Detergent-insoluble GPI-anchored proteins are apically sorted in fischer rat thyroid cells, but interference with cholesterol or sphingolipids differentially affects detergent insolubility and apical sorting.

In contrast to Madin-Darby canine kidney cells, Fischer rat thyroid cells deliver the majority of endogenous glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-anchored proteins to the basolateral surface. However, we report here that the GPI proteins Placental Alkaline Phosphatase (PLAP) and Neurotrophin Receptor-Placental Alkaline Phosphatase (NTR-PLAP) are apically localized in transfected Fischer rat thyroid cells. In agreement with the "raft hypothesis," which postulates the incorporation of GPI proteins into glycosphingolipids and cholesterol-enriched rafts, we found that both of these proteins were insoluble in Triton X-100 and floated into the lighter fractions of sucrose density gradients. However, disruption of lipid rafts by removal of cholesterol did not cause surface missorting of PLAP and NTR-PLAP, and the altered surface sorting of these proteins after Fumonisin B1 treatment did not correlate with reduced levels in Triton X-100 -insoluble fractions. Furthermore, in contrast to the GPI-anchored forms of both of these proteins, the secretory and transmembrane forms (in the absence of a basolateral cytoplasmic signal) were sorted to the apical surface without association with lipid microdomains. Together, these data demonstrate that the GPI anchor is required to mediate raft association but is not sufficient to determine apical sorting. They also suggest that signals present in the ectodomain of the proteins play a major role and that lipid rafts may facilitate the recognition of these signals in the trans-Golgi network, even though they are not required for apical sorting.

Detergent insoluble microdomains are not involved in transcytosis of polymeric Ig receptor in FRT and MDCK cells.

In polarized epithelial cells, sorting of proteins and lipids to the apical or basolateral domain of the plasma membrane can occur via direct or indirect (transcytotic) pathways from the trans Golgi network (TGN). The 'rafts' hypothesis postulates that the key event for direct apical sorting of some transmembrane proteins and the majority of GPI-anchored proteins depends on their association with glycosphingolipid and cholesterol enriched microdomains (rafts). However, the mechanism of indirect sorting to the apical membrane is not clear. The polyimmunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is one of the best studied proteins that follow the transcytotic pathway. It is normally delivered from the TGN to the basolateral surface of polarized Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells from where it transports dIgA or dIgM to the apical surface. We have studied the intracellular trafficking of pIgR in Fischer rat thyroid cells (FRT), and have investigated the sorting machinery involved in transcytosis of this receptor in both FRT and MDCK cells. We found that, in contrast with MDCK cells, a significant amount (approximately 30%) of pIgR reaches the apical surface by a direct pathway. Furthermore, in both cell lines it does not associate with Triton X-100 insoluble microdomains, suggesting that at least in these cells 'rafts' are not involved in basolateral to apical transcytosis.

Mechanisms of apical protein sorting in polarized thyroid epithelial cells.

The process leading to thyroid hormone synthesis is vectorial and depends upon the polarized organization of the thyrocytes into the follicular unit. Thyrocyte membrane proteins are delivered to two distinct domains of the plasma membrane using apical (AP) and basolateral (BL) sorting signals. A recent hypothesis for AP sorting proposes that apically destined proteins cluster with glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and cholesterol, into microdomains (or rafts) of the Golgi membrane from which AP vesicles originate. In MDCK cells the human neurotrophin receptor, p75hNTR, is delivered to the AP surface through a sorting signal, rich in O-glycosylated sugars, identified in its ectodomain. We have investigated whether this signal is functional in the thyroid-derived FRT cell line and whether p75hNTR clusters into lipid rafts to be sorted to the AP membrane. We found that p75hNTR is apically delivered via a direct pathway and does not associate with rafts during its transport to the surface of FRT cells. Therefore, although the same signal could be recognized by different cell types thyroid cells may possess a tissue-specific sorting machinery.

A requirement for caveolin-1 and associated kinase Fyn in integrin signaling and anchorage-dependent cell growth.

Caveolin-1 functions as a membrane adaptor to link the integrin alpha subunit to the tyrosine kinase Fyn. Upon integrin ligation, Fyn is activated and binds, via its SH3 domain, to Shc. Shc is subsequently phosphorylated at tyrosine 317 and recruits Grb2. This sequence of events is necessary to couple integrins to the Ras-ERK pathway and promote cell cycle progression. These findings reveal an unexpected function of caveolin-1 and Fyn in integrin signaling and anchorage-dependent cell growth.

Caveolin transfection results in caveolae formation but not apical sorting of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins in epithelial cells.

Most epithelial cells sort glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins to the apical surface. The "raft" hypothesis, based on data mainly obtained in the prototype cell line MDCK, postulates that apical sorting depends on the incorporation of apical proteins into cholesterol/glycosphingolipid (GSL) rafts, rich in the cholesterol binding protein caveolin/VIP21, in the Golgi apparatus. Fischer rat thyroid (FRT) cells constitute an ideal model to test this hypothesis, since they missort both endogenous and transfected GPI-anchored proteins to the basolateral plasma membrane and fail to incorporate them into cholesterol/glycosphingolipid clusters. Because FRT cells lack caveolin, a major component of the caveolar coat that has been proposed to have a role in apical sorting of GPI-anchored proteins (Zurzolo, C., W. Van't Hoff, G. van Meer, and E. Rodriguez-Boulan. 1994. EMBO [Eur. Mol. Biol. Organ.] J. 13:42-53.), we carried out experiments to determine whether the lack of caveolin accounted for the sorting/clustering defect of GPI-anchored proteins. We report here that FRT cells lack morphological caveolae, but, upon stable transfection of the caveolin1 gene (cav1), form typical flask-shaped caveolae. However, cav1 expression did not redistribute GPI-anchored proteins to the apical surface, nor promote their inclusion into cholesterol/GSL rafts. Our results demonstrate that the absence of caveolin1 and morphologically identifiable caveolae cannot explain the inability of FRT cells to sort GPI-anchored proteins to the apical domain. Thus, FRT cells may lack additional factors required for apical sorting or for the clustering with GSLs of GPI-anchored proteins, or express factors that inhibit these events. Alternatively, cav1 and caveolae may not be directly involved in these processes.

Plasticity in epithelial cell phenotype: modulation by expression of different cadherin cell adhesion molecules.

A primary function of cadherins is to regulate cell adhesion. Here, we demonstrate a broader function of cadherins in the differentiation of specialized epithelial cell phenotypes. In situ, the rat retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) forms cell-cell contacts within its monolayer, and at the apical membrane with the neural retina; Na+, K(+)-ATPase and the membrane cytoskeleton are restricted to the apical membrane. In vitro, RPE cells (RPE-J cell line) express an endogenous cadherin, form adherens junctions and a tight monolayer, but Na+,K(+)-ATPase is localized to both apical and basal-lateral membranes. Expression of E-cadherin in RPE-J cells results in restriction and accumulation of both Na+,K(+)-ATPase and the membrane cytoskeleton at the lateral membrane; these changes correlate with the synthesis of a different ankyrin isoform. In contrast to both RPE in situ and RPE-J cells that do not form desmosomes, E-cadherin expression in RPE-J cells induces accumulation of desmoglein mRNA, and assembly of desmosome-keratin complexes at cell-cell contacts. These results demonstrate that cadherins directly affect epithelial cell phenotype by remodeling the distributions of constitutively expressed proteins and by induced accumulation of specific proteins, which together lead to the generation of structurally and functionally distinct epithelial cell types.

Permeabilization of MDCK cells with cholesterol binding agents: dependence on substratum and confluency.

We studied systematically the susceptibility of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells to permeabilization by two cholesterol binding agents, digitonin and streptolysin-O (SLO), under different culture conditions. Monolayers grown on polycarbonate filter chambers (Transwells) required twice the concentration of digitonin effective on monolayers grown on glass or plastic (80 vs. 40 micrograms/ml) to allow antibody penetration or the release of 90% of the cytosolic protein lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Neither the apical nor the basolateral surface showed preferential susceptibility to digitonin. Confluent MDCK cells, cultured either on filters or on impermeable substrates, showed poor antibody permeability after addition of commercial SLOs, even when used at concentrations 100 times higher (20 U/ml) than those effective on nonepithelial Chinese hamster ovary cells. Surprisingly, culture conditions that prevent tight junction formation and the acquisition of a polarized phenotype (< 10 microM Ca2+) increased dramatically the susceptibility to permeabilization by SLO. On restoration of normal Ca2+ levels, susceptibility to SLO quickly decreased. Thus conditions that lead to the full establishment of polarity result in decreased sensitivity to disruption by digitonin and SLO.

Glycosphingolipid clusters and the sorting of GPI-anchored proteins in epithelial cells.

We studied the role of the association between glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and glycosphingolipid (GSL) clusters in apical targeting using gD1-DAF, a GPI-anchored protein that is sorted differentially by three epithelial cell lines. Differently from MDCK cells, where both gD1-DAF and glucosylceramide (GlcCer) are sorted to the apical membrane, in MDCK Concanavalin A-resistant cells (MDCK-ConAr) gD1-DAF was mis-sorted to both surfaces but GlcCer was still targeted to the apical surface. In both MDCK and MDCK-ConAr cells, gD1-DAF became associated with TX-100 insoluble GSL clusters during transport to the cell surface. In contrast to MDCK cells, the Fischer rat thyroid (FRT) cell line targeted both gD1-DAF and GlcCer basolaterally. Both MDCK and FRT cells had the ability to assemble GSLs into TX-100-insoluble complexes, but, surprisingly, in FRT cells, gD1-DAF did not associate with GSLs and, therefore, remained completely soluble in TX100. This clustering defect in FRT cells correlated with the absence of VIP21/caveolin, a protein localized to both the plasma membrane caveolae and the TNG. This suggests that VIP21/caveolin may have an important role in recruiting GPI-anchored proteins into GSL complexes, necessary for their apical sorting. However, since MDCK-ConAr cells expressed caveolin and clustered GPI-anchored proteins normally, yet mis-sorted them, our results also indicate that clustering and caveolin are not sufficient for apical targeting and that additional factors are required for the accurate apical sorting of GPI-anchored proteins.

Glycosphingolipid clusters and the sorting of GPI-anchored proteins in epithelial cells

We studied the role of the association between glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and glycosphingolipid (GSL) clusters in apical targeting using gD1-DAF, a GPI-anchored protein that is sorted differentially by three epithelial cell lines. Differently from MDCK cells, where both gD1-DAF and glucosylceramide (GlcCer) are sorted to the apical membrane, in MDCK Concanavalin A-resistant cells (MDCK-ConAr) gD1-DAF was mis-sorted to both surfaces but GlcCer was still targeted to the apical surface. In both MDCK and MDCK-ConAr cells, gD1-DAF became associated with TX-100 insoluble GSL clusters during transport to the cell surface. In contrast to MDCK cells, the Fischer rat thyroid (FRT) cell line targeted both gD1-DAF and GlcCer basolaterally. Both MDCK and FRT cells had the ability to assemble GSLs into TX-100-insoluble complexes, but, surprisingly, in FRT cells, gD1-DAF did not associate with GSLs and, therefore, remained completely soluble in TX100. This clustering defect in FRT cells correlated with the absence of VIP21/caveolin, a protein localized to both the plasma membrane caveolae and the TGN. This suggests that VIP21/caveolin may have an important role in recruiting GPI-anchored proteins into GSL complexes, necessary for their apical sorting. However,since MDCK-ConAr cells expressed caveolin and clustered GPI-anchored proteins normally, yet mis-sorted them, our results also indicate that clustering and caveolin are not sufficient for apical targeting and that additional factors are required for the accurate apical sorting of GPI-anchored proteins

VIP21/caveolin, glycosphingolipid clusters and the sorting of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins in epithelial cells.

We studied the role of the association between glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and glycosphingolipid (GSL) clusters in apical targeting using gD1-DAF, a GPI-anchored protein that is differentially sorted by three epithelial cell lines. Differently from MDCK cells, where both gD1-DAF and glucosylceramide (GlcCer) are sorted to the apical membrane, in MDCK Concanavalin A-resistant cells (MDCK-ConAr) gD1-DAF was mis-sorted to both surfaces, but GlcCer was still targeted to the apical surface. In both MDCK and MDCK-ConAr cells, gD1-DAF became associated with TX-100-insoluble GSL clusters during transport to the cell surface. In dramatic contrast with MDCK cells, the Fischer rat thyroid (FRT) cell line targeted both gD1-DAF and GlcCer basolaterally. The targeting differences for GSLs in FRT and MDCK cells cannot be accounted for by a differential ability to form clusters because, in spite of major differences in the GSL composition, both cell lines assembled GSLs into TX-100-insoluble complexes with identical isopycnic densities. Surprisingly, in FRT cells, gD1-DAF did not form clusters with GSLs and, therefore, remained completely soluble. This clustering defect in FRT cells correlated with the lack of expression of VIP21/caveolin, a protein localized to both the plasma membrane caveolae and the trans Golgi network. This suggests that VIP21/caveolin may have an important role in recruiting GPI-anchored proteins into GSL complexes necessary for their apical sorting. However, since MDCK-ConAr cells expressed caveolin and clustered GPI-anchored proteins normally, yet mis-sorted them, our results also indicate that clustering and caveolin are not sufficient for apical targeting, and that additional factors are required for the accurate apical sorting of GPI-anchored proteins.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins are preferentially targeted to the basolateral surface in Fischer rat thyroid epithelial cells.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) acts as an apical targeting signal in MDCK cells and other kidney and intestinal cell lines. In striking contrast with these model polarized cell lines, we show here that Fischer rat thyroid (FRT) epithelial cells do not display a preferential apical distribution of GPI-anchored proteins. Six out of nine detectable endogenous GPI-anchored proteins were localized on the basolateral surface, whereas two others were apical and one was not polarized. Transfection of several model GPI proteins, previously shown to be apically targeted in MDCK cells, also led to unexpected results. While the ectodomain of decay accelerating factor (DAF) was apically secreted, 50% of the native, GPI-anchored form, of this protein was basolateral. Addition of a GPI anchor to the ectodomain of Herpes simplex gD-1, secreted without polarity, led to basolateral localization of the fusion protein, gD1-DAF. Targeting experiments demonstrated that gD1-DAF was delivered vectorially from the Golgi apparatus to the basolateral surface. These results indicate that FRT cells have fundamental differences with MDCK cells with regard to the mechanisms for sorting GPI-anchored proteins: GPI is not an apical signal but, rather, it behaves as a basolateral signal. The "mutant" behavior of FRT cells may provide clues to the nature of the mechanisms that sort GPI-anchored proteins in epithelial cells.

Polarity signals in epithelial cells.

In simple epithelia, specialized vectorial functions such as transport and secretion are made possible by the segregation of proteins and lipids into opposite surface domains. This polarized distribution results from selective delivery to and retention at the appropriate domain. In the case of direct delivery, the sorting site for apical and basolateral proteins is the trans-Golgi network (TGN) where they are incorporated into distinct apical and basolateral vesicles that are targeted to the respective surfaces. The machinery that controls this simple process is in fact rather complicated. It involves many different steps from the recognition event (between 'sorting signal(s)' and 'sorting receptor(s)' to the formation of the vesicles, their budding, and the docking to the specialized plasma membrane domain. Here we summarize the latest developments in the sorting of apical and basolateral proteins, focusing in particular on the signals that are involved in this process and the current hypotheses about the mechanisms responsible for it, in both epithelia and in non-polarized cells.

Polarized secretion of plasminogen activators by epithelial cell monolayers.

We have investigated the synthesis and the polarized secretion of plasminogen activators (PAs) in three epithelial cell lines (FRT, derived from rat thyroid; MDCK, from canine kidney, and CaCo-2, from human intestine) grown on filters, in bicameral systems. Confluency and acquisition of functional polarity were assessed by measuring transepithelial resistance and by showing polarized secretion of endogenous proteins. By zymography, before and after immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies, we found that FRT cells synthesized tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and that tPA activity was mostly confined to the apical cell compartment. MDCK and CaCo-2 cells, instead, synthesized urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). In MDCK cells the uPA activity was found predominantly in the apical cell compartment while in CaCo-2 cells it was mostly basolateral.

Modulation of transcytotic and direct targeting pathways in a polarized thyroid cell line.

Two biosynthetic pathways exist for delivery of membrane proteins to the apical surface of epithelial cells, direct transport from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and transcytosis from the basolateral membrane. Different epithelial cells vary in the expression of these mechanisms. Two extremes are MDCK cells, that use predominantly the direct route and hepatocytes, which deliver all apical proteins via the basolateral membrane. To determine how epithelial cells establish a particular targeting phenotype, we studied the apical delivery of endogenous dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) at early and late stages in the development of monolayers of a highly polarized epithelial cell line derived from Fischer rat thyroid (FRT). In 1 day old monolayers, surface delivery of DPPIV from the TGN was unpolarized (50%/50%) but a large basal to apical transcytotic component resulted in a polarized apical distribution. In contrast, after 7 days of culture, delivery of DPPIV was mainly direct (85%) with no transcytosis of the missorted component. A basolateral marker, Ag 35/40 kD, on the other hand, was directly targeted (90-98%) at all times. These results indicate that the sorting machinery for apical proteins develops independently from the sorting machinery for basolateral proteins and that the sorting site relocates progressively from the basal membrane to the TGN during development of the epithelium. The transient expression of the transcytotic pathway may serve as a salvage pathway for missorted apical proteins when the polarized phenotype is being established.

Opposite polarity of virus budding and of viral envelope glycoprotein distribution in epithelial cells derived from different tissues.

We compared the surface envelope glycoprotein distribution and the budding polarity of four RNA viruses in Fischer rat thyroid (FRT) cells and in CaCo-2 cells derived from a human colon carcinoma. Whereas both FRT and CaCo-2 cells sort similarly influenza hemagglutinin and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G protein, respectively, to apical and basolateral membrane domains, they differ in their handling of two togaviruses, Sindbis and Semliki Forest virus (SFV). By conventional EM Sindbis virus and SFV were shown to bud apically in FRT cells and basolaterally in CaCo-2 cells. Consistent with this finding, the distribution of the p62/E2 envelope glycoprotein of SFV, assayed by immunoelectronmicroscopy and by domain-selective surface biotinylation was predominantly apical on FRT cells and basolateral on CaCo-2 cells. We conclude that a given virus and its envelope glycoprotein can be delivered to opposite membrane domains in epithelial cells derived from different tissues. The tissue specificity in the polarity of virus budding and viral envelope glycoprotein distribution indicate that the sorting machinery varies considerably between different epithelial cell types.

New techniques lead to advances in epithelial cell polarity.

We have utilized cell surface biotinylation assays to study protein targeting signals and pathways in polarized epithelial cells. These studies have revealed that in MDCK cells, most proteins are sorted intracellularly and are targeted directly to the surface; in other cell types, protein targeting may be mediated by a selective retrieval event. Studies on both intact and permeabilized cells demonstrate that microtubules facilitate apical but not basolateral delivery. Recent transfection studies in MDCK cells have identified glycosyl phosphatidyl inositol (GPI) as an apical targeting signal; interaction of the GPI moiety with glycolipids preferentially expressed on the apical surface may mediate this process. Several proteinaceous basolateral targeting signals have also been recently described.

The polarized epithelial phenotype is dominant in hybrids between polarized and unpolarized rat thyroid cell lines.

We have studied the expression of cell polarity in hybrids between two rat thyroid epithelial cells: FRT and FRTL-5. FRT cells are polarized but do not express tissue-specific properties, FRTL-5 are unpolarized and express many thyroid-specific genes. A and express many thyroid-specific genes. A pool of 170 hybrid clones and five independent clones were characterized. The chromosome complement was that expected from 1:1 fusion of the parental cells. No chromosome loss was observed for several generations. All hybrids were polarized as judged from: (1) morphology, (2) transepithelial resistance, (3) preferential secretion of several proteins either through the apical (e.g. thyroglobulin) or through the basolateral pole, and (4) basolateral trapping of iodide. On the other hand, the expression of thyroid-specific markers: thyroglobulin synthesis and secretion, trapping of iodide, thyrotropin-dependent growth and expression of specific membrane antigens, were greatly reduced or inhibited in the pool and in the isolated clones. We also found that reduction of thyroglobulin synthesis was correlated with the loss of activity of the trans-acting factor TgTF1. We conclude that cell polarity, a property of FRT cells, is dominant in the hybrids whereas thyroid differentiation is recessive.

Human CD8 alpha glycoprotein is expressed at the apical plasma membrane domain in permanently transformed MDCK II clones.

Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (MDCK II) have been cotransfected with plasmids expressing the human CD8 alpha glycoprotein and the bacterial gene which confers resistance to neomycin. Stable transformants have been isolated in the presence of G-418 in the culture medium and screened for CD8 alpha expression by immunofluorescence. The three clones we have characterized showed: 1) high level of synthesis and efficient surface expression of glycosylated, homodimeric CD8 alpha and 2) preferential apical deposition of CD8 alpha in confluent monolayers. This polar distribution has been measured in cells grown on a plastic substratum as well as on nitrocellulose filter by means of EM immunocytochemistry and surface radioimmunoassay. CD8 alpha was 6 to 11-fold enriched on the apical membrane whereas the 58 kDa protein, a basolateral marker in MDCK II cells, resulted about 9-fold enriched on the basolateral membrane of the three clones. We believe these permanently transformed clones could prove to be a useful tool with which to study cell polarity.