Perturbations of sarcolemmal and microsomal enzymes by amphiphilic lipids and drugs.

Sarcolemmal (SL) and microsomal (MC) membranes were prepared from adult canine cardiocytes. SL Na+, K+-ATPase (2.35 mumole/min per mg) was enriched 117-fold over the homogenate and MC rotenone-insensitive NADH cytochrome c reductase (RINCR) was enriched 41-fold. Preincubation of SL with 50 microM arachidonyl-CoA (20:4 CoA) stimulated Na+, K+-ATPase almost 2-fold; 250 microM 20:4 CoA inhibited the enzyme by 85%. However, RINCR was inhibited 80% by only 0.2 microM 20:4 CoA. Thus, each of these myocardial lipid-dependent enzymes showed a different sensitivity to perturbation by lipid amphiphiles. In further experiments, SL preincubated with 50 microM 20:4 CoA + 2.5 mM propranolol (which had no effect alone) exhibited a synergistic inhibition of the Na+, K+-ATPase: The enzymatic activity declined 8.5-fold when compared to sarcolemma treated with 50 microM 20:4 CoA alone. Thus, the presence of lipid amphiphiles may result in greater inhibition of the Na+, K+-ATPase when propranolol is present in the membrane.

Characterization of sarcolemma from calcium-tolerant canine cardiocytes.

Large numbers of calcium-tolerant canine cardiocytes can be isolated from the collagenase-perfused canine myocardium. An average yield of 500 million cells provides abundant tissue for the preparation of subcellular fractions. Using nitrogen cavitation, along with extraction by 0.6 M potassium chloride/sucrose buffer, we have been able to prepare, after differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation, membrane fractions that are more than 100-fold enriched in sarcolemmal marker enzymes. This preparation of sarcolemma has the advantage of being essentially free of plasma membranes from endothelial, smooth muscle, and other cell types residing in the myocardium.

Inhibition of myocardial rotenone-insensitive NADH cytochrome c reductase by amphiphilic compounds.

Because myocardial ischemia is correlated with both an elevation of intracellular levels of amphiphilic lipid metabolites and a decrease in the rotenone-insensitive NADH cytochrome c reductase (RINCR), we investigated the effects in vitro of some amphiphilic lipid metabolites and synthetic detergents on the activity of RINCR-enriched subfractions of microsomes from isolated cardiac myocytes. RINCR activity was unaffected in vitro by the addition of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (up to 0.5 mM) but was inhibited (maximum 63%) by lysophosphatidylcholine (8 microM). Palmitoyl carnitine (up to 2 mM) was ineffective, but the coenzyme A thioesters of palmitate, stearate, oleate, and arachidonate were inhibitory at concentrations (less than 3 microM) below their critical micellar concentrations. Arachidonyl CoA was approximately one order of magnitude more inhibitory than the other long-chain acyl CoA thioesters. Kinetic analyses revealed the effect of arachidonyl CoA on RINCR activity to be exclusively an alteration of the Vmax with no change in the Km for cytochrome c. The inhibition of myocytic RINCR activity by long-chain acyl CoA may be unrelated to the bulk-phase detergency of this lipid amphiphile since the effects were observed at concentrations below the critical micellar concentration, and other lipid amphiphiles had no effect on RINCR activity. Inhibition of microsomal RINCR activity may result from localized disruption of the membrane microenvironment of the enzyme complex by penetration or dissolution of long-chain acyl CoA into the membrane. The pronounced sensitivity of myocytic RINCR activity to long-chain acyl CoA suggests a relationship between the decreased RINCR activity and the increased levels of this class of lipid metabolites observed in the ischemic myocardium.

Phospholipid composition of human monocytes and alterations occurring due to culture and stimulation by C3b.

The phospholipid composition of human peripheral blood monocytes has not been previously reported, due to difficulty in isolating these cells in a purified state. In this study, monocytes were purified by counterflow centrifugation without selective adherence, and were characterized with the use of fluorescent monoclonal antibodies to T and B lymphocytes and monocytes by flow cytometry. These platelet-free cell preparations contained less than 5% T cells and less than 3% B cells. Isolated monocytes, which were rapidly frozen after isolation, contained phospholipids (in order of decreasing concentrations) as follows: phosphatidylcholine greater than phosphatidylethanolamine greater than sphingomyelin greater than phosphatidylserine greater than phosphatidylinositol greater than cardiolipin. A small amount of lyso-PC, but no lyso-PE, phosphatidic acid or lyso-PI, was found. The effect of culturing these cells in the presence or absence of a known stimulant of monocyte prostaglandin E and thromboxane release, the C3b fragment of the third component of human complement (C3), was studied with regard to phospholipid composition. Monocytes cultured without stimulant for 24 h contained 3-4% more sphingomyelin than did uncultured cells, and lyso-PC concentrations were consistently elevated. The addition of the stimulant C3b to cultured cells resulted in enhancement of release of immunoreactive prostaglandin E into culture supernatants, without affecting the release of lysosomal enzymes. Analysis of the phospholipid content of cells cultured in the presence of C3b revealed that there was a significant decrease in total PI compared to cells cultured in the absence of C3b, in addition to an increased concentration of sphingomyelin and lyso-PC when compared to freshly isolated cells. These changes occurred in the absence of elevated concentrations of phosphatidic acid.

Effects of fatty acid intermediates on Na+-K+-ATPase activity of cardiac sarcolemma.

The effect of amphiphilic lipid intermediates on the Na+-stimulatable activity of the Na+-K+-ATPase of sarcolemma from adult canine cardiac myocytes was studied. Sarcolemma (mean Na+-stimulatable ATPase activity of 73 mumol.mg sarcolemmal protein-1.h-1) was preincubated (37 degrees C for 10 min at pH 7.2) or rapidly mixed at 0 degrees C with amphiphilic lipid intermediates prior to dilution and assay of enzyme activity. Their effects were dependent on temperature, initial concentration, and the ratio of bound amphiphile to sarcolemmal protein. In particular, pretreatment of freshly prepared sarcolemma at 0 degrees C with arachidonyl CoA (up to 0.25 mM) caused 110% stimulation above control activity; palmitoyl CoA or palmitoyl carnitine under the same conditions caused no significant effect. Despite strong binding to the sarcolemmal vesicles, palmitoyl carnitine (up to 0.4 mM or 5 mumol/mg protein) and palmitoyl CoA (0.1 mM or 1.0 mumol of membrane-bound palmitoyl CoA/mg protein) were ineffective even with preincubation. Palmitoyl CoA was inhibitory above this level. Preincubation (22 degrees C for 10 min) with lysophosphatidylcholine only produced inhibition (40% at 0.75 mM). Thus fatty acyl thioesters of CoA and lysophosphatidyl choline but not palmitoyl carnitine perturb sarcolemmal Na+-K+-ATPase activity.

Preparation and properties of highly enriched cardiac sarcolemma from isolated adult myocytes.

Isolated myocytes were prepared from adult canine hearts using a combined technique of myocardial perfusion followed by incubation with collagenase. More than 60% of the cells routinely excluded trypan blue dye. Disruption of the myocytes was accomplished using high pressure nitrogen cavitation. After differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation, the peak sarcolemmal fraction averaged 100-fold enrichment in ouabain-inhibited K+-stimulated p-nitrophenyl phosphatase and 82-fold in ouabain-inhibited (Na+,K+)-ATPase. These sarcolemmal membranes are enriched in phospholipid phosphorus (1.98 mumol/mg of protein) and more than 4-fold in sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Polyacrylamide gels revealed three major protein peaks at 50,000, 91,000, and 140,000 apparent molecular weights. This work demonstrates the feasibility of preparing highly pure cardiac sarcolemma from isolated adult myocytes. The problem of cellular cross-contamination due to heterogeneity of cell types in whole myocardial tissue has been circumvented. The level of enrichment exceeds all reported preparations of cardiac sarcolemma from whole myocardium and cultured myocytes. This preparation should prove to be useful as an in vitro model for studies of physiological, pharmacological, and pathological perturbations of sarcolemmal structure and function.

Lysosomal changes in an animal model of myocardial ischemia. Treatment with methylprednisolone.

In this work we have employed a new extraction buffer for isolation of cardiac lysosomes from control and ischemia canine tissue. Compared to previous techniques, this buffer (0.6 M KCl, 0.25 M sucrose) enabled a 300% increase in the yield of particulate cardiac lysosomes and allowed acceptable levels of specific activity to be maintained. It also permitted great enrichment of a membrane-bound enzyme localized to a microsomal fraction, rotenone-insensitive NADH-cytochrome c reductase (RINCR). Ischemia was produced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 2 hr, and myocardial blood flow (MBF) was measured using 85Sr labeled microspheres (15 microns). Enzymatic changes were measured in endocardial tissue of the ischemic left ventricular wall for comparison with control nonischemic samples. N-Acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) was the most reliable lysosomal marker enzyme; this was depleted significantly (P < 0.001) in particulate lysosomal fractions; significant increases in the supernatant (P < 0.001) were found in areas of ischemia that were less than 25% of the control MBF. Lysosomal latency also diminished significantly during ischemia. Loss of total activity of RINCR in the microsomal fraction was highly significant (P < 0.001) in the areas of profound ischemia. The above data were compared with those from animals in which methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg) was administered 30 min prior to ligation of the coronary artery. Between the two groups (untreated versus methylprednisolone-treated animals) no significant differences could be found in total losses of NAG and RINCR or the rate at which these enzymatic changes ocurred. Lysosomal latency studies also revealed lack of significant changes between both groups. Thus, no significant "protective" effects of methylprednisolone could be found after 2 hr of ischemia.

Effects of well-defined ischemia on myocardial lysosomal and microsomal enzymes in a canine model.

We have used a new technique for extraction of myocardial membranes (0.25 M sucrose, 0.6 M KCl) to isolate particulate and soluble proteins and enzymatic activities in an effort to quantify changes characteristic of progressive ischemia. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was measured with microspheres (15 micrometer diameter) in all samples of tissue used for assay of proteins and enzymatic activities; MBF to the moderately ischemic areas (M-ischemia) was 53% of control (H-control); MBF to the severely ischemic areas (L-ischemia) was 9% of control. Significant decreases (P less than 0.001) in content of protein were seen in all post 1,000 g pellets and supernatant fluids in the L-ischemia zones; particulate lysosomal enzymatic activity was significantly decreased (P less than 0.001) in all four post 1,000 g pellets (2,500 g to 140,000 g) of the L-ischemic areas (for N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase). The increase in percent free activity of lysosomal enzymes (index of loss of latency) also was highly significant (P less than 0.001) in all particulate fractions of the L-ischemic areas. In addition, about 45% of the total activity of the microsomal marker enzyme, rotenone-insensitive NADH cytochrome C reductase (RINCR), was found in the 140,000 g pellet of H-control tissue (9.9 micronmol/min per g); this activity fell to 8.1 micronmol/min per g in M-ischemic areas (P less than 0.001) and to 5.3 micronmol/min per g in L-ischemic areas (P less than 0.001). This study demonstrates that changes in myocardial proteins, lysosomes, and other membrane-bound enzymes (RINCR) may provide reproducible bichemical parameters for assessing ischemic myocardial injury.

Lack of effect of methylprednisolone on lysosomal and microsomal enzymes after two hours of well-defined canine myocardial ischemia.

Myocardial ischemia was produced for 2 hours by coronary ligation in 11 dogs pretreated with methylprednisolone (MP, 30 mg/kg). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was measured with microspheres (15 micrometer) in each tissue sample used for enzymatic analysis. Homogenates of these tissue samples were separated by ultracentrifugation into lysosome-rich and microsomal fractions and were analyzed for N-acetyl-beta-glusosaminidase (NAGA), beta-glucuronidase (beta-gluc), rotenone-insensitive-NADH-cytochrome c reductase (RINCR), and cytochrome oxidase. The enzymatic data from centrifugal fractions were grouped according to MBF values for statistical analysis of inter-group effects of ischemia. Significant losses (P less than 0.001) of NAGA and beta-gluc were seen in all MP-treated lysosome-rich particulate fractions that were isolated from zones demonstrating MBF values less than 25% of control (L-ischemia). Similar significant losses (P less than 0.001) of RINCR were seen in microsomal fractions from L-ischemia zones. Samples with MBF values greater than 25% but less than 75% of control (M-ischemia) also demonstrated significant decreases of lysosomal and microsomal enzymatic activity in specific fractions. When the data of the above MP-treated group were compared with the untreated control group, no significant intergroup effects of treatment with MP were observed. In addition, enzymatic data (NAGA, RINCR) were normalized prior to performing linear regression analyses; percent loss of particulate enzymatic activity was plotted against percent decrease in MBF. The effects of 2 hours of ischemia on the above biochemical parameters were comparable between untreated and MP-treated groups. Finally, when myocardial samples were grouped according to similar levels of MBF, statistical analysis using the general linear models procedure revealed no beneficial effect of MP treatment on changes in lysosomal hydrolases, microsomal RINCR, or latency of lysosomes.

Release of lysosomal enzymes during ischemic injury of canine myocardium.

The pathobiology of the process of myocardial injury during ischemia comprises a series of events that results in the release of lysosomal enzymes from their subcellular locations within the myocardium. We have developed a canine model of acute myocardial ischemia in which the anterior descending coronary artery is ligated, myocardial blood flow is measured using radioactive microspheres, and tissues from subendocardium and subepicardium are assayed for activity of lysosomal hydrolases:N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG), beta-glucuronidase (beta-gluc), and acid phosphatase (AP). Particulate fractions of subendocardium revealed significant depletion of of total acid hydrolases (NAG, beta-gluc, and AP) after one and two hours of ischemia. In addition, after two hours of ischemia, the total activity of these three hydrolases in the subendocardial supernatant was decreased, correlating significantly with diminished myocardial blood flow (NAG: r =0.96; beta-gluc: r = 0.95; AP: r = 0.75). The diminished enzymatic levels in thesupernatant suggested "washout" of the hydrolases that was more efficient in those ischemic areas that had higher myocardial flow (greater than 20% of control). These changes in distribution of lysosomal hydrolases indicate early involvement of these enzymes in the pathobiology of myocardial injury and demonstrate the dynamic relationship of "washout" of acid hydrolases with the degree of diminished blood flow.