Metabolism of GPIs in mammalian cells

In Trypanosoma brucei, glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors of proteins and free GPIs with identical structures have been characterized. This identity provides strong presumptive evidence that the free GPIs are in fact precursors of the GPI anchors on proteins. In mammalian tissues, however, rather consistent differences in the structures of free GPIs and GPI anchors are observed. The terminal GPIs produced by the mammalian biosynthetic pathway differ from GPI anchors in being almost exclusively fatty acid acylated on the inositol residue, having a greater number of phosphoethanolamine residues, and perhaps in containing a greater percentage of diacylglycerol components. While in principle these differences could be reconciled by remodeling reactions before or after attachment of GPI anchors, it is possible that some of the mammalian free GPIs play cellular roles other than as anchor precursors. We have approached this question by studying the lifetimes of the last three GPIs on the biosynthetic pathway, denoted H6, H7 and H8, in K562 cells and in K562 mutant designated class K that is devoid of GPI-anchored proteins. Pulse-chase metabolic labeling with [3H]-mannose indicated that H6 was a precursor of H7 and H8 and that the H8 lifetime was more than one hour in the parental cells and even longer in the mutant. Preliminary data indicated that the majority of each of the three GPIs was localized in the plasma membrane fraction rather than the endoplasmic reticulum. These observations argue that mammalian GPIs are not utilized exclusively as GPI anchor precursors

A preliminary examination of the major integral membrane protein antigens of Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma mansoni adult worms for glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol membrane anchors.

Integral membrane protein (IMP) antigens isolated from S. japonicum and S. mansoni adult worms using Triton X-114 phase partitioning were treated with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (piPLC). Following piPLC treatment, only one IMP antigen of 58 kDa from each species was released from the hydrophobic fraction and remained soluble in the absence of detergent. An additional 23 kDa antigen was identified following piPLC treatment of S. japonicum IMP's. This molecule has been previously characterized as an important species specific immunodiagnostic antigen. Alkaline phosphatase activity was observed in both the detergent and aqueous phases following treatment with piPLC but only in the hydrophobic fraction of the controls. These data suggest that only a small number of IMP antigens from both S. japonicum and S. mansoni adult worms possess glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipid membrane anchors in a form which can be hydrolysed by a heterologous piPLC.

Effect of iron deficiency on phosphoinositide levels in rat brain.

Adult rats raised on 90% iron deficient diet for 6 weeks showed a decrease in the levels of brain phosphatidylinositol (60%), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (25%) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (30%), the precursors for the second messengers, diacylglycerol and inositol phosphates. Rehabilitation to normal diet for 24 days was found to restore the levels to control values. The data suggests that iron deficiency could lead to alterations in the functions related to phosphoinositide-linked receptor system(s).