scholarly journals In Vitro Activity of Acanthamoeba castellanii on Human Platelets and Erythrocytes

2008 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 733-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mattana ◽  
L. Alberti ◽  
G. Delogu ◽  
P. L. Fiori ◽  
P. Cappuccinelli
Keyword(s):  
Hemolytic Activity ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Human Platelets ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Plasma Membrane Permeability ◽  
Human Red Blood Cells ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration

ABSTRACT The effect of Acanthamoeba on human platelets and erythrocytes has not been fully elucidated. This paper reports that cell-free supernatants prepared from A. castellanii can activate human platelets, causing both a significant increase in the cytosolic free-calcium concentration and platelet aggregation. In addition, we demonstrated that platelet activation depends on the activity of ADP constitutively secreted into the medium by trophozoites. This study also showed that A. castellanii can affect human red blood cells, causing hemolysis, and provided evidence that hemolysis occurs in both contact-dependent and contact-independent ways; there are differences in kinetics, hemolytic activity, and calcium dependency between the contact-dependent and contact-independent mechanisms. Partial characterization of contact-independent hemolysis indicated that ADP does not affect the plasma membrane permeability of erythrocytes and that heat treatment of amoebic cell-free supernatant abolishes its hemolytic activity. These findings suggest that some heat-labile molecules released by A. castellanii trophozoites are involved in this phenomenon. Finally, our data suggest that human platelets and erythrocytes may be potential cell targets during Acanthamoeba infection.

Messenger role of calcium in function of pancreatic acinar cells

1980 ◽  
Vol 239 (5) ◽  
pp. G335-G347
Author(s):  
I. Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Acinar Cells ◽  
Enzyme Secretion ◽  
Pancreatic Acinar Cells ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Plasma Membrane Permeability ◽  
Cyclic Monophosphate ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Group D

Enzyme secretion from the exocrine pancreas is elicited by a) cholinergic stimulants, b) hormones belonging to the family of pancreozymin, c) some amphibian peptides such as bombesin, eledoisin, and physalaemin, and d) secretin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Whereas the mechanism of the group d hormones in stimulating enzyme secretion involves adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, the others seem to use a common pathway involving Ca2+ as intracellular messenger and probably guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate as modulator of their action. Their effects can be ascribed to two processes. One pathway involves release of Ca2+ from an intracellular store that is most likely located in the plasma membrane. This phase is independent of extracellular Ca2+ and leads to a rise of guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate. The other pathway is characterized by an increased permeability of the plasma membrane for Ca2+ and is necessary for sustained secretion. Both pathways lead to an increase cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration. Ca2+ is either directly involved in fusion of zymogen granules with the luminal cell membrane or triggers events that lead to exocytosis. Furthermore, augmented cytosolic-free calcium concentration a) increased the plasma membrane permeability for Na+, Cl-, and K+, which leads to depolarization of the cell, and b) induces uncoupling of neighboring acinar cells.

scholarly journals By Releasing ADP, Acanthamoeba castellanii Causes an Increase in the Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration and Apoptosis in Wish Cells

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 4134-4140 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mattana ◽  
M. G. Tozzi ◽  
M. Costa ◽  
G. Delogu ◽  
P. L. Fiori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Acanthamoeba Castellanii ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium ◽  
Extensive Cell ◽  
Adp Release ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration

ABSTRACT The role played by soluble molecules that may participate in acanthamoebal cytopathogenicity has yet to be fully characterized. We demonstrate here that Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites constitutively release ADP in the medium. Cell-free supernatants prepared from A. castellanii, by interaction with specific P2y2 purinoceptors expressed on the Wish cell membrane, caused a biphasic rise in [Ca2+]i, extensive cell membrane blebbing, cytoskeletal disorganization, and the breakdown of nuclei. Cell damage induced by amoebic supernatants was blocked by the P2y2 inhibitor Suramin. The same results were found in Wish cells exposed to purified ADP. These findings suggest that pathogenic free-living A. castellanii may have a cytopathic effect on human epithelial cells through ADP release, by a process that begins with a rise of cytosolic free-calcium concentration, and culminates in apoptosis.

scholarly journals Characterization of the swelling-induced alkalinization of endocytotic vesicles in fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran-loaded rat hepatocytes

1995 ◽  
Vol 309 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Schreiber ◽  
D Häussinger
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescein Isothiocyanate ◽  
Rat Hepatocytes ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Independent Mechanism ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Dextran ◽  
Induced Changes ◽  
Vesicular Compartment

Short-term cultivated rat hepatocytes were allowed to endocytose fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-coupled dextran and the apparent vesicular pH (pHves) was measured by single-cell fluorescence. After 2 h of exposure to FITC-dextran, the apparent pH in the vesicular compartments accessible to endocytosed FITC-dextran was 6.01 +/- 0.05 (n = 39) in normo-osmotic media. Hypo-osmotic exposure increased, whereas hyper-osmotic exposure decreased apparent pHves. by 0.18 +/- 0.02 (n = 26) and 0.12 +/- 0.01 (n = 23) respectively. Incubation of the cells with unlabelled dextran for 2h before a 2-h FITC-dextran exposure had no effect on apparent pHves and its osmosensitivity. When, however, hepatocytes were exposed to unlabelled dextran for 5 h after a 2 h exposure to FITC-dextran, in order to allow transport of endocytosed FITC-dextran to late endocytotic/lysosomal compartments, apparent pHves. decreased to 5.38 +/- 0.04 (n = 12) and the apparent pH in the vesicular compartment containing the dye was no longer sensitive to aniso-osmotic exposure. These findings indicate that the osomosensitivity of pHves. is apparently restricted to early endocytotic compartments. Aniso-osmotic regulation of apparent pHves. in freshly FITC-loaded hepatocytes was not accompanied by aniso-osmolarity-induced changes of the cytosolic free calcium concentration, and neither vasopressin nor extracellular ATP, which provoked a marked Ca2+ signal, affected apparent pHves. Dibutyryl-cyclic AMP (cAMP) or vanadate (0.5 mmol/l) were without effect on apparent pHves. and its osmosensitivity. However, pertussis toxin-treatment or genistein (but not daidzein) or the erbstatin analogue methyl 2,5-dihydroxycinnamate fully abolished the osmo-sensitivity of apparent pHves., but did not affect apparent pHves. It is concluded that regulation of pHves. by cell volume occurs in early endocytotic compartments, but probably not in lysosomes, and is mediated by a G-protein and tyrosine kinase-dependent, but Ca2+- and cAMP-independent mechanism.

ACTIVATION OF PROTEIN KINASE C INHIBITS THROMBIN AND FLUORIDE STIMULATED EICOSANOID PRODUCTION IN HUMAN PLATELETS

1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
C T Poll ◽  
P A Kyrle ◽  
J Westwick
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase C ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Human Platelets ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Eicosanoid Production ◽  
Protein Kinase C Inhibitor ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Heart Foundation

Touqui et al (1986) have suggested that phosphorylation by protein kinase C of a 1ipomodulin-1 ike polypeptide extracted from platelets renders it inactive as an inhibitor of phospholipase A2. We have examined this suggestion by measuring thromboxane (Tx) B2 generation and cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca++]i) in stimulated, washed human platelets loaded with or without quin-2. Addition of thrombin (0.077, 0.23, 0.77, 2.3 and 7.7 nM) to control platelets produces a dose-related elevation of [Ca++]i (10±5, 50±7, 260±30, 550±25 and 1500±100 nM respectively) and generation of TxB2 (0, 9±4, 45±6, 194±10 and 375±30 pmoles/108 platelets respectively). Preincubation of platelets for 1 min with 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-rac-glycerol (OAG, 22-198 μM), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 1.616 nM) or EGTA (2 mM) produces a marked inhibition of high and low dose thrombin (7.7 nM and 0.77 nM) or NaF (18 mM) induced elevation of [Ca++]i and TxB2 generation. Pretreatment of platelets with the protein kinase C inhibitor, H-7 (60 uM), prevented the inhibition of TxB2 formation induced by PMA (4.816 nM) or OAG (66-198 μM) in either thrombin (0.77 nM) or NaF (18 mM) stimulated platelets. When arachidonic acid (AA, 10 μM) is used as the stimulus, the Δ[Ca++]i is 190±15 nM and TxB2 generation is 35.9±2 pmoles/108 platelets. While pretreatment with 4.8 nM PMA obliterates the AA-induced Δ[Ca++]i and partially reduces (p< 0.05) the TxB2 generation to 27.8+3 pmoles/108 platelets. PMA and OAG pretreatment also inhibits TxB2 generation in thrombin-stimulated, non-quin-2-1oaded platelets. Thus, at least with intact, agonist- and NaF-stimulated platelets, activation of protein kinase C inhibits eicosanoid production.We thank the British Heart Foundation and Ciba-Geigy USA for financial support.

scholarly journals Flunarizine Blocks Elevation of Free Cytosolic Calcium in Synaptosomes following Sustained Depolarization

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 947-954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley L. Cohan ◽  
David J. Redmond ◽  
Mei Chen ◽  
Dahlia Wilson ◽  
Philip Cyr
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Ischemia ◽  
Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Calcium ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Cytosolic Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Presynaptic Calcium

Gerbil cerebral cortical synaptosomes loaded with the fluorescent calcium probe FURA-2 were used to study depolarization-induced presynaptic cytosolic free calcium concentration, as an in vitro model of cerebral ischemia. The depolarization-induced increase in intrasynaptosomal cytosolic free calcium concentration is not sodium-dependent or sodium channel-dependent and may be due to an influx of extrasynaptosomal calcium resulting from a cadmium- and omega-conotoxin-sensitive, nickel-, nifedipine-, and nimodipine-insensitive voltage-regulated channel. The depolarization-induced increase in intrasynaptosomal free cytosolic calcium concentration is also inhibited by flunarizine, a calcium antagonist that has protective effects in animal models of cerebral anoxia and ischemia. Our results suggest that presynaptic calcium uptake following depolarization may be mediated in part by an N-type channel. Flunarizine may block presynaptic calcium accumulation, in part, by blocking this N-type channel; this blockade may be just one of several mechanisms by which flunarizine exerts protective effects following cerebral ischemia.

Identification of ecto-PKC on surface of human platelets: role in maintenance of latent fibrinogen receptors

2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (6) ◽  
pp. H2008-H2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Babinska ◽  
Michael V. Hogan ◽  
Tomasz Sobocki ◽  
Malgorzata B. Sobocka ◽  
Yigal H. Ehrlich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Calcium Concentration ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Human Platelets ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Free Calcium ◽  
Platelet Surface ◽  
Inhibitory Peptides ◽  
Intracellular Free Calcium Concentration ◽  
Free Calcium Concentration

Human platelets express a protein phosphorylation system on their surface. A specific protein kinase C (PKC) antibody, monoclonal antibody (MAb) 1.9, which binds to the catalytic domain of PKC and inhibits its activity, causes the aggregation of intact platelets while inhibiting the phosphorylation of platelet surface proteins. Photoaffinity labeling with 100 nM 8-azido-[α32P]ATP identified this ecto-PKC as a single surface protein of 43 kDa sensitive to proteolysis by extracellular 0.0005% trypsin. Inhibition of the binding of 8-azido-[α32P]ATP to the 43-kDa surface protein by MAb 1.9 identified this site as the active domain of ecto-PKC. Covalent binding of the azido-ATP molecule to the 43-kDa surface protein inhibited the phosphorylative activity of the platelet ecto-PKC. Furthermore, PKC pseudosubstrate inhibitory peptides directly induced the aggregation of platelets and inhibited azido-ATP binding to the 43-kDa protein. Platelet aggregation induced by MAb 1.9 and by PKC inhibitory peptides required the presence of fibrinogen and resulted in an increase in the level of intracellular free calcium concentration. This increase in intracellular free calcium concentration induced by MAb 1.9 was found to be dependent on the binding of fibrinogen to activated GPIIb/IIIa integrins, suggesting that MAb 1.9 causes Ca2+flux through the fibrinogen receptor complex. We conclude that a decrease in the state of phosphorylation of platelet surface proteins caused by inhibition of ecto-PKC results in membrane rearrangements that can induce the activation of latent fibrinogen receptors, leading to platelet aggregation. Accordingly, the maintenance of a physiological steady state of phosphorylation of proteins on the platelet surface by ecto-PKC activity appears to be one of the homeostatic mechanisms that maintain fibrinogen receptors of circulating platelets in a latent state that cannot bind fibrinogen.

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