells, indicating that active surface GalRs redistribute to the cell interior. However, an antibody assay for GalR protein showed that although surface activity decreased, there was no decrease in surface receptor protein. The active intracellular GalRs then slowly inactivate over 30-60 min. With 8 mM vanadate, the loss of both surface and total cellular GalR activity is more rapid and coincident; no lag is observed. Maximal activity loss, however, was still only approximately 50%. Again, no net change was seen in the distribution of GalR protein between the cell surface and the interior. These results indicate that vanadate causes active GalRs to move from the surface to the inside and be replaced by inactive receptors moving from the inside to the cell surface. The Gal receptor system is comprised of two functionally different receptor subpopulations that operate via two distinct intracellular pathways. Only the State 2 GalRs, which recycle constitutively, are sensitive to modulation by vanadate. Consistent with this, vanadate inhibits the endocytosis of 125I-asialoorosomucoid (ASOR) only partially. The rate of uptake and the steady state level of ASOR intracellular accumulation were maximally inhibited by 50 and 70%, respectively, at 0.2 mM vanadate. The rate and extent of degradation of 125I-ASOR were also inhibited by 50-70%. Residual ASOR uptake and degradation is accounted for by the minor vanadate-resistant State 1 Gal receptor pathway.

Rat hepatocyte hyaluronan/glycosaminoglycan binding proteins: Evidence for distinct divalent cation-independent and divalent cation-dependent activities

We have previously shown (Biochemistry, 29, 10425, 1990) that hepatocytes contain intracellular specific binding sites for hyaluronan (HA). Although HA-binding activity is not dependent on divalent cations, it is increased in the presence of Ca+2. Here we report that a novel photoaffinity HA derivative (ASD-HA) crosslinks specifically to different proteins in permeable cells in the presence or absence of Ca+2. With Ca+2 present, two proteins of approximately 24 kD and 43 kD were labeled. Additionally, a broad zone of specific crosslinking was observed in the region of 40-100 kD. However, in the presence of the chelator EGTA this zone was absent and the 24 and 43 kD proteins were also not cross-linked to the HA photoaffinity derivative. In the absence of Ca+2, only a 54 kD protein was specifically labeled. The results indicate that different intracellular hepatocyte proteins are responsible for the Ca+2-independent and the Ca+2-dependent binding of HA.

Coated pits and asialoglycoprotein receptors redistribute to the substratum during hepatocyte adhesion to galactoside surfaces.

Rat hepatocytes bind in a sugar-specific and concentration-dependent manner to flat polyacrylamide matrices containing covalently attached galactosyl (Gal) groups. Previous studies (Weigel, P.H., J. Cell Biol. 87, 855, 1980) concluded that binding was likely mediated by the asialoglycoprotein receptor. Here we confirm that adhesion is mediated by this receptor, since cell binding is inhibited by antireceptor antibody and a threshold binding response is also observed when hepatocytes adhere to surfaces coated with asialoorosomucoid, a ligand for this receptor. Cells that had bound to a Gal surface and were then sheared from the surface left a membrane patch behind on the substratum. The cytoplasmic side of these plasma membrane patches was visualized on the substratum by indirect immunofluorescence using antireceptor antibody or anticlathrin antibody. The density of punctate coated pits, visualized with the latter antibody, was enriched in a circular membrane region of about 4 microns 2 area that mediated cell binding. This zone also contained concentrated receptors, although the staining pattern with antireceptor antibody was more uniform and less punctate. The results show that both asialoglycoprotein receptors and coated pits are redistributed at the substratum interface on hepatocytes bound to Gal surfaces.