Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with central nervous system involvement show autoantibodies to a 50-kD neuronal membrane protein.

An antibody was detected in the sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and central nervous system (CNS) involvement that reacted with a 50-kD antigen in the plasma membrane of brain synaptic terminals. The 50-kD antigen was solubilized with Triton X-100 from preparations enriched with synaptic plasma membranes, and was partially purified by molecular sieve filtration column chromatography. The sera of 19 of 20 CNS-SLE patients showed strong to moderate immunoreactivity with the 50-kD protein in Western blots. Immunoreactivity with the 50-kD protein was also detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of CNS-SLE patients. Control sera from healthy individuals did not react with the 50-kD protein. Low to background reactivity was detected in 35% of a group of SLE patients without CNS manifestations, and in 3% of patients displaying other connective tissue diseases. A total of 100 individuals were tested in this study. Purified autoantibodies to the 50-kD protein from CNS-SLE patients were used for immunofluorescent labeling of neuroblastoma cells. The immunofluorescent staining revealed a distinct macular distribution pattern on the surface of the cell membrane. Taken together, the data suggest that the 50-kD protein may be an important target for autoantibodies, preponderantly found in CNS-SLE patients, and that the antigen may play a role in the pathogenesis of some neurological manifestations in SLE.

Immune localization of calmodulin in the ciliated cells of hamster tracheal epithelium.

Melachronous beating of cilia of epithelial surfaces of most respiratory airways moves the overlying mucous layer in a caudal direction. The molecular mechanisms controlling ciliary beat remain largely unknown. Calcium, an element in its cationic form, is ubiquitous in biological functions and its concentration is critical for ciliary beating. Calmodulin, a calcium-binding protein which regulates the activity of many enzymes and cellular processes, may regulate ciliary beating by controlling enzymes responsible for mechanochemical movement between adjacent peripheral microtubule doublets composing the ciliary axoneme. As a first step in describing a calmodulin-related controlling mechanism for ciliary beating, calmodulin was localized in the ciliated cells lining the respiratory tracts of hamsters by electron microscopy, using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique with anticalmodulin antibodies as the molecular probe. Thin-sections revealed calmodulin located on microtubules and dynein arms of the ciliary shaft, basal body, apical cytoskeletal microtubules, and plasma membranes in specimens fixed with 1 mM Ca+2. Specimens fixed with less Ca+2 (1 microM), Mn+2, Mg+2, and EGTA showed a diffuse pattern of calmodulin with loci of greatest densities on basal body microtubule triplets. Demembranated specimens showed a less specific localization on axonemal microtubules but only on cells fixed with Ca+2. Calmodulin, by binding calcium, may function in ciliary beating in the respiratory tract of mammals either directly or indirectly through its effects on the energy-producing enzymes and by control of Ca+2 flux through plasma membranes.

Mapping two functional domains of clathrin light chains with monoclonal antibodies.

The two forms of clathrin light chains (LCA and LCB) or clathrin-associated proteins (CAP1 and CAP2) have presented an immunochemical paradox. Biochemically similar, both possess two known functional parameters: binding the clathrin heavy chain and mediating the action of an uncoating ATPase. All previously reported anti-CAP mAbs, however, react specifically with only CAP1 (Brodsky, F. M., 1985, J. Cell Biol., 101:2047-2054; Kirchhausen, T., S. C. Harrison, P. Parham, and F. M. Brodsky, 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 80:2481-2485). Four new anti-CAP mAbs are reported here: two, C-7H12 and C-6C1, react with both forms; two others, C-10B2 and C-4E5, react only with the lower form. Sandwich ELISAs indicated that C-10B2, C-4E5, C-6C1, and C-7H12 react with distinct epitopes. Monoclonal antibodies C-10B2 and C-4E5 immunoprecipitate clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) and react with CAP2 epitopes accessible to chymotrypsin on the vesicle. These mAbs inhibit phosphorylation of CAP2 by endogenous CCV casein kinase II. In contrast, C-6C1 and C-7H12 react with epitopes that are relatively insensitive to chymotrypsin. CAP peptide fragments containing these epitopes remain bound to reassembled cages or CCVs after digestion. Immunoprecipitation and ELISAs demonstrate that C-7H12 and C-6C1 react with unbound CAPs but not with CAPs bound to triskelions or CCVs. The data indicate that the CAPs consist of at least two discernible structural domains: a nonconserved, accessible domain that is relevant to the phosphorylation of CAP2 and a conserved, inaccessible domain that mediates the binding of CAPs to CCVs.

Adenosine diphosphate effect on contractility of human muscle actomyosin: inhibition by ethanol and acetaldehyde.

Magnesium adenosine triphosphate (Mg-2+-ATP) is known to produce dissociation of muscle actin and myosin in vitro, while its hydrolysis leads to reassociation. The interaction of purified actin and myosin from human muscle, in the presence of Mg-2+-ATP, was stimulated by minute amounts of adenosine diphosphate (ADP), a product of ATP hydrolysis. By contrast, the dissociation of the actomyosin complex was inhibited by ADP. These data suggest that ADP serves to modulate muscle contraction. Ethanol and its primary metabolite, acetaldehyde, inhibited these effects of ADP. The inhibition was reversible when the preparations were freed of these compounds. The effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the response of actomyosin to ADP may play a role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic myopathy and cardiomyopathy.

Interaction of brain synaptic vesicles induced by endogenous Ca2+ -dependent phospholipase A2.

Endogenous phospholipase A2 activity of brain synaptic vesicles was Ca2+ -dependent and was increased by prostaglandin F2 alpha, calmodulin, adenosine 3', 5' -monophosphate, and adenosine triphosphate, whereas the activity was inhibited by prostaglandin E2 in the absence or presence of calmodulin. Light-scattering measurements demonstrated that stimulation of the enzyme's activity correlated with the induction of vesicle-vesicle aggregation. The effects of these compounds on endogenous synaptic vesicle phospholipase A2 activity may imply a common end point of their purported neuromodulatory actions, and indicate that synaptic vesicle phospholipase A2 may play a central role in presynaptic neurotransmission.

Actomyosin-like protein isolated from mammalian brain.

A protein with characteristics similar to actomyosin has been isolated from whole brain of rat and cat. It is soluble in 0.6 molar potassium chloride and insoluble in 0.1 molar potassium chloride. It superprecipitates with magnesium ions and adenosine triphosphate. It has adenosine triphosphatase activity stimulated by either magnesium or calcium ions. Both superprecipitation and adenosine triphosphatase activity are inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate and Mersalyl but not by ouabain.

Comparison of calmodulin binding to brain synaptic and coated vesicles.

Several characteristics of calmodulin association with brain synaptic and coated vesicles wer analyzed and compared. Radioimmunoassay revealed that both classes of vesicles contain approx. 1 microgram of calmodulin per mg of vesicle protein. Discontinuous sucrose gradients revealed that coated and synaptic vesicles preparations were homogeneous and had different sedimentation properties. Binding of 125I-labeled calmodulin to sympatic and coated vesicles was Ca2+ dependent and displaced by unlabeled calmodulin but not by troponin-C. Scatchard analysis revealed the presence of two binding sites. In both vesicle types there was one high-affinity, low-binding-capacity site (Kd = 1-39 nM and Bmax = 4-16 pmol/mg) and one low-affinity, high-binding-capacity site (Kd = 102-177 nM and Bmax = 151-202 pmol/mg). (Ca2+ +Mg2+)-ATPase activity was stimulated in both synaptic and coated vesicles by calmodulin. Thus synaptic and coated vesicles may possess similar calmodulin binding sites.

Erythrocyte actin and spectrin. Interactions with muscle contractile and regulatory proteins.

Actin and spectrin were isolated from washed red blood cell membranes. Spectrin bound and polymerized erythrocyte actin in the absence of potassium. Spectrin coated into polystyrene latex particles bound 8--9 mol of erythrocyte actin per mol of spectrin when actin was in its depolymerized state. Spectrin enhanced the interaction of erythrocyte actin with muscle myosin as manifested by changes in Mg2+-ATPase activity. A similar enhancement also was observed with muscle alpha-actinin while muscle tropomyosin abolished these effects. The data suggest that spectrin may play the role of polymerizing factor as well as the anchoring site for erythrocyte actin just as alpha-actinin is the anchoring site for actin filaments in muscle and other non-muscle cells.

Immunological identification of complex proteins resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis.

Immunological identification of an antigen resolved from a protein complex by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has been attained. The identification is based on the formation of immunoprecipitin lines after the antigen diffuses laterally from acrylamide gel transverse slices into a surrounding agarose gel. This technique was designed for study of contractile and regulatory protein complexes of non-muscle cells where the scarcity of tissue precludes easy purification or high yield of muscle-like proteins. It complements double-gel immunodiffusion or immunoelectrophoresis and its use may be extended to other protein complexes.

Brain clathrin. Viscometric and turbidimetric properties of its ultrastructural assemblies.

Clathrin was isolated in highly purified form from bovine brain preparations rich in coated vesicles and by some improvements of our previous procedures. At pH 7.5, clathrin's solution was viscous, but clear. At pH 6.5, clathrin's solution was less viscous, but turbid. By electron microscopy, clathrin's turbidity at pH 6.5 correlated with the presence of numerous basket-like lattices or cages; the higher viscosity observed at pH 7.5 correlated with a mixture of various polymeric forms of clathrin having linearly assembled filaments or filamentous bundles of cross-linked clathrin molecules. In vivo, clathrin's capacity for assembling or disassembling itself into baskets or cage-like structures is compatible with a mechanism that retrieves areas of the plasma membrane containing protein molecules, smaller stimulatory or inhibitory compounds bound on the external cell membrane surface.

Neuronal protein NP185 is developmentally regulated, initially expressed during synaptogenesis, and localized in synaptic terminals.

Evidence is presented here that demonstrates the presence of NP185 (AP3) in neuronal cells, specifically within syn-aptic terminals of the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system, particularly in the neuro-muscular junction of adult chicken muscle. Biochemical results obtained in our laboratories indicate that NP185 is associated with brain synaptic vesicles, with clathrin-coated vesicles, and with the synaptosomal plasma membrane. Also, NP185 binds to tubulin and clathrin light chains and the binding is regulated by phosphorylation (Su et al., 1991). Based on these properties and the data reported here, we advance the postulate that NP185 fulfills multiple functions in synaptic terminals. One function is that of a plasma membrane docking or channel protein, another of a signaling molecule for brain vesicles to reach the synaptic terminal region, and a third is that of a recycling molecule by binding to protein components on the lipid bilayer of the synaptic plasma membrane during the process of endocytosis. In support of these premises, a thorough study of NP185 using the developing chick brain, adult mouse brain, and chicken straited muscle was begun by temporally and spatially mapping the expression and localization of NP185 in evolving and mature nerve endings. To achieve these objectives, monoclonal antibodies to NP185 were used for immunocytochemistry in tissue sections of chicken and mouse cerebella. The distribution of NP185 was compared with those of other cytoskeletal and cytoplasmic proteins of axons and synapses, namely synaptophysin, vimentin, neurofilament NF68, and the intermediate filaments of glial cells (GFAP). The data indicate that expression of NP185 temporally coincides with synaptogenesis, and that the distribution of this protein is specific for synaptic terminal buttons of the CNS and the PNS.

Clathrin-associated proteins contain bound nucleotide.

Clathrin-associated proteins purified from bovine brain exhibited an ultraviolet spectrum with absorbance maximum at 256 nm and were found to contain tightly bound nucleotide. This nucleotide was identified as AMP and/or ADP by thin-layer and high-performance liquid chromatographic analyses. The phosphorylation state of the bound nucleotide varied with storage conditions, suggesting that exchange with ATP might occur while a molar ratio of two nucleotides per protein molecule is maintained. This nucleotide binding site may play a role in the functions of clathrin-associated proteins.

Brain clathrin: immunofluorescent localization in rat retina.

By indirect immunofluorescence, the major protein of coated vesicles and coated pits was localized in rat retina. Specific fluorescence was circumscribed to regions containing synaptic endings in high density such as the cell internal plexiform layer (IPL) and external plexiform layer (EPL). Fine dots or patches of fluorescence were seen in the EPL. Weaker fluorescence was observed in the narrow cytoplasmic strips surrounding the large nucleus of the ganglion cell, internal nuclear and external nuclear cell layers. There was no fluorescent staining in the retinal pigment epithelium, a layer where active endocytosis of the outer segment of the rods and cones take place. The high concentration of clathrin found in the IPL and EPL is indicative of active recycling of synaptic membrane concomitant to neurotransmitter release and receptor molecule turnover.

Immunoelectron microscopic localization of calmodulin and phospholipase A2 in spermatozoa. I.

Using the Lowicryl K4M embedding technique, together with indirect immunoferritin or immunogold labeling on ultra-thin sections, tubulin, calmodulin and phospholipase A2 were distinctly localized in ejaculated bull spermatozoa. Calmodulin was concentrated on the plasma membrane, nucleus, post-acrosomal substance, and, in lesser amounts, between coarse fibers and axonemal microtubules of the flagellum. Phospholipase A2 was distributed evenly along the plasma membrane, nucleus, acrosome, post-acrosomal substance, and in the flagellum, on mitochondria, fibrous sheath, coarse fibers, between coarse fibers and axonemal microtubules. Antibodies to tubulin labeled only axonemal microtubules, including the central pair of microtubules. Patterns of tubulin labeling were identical when ferritin granule- or gold particle-conjugated antibodies were tested. In agreement with our previous biochemical studies demonstrating calmodulin binding to phospholipase A2, concomitant with enhancement of phospholipase A2 activity (Arch Biochem Biophys 241:413, 1985), the overlapping distribution of calmodulin and phospholipase A2 in several parts of the sperm suggests that these proteins may play a concerted role in male gamete function in preparation for or during fertilization. The distinct distribution of tubulin along flagellum microtubules indicates their special function in sperm mobility.

Calmodulin immunoelectron microscopy: redistribution during ram spermatogenesis and epididymal maturation. II.

Affinity-purified monospecific antibodies and indirect immunogold and immunoferritin labeling on ultra-thin sections of low-temperature Lowicryl K4M-embedded samples were used to study the redistribution of calmodulin in ram spermatids and epididymal spermatozoa at the electron microscopic level. Calmodulin appeared as an integral component of well-defined structures or organelles of these cells. In young spermatids, calmodulin was localized in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and developing acrosome. During spermatogenesis and epididymal maturation, calmodulin left the acrosome to reach the perinuclear substance and finally became concentrated in the post-acrosomal area of the head, although some calmodulin remained associated with the tip of the acrosome. Such a redistribution is consistent with the preferential location of Ca2+ in the post-acrosomal cytoplasm of ejaculated spermatozoa. Calmodulin was also observed in the flagellum associated with the plasma membrane and with the motility apparatus, between coarse fibers and axonemal microtubules. These changes in calmodulin distribution may account for the Ca2+-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis and sperm maturation. Calmodulin therefore appears to be a pleiotropic regulator of male gamete development and functions.

Neuronal protein NP185 in avian and murine cerebellum: expression during development and evidence for its presence in nerve endings.

The neuronal protein NP185 is a neural tissue-specific protein isolated from clathrin-coated vesicles in brain. Using 8G8, a monoclonal antibody (MAb) characterized in our laboratory, we studied the expression and distribution of neuronal protein NP185 in developing avian cerebellum and in mature murine cerebellum. Furthermore, we compared these parameters to that of synapse-specific neuronal protein, synaptophysin, and an axon-specific (i.e., non-synaptic) neuronal protein, neurofilament NF68. We found that NP185 expression temporally and spatially corresponds to avian cerebellar synaptogenesis. In addition, NP185 distribution parallels synaptophysin distribution throughout development, while differing from that of either unassembled or filamentous forms of NF68. The evidence also suggests that embryonic NP185 expression coincides with synaptogenesis, and that NP185 remains concentrated in the terminal boutons of mature neurons. The synapse specificity of NP185 and the recent biochemical properties reported for this protein support the postulate that this molecule may trigger synaptic events and distinguish structurally and functionally active synapses.

Brain clathrin complex: II. Immunofluorescent correlation and biochemical affinity for actin.

The interaction of clathrin with cytoskeletal proteins was studied cytochemically by immunofluorescent staining and biochemically by the binding of actin to clathrin on the surfaces of polystyrene particles. Using a cytoskeletal-disrupting agent, the linear arrangement of clathrin lattices along actin fibers was altered. As a result of cell retraction, the fluorescent dots of clathrin redistributed, conforming to the new cellular shape. Cytoplasmic areas, largely devoid of fluorescent dots, were observed at the cell's periphery. In vitro, the native clathrin complex (clathrin plus clathrin-associated proteins (CAPs)) bound up to 1 mol of actin, but when the clathrin polypeptide was separated from accompanying proteins it bound up to 2 mol of actin from solution. It appears that clathrin's molecular lattices have an affinity for arrays of actin microfilaments, following them closely, and that clathrin lattices display lateral mobility during cytoplasmic reorganization.

Regulation of endogenous calcium-dependent synaptic membrane phospholipase A2.

Synaptic plasma membrane preparations from brain tissue have endogenous Ca2+-dependent phospholipase A2 activity. Characterization of this activity revealed that it was maximally active at 10(-7)-10(-5) M Ca2+ and pH 7.0. The enzyme had a Km of 62.0 microM and a Vmax of 98.0 nmol/mg/h. Calmodulin and prostaglandin F2 alpha stimulated phospholipase A2 activity, whereas prostaglandin E2, cyclic AMP and ATP were inhibitory. Addition of exogenous phospholipase A2 to synaptic plasma membrane and synaptic vesicle preparations led to their disruption and/or lysis. We suggest that Ca2+-dependent regulation of phospholipase A2 activity may be required for synaptic vesicle and synaptic plasma membrane interaction.

Preliminary characterization of synaptic vesicle/calmodulin interaction.

The association of calmodulin with brain synaptic vesicle proteins was analyzed. Scatchard analysis of [125I]calmodulin binding to brain synaptic vesicles revealed one high-affinity, low-binding-capacity, Kd = 1.0 (+/- 0.15) nM, Bmax = 4.1 (+/- 0.6) pmol/mg, and one low-affinity high-binding-capacity site, Kd = 177. (+/- 12.0) nM and Bmax = 202 (+/- 15.0) pmol/mg. Triton X-100 solubilization of synaptic vesicle proteins and subsequent elution on a Sepharose-4B-CNBr-calmodulin affinity column demonstrated that two protein doublets of approximate MrS 55 K and 30 K were the major synaptic vesicle calmodulin binding proteins. In addition there were two minor calmodulin binding singlet polypeptides with MrS 62 K and 40 K. Calmodulin stimulated endogenous synaptic vesicle protein kinase, Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+ uptake activities. Phosphorylation assays coupled with immunological studies using affinity-purified antibodies suggested that the synaptic vesicle Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase migrated in the 30 K Mr region.