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Nature Protocols Feb 2014Extracellular flux (XF) analysis has become a mainstream method for measuring mitochondrial function in cells and tissues. Although this technique is commonly used to...
Extracellular flux (XF) analysis has become a mainstream method for measuring mitochondrial function in cells and tissues. Although this technique is commonly used to measure bioenergetics in intact cells, we outline here a detailed XF protocol for measuring respiration in permeabilized cells. Cells are permeabilized using saponin (SAP), digitonin (DIG) or recombinant perfringolysin O (rPFO) (XF-plasma membrane permeabilizer (PMP) reagent), and they are provided with specific substrates to measure complex I- or complex II-mediated respiratory activity, complex III+IV respiratory activity or complex IV activity. Medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines or glutamine may also be provided for measuring fatty acid (FA) oxidation or glutamine oxidation, respectively. This protocol uses a minimal number of cells compared with other protocols and does not require isolation of mitochondria. The results are highly reproducible, and mitochondria remain well coupled. Collectively, this protocol provides comprehensive and detailed information regarding mitochondrial activity and efficiency, and, after preparative steps, it takes 6-8 h to complete.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Toxins; Cell Line; Cell Respiration; Digitonin; Electron Transport Chain Complex Proteins; Hemolysin Proteins; Metabolic Flux Analysis; Mitochondria; Oxygen Consumption; Rats; Saponins
PubMed: 24457333
DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2014.018 -
Journal of Neurochemistry May 2009Our previous work suggested that collapsing the Na(+) gradient and membrane potential converts the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) to an inward-facing conformation with...
Our previous work suggested that collapsing the Na(+) gradient and membrane potential converts the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) to an inward-facing conformation with a different substrate binding profile. Here, DAT expressing human embryonic kidney 293 cells were permeabilized with digitonin, disrupting ion/voltage gradients and allowing passage of DAT substrates. The potency of p-tyramine and other non-catechols (d-amphetamine, beta-phenethylamine, MPP(+)) in inhibiting cocaine analog binding to DAT in digitonin-treated cells was markedly weakened to a level similar to that observed in cell-free membranes. In contrast, the potency of DA and another catechol, norepinephrine, was not significantly changed by the same treatment, whereas epinephrine showed only a modest reduction. These findings suggest that catechol substrates interact symmetrically with both sides of DAT and non-catechol substrates, favoring binding to outward-facing transporter. In the cocaine analog binding assay, the mutant W84L displayed enhanced intrinsic binding affinity for substrates in interacting with both outward- and inward-facing states; D313N showed wild-type-like symmetric binding; but D267L and E428Q showed an apparent improvement in the permeation pathway from the external face towards the substrate site. Thus, the structure of both substrate and transporter play a role in the sidedness and mode of interaction between them.
Topics: Binding Sites; Catechols; Cell Line; Digitonin; Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; Humans; Kinetics; Models, Molecular; Mutation; Permeability; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation; Substrate Specificity; Zinc
PubMed: 19519772
DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06034.x -
Cell Death & Disease Jun 2010X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is a potent inhibitor of caspases 3, 7 and 9, and mitochondrial Smac (second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase)...
X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is a potent inhibitor of caspases 3, 7 and 9, and mitochondrial Smac (second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase) release during apoptosis inhibits the activity of XIAP. In this study we show that cytosolic XIAP also feeds back to mitochondria to impair Smac release. We constructed a fluorescent XIAP-fusion protein by labelling NH(2)- and COOH-termini with Cerulean fluorescent protein (C-XIAP-C). Immunoprecipitation confirmed that C-XIAP-C retained the ability to interact with Smac and impaired extrinsically and intrinsically activated apoptosis in response to tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand/cycloheximide and staurosporine. In C-XIAP-C-expressing cells, cytochrome c release from mitochondria proceeded normally, whereas Smac release was significantly prolonged and incomplete. In addition, physiological expression of native XIAP prolonged or limited Smac release in HCT-116 colon cancer cells and primary mouse cortical neurons. The Smac-binding capacity of XIAP, but not caspase inhibition, was central for mitochondrial Smac retention, as evidenced in experiments using XIAP mutants that cannot bind to Smac or effector caspases. Similarly, the release of a Smac mutant that cannot bind to XIAP was not impaired by C-XIAP-C expression. Full Smac release could however be provoked by rapid cytosolic C-XIAP-C depletion upon digitonin-induced plasma membrane permeabilization. Our findings suggest that although mitochondria may already contain pores sufficient for cytochrome c release, elevated amounts of XIAP can selectively impair and limit the release of Smac.
Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Carrier Proteins; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Cytochromes c; Digitonin; Humans; Luminescent Proteins; Mice; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Proteins; Neurons; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein
PubMed: 21364655
DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2010.26 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... May 1986Tyrosine hydroxylase [TyrOHase; tyrosine 3-monooxygenase; L-tyrosine,tetrahydropteridine:oxygen oxidoreductase (3-hydroxylating), EC 1.14.16.2] and phenylethanolamine...
Tyrosine hydroxylase [TyrOHase; tyrosine 3-monooxygenase; L-tyrosine,tetrahydropteridine:oxygen oxidoreductase (3-hydroxylating), EC 1.14.16.2] and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, EC 2.1.1.28) are involved in catecholamine biosynthesis and are considered soluble proteins. However, they may actually be localized on the surface of the chromaffin granule. We have used the detergent digitonin to permeabilize the plasma membrane of cultured adrenal chromaffin cells to investigate the subcellular localization of TyrOHase and PMTase. A digitonin titration of the release of proteins and catecholamines revealed the existence of at least three subcellular compartments that are distinguished by their digitonin sensitivity: (i) soluble proteins, which were released upon treatment of the cells with low digitonin concentrations (5 microM), (ii) a "digitonin-sensitive" cytoplasmic protein pool, which required higher concentrations of digitonin for release (10 microM) and included TyrOHase and PMTase, and (iii) the chromaffin granule, which was insensitive to digitonin. Analysis of the rates of release of all of these proteins revealed that the rate of TyrOHase and PMTase release was slower at 10 microM than at 40 microM digitonin, while the rates of release of the other proteins were similar at both concentrations and varied in proportion to their respective sizes. Treatment with cytoskeletal disrupting agents had no effect on TyrOHase or PMTase efflux. These data suggest that TyrOHase and PMTase are in a detergent-labile association in the cell. This is consistent with the concept that TyrOHase and PMTase may be localized on the surface of the chromaffin granule.
Topics: Animals; Catecholamines; Cattle; Chromaffin Granules; Chromaffin System; Cytoplasm; Diffusion; Digitonin; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Molecular Weight; Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
PubMed: 2871556
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.83.9.2998 -
BMC Cell Biology Dec 2010The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is found predominately in the nucleus, both in hormone stimulated and untreated cells. Intracellular distribution of the ERα changes...
BACKGROUND
The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is found predominately in the nucleus, both in hormone stimulated and untreated cells. Intracellular distribution of the ERα changes in the presence of agonists but the impact of different antiestrogens on the fate of ERα is a matter of debate.
RESULTS
A MCF-7 cell line stably expressing GFP-tagged human ERα (SK19 cell line) was created to examine the localization of ligand-bound GFP-ERα. We combined digitonin-based cell fractionation analyses with fluorescence and immuno-electron microscopy to determine the intracellular distribution of ligand-bound ERα and/or GFP-ERα.Using fluorescence- and electron microscopy we demonstrate that both endogenous ERα and GFP-ERα form numerous nuclear focal accumulations upon addition of agonist, 17β-estradiol (E2), and pure antagonists (selective estrogen regulator disruptor; SERD), ICI 182,780 or RU58,668, while in the presence of partial antagonists (selective estrogen regulator modulator; SERM), 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHT) or RU39,411, diffuse nuclear staining persisted.Digitonin based cell fractionation analyses confirmed that endogenous ERα and GFP-ERα predominantly reside in the nuclear fraction. Overall ERα protein levels were reduced after estradiol treatment. In the presence of SERMs ERα was stabilized in the nuclear soluble fraction, while in the presence of SERDs protein levels decreased drastically and the remaining ERα was largely found in a nuclear insoluble fraction. mRNA levels of ESR1 were reduced compared to untreated cells in the presence of all ligands tested, including E2. E2 and SERDs induced ERα degradation occurred in distinct nuclear foci composed of ERα and the proteasome providing a simple explanation for ERα sequestration in the nucleus.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that chemical structure of ligands directly affect the nuclear fate and protein turnover of the estrogen receptor alpha independently of their impact on transcription. These findings provide a molecular basis for the selection of antiestrogen compounds issue from pharmacological studies aimed at improving treatment of breast cancer.
Topics: Cell Line, Tumor; Digitonin; Estradiol; Estrogen Receptor alpha; Fulvestrant; Green Fluorescent Proteins; Humans; Ligands; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; RNA, Messenger; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Tamoxifen
PubMed: 21143970
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2121-11-98 -
Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung. C,... 2004The toxicity of conventional nitroaromatic explosives like 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is caused by their enzymatic free radical formation with the subsequent oxidative...
The toxicity of conventional nitroaromatic explosives like 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is caused by their enzymatic free radical formation with the subsequent oxidative stress, the formation of alkylating nitroso and/or hydroxylamino metabolites, and oxyhemoglobin oxidation into methemoglobin. In order to get an insight into the mechanisms of toxicity of the novel explosives NTO (5-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-3-one) and ANTA (5-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-3-amine), we examined their reactions with the single-electron transferring flavoenzymes NADPH: cytochrome P-450 reductase and ferredoxin:NADP+ reductase, two-electron transferring flavoenzymes mammalian NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (DT-diaphorase), and Enterobacter cloacae NAD(P)H:nitroreductase, and their reactions with oxyhemoglobin. The reactivity of NTO and ANTA in the above reactions was markedly lower than that of TNT. The toxicity of NTO and ANTA in bovine leukemia virus-transformed lamb kidney fibroblasts (line FLK) was partly prevented by desferrioxamine and the antioxidant N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylene diamine, and potentiated by 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea. This points to the involvement of oxidative stress in their cytotoxicity, presumably to the redox cycling of free radicals. The FLK cell line cytotoxicity and the methemoglobin formation in isolated human erythrocytes of NTO and ANTA were also markedly lower than those of TNT, and similar to those of nitrobenzene. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the low toxicity of nitrotriazole explosives may be attributed to their low electron-accepting properties.
Topics: Animals; Digitonin; Enterobacter cloacae; Erythrocytes; Explosive Agents; Humans; Kinetics; Liver; Methemoglobin; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); Nitro Compounds; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxyhemoglobins; Rats; Thermodynamics; Triazoles; Trinitrotoluene
PubMed: 18998409
DOI: 10.1515/znc-2004-5-620 -
British Journal of Haematology Mar 2001Stimulation of platelets by thrombin induces protein kinase C (PKC) activation, phosphorylation of pleckstrin, aggregation and serotonin release. Here, we demonstrate...
Stimulation of platelets by thrombin induces protein kinase C (PKC) activation, phosphorylation of pleckstrin, aggregation and serotonin release. Here, we demonstrate that, in human platelets, thrombin stimulation also induced phosphorylation of the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) and serotonin release in intact and digitonin-permeabilized platelets. MARCKS is known to bind actin and cross-link actin filaments, and this is inhibited by PKC-evoked MARCKS phosphorylation. MARCKS phosphorylation and serotonin release in response to increasing concentrations of thrombin have a similar EC50 and time course and, in permeabilized platelets, peptide MPSD, with an amino acid sequence corresponding to the phosphorylation site domain of MARCKS, blocked both responses. However, pleckstrin and myosin light chain phosphorylations were not modified. Ala-MPSD, in which the four serine residues of MPSD were substituted by alanines was ineffective. The results suggest a role for MARCKS in platelet secretion. The fact that pleckstrin phosphorylation has a different time course and was not modified in the presence of MPSD when MARCKS phosphorylation and serotonin release were inhibited would suggest either that pleckstrin phosphorylation is unrelated to secretion or that it might only be involved upstream in the events leading to secretion.
Topics: Blood Platelets; Blood Proteins; Calcium; Cells, Cultured; Digitonin; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Membrane Proteins; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Peptides; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Platelet Activation; Platelet Aggregation; Protein Kinase C; Proteins; Serotonin; Stimulation, Chemical; Thrombin
PubMed: 11260059
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.02642.x -
Blood Feb 1983NADPH oxidase is an enzyme in the plasma membrane of the neutrophil that catalyzes the production of O2-, a species central to the oxygen-dependent killing mechanisms of...
NADPH oxidase is an enzyme in the plasma membrane of the neutrophil that catalyzes the production of O2-, a species central to the oxygen-dependent killing mechanisms of this cell. The oxidase is dormant in resting cells and is activated upon the addition of a stimulus. Neutrophils of patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) manifest no oxidase activity when stimulated. The possible role of protein phosphorylation in the activation of NADPH oxidase was examined in normal and CGD neutrophils by measuring the incorporation of 32Pi into proteins as determined by gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Resting neutrophils from normal subjects exhibit at least 40 distinct phosphoprotein bands. The level of phosphorylation of these bands was examined after the addition of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), opsonized zymosan, digitonin, N-formyl-methionyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), or NaF. PMA and opsonized zymosan increased the phosphorylation of a set of 6 protein bands. Digitonin and FMLP consistently caused the phosphorylation of 4 of these protein bands, while NaF failed to induce increased phosphorylation of any protein band. All activators tested caused the dephosphorylation of one specific protein band. The time course of phosphorylation (dephosphorylation) was examined using PMA as the activating agent. Increased phosphorylation of one protein band was evident by 12 sec after the addition of PMA. The most slowly phosphorylated protein band did not slow evidence of change until 5 min after the addition of PMA. Three of the phosphoproteins examined were phosphorylated either earlier than or concomitant with the activation of NADPH oxidase. CGD neutrophils were compared with normal cells for their ability to phosphorylate proteins in response to PMA. The phosphoprotein banding patterns of CGD neutrophils were identical with those of normal neutrophils in both the resting and activated states. The evidence presented shows that the phosphorylation of proteins is a prominent feature of neutrophil metabolism. The striking similarity of phosphorylation changes induced by the various activators tested suggests that protein phosphorylation may play a role in some aspects of neutrophil activation. Evidence was not obtained, however, regarding a link between protein phosphorylation and activation of NADPH oxidase.
Topics: Digitonin; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic; Humans; N-Formylmethionine; N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; Neutrophils; Oligopeptides; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Zymosan
PubMed: 6821699
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE Jul 2015Intracellular bacterial pathogens can replicate in the cytosol or in specialized pathogen-containing vacuoles (PCVs). To reach the cytosol, bacteria like Shigella...
Intracellular bacterial pathogens can replicate in the cytosol or in specialized pathogen-containing vacuoles (PCVs). To reach the cytosol, bacteria like Shigella flexneri and Francisella novicida need to induce the rupture of the phagosome. In contrast, Salmonella typhimurium replicates in a vacuolar compartment, known as Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). However certain mutants of Salmonella fail to maintain SCV integrity and are thus released into the cytosol. The percentage of cytosolic vs. vacuolar bacteria on the level of single bacteria can be measured by differential permeabilization, also known as phagosome-protection assay. The approach makes use of the property of detergent digitonin to selectively bind cholesterol. Since the plasma membrane contains more cholesterol than other cellular membranes, digitonin can be used to selectively permeabilize the plasma membrane while leaving intracellular membranes intact. In brief, following infection with the pathogen expressing a fluorescent marker protein (e.g. mCherry among others), the plasma membrane of host cells is permeabilized with a short incubation in digitonin containing buffer. Cells are then washed and incubated with a primary antibody (coupled to a fluorophore of choice) directed against the bacterium of choice (e.g. anti-Salmonella-FITC) and washed again. If unmarked bacteria are used, an additional step can be done, in which all membranes are permeabilized and all bacteria stained with a corresponding antibody. Following the staining, the percentage of vacuolar and cytosolic bacteria can be quantified by FACS or microscopy by counting single or double-positive events. Here we provide experimental details for use of this technique with the bacterium Salmonella typhimurium. The advantage of this assay is that, in contrast to other assay, it provides a quantification on the level of single bacteria, and if analyzed by microscopy provides the exact number of cytosolic and vacuolar bacteria in a given cell.
Topics: Animals; Cell Membrane; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cytosol; Digitonin; Flow Cytometry; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Intracellular Membranes; Luminescent Proteins; Macrophages; Mice; Phagosomes; Salmonella typhimurium; Vacuoles; Red Fluorescent Protein
PubMed: 26274778
DOI: 10.3791/52960 -
Molecular Cancer Jan 2011Breast cancer is a disease characterised by both genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes is an early event in breast...
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer is a disease characterised by both genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes is an early event in breast carcinogenesis and reversion of gene silencing by epigenetic reprogramming can provide clues to the mechanisms responsible for tumour initiation and progression. In this study we apply the reprogramming capacity of oocytes to cancer cells in order to study breast oncogenesis.
RESULTS
We show that breast cancer cells can be directly reprogrammed by amphibian oocyte extracts. The reprogramming effect, after six hours of treatment, in the absence of DNA replication, includes DNA demethylation and removal of repressive histone marks at the promoters of tumour suppressor genes; also, expression of the silenced genes is re-activated in response to treatment. This activity is specific to oocytes as it is not elicited by extracts from ovulated eggs, and is present at very limited levels in extracts from mouse embryonic stem cells. Epigenetic reprogramming in oocyte extracts results in reduction of cancer cell growth under anchorage independent conditions and a reduction in tumour growth in mouse xenografts.
CONCLUSIONS
This study presents a new method to investigate tumour reversion by epigenetic reprogramming. After testing extracts from different sources, we found that axolotl oocyte extracts possess superior reprogramming ability, which reverses epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes and tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells in a mouse xenograft model. Therefore this system can be extremely valuable for dissecting the mechanisms involved in tumour suppressor gene silencing and identifying molecular activities capable of arresting tumour growth. These applications can ultimately shed light on the contribution of epigenetic alterations in breast cancer and advance the development of epigenetic therapies.
Topics: Ambystoma mexicanum; Animals; Breast Neoplasms; Cell Extracts; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cell Survival; Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; Digitonin; Embryonic Stem Cells; Epigenesis, Genetic; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Genes, Tumor Suppressor; Histones; Humans; Methylation; Mice; Microfilament Proteins; Neoplasm Transplantation; Oocytes; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Transcriptional Activation; Transplantation, Heterologous; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Xenopus
PubMed: 21232089
DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-10-7