merocyanine-dye and Hemolysis

Incubation of cells and tissues with saponin makes the lipid bilayer permeable to macromolecules. Ghosts (membrane preparations) of saponin-lysed erythrocytes do not reseal, thus indicating an irreversible damage of the lipid bilayer. We investigated the influence of disturbance of the lipid bilayer on membrane proteins by comparing ghosts of saponin-lysed erythrocytes with ghosts of cells lysed in hypotonic buffer. Transmission electron microscopy revealed destruction of the lipid bilayer and emergence of multilamellar buds in saponin-lysed ghosts. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed regions with crystalline lipids and an increase in particle-free areas on fracture faces. The number of protein sulfhydryl groups and the binding of hemoglobin were diminished in saponin-lysed ghosts. A Scatchard plot of hemoglobin binding revealed the decrease of high affinity binding sites. All these results indicate an aggregation of band 3 protein also demonstrated by laser scanning microscopy after incubation of cells labelled with eosin-5-maleimide with sublytic concentration of saponin. Hemolysis with saponin also affected the interaction between transmembrane proteins and the cytoskeleton. Dissociation of peripheral membrane proteins by incubation of ghosts in low salt buffer or by blocking sulfhydryl groups was increased and the association of spectrin with spectrin-depleted vesicles was decreased. The increased incorporation of the fluorescent probe Merocyanine 540 into saponin-lysed ghosts and the increased relative fluorescence quantum yield confirmed the perturbation of the lipid bilayer and the changed interaction between membrane lipids and intrinsic membrane proteins. Our results suggest that permeabilization of the lipid bilayer with saponin to admit the access of antibodies to the cytoplasmic surface of cells can aggregate transmembrane proteins and affect the immunocytochemical localization of associated proteins of the cytoskeleton.

Topics: Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte; Binding Sites; Cell Membrane Permeability; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Freeze Fracturing; Hemoglobins; Hemolysis; Humans; Lipid Bilayers; Membrane Proteins; Pyrimidinones; Saponins; Spectrin

The interaction of the red cell membrane with merocyanine 540 or protoporphyrin led to four phenomena, most probably interrelated. (i) The morphology changed from the normal discoid to an echinocytic form. This morphological change persisted when followed over a period of 24 h. (ii) Simultaneously, cell deformability was decreased, as revealed by viscosity measurements and a cell-filtration technique. (iii) Both drugs caused swelling of the erythrocytes in isotonic medium, due to a very-short-term increased permeability of the membrane, also for larger molecules such as lactose. The pathway of this temporary leak seems to be unrelated to the Na+/K+ -ATPase, the K+/Cl- and the Na+/K+/Cl- cotransport systems, the Ca2+-activated Gardos pathway, the oxidation/deformation-activated leak pathway and the so-called residual transport route. Despite the morphological changes, K+-leakage induced by mechanical stress was not increased. (iv) During osmotic swelling, the critical hemolytic volume was found to be increased in the presence of either merocyanine 540 or protoporphyrin. The increase critical volume protected erythrocytes against osmotic hemolysis.

Topics: Antiviral Agents; Cell Membrane Permeability; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry, Physical; Erythrocyte Deformability; Erythrocyte Membrane; Erythrocytes; Hemolysis; Humans; Osmosis; Phospholipids; Photosensitizing Agents; Protoporphyrins; Pyrimidinones; Viscosity

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) release from their granules a 70 kDa protein, called PFP, perforin or cytolysin, which inserts into the target cell plasma membrane in its monomeric form. Here it polymerizes into a macromolecular complex forming pores as large as 20 nm. Although purified PFP/perforin can effectively lyze all target cells tested. CTL are refractory to lysis. The mechanism underlying the resistance of CTL is currently unknown. This study represents a search for membrane structural properties that could confer resistance to CTL against PFP/perforin-mediated lysis. The fluorescent dye merocyanine 540 was used to measure the lipid head group packing of CTL and several target cells, and 1-[4-(trimethylamine)phenyl]-6-phenylhexa-1,3,5-triene was used to estimate the fluidity of the membrane hydrocarbon region. The resistance against PFP/perforin-mediated lysis was determined by the 51Cr release assay. A comparison of the membrane rigidity with cell resistance led to the conclusion that the membrane lipid structure cannot account for the unusually high resistance of CTL. In particular, the resistant CTL line CTLL-2 has a lipid head group packing that is looser than that of Yac-1, and the sensitive target cells Jy-25 and EL-4 have membrane acyl chains that are less fluid than those of the effector CTLL-R8.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Membrane; Diphenylhexatriene; Erythrocyte Membrane; Fatty Alcohols; Fluorescent Dyes; Hemolysis; Membrane Fluidity; Membrane Glycoproteins; Membrane Lipids; Membrane Proteins; Mice; Perforin; Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; Pyrimidinones; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

Peroxidation of erythrocyte membrane lipids by hydrogen peroxide perturbs the lipid bilayer and increases phagocytosis by macrophages. This study addresses the underlying mechanism of these processes, and in particular the role of malondialdehyde, a major byproduct of lipid peroxidation. When erythrocytes were treated with hydrogen peroxide or ascorbate/iron to generate malondialdehyde, or with malondialdehyde itself, only those cells treated with hydrogen peroxide showed increased phospholipid spacing and enhanced phagocytosis. This result indicates that the alterations observed are unique to hydrogen peroxide treatment, and that malondialdehyde does not play a role in inducing these changes in surface properties. Comparison of adherence to human umbilical vein endothelial cells and phagocytosis showed that increased phagocytosis was not mirrored by enhanced adherence. This result suggests that two different signals may mediate recognition of erythrocytes by macrophages and by endothelial cells.

Topics: Cell Adhesion; Cells, Cultured; Erythrocyte Membrane; Hemolysis; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Lipid Bilayers; Lipid Peroxidation; Macrophages; Malonates; Malondialdehyde; Membrane Lipids; Phagocytosis; Phospholipids; Pyrimidinones; Spectrometry, Fluorescence

Topics: Hemolysis; Humans; Light; Oxygen; Photochemistry; Pyrimidinones; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Rose Bengal; Singlet Oxygen

Bee venom phospholipase A2 and the fluorescent probe merocyanine 540 were used to examine plasma membrane phospholipid organization in the spicules released by deoxygenation and reoxygenation of sickle red cells, as well as in reversibly and irreversibly sickled erythrocytes. Digestion of phosphatidyl ethanolamine in spicules was comparable to that of phosphatidyl choline, and these structures were stained by the fluorescent probe. Both assays suggest that membrane lipid asymmetry is disrupted in spicules. The residual cells, from which the spicules were derived, retain the normal asymmetry in phospholipid distribution between the outer and inner leaflets of the plasma membrane bilayer. Comparable experiments with cell fractions enriched in irreversibly sickled cells revealed a partial enhancement of phosphatidyl ethanolamine digestion, confirming the similar experiments of Lubin et al (1981). Staining of these cells with merocyanine 540, however, did not reveal a subfraction of stainable cells, indicating that this increase in phosphatidyl ethanolamine digestion is not due to the presence of a small fraction of cells which have completely lost their membrane asymmetry.

Topics: Anemia, Sickle Cell; Erythrocyte Membrane; Fluorescent Dyes; Hemolysis; Histocytochemistry; Humans; Membrane Lipids; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Phospholipases A; Phospholipases A2; Phospholipids; Pyrimidinones