The localization of phospholipase A2 in the secretory granule.

A heat-resistant phospholipase A2 has been detected in the secretory granules of the mast cell [Chock, Rhee, Tang and Schmauder-Chock (1991) Eur. J. Biochem. 195, 707-713]. By using ultrastructural immunocytochemical techniques, we have now localized this enzyme to the matrix of the secretory granule. Like the cyclo-oxygenase [Schmauder-Chock and Chock (1989) J. Histochem. Cytochem. 37, 1319-1328], this enzyme also adheres tightly to the ribbon-like granule matrix components. The results from Western-blot analysis suggest that it has a molecular mass of about 14 kDa. The localization of the phospholipase A2, the presence of a phospholipid store with millimolar concentrations of calcium and the localization of the enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade make the secretory granule a natural site for lipid-mediator synthesis. The packaging of phospholipase A2, together with its substrate and the components of the arachidonic acid cascade, in the secretory granule represents a physical arrangement by which the initiation of the cascade and the release of mediators can be directly linked to the stimulation of cell-surface receptors.

Ultrastructural localization of tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

The application of an antibody against tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) to thin sections of plastic-embedded mouse tissue has identified sites of TNF activity in normal and endotoxin-treated C3N/HeN mice. Prior to endotoxin treatment, TNF was observed in the secretory granules of the antibacterial Paneth cell and one type of crypt endocrine cell. Four hours after endotoxin treatment, these two types of intestinal cell were found to have degranulated. In addition, endotoxin treatment resulted in the appearance of TNF in the secretory granules of all eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes in the bone marrow, spleen, lung and the proximal intestine. TNF was also observed in the internal elastic lamina (IEL) of arterioles. These results suggest that the process of TNF induction specifically targets the immune system and the vasculature. An invasive stimulus, such as circulating endotoxin, can provoke the immune cells to be armed with TNF. That same stimulus may cause arteriole smooth muscle cells to secrete TNF. TNF secretion in the presence of arteriole smooth muscle cells may play a role in the adjustment of arteriole tone. In the venules, TNF may be responsible for platelet and neutrophil accumulation which leads to embolism formation.

Prostaglandin E2 localization in the rat ileum.

The application of anti-prostaglandin E2 immunoglobulin to plastic-embedded thin sections of the rat ileum has permitted the localization of prostaglandin E2 in this tissue. In agreement with the published data (Chock & Schmauder-Chock (1988), Schmauder-Chock & Chock (1989)), the results also suggest the presence of an arachidonic acid cascade in the granules of various secretory cells of the gut. Since antibody labelling was found within the secretory granules of connective tissue mast cells, goblet cells, and Paneth cells, the presence of the arachidonic acid cascade in these granules is implied. The appearance of prostaglandin E2 over the non-cellular internal elastic lamina of arterioles suggests that it may have been secreted along with the elastin. The even distribution of prostaglandin throughout the cytoplasm of the erythrocyte is consistent with the concept that this cell scavenges the eicosanoid from the circulation. These data further link the secretory granule to the production of eicosanoids and therefore illustrate the potential sources of prostaglandins in the rat ileum.

Linking phospholipase A2 to phospholipid turnover and prostaglandin synthesis in mast cell granules.

Rapid incorporation of exogenous arachidonic acid into phospholipid has been detected in conjunction with eicosanoid synthesis by purified mast cell granules [Chock, S. P. & Schmauder-Chock, E. A. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 156, 1308-1315]. The species of phospholipid formed has now been identified primarily as phosphatidylinositol. A calcium-dependent phospholipase A2 has also been detected in the secretory granule. This enzyme, like the cyclooxygenase [Schmauder-Chock, E. A. & Chock, S. P. (1989) J. Histochem. Cytochem. 37, 1319-1328], appears to bind tightly to the granule matrix components. It is heat resistant and requires millimolar concentrations of calcium for optimal activity. It prefers phosphatidylinositol over phosphatidylcholine as substrate. Since the granule contains a large amount of phospholipid, the action of this phospholipase A2 can provide the required substrate for the arachidonic acid cascade. These findings provide the basis for linking phospholipase A2 to the production of eicosanoids during granule exocytosis. Since the granule also contains both an active acylating system that can rapidly reacylate lysophosphatidylinositol to form phosphatidylinositol, and an active phospholipase A2 which hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol, a rapid turnover involving the fatty acid at the sn-2 position of phosphatidylinositol may occur. These findings are consistent with our postulation that the secretory granule is the source and/or the cause of many of the early biochemical events associated with the process of stimulus-secretion coupling.

A new model for the mechanism of stimulus-secretion coupling.

By combining ultrastructural techniques with a biochemical approach to study the mechanism of mast cell stimulus-secretion coupling and by using purified secretory granules to confirm those early biochemical events which originate from within the secretory granule, a new model for the mechanism of secretory granule exocytosis has emerged. This model not only provides the mechanism by which an activated granule can achieve fusion with the plasma membrane, but it also provides the rationale for the linking of the various early biochemical events to the process of granule activation and thus to exocytosis. Although we still do not understand how the 'activating signal', which results from the stimulation of cell surface receptors, can be conveyed to the granule to cause its activation, we are certain that this 'signal' must cause an influx of water into the matrix of the target granule. This influx of water is what initiates the granule activation process. The major intragranular events which are triggered by this water influx include: (i) de novo membrane assembly; (ii) protein proteolysis; (iii) release of arachidonic acid from matrix-bound phospholipid by phospholipase A2; (iv) initiation of the arachidonic acid cascade and the synthesis of eicosanoids; (v) rapid phospholipid turnover; and (vi) the discharge of matrix materials into the cytoplasm of the activated cell via the fusion of de novo generated vesicles with the perigranular membrane. The ejection of some matrix contents which may include histamine, Ca2+, calmodulin, protease, the products of the arachidonic acid cascade and the products of phospholipid turnover into the cytosole, may serve to turn on the various metabolic machineries needed to initiate a cellular recovery phase.

New membrane assembly in IgE receptor-mediated exocytosis.

The presence of excess membrane has been observed in the secretory granules of mast cells activated via the physiological mechanism of IgE receptor-mediated exocytosis. This excess membrane is the result of a de novo assembly from phospholipid, cholesterol, and other membrane components stored in the matrix of the quiescent granule. Following receptor stimulation, membrane bilayer structures of varying size and shape can be seen in the subperigranular membrane space where the perigranular membrane has lifted away from the granule matrix. Vesicles as small as 25 nm in outer diameter are frequently found beneath the perigranular membrane at the site of granule fusion. Membrane in the form of elongated vesicles, tubes, or sheets has also been observed. The wide variation in size and shape of the newly assembled membrane may reflect the spontaneity of the entropy-driven membrane generation process and the fluid characteristic of the biological membrane in general. Fusion of the newly assembled membrane with the perigranular membrane enables the activated granule to enlarge. This rapid expansion process of the perigranular membrane may be the principal mechanism by which an activated granule can achieve contact with the plasma membrane in order to generate pore formation. The fact that new membrane assembly also occurs in the IgE receptor-mediated granule exocytosis, supports our observation that de novo membrane generation is an inherent step in the mechanism of mast cell granule exocytosis. Whether new membrane assembly is a common step in the mechanism of secretory granule exocytosis in general, must await careful reinvestigation of other secretory systems.

Localization of cyclo-oxygenase and prostaglandin E2 in the secretory granule of the mast cell.

The application of anti-cyclo-oxygenase and anti-prostaglandin E2 immunoglobulins to A23187-stimulated rat connective tissue mast cells has permitted the localization of cyclooxygenase activity (prostaglandin H2 synthetase) and the site of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation in the secretory granules. Because binding was carried out after stimulation but before dehydration and embedding, we have limited the loss of these antigens due to normal degradation and to aqueous and solvent washes. As this method permits labeling of exposed cell surfaces, only granules that have been exteriorized can be labeled. Contrary to what might have been expected, no labeling was associated with plasma membranes or with any portion of damaged cells. Antibodies to PGE2 were bound evenly over the surface of the granule matrix, whereas antibodies to cyclo-oxygenase appeared to be bound to strands of proteo-heparin projecting from the surface of the granule matrix. Where granule matrix had become unraveled and dispersed, label appeared to adhere throughout the ribbon-like proteo-heparin strands. These results support our previous conclusion that the secretory granule is the site of the arachidonic acid cascade during exocytosis.

Phospholipid storage in the secretory granule of the mast cell.

A spontaneous membrane assembly process has been postulated to account for the rapid perigranular membrane enlargement which occurs during mast cell secretory granule activation. This process requires the presence of a phospholipid store in the quiescent granule. By using purified granules with intact membranes we have determined the total phospholipid content of the average quiescent granule. The results suggest that the average quiescent granule contains sufficient phospholipid to sustain at least a trebling of its perigranular membrane surface area during activation. As much as two-thirds of the total cellular phospholipid is found in the granules, and since a large portion of this phospholipid is extruded into the extracellular space along with the granule matrix during exocytosis, it is implied that this phospholipid can serve as the substrate for the formation of the lipid-derived mediators of inflammation.

Synthesis of prostaglandins and eicosanoids by the mast cell secretory granule.

The identification of a non-bilayer phospholipid storage in the secretory granule and the linking of the eicosanoid production with the release of histamine have prompted us to examine whether the secretory granule may also serve as both the source as well as the site of prostaglandin synthesis during exocytosis. By exposing the contents of purified granules to exogenous arachidonic acid at neutral pH, we observed the rapid formation of many eicosanoids. The presence of prostaglandins E2, D2 and F2a were identified. The kinetics of E2 formation was also followed. The localization of the arachidonic acid cascade to the secretory granule explains why the production of eicosanoids is so intimately tied to the process of granule exocytosis.

Mechanism of secretory granule exocytosis: can granule enlargement precede pore formation?

Secretory granules have been observed to swell during the process of exocytosis. Swelling is an indication of osmotic stress. The probable role of osmotic pressure in facilitating membrane fusion makes it necessary to determine whether granule membrane 'swelling' can occur prior to its fusion with the plasma membrane (pore formation) in the process of exocytosis. By subjecting adjacent thin and semi-thin sections of an activated granule to ultrastructural examination for membrane enlargement, and to metachromatic staining for verification of pore formation it is concluded that the perigranular membrane can indeed enlarge prior to pore formation. However, the degree of membrane enlargement can far exceed the limit of 2-3% stretching allowed under normal osmotic stress for a membrane bilayer. Such an extensive membrane enlargement, which takes place in the mechanism of exocytosis, cannot be achieved without being accompanied by the insertion of additional membrane.

Evidence of de novo membrane generation in the mechanism of mast cell secretory granule activation.

Evidence which suggests the occurrence of a rapid new membrane assembly has been observed in the secretory granules of the rat peritoneal mast cell during the early stage of granule activation. The rapid insertion of these newly generated vesicles enables the perigranular membrane of the activated granule to enlarge and expand prior to fusion with the plasma membrane and/or with the neighboring granule membranes. If the newly inserted membrane represents "specialized fusogenic membrane patches", then the presence of de novo membrane generation as an integral step in the mechanism of mast cell granule exocytosis would constitute a fail-safe mechanism in histamine release.

An optimized continuous assay for cAMP phosphodiesterase and calmodulin.

A continuous spectrophotometric assay for cAMP phosphodiesterase has been optimized and adopted for assaying calmodulin in biological samples. This method utilizes the coupled enzyme reactions of myokinase, pyruvate kinase, and lactic acid dehydrogenase. The effective molar extinction coefficient for this method is 1.25 X 10(4) at 340 nm. A point-assay method capable of handling a large number of samples has also been established. This same procedure can also be adopted for the assay of calcineurin and other calmodulin-binding proteins.

Protein determination with trinitrobenzene sulfonate: a method relatively independent of amino acid composition.

Conditions are described for precise quantitative measurement of microgram protein samples by spectrophotometric determination of the trinitrobenzene derivatives of amino acids in hydrolysates. The mean molar absorbances of individual amino acids were measured and the effective molar absorbance for use in protein measurements of 1.9 X 10(4) A M-1 cm-1 has been determined. From measurements using the trinitrobenzene sulfonate and fluorescamine reagents, and the published data on the o-phthaldialdehyde method, the molar absorption coefficients and the relative fluorescent yields are compared for the amino acids derivatives found in protein hydrolysates. The coefficients of variation for the trinitrobenzene derivatives are less than that for either the fluorescamine or the o-phthaldialdehyde derivatives. The color yields for five soluble proteins were also compared using the Lowry, Bradford, and trinitrobenzene sulfonate reagents. The results show that the described trinitrobenzene sulfonate method is more sensitive and produces a threefold smaller variation in absorbance per milligram protein than either the Lowry or the Bradford methods.

Characterization of the Ca2+- and Mg2+-dependent ATPases in Electrophorus electroplax microsomes.

Electrophorus electroplax microsomes were examined for Ca2+- and Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity. In addition to the previously reported low-affinity ATPase, a high-affinity (Ca2+,Mg2+)-ATPase was found. At low ATP and Mg2+ concentrations (200 microM or less), the high-affinity (Ca2+,Mg2+)-ATPase exhibits an activity of 18 nmol Pi mg-1 min-1 with 0.58 microM Ca2+. At higher ATP concentrations (3 mM), the low-affinity Ca2+-ATPase predominates, with an activity of 28 nmol Pi mg-1 min-1 with 1 mM Ca2+. In addition, Mg2+ can also activate the low-affinity ATPase (18 nmol Pi mg-1 min-1). The high-affinity ATPase hydrolyzes ATP at a greater rate than it does GTP, ITP, or UTP and is insensitive to ouabain, oligomycin, or dicyclohexylcarbodiimide inhibition. The high-affinity enzyme is inhibited by vanadate, trifluoperazine, and N-ethylmaleimide. Added calmodulin does not significantly stimulate enzyme activity; rinsing the microsomes with EGTA does not confer calmodulin sensitivity. Thus the high-affinity ATPase from electroplax microsomes is similar to the (Ca2+,Mg2+)-ATPase reported to be associated with Ca2+ transport, based on its affinity for calcium and its response to inhibitors. The low-affinity enzyme hydrolyzes all tested nucleoside triphosphates, as well as diphosphates, but not AMP. Vanadate and N-ethylmaleimide do not inhibit the low-affinity enzymes. The low-affinity enzyme reflects a nonspecific nucleoside triphosphatase, probably an ectoenzyme.

The mechanism of skeletal muscle myosin ATPase. Interaction of myosin active center with ATP and with ADP.

The kinetics of the fluorescence enhancement and the transient release of H+ caused by the binding of ADP to the active center of myosin has been compared to that caused by myosin-ATP interaction. The results show that both the time courses of the fluorescence enhancement and the transient H+ release caused by ADP binding, like that caused by ATP hydrolysis in the initial burst, are monophasic exponential processes. The fact that the rates of these two processes are also equal suggests that they both reflect the same mechanistic event in the mechanism of ADP binding. The kinetics of ADP binding as measured by the fluorescence enhancement and the H+ release is different from that of ATP. This is in agreement with our previous finding that the enhancement of fluorescence and the transient release of H+, in the case of ATP, reflect the initial burst of ATP hydrolysis, whereas in the case of ADP, they represent a conformational change in the myosin-ADP complex. The magnitude of the H+ transient caused by the initial burst is approximately equal to that caused by ADP binding. The amplitude of the fluorescence enhancement caused by ADP binding is equal to one-third of that caused by the initial burst.

The mechanism of skeletal muscle myosin ATPase. The mechanism of ADP interaction.

The mechanism of interaction between ADP and the myosin active center has been studied using a transient kinetic technique. The results show that the interaction of ADP with the myosin active center is a homogeneous process independent of the association state of the active centers; namely, whether ADP interacts with the monomeric myosin subfragment-1, or with the dimeric forms heavy meromyosin and myosin. The kinetics of the interaction conforms to a simple two-step reaction mechanism for ADP binding. The kinetic and thermodynamic constants for this mechanism have been determined. In addition, analysis of the binding isotherm indicates that the two active sites in heavy meromyosin and myosin function as identical and independent sites.

The mechanism of the skeletal muscle myosin ATPase. III. Relationship of the H+ release and the protein absorbance change induced by ATP to the initial Pi burst.

Several phenomena are associated with the binding of ATP to myosin: 1) a fluorescence enhancement, 2) a release of H+, and 3) a protein absorbance change. In the accompanying paper (Chock, S. P., Chock, P. B., and Eisenberg, E. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 3236-3243), it was demonstrated that the fluorescence enhancement is mainly caused by the hydrolysis of ATP in the initial Pi burst rather than by the conformational change induced by the irreversible binding of ATP. In the present study, the cause of the H+ release and the protein absorbance change were investigated. The results show that like the rate of the fluorescence enhancement the rates of the H+ release and the protein absorbance change level off at high ATP concentration at a much lower rate than the rate of irreversible ATP binding. Furthermore, under all conditions tested, the rates of the H+ release and the protein absorbance change are equal to the rate of the initial Pi burst. Therefore, like the fluorescence enhancement, most of the H+ release and the protein absorbance change are associated with the initial Pi burst rather than the binding of ATP.

The mechanism of the skeletal muscle myosin ATPase. I. Identity of the myosin active sites.

In the present study, the question of whether the two myosin active sites are identical with respect to ATP binding and hydrolysis was reinvestigated. The stoichiometry of ATP binding to myosin, heavy meromyosin, and subfragment-1 was determined by measuring the fluorescence enhancement caused by the binding of MgATP. The amount of irreversible ATP binding and the magnitude of the initial ATP hydrolysis (initial Pi burst) was determined by measuring [gamma-32P]ATP hydrolysis with and without a cold ATP chase in a three-syringe quenched flow apparatus. The results show that, under a wide variety of experimental conditions: 1) the stoichiometry of ATP binding ranges from 0.8 to 1 mol of ATP/myosin active site for myosin, heavy meromyosin, and subfragment-1, 2) 80 to 100% of this ATP binding is irreversible, 3) 70 to 90% of the irreversibly bound ATP is hydrolyzed in the initial Pi burst, 4) the first order rate constant for the rate-limiting step in ATP hydrolysis by heavy meromyosin is equal to the steady state heavy meromyosin ATPase rate only if the latter is calculated on the basis of two active sites per heavy meromyosin molecule. It is concluded that the two active sites of myosin are identical with respect to ATP binding and hydrolysis.

The mechanism of the skeletal muscle myosin ATPase. II. Relationship between the fluorescence enhancement induced by ATP and the initial Pi burst.

A major question about the mechanism of the myosin ATPase is how much of the fluorescence change which accompanies the binding of ATP to myosin is due to the conformational change induced by ATP and how much is due to the subsequent hydrolysis of ATP in the initial Pi burst. Several laboratories have suggested that the maximal rate of the fluorescence change represents the rate of the irreversible conformational change induced by ATP. In the present study, the rate of irreversible ATP binding, the rate of the initial Pi burst, and the rate of the fluorescence enhancement were compared under varied conditions. The results show that: 1) the fluorescence enhancement is mainly due to the hydrolysis of ATP in the initial Pi burst rather than to the conformational change induced by the binding of ATP; 2) the rate of the initial Pi burst is considerably slower than the rate of irreversible ATP binding at high ATP concentration; 3) the rate of the initial Pi burst is almost the same as the rate of the fluorescence enhancement. Therefore, the maximum rate of the fluorescence enhancement represents the rate of the initial Pi burst rather than the rate of the conformational change induced by ATP binding.