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R G Parton

Publications and source records attributed to R G Parton.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Rab17, a novel small GTPase, is specific for epithelial cells and is induced during cell polarization.

The rab subfamily of small GTPases has been demonstrated to play an important role in the regulation of membrane traffic in eukaryotic cells. Compared with nonpolarized cells, epithelial cells have distinct apical and basolateral transport pathways which need to be separately regulated. This raises the question whether epithelial cells require specific rab proteins. However, all rab proteins identified so far were found to be equally expressed in polarized and nonpolarized cells. Here we report the identification of rab17, the first epithelial cell-specific small GTPase. Northern blot analysis on various mouse organs, revealed that the rab17 mRNA is present in kidney, liver, and intestine but not in organs lacking epithelial cells nor in fibroblasts. To determine whether rab17 is specific for epithelial cells we studied its expression in the developing kidney. We found that rab17 is absent from the mesenchymal precursors but is induced upon their differentiation into epithelial cells. In situ hybridization studies on the embryonic kidney and intestine revealed that rab17 is restricted to epithelial cells. By immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy on kidney sections, rab17 was localized to the basolateral plasma membrane and to apical tubules. Rab proteins associated with two distinct compartments have been found to regulate transport between them. Therefore, our data suggest that rab17 might be involved in transcellular transport.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rab8, a small GTPase involved in vesicular traffic between the TGN and the basolateral plasma membrane.

Small GTP-binding proteins of the rab family have been implicated as regulators of membrane traffic along the biosynthetic and endocytic pathways in eukaryotic cells. We have investigated the localization and function of rab8, closely related to the yeast YPT1/SEC4 gene products. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy on filter-grown MDCK cells demonstrated that, rab8 was localized to the Golgi region, vesicular structures, and to the basolateral plasma membrane. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that rab8p was highly enriched in immuno-isolated basolateral vesicles carrying vesicular stomatitis virus-glycoprotein (VSV-G) but was absent from vesicles transporting the hemagglutinin protein (HA) of influenza virus to the apical cell surface. Using a cytosol dependent in vitro transport assay in permeabilized MDCK cells we studied the functional role of rab8 in biosynthetic membrane traffic. Transport of VSV-G from the TGN to the basolateral plasma membrane was found to be significantly inhibited by a peptide derived from the hypervariable COOH-terminal region of rab8, while transport of the influenza HA from the TGN to the apical surface and ER to Golgi transport were unaffected. We conclude that rab8 plays a role in membrane traffic from the TGN to the basolateral plasma membrane in MDCK cells.

ADP-Ribosylation Factors↗

The small GTPase rab5 functions as a regulatory factor in the early endocytic pathway.

We have investigated the in vivo functional role of rab5, a small GTPase associated with the plasma membrane and early endosomes. Wild-type rab5 or rab5-ile133, a mutant protein defective in GTP binding, was overexpressed in baby hamster kidney cells. In cells expressing the rab5ile 133 protein, the rate of endocytosis was decreased by 50% compared with normal, while the rate of recycling was not significantly affected. The morphology of early endosomes was also drastically changed by the mutant protein, which induced accumulation of small tubules and vesicles at the periphery of the cell. Surprisingly, overexpression of wild-type rab5 accelerated the uptake of endocytic markers and led to the appearance of atypically large early endosomes. We conclude that rab5 is a rate-limiting component of the machinery regulating the kinetics of membrane traffic in the early endocytic pathway.

Animals↗

Sphingolipid transport from the trans-Golgi network to the apical surface in permeabilized MDCK cells.

We have measured the transport of de novo synthesized fluorescent analogs of sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the apical membrane in basolaterally permeabilized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Sphingolipid transport was temperature, ATP and cytosol dependent. Introduction of bovine serum albumin (BSA), which binds fluorescent sphingolipid monomer, into the permeabilized cells, did not affect lipid transport to the apical membrane. Both fluorescent sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide analogs were localized to the lumenal bilayer leaflet of isolated TGN-derived vesicles. These results strongly suggest that both sphingolipids are transported from the TGN to the apical membrane via vesicular traffic.

Animals↗

VIP21, a 21-kD membrane protein is an integral component of trans-Golgi-network-derived transport vesicles.

In simple epithelial cells, apical and basolateral proteins are sorted into separate vesicular carriers before delivery to the appropriate plasma membrane domains. To dissect the putative sorting machinery, we have solubilized Golgi-derived transport vesicles with the detergent CHAPS and shown that an apical marker, influenza haemagglutinin (HA), formed a large complex together with several integral membrane proteins. Remarkably, a similar set of CHAPS-insoluble proteins was found after solubilization of a total cellular membrane fraction. This allowed the cloning of a cDNA encoding one protein of this complex, VIP21 (Vesicular Integral-membrane Protein of 21 kD). The transiently expressed protein appeared on the Golgi-apparatus, the plasma membrane and vesicular structures. We propose that VIP21 is a component of the molecular machinery of vesicular transport.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Axonal and dendritic endocytic pathways in cultured neurons.

The endocytic pathways from the axonal and dendritic surfaces of cultured polarized hippocampal neurons were examined. The dendrites and cell body contained extensive networks of tubular early endosomes which received endocytosed markers from the somatodendritic domain. In axons early endosomes were confined to presynaptic terminals and to varicosities. The somatodendritic but not the presynaptic early endosomes were labeled by internalized transferrin. In contrast to early endosomes, late endosomes and lysosomes were shown to be predominantly located in the cell body. Video microscopy was used to follow the transport of internalized markers from the periphery of axons and dendrites back to the cell body. Labeled structures in both domains moved unidirectionally by retrograde fast transport. Axonally transported organelles were sectioned for EM after video microscopic observation and shown to be large multivesicular body-like structures. Similar structures accumulated at the distal side of an axonal lesion. Multivesicular bodies therefore appear to be the major structures mediating transport of endocytosed markers between the nerve terminals and the cell body. Late endocytic structures were also shown to be highly mobile and were observed moving within the cell body and proximal dendritic segments. The results show that the organization of the endosomes differs in the axons and dendrites of cultured rat hippocampal neurons and that the different compartments or stages of the endocytic pathways can be resolved spatially.

Animals↗

Plasticity of early endosomes.

We observed that the structural organization of early endosomes was significantly modified after cell surface biotinylation followed by incubation in the presence of low concentrations of avidin. Under these conditions early endosomes increased in size to form structures which extended over several micrometers and which had an intra-luminal content with a characteristic electron-dense appearance. The modified early endosomes were not formed when either avidin or biotinylation was omitted, suggesting that they resulted from the cross-linking of internalized biotinylated proteins by avidin. Accumulation of a fluid-phase tracer was increased after the avidin-biotin treatment (145% after 45 min). Both recycling and transport to the late endosomes still occurred, albeit to a somewhat lower extent than in control cells. Quantitative electron microscopy showed that the volume of the endosomal compartment was increased approximately 1.5-fold but that the surface area of the compartment decreased relative to its volume after avidin-biotin treatment. Finally, overexpression of a rab5 mutant, which is known to inhibit early endosome fusion in vitro, prevented the formation of these structures in vivo and caused early endosome fragmentation. Altogether, our data suggest that early endosomes exhibit a high plasticity in vivo. Cross-linking appears to interfere with this dynamic process but does not arrest membrane traffic to/from early endosomes.

Animals↗

Polarized sorting of glypiated proteins in hippocampal neurons.

Our recent studies suggested that neurons and epithelial cells sort viral glycoproteins in a similar manner. The apical influenza virus haemagglutinin was preferentially delivered to the axon of hippocampal neurons in culture, whereas the basolateral vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein was sorted to the dendrites. To investigate whether other membrane proteins showed similar sorting in neurons and epithelial cells, we have analysed the localization of a glypiated (glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored) protein, Thy-1, in hippocampal neurons in culture. In MDCK and other epithelial cells, endogenous glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins, as well as mutated exogenous proteins containing the GPI-attachment signal, undergo preferential delivery to the apical surface. This polarized sorting of GPI-anchored proteins has been proposed to occur by the same mechanisms as the sorting of glycolipids to the apical surface. We report here that the neuronal GPI-protein Thy-1 is present in hippocampal neurons in culture and is exclusively located on the axonal surface. This finding further strengthens our hypothesis that the mechanisms of sorting of surface components may be similar in neurons and epithelial cells.

Animals↗

pH-induced microtubule-dependent redistribution of late endosomes in neuronal and epithelial cells.

The interaction between late endocytic structures and microtubules in polarized cells was studied using a procedure previously shown to cause microtubule-dependent redistribution of lysosomes in fibroblasts and macrophages (Heuser, J. 1989. J. Cell Biol. 108:855-864). In cultured rat hippocampal neurons, low cytoplasmic pH caused cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor-enriched structures to move out of the cell body and into the processes. In filter grown MDCK cells lowering the cytosolic pH to approximately 6.5 caused late endosomes to move to the base of the cell and this process was shown to be microtubule dependent. Alkalinization caused a shift in distribution towards the apical pole of the cell. The results are consistent with low pH causing the redistribution of late endosomes towards the plus ends of the microtubules. In MDCK cells the microtubules orientated vertically in the cell may play a role in this process. The shape changes that accompanied the redistribution of the late endosomes in MDCK cells were examined by electron microscopy. On low pH treatment fragmentation of the late endosomes was observed whereas after microtubule depolymerization individual late endosomal structures appeared to fuse together. The late endosomes of the MDCK cell appear to be highly pleomorphic and dependent on microtubules for their form and distribution in the cell.

Animals↗

Endocytosis in polarized cells.

Recent biochemical and morphological studies using the MDCK cell line have provided insights into the organization of the endocytic pathways in an epithelial cell. The cytoskeletal organization of these cells has been described and evidence for the involvement of microtubules in facilitating endocytic traffic has been obtained. The findings with this model system are compared to results from in vivo studies of the endocytic pathways from the surface domains of specialized epithelial cells and to studies of endocytosis in neurons.

Animals↗

Localization of low molecular weight GTP binding proteins to exocytic and endocytic compartments.

A set of 11 clones encoding putative GTP binding proteins highly homologous to the yeast YPT1/SEC4 gene products have been isolated from an MDCK cell cDNA library. We localized three of the corresponding proteins in mammalian cells by using affinity-purified antibodies in immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy studies. One, the MDCK homolog of rab2, is associated with a structure having the characteristics of an intermediate compartment between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. The second, rab5, is located at the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane and on early endosomes, while the third, rab7, is found on late endosomes. These findings provide evidence that members of the YPT1/SEC4 subfamily of GTP binding proteins are localized to specific exocytic and endocytic subcompartments in mammalian cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Transcytosis in MDCK cells: identification of glycoproteins transported bidirectionally between both plasma membrane domains.

MDCK cells display fluid-phase transcytosis in both directions across the cell. Transcytosis of cell surface molecules was estimated by electron microscopic analysis of streptavidin-gold-labeled frozen sections of biotinylated cells. Within 3 h, approximately 10% of the surface molecules, biotinylated on the starting membrane domain, were detected on the opposite surface domain irrespective of the direction of transcytosis. This suggests that the transcytosis rates for surface molecules are equal in both directions across the cell as shown previously for fluid-phase markers. A biochemical assay was established to identify transcytosing glycoproteins in MDCKII-RCAr cells, a ricin-resistant mutant of MDCK. Due to a galactosylation defect, surface glycoproteins of these cells can be labeled efficiently with [3H]galactose. Transcytosis of [3H]galactose-labeled glycoproteins to the opposite membrane domain was detected by surface biotinylation. Detergent-solubilized glycoproteins derivatized with biotin were adsorbed onto streptavidin-agarose and separated by SDS-PAGE. A subset of the cell surface glycoproteins was shown to undergo transcytosis. Transport of these glycoproteins across the cell was time and temperature dependent. By comparative two-dimensional gel analysis, three classes of glycoproteins were defined. Two groups of glycoproteins were found to be transported unidirectionally by transcytosis, one from the apical to the basolateral surface and another from the basolateral to the apical surface. A third group of glycoproteins which has not been described previously, was found to be transported bidirectionally across the cell.

Animals↗

Comparison of the binding characteristics of two different preparations of tetanus toxin to rat brain membranes.

Two different preparations of tetanus toxin (HTT and WTT) were iodinated, and their binding to rat brain membranes characterized. Under optimal binding conditions (25 mM Tris-acetate, pH 6.0), both preparations bound to a large number of high affinity sites, thought to be gangliosides. Binding constants were identical. However, in a physiological buffer (Krebs-Ringer, pH 7.4) binding of the two toxin preparations showed a number of differences. Under these conditions we have previously shown that HTT binding is markedly reduced, and that there are two classes of sites, a small number of heat-, sialidase- and protease-sensitive high affinity sites, and a larger number of sialidase-sensitive, heat- and protease-resistant lower affinity sites, probably gangliosides (PIERCE et al. (1986) Biochem. J. 236, 845-852). Although WTT bound to these same two sites, it displayed a higher affinity for the protease-resistant site than did HTT. WTT also bound to free or immobilized trisialoganglioside with higher affinity than HTT, consistent with the view that the protease-resistant site represents binding to ganglioside. In contrast, both toxin preparations bound to the protease-sensitive site with similar affinities. These observations may explain the four to five-fold higher levels of WTT binding to brain membranes, and the fact that a smaller percentage of total WTT binding is protease sensitive. Despite their different ganglioside-binding properties, both toxin preparations showed comparable neurotoxic activities, and appeared identical on SDS gels.

Animals↗

Endocytosis in filter-grown Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.

In this paper, we have characterized the apical and basolateral endocytic pathways of epithelial MDCK cells grown on filters. The three-dimensional organization of the endocytic compartments was analyzed by confocal microscopy after internalization of a fluorescent fluid-phase marker from either side of the cell layer. After 5 min of internalization, distinct sets of apical and basolateral early endosomes were observed lining the plasma membrane domain from which internalization had occurred. At later time points, the apical and the basolateral endocytic pathways were shown to converge in the perinuclear region. Mixing of two different fluorescent markers could be detected after their simultaneous internalization from opposite sides of the cell layer. The extent of the meeting was quantitated by measuring the amount of complex formed intracellularly between avidin internalized from the apical side and biotinylated horseradish peroxidase (HRP) from the basolateral side. After 15 min, 14% of the avidin marker was complexed with the biotinylated HRP and this value increased to 50% during a subsequent chase of 60 min in avidin-free medium. We also determined the kinetics of fluid internalization, recycling, transcytosis, and intracellular retention using HRP as a marker. Fluid was internalized with the same rates from either surface domain (1.2 x 10(-4) microns 3/min per microns 2 of surface area). However, significant differences were observed for each pathway in the amounts and kinetics of marker recycled and transcytosed. The content of apical early endosomes was primarily recycled and transcytosed (45% along Bach route after 1 h internalization), whereas delivery to late endocytic compartments was favored from the basolateral early endosome (77% after 1 h). Our results demonstrate that early apical and basolateral endosomes are functionally and topologically distinct, but that the endocytic pathways converge at later stages in the perinuclear region of the cell.

Animals↗

Meeting of the apical and basolateral endocytic pathways of the Madin-Darby canine kidney cell in late endosomes.

Electron microscopic approaches have been used to study the endocytic pathways from the apical and basolateral surface domains of the polarized epithelial cell, MDCK strain I, grown on polycarbonate filters. The cells were incubated at 37 degrees C in the presence of two distinguishable markers administered separately to the apical or the basolateral domain. Initially each marker was visualized within distinct apical or basolateral peripheral endosomes. However, after 15 min at 37 degrees C, both markers were observed within common perinuclear structures. The compartment in which meeting first occurred was shown to be a late endosome (prelysosome) that labeled extensively with antibodies against the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR) on cryosections. With increasing incubation times, markers passed from these MPR-positive structures into a common set of MPR-negative lysosomes that were mainly located in the apical half of the cell. A detailed quantitative analysis of the endocytic pathways was carried out using stereological techniques in conjunction with horseradish peroxidase and acid phosphatase cytochemistry. This enabled us to estimate the absolute volumes and membrane surface areas of the endocytic organelles involved in apical and basolateral endocytosis.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Tetanus toxin binding to mouse spinal cord cells: an evaluation of the role of gangliosides in toxin internalization.

Studies on the binding of 125I-labelled tetanus toxin to mouse spinal cord cell cultures revealed two classes of toxin acceptor, one a high-affinity protease-sensitive site, the other a lower affinity protease-resistant site. The latter was shown to be sialidase-sensitive and may represent binding to gangliosides. Tetanus toxin internalization by spinal cord cells is rapid and coated pits have been implicated in the process (Parton et al. J. Neurochem., 49 (1987) 1057-1068). To investigate the role of gangliosides in the internalization process, trisialoganglioside was incorporated into the plasma membrane of Balb/c 3T3 cells which lack endogenous toxin-binding activity. 125I-labelled tetanus toxin bound specifically to ganglioside treated cells at 4 degrees C. On warming cells to 37 degrees C, a proportion of bound toxin was degraded indicating that some internalization of toxin had occurred. The mechanism of internalization was studied using tetanus toxin adsorbed to colloidal gold. At 4 degrees C, toxin-gold was concentrated in non-coated cell surface membrane invaginations. On warming cells to 37 degrees C, toxin gold was internalized via non-coated vesicles and accumulated within multivesicular bodies and lysosomes. The relative roles of coated and non-coated vesicular uptake systems in the mechanism of action of tetanus toxin are discussed.

Animals↗

A study of the mechanism of internalisation of tetanus toxin by primary mouse spinal cord cultures.

The fate of tetanus toxin bound to neuronal cells at 0 degree C was followed using an anti-toxin 125I-protein A assay. About 50% of surface-bound toxin disappeared within 5 min of warming cells to 37 degrees C. Experiments with 125I-toxin showed that much of this loss was due to dissociation of bound toxin into the medium. Some toxin was however rapidly internalised, and could be detected only by permeabilizing cells with Triton X-100 prior to assay. To investigate the mechanism of internalisation, tetanus toxin was adsorbed to colloidal gold. Toxin-gold was shown to be stable, and to recognise the same receptor(s) as free toxin. Quantitation of the distribution of toxin-gold particles bound to the cell body at 4 degrees C showed that it was concentrated in coated pits. After 5 min at 37 degrees C, toxin-gold appeared in coated vesicles, endosomes, and tubules. After 15 min, it was found largely in endosomes, and at 30 min in multivesicular bodies. The involvement of coated pits in internalisation of tetanus toxin, but not cholera toxin, was confirmed using the free toxins, anti-toxins, and protein A-gold. Toxin-gold also entered nerve terminals and axons via coated pits, accumulating in synaptic vesicles and intraaxonal uncoated vesicles, respectively.

Adsorption↗