Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Olsnes

Publications and source records attributed to S Olsnes.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Induction of toxin sensitivity in insect cells by infection with baculovirus encoding diphtheria toxin receptor.

The diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) has been identified as the precursor of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, which may interact with other membrane proteins to form the functional receptor. To test if mammalian DTR is able to confer toxin sensitivity onto phylogenetically distant cells, we expressed monkey DTR in the baculovirus system and tested infected insect cells for toxin sensitivity. cDNA encoding an epitope-tagged heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor precursor (DTRB3) was inserted into the virus genome by allelic replacement to construct the recombinant virus vAc-DTRB3. SF9 cells infected with vAc-DTRB3 expressed functional DTR, which could be precipitated from the solubilized membrane fraction of infected cells with Sepharose-immobilized diphtheria toxin. The highest level of expression (about 5 x 10(6) receptors/cell) was observed 48 h after infection, at which time the infected cells were highly sensitive to diphtheria toxin. Uninfected SF9 cells and cells infected with the wild type virus were resistant to the toxin. The presence of heparin increased both the binding and the toxin sensitivity of vAc-DTRB3-infected SF9 cells. Translocation of toxin A fragment was induced when cells with surface-bound toxin were exposed to low pH, and the translocation was optimal at pH < or = 5.5. It was approximately 100 times more efficient at 24 degrees C than at 4 degrees C. The data indicate that monkey DTR is fully functional when expressed in insect cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Role of processing and intracellular transport for optimal toxicity of Shiga toxin and toxin mutants.

Cleavage of Shiga toxin A-fragment at a highly trypsin-sensitive site increases its enzymatic activity. To investigate the role of this cleavage site in intoxication of cells, we studied the routing, cleavage, and toxicity of mutant toxin where the trypsin-sensitive site had been eliminated. Ultrastructural analysis of toxin tagged with horseradish peroxidase demonstrated that wild-type and mutant toxins were transported from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network and further through the Golgi cisterns to the endoplasmic reticulum. Wild-type toxin was much more efficient than the mutants in provoking rapid intoxication, but after prolonged incubation time also mutants were highly toxic. The cells were able to cleave both wild-type Shiga toxin and the mutants, but the cellular location for cleavage appears to differ. Wild-type toxin was cleaved in the presence of brefeldin A, which disrupts the Golgi cisterns. This indicates that the cleavage occurs in the endosomes or in the trans-Golgi network. In contrast, the mutant Shiga-His (R248H/R251H) was not cleaved in the presence of brefeldin A, indicating that the cleavage can occur only after the toxin has left the trans-Golgi network. In vitro experiments showed that the cytosolic enzyme calpain is able to cleave Shiga-His, and results from in vivo experiments are consistent with the possibility that cleavage is carried out by calpain after the mutant A-fragment has reached the cytosol.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Diphtheria toxin at low pH depolarizes the membrane, increases the membrane conductance and induces a new type of ion channel in Vero cells.

Receptor-dependent translocation of diphtheria toxin across the surface membrane of Vero cells was studied using patch clamp techniques. Translocation was induced by exposing cells with surface-bound toxin to low pH. Whole cell current and voltage clamp recordings showed that toxin translocation was associated with membrane depolarization and increased membrane conductance. The conductance increase was voltage independent, with a reversal potential of approximately 15 mV. This value was unaffected by changing the Cl- gradient across the membrane and microfluorometric measurements showed that the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was only marginally elevated by the translocation. The conductance increase is thus mainly due to monovalent cations. Exposing outside-out and cell-attached patches with bound toxin to low pH induced a new type of ion channel in the membrane. The channel current was inward at negative membrane potentials and the single channel conductance was approximately 30 pS. This value is about three times larger than for receptor-independent channels induced by diphtheria toxin or toxin fragments in artificial lipid membranes.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Dual mode of signal transduction by externally added acidic fibroblast growth factor.

Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), fused to diphtheria toxin and translocated into cells, stimulated DNA synthesis in toxin-resistant cells lacking functional aFGF receptors while having a high number of diphtheria toxin receptors. In NIH 3T3 cells that lack diphtheria toxin receptors, but have receptors for aFGF, both aFGF and the fusion protein induced tyrosine phosphorylation, but only aFGF as such entered the nuclei and stimulated DNA synthesis. The results indicate that signaling occurs partly through cell surface receptors and partly by transport of the growth factor into the cell.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition of membrane translocation of diphtheria toxin A-fragment by internal disulfide bridges.

Fragment A of diphtheria toxin is translocated to the cytosol when the toxin is presented to receptor-positive cells. The toxin binds to cell surface receptors through its B-fragment, and after endocytotic uptake, the low endosomal pH triggers translocation of the A-fragment across the membrane. Translocation can also be induced at the level of the plasma membrane by exposure to low pH medium. Based on the diphtheria toxin crystal structure, we made five double cysteine mutants of the A-fragment, each expected to form an intramolecular disulfide bond. Four of the double cysteine mutants efficiently formed an intramolecular disulfide bridge, and these same mutants showed a strong reduction in their translocating ability. The inhibition of translocation was observed both when the toxin was endocytosed and when translocation was induced by exposing surface-bound toxin to low pH. The data indicate that extensive unfolding of the A-fragment is required for translocation.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗
PubMed1993

Subcloning and characterization of the binding domain of fragment B of diphtheria toxin.

The binding domain (R domain) of diphtheria toxin as defined from the recently published crystal structure [Choe, Bennett, Fujii, Curmi, Kantardjieff, Collier and Eisenberg (1992) Nature (London) 357, 216-222] was subcloned. The 17 kDa peptide containing amino acids 378-535 from fragment B of diphtheria toxin preceded by the tripeptide Met-His-Gly bound specifically and with high affinity to diphtheria-toxin receptors. It efficiently inhibited the toxicity of full-length toxin. The binding domain entered the detergent phase of Triton X-114 at pH values below 6, indicating that it exposed hydrophobic regions at acidic pH.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Rapid cellular removal of a membrane-inserted foreign polypeptide.

We have developed a system that makes it possible to study the fate of a foreign polypeptide that is inserted in the plasma membrane. Diphtheria toxin is a bacterial protein toxin that, upon acidification, has the ability to insert into the plasma membrane from the outside of eukaryotic cells. We present results that indicate endocytic uptake and degradation of the diphtheria toxin B-fragment after insertion into the membrane of Vero cells. The degradation rate of the fragment was found to be very high (t1/2 = 6 min) and dependent on cleavage of the extracellular part of the polypeptide with protease. Degradation was strongly inhibited in ATP-depleted cells, as well as at temperatures below 18 degrees C, and it was partially inhibited when the cytosol was acidified to block endocytosis from clathrin-coated pits. Degradation was also reduced in the presence of NH4Cl. The results indicate that the inserted and cleaved B-fragment is degraded by a process requiring endocytosis and transport to late endosomes or to lysosomes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1993

Entry of protein toxins in polarized epithelial cells.

The action of a number of toxins used in the formation of immunotoxins was studied in polarized cells. Diphtheria toxin inhibited protein synthesis most efficiently when added to the basolateral side of the kidney cells, MDCK-I, MDBK and Pt K2, and the colon carcinoma cell Caco-2. Similar findings were made with Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A in MDCK-I, Pt K2, and Caco-2 cells, and with modeccin and volkensin in MDCK-I cells. In accordance with the toxicity data, diphtheria toxin bound specifically to the basolateral side of MDCK-I cells but not to the apical side. On the other hand, in the trophoblastic BeWo cell line there was little or no difference in the toxic effect of P. aeruginosa exotoxin A and modeccin added to the two sides. The plant toxins ricin and abrin and the bacterial Shigella toxin inhibited protein synthesis approximately equally well in all cell lines tested whether they were added apically or basolaterally. The results indicate that protein toxins are able to enter cells from both the apical and basolateral sides provided receptors are present. The consequences for the preparation of immunotoxins are discussed.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1993

Membrane translocation of diphtheria toxin A-fragment: role of carboxy-terminal region.

The C-terminal end of diphtheria toxin A-fragment was altered and the consequences for toxicity and translocation of the A-fragment to the cytosol were studied. Mutations and deletions in the protease-sensitive, disulfide-bridged region linking the two functional parts of the toxin, the A- and B-fragments, reduced the toxicity of the protein as such, but when the mutant toxins were cleaved ("nicked") by trypsin before being added to cells, the toxicity was restored. Prevention of disulfide formation by removal of Cys186 resulted in complete loss of toxicity. To circumvent the nicking step, toxin was formed by reconstitution from separate A- and B-fragments where the A-fragments varied in the C-terminal sequences. The amino acids C-terminal to Cys186 were found not to be required for translocation. Furthermore, both charged and uncharged residues near the C-terminal end were compatible with translocation. The data indicate that the C-terminal amino acid sequence is not decisive for translocation of diphtheria toxin A-fragment to the cytosol.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

A chimeric toxin to study the role of the 21 kDa GTP binding protein rho in the control of actin microfilament assembly.

We have developed a new tool for studying the role of rho in actin stress fibre formation. Clostridium botulinum exoenzyme C3 which affects actin microfilament assembly by ADP-ribosylation of p21 rho was genetically fused in various ways to diphtheria toxin (DT). The resulting chimeric toxins were tested on Vero cells. Chimeras of C3 and both the A and B fragments of diphtheria toxin had reduced cell binding activities but were apparently able to penetrate into Vero cells by the same mechanism as DT. Upon exposure to low pH, DC3B, a fusion protein of C3 and DT B fragment, had a high affinity for the DT receptor, but was apparently not able to translocate to the cytosol upon acidification. In spite of this, addition of picomolar concentrations of DC3B to the growth medium caused disruption of the cell microfilament system associated with vinculin and blocked cell growth efficiently, indicating that the C3 part of DC3B reached the cytosol, albeit by a different mechanism than that of whole diphtheria toxin. The chimeric DC3B toxin was also applied to Vero cells infected by Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacterium that uses an unknown mechanism of actin polymerization to move rapidly in the cytosol. DC3B inhibited the bacterially induced microfilament assembly indicating that L. monocytogenes utilizes a cellular rho dependent mechanism in this process.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1993

Rapid increase in pH set-point of the Na(+)-in-dependent chloride/bicarbonate antiporter in Vero cells exposed to heat shock.

Internal pH (pHi) is in Vero cells regulated mainly by three antiports. Na+/H+ antiport and Na(+)-dependent Cl-/HCO3- antiport increase pHi in acidified cells, and Na(+)-independent Cl-/HCO3- antiport lowers pHi in cells after alkalinization. The activities of the antiporters were altered in cells after exposure to 41-45 degrees C. Under such conditions the Na+/H+ antiport and the Na(+)-dependent Cl-/HCO3- antiport were both stimulated, whereas the Na(+)-independent Cl-/HCO3- antiport was inhibited in such a way that a higher pH value was required to activate it. This alteration was also induced by some other forms of cellular stress, but did most likely not involve stress proteins as protein synthesis was not required. The possibility of regulation by alteration in protein phosphorylation is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Replacement of negative by positive charges in the presumed membrane-inserted part of diphtheria toxin B fragment. Effect on membrane translocation and on formation of cation channels.

Diphtheria toxin B fragment is capable of forming cation-selective channels in the plasma membrane. Such channels may be involved in the translocation of the toxin A fragment to the cytosol. Seven negatively charged amino acids in the B fragment were replaced one by one by lysines, followed by studies of cytotoxicity and channel-forming ability of the different mutants. The mutant D392K showed a strong reduction in binding to cell surface receptors. Of the six mutants that showed wild-type binding affinity, the two mutants D295K and D318K were very inefficient in forming channels. These two mutants had the lowest ability to mediate A fragment translocation. The mutant E362K was able both to induce cation channel formation and to mediate A fragment translocation at a higher pH value than the wild-type B fragment. The results support the notion that formation of cation channels is of importance for the translocation of the A fragment across the plasma membrane, and they indicate that the pH requirement for translocation of the A fragment to the cytosol is partly determined by the B fragment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Interactions of diphtheria toxin B-fragment with cells. Role of amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions.

The B-fragment of diphtheria toxin binds to cell surface receptors and facilitates entry of the enzymatically active A-fragment into the cytosol. The roles of the amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions of the B-fragment in interactions with the cell membrane were studied by measuring specific binding, insertion into membranes at low pH, and formation of cation-selective channels, as well as by toxicity measurements after association with active A-fragment. Deletion of the amino-terminal 12 amino acids of the B-fragment did not affect its ability to bind to receptors and to form ion channels at low pH, whereas both abilities were strongly impaired when one more amino acid (Trp206) was removed. Replacement of the amino-terminal 31 residues with an amphipathic sequence from human apolipoprotein A1 restored receptor binding but not ion channel formation. The binding to cells was virtually abolished when 9 residues were deleted from the carboxyl terminus. Deletion of only 4 residues or extension by 12 residues did not prevent specific binding, but reduced insertion, channel formation, and toxicity. Those deletions that reduced receptor binding ability increased the trypsin sensitivity of the B-fragment. The results indicate that the amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions of diphtheria toxin B-fragment are important for receptor binding, possibly because they contribute to keep the B-fragment in a binding-competent conformation. Small alterations in the carboxyl-terminal end reduced insertion, channel formation, and toxicity more than the ability of the B-fragment to bind to cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Association between diphtheria toxin A- and B-fragment and their fusion proteins.

Natural diphtheria toxin is synthesized as a single polypeptide chain that is activated by cleavage into an A- and a B-fragment, which are linked by a disulphide bond. In the present work the ability of independently translated A- and B-fragments to associate was investigated. Low amounts of A- and B-fragments synthesized in vitro were mixed under conditions that allowed formation of a disulphide bridge between the fragments. Under these conditions toxin was reconstituted in close to 100% yield and found to be as toxic to Vero cells as natural diphtheria toxin. Efficient association between the A- and B-fragment was dependent on the formation of a disulphide bridge. Reconstituted toxin obtained from one [35S]methionine-labelled fragment and one unlabelled fragment proved useful in translocation studies. Addition of a number of different polypeptides to the N- and C-termini of either fragment did not, in most cases, prevent reconstitution. The ready reconstitution allows easy manipulations with the toxin to form targeted molecules and to develop diphtheria toxin as a vector for translocation of peptides to the cytosol. The fact that the reconstituted toxin does not need to be nicked with proteinases to be active allows experimentation with proteinase-sensitive constructs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Tight folding of acidic fibroblast growth factor prevents its translocation to the cytosol with diphtheria toxin as vector.

A fusion protein of acidic fibroblast growth factor and diphtheria toxin A-fragment was disulfide-linked to the toxin B-fragment. The complex bound specifically to diphtheria toxin receptors, and subsequent exposure to low pH induced the fusion protein to translocate to the cytosol. Heparin, inositol hexaphosphate and inorganic sulfate strongly increased the trypsin resistance of the growth factor part of the fusion protein, indicating tight folding, and they prevented translocation of the fusion protein to the cytosol. The data indicate that only a more disordered form of the growth factor is translocation competent.

Animals↗