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Biomedical subjects

C M Cohen

Publications and source records attributed to C M Cohen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity in murine erythroleukemia cells during DMSO-induced differentiation.

We have used murine erythroleukemia cells (MEL cells) to investigate the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) in erythroid differentiation. When treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), MEL cells grown on a fibronectin matrix become committed to erythroid differentiation asynchronously, with 90% of cells becoming committed by Day 3 of treatment. We found that during the first 3 days of DMSO treatment MEL cells showed a twofold increase in total PI 3-kinase activity and a fourfold increase in the highly phosphorylated PI 3-kinase product, PIP3. At the same time there was no change in the content of p85, the PI 3-kinase regulatory subunit. After Day 3, PI 3-kinase activity declined, in parallel with a disappearance of p85 antigen from the cells. Inclusion of the PI 3-kinase inhibitor Wortmannin in the culture medium resulted in an inhibition of cellular PI 3-kinase activity and a delay in DMSO-induced erythroid differentiation. These data suggest that PI 3-kinase may play a critical role during commitment of MEL cells to erythroid differentiation.

Androstadienes↗
PubMed1992

Maturation of murine erythroleukemia cells committed to differentiation requires protein kinase C.

Treatment of murine erythroleukemia cells (MELC) attached to fibronectin-coated dishes with dimethyl sulfoxide causes the cells to become committed to the erythroid differentiation pathway. These cells mature extensively and acquire the characteristics of erythroid cells. The cells lose their cell-surface fibronectin receptors and accumulate red cell-specific membrane proteins, such as band 3, in amounts comparable to those in erythrocytes. Previous studies of MELC have shown that the presence of protein kinase C (PKC) is required for commitment to differentiation, but that the level of PKC activity declines progressively during maturation. In this study, we have established a role for PKC in the maturation of MELC committed to differentiation. Our results show that down-regulation of PKC by addition of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to committed MELC blocks subsequent maturation of the cells. Treatment of MELC with the PKC inhibitors H7 and sphingosine had similar effects. Down-regulation of PKC was assayed by measuring cytosolic PKC activity as well as by Western blotting using PKC antibodies. MELC maturation was monitored by loss of the cell-surface fibronectin receptor, release of cells from fibronectin plates, and accumulation of the band 3 anion transport protein. Immunoprecipitation of surface-labeled proteins by an anti-fibronectin receptor (integrin) antibody showed that PMA-treated cultures had more fibronectin receptor protein than untreated cultures 6 days post-induction. As a result, cultures of committed MELC treated with PMA remained attached to fibronectin-coated plates, whereas non-PMA-treated cells were released into the culture medium. Furthermore, PKC-depleted cells accumulated much smaller amounts of band 3 protein and band 3 mRNA than did non-PKC-depleted controls. Our results show that although PKC activity declines progressively during post-commitment maturation of MELC, its continued presence is critical for the process of cellular maturation.

Actins↗
PubMed1992

Band 3 Tuscaloosa: Pro327----Arg327 substitution in the cytoplasmic domain of erythrocyte band 3 protein associated with spherocytic hemolytic anemia and partial deficiency of protein 4.2.

Protein 4.2 is a major red blood cell (RBC) protein that interacts with the band 3 protein and with ankyrin. Inherited deficiencies of this protein are associated with spherocytic hemolytic anemia, but the molecular basis of this defect is unknown. We have studied the underlying defect in a patient with spherocytic hemolytic anemia whose RBCs had a partial (29% +/- 5%) deficiency of protein 4.2. We have first studied the binding of normal ankyrin and protein 4.2 to patient inside-out vesicles (IOVs) stripped of peripheral proteins. While the binding of ankyrin was normal, the predicted maximal binding capacity of patient IOVs for band 4.2 was 20% to 33% lower than that of control IOVs, suggesting a defect in the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (cdb3). An additional line of evidence pointing to a possible abnormality of band 3 was an abnormal proteolytic digest of cdb3. To elucidate the underlying molecular defect, we have cloned and sequenced the cDNA coding for cdb3 from the patient. One band 3 allele was found to be normal, while clones corresponding to the other allele contained two mutations: substitution A----G in nucleotide 166, changing codon 56 from AAG to GAG (Lys----Glu), and substitution C----G in nucleotide 980, changing codon 327 from CCC to CGC (Pro----Arg). Since the Lys56----Glu56 substitution is found in a common asymptomatic variant of the band 3 protein designated band 3 Memphis, we conclude that either the Pro327----Arg327 substitution itself, or in combination with the band 3 Memphis polymorphism, underlies the abnormal binding of protein 4.2 to cdb3 and results in the spherocytic phenotype.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Human erythrocyte protein 4.2, a high copy number membrane protein, is N-myristylated.

Band 4.2 is a major protein of the erythrocyte membrane which has been immunologically detected in a variety of cell types and is apparently essential for normal erythrocyte membrane function. Since band 4.2 has unusual solubility and membrane binding properties and has an N-terminal glycine following the initiating methionine, we explored the possibility that band 4.2 is myristylated. When Sf9 cells infected with a recombinant band 4.2 Baculovirus were incubated with [3H]myristic acid, label became incorporated into recombinant band 4.2 protein and resisted extraction with hydroxylamine. Consistent with N-terminal myristylation, the incorporation of label was dependent upon protein synthesis. The fatty acid covalently bound to recombinant band 4.2 was definitively identified as myristic acid by recovering the fatty acid after hydrolysis of band 4.2 and examining its migration relative to standards in thin layer chromatography. It was determined that native erythrocyte band 4.2 is an N-myristylated protein by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography detection of an azlactone derivative of N-myristylglycine after mild acid hydrolysis and azlactone derivatization of the purified protein. Study of myristylation of band 4.2, an abundant normal cellular protein, and its role in membrane binding may produce insights relevant to other myristylated cellular proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The murine pallid mutation is a platelet storage pool disease associated with the protein 4.2 (pallidin) gene.

Pallid is one of 12 independent murine mutations with a prolonged bleeding time that are models for human platelet storage pool deficiencies in which several intracellular organelles are abnormal. We have mapped the murine gene for protein 4.2 (Epb4.2) to chromosome 2 where it co-localizes with pallid. Southern blot analyses suggest that pallid is a mutation in the Epb4.2 gene. Northern blot analyses demonstrate a smaller than normal Epb4.2 transcript in affected pallid tissues, such as kidney and skin. This is the first gene defect to be associated with a platelet storage pool deficiency, and may allow the identification of a novel structure or biological pathway that influences granulogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Organization of the gene for human erythrocyte membrane protein 4.2: structural similarities with the gene for the a subunit of factor XIII.

Human erythrocyte band 4.2 is a major membrane-associated protein with an important, but still undefined, role in erythrocyte survival. We previously sequenced the complete cDNA for band 4.2 and showed that the protein has a strong sequence identity with the transglutaminase family of proteins but lacks transglutaminase activity. Here we have analyzed the genomic organization of band 4.2. The band 4.2 gene is approximately 20 kilobases, consisting of 13 exons and 12 introns. Reticulocytes contain two different sized messages for band 4.2, and our results show that the major, smaller, message is produced by alternative splicing within band 4.2 exon I. The upstream region of the gene has several prospective promoter elements arranged in a pattern similar to that of two other erythroid genes, beta-globin and porphobilinogen deaminase. Alignment of the band 4.2 amino acid sequence with that of the a subunit of human coagulation factor XIII and division of the sequences into exons reveal a remarkable correspondence, and in most cases identity, in the sizes of the paired exons. Moreover, each corresponding intron of the two genes is of an identical splice junction class. These and other similarities suggest that the gene for band 4.2 is closely related to and possibly derived from that for the a subunit of factor XIII and that the proteins may share common structural and functional properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Selective modulation of band 4.1 binding to erythrocyte membranes by protein kinase C.

We have studied the effects of band 4.1 phosphorylation on its association with red cell inside-out vesicles stripped of all peripheral proteins. Band 4.1 bound to these vesicles in a saturable manner, and binding was characterized by a linear Scatchard plot with an apparent Kd of 1-2 x 10(-7) M. Phosphorylation of band 4.1 by purified protein kinase C reduced its ability to bind to membranes, resulting in a reduction in the apparent binding capacity of the membrane by 60-70% but little or no change in the apparent Kd of binding. By contrast, phosphorylation of band 4.1 by cAMP-dependent kinase had no effect on membrane binding. Digestion of the stripped inside-out vesicles with trypsin cleaved 100% of the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 but had little or no effect on glycophorin. Binding of band 4.1 to these digested vesicles was reduced by 70%. Phosphorylation of band 4.1 by protein kinase C had no effect on its binding to the digested vesicles, suggesting that the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 contained the phosphorylation-sensitive binding sites. This was confirmed by direct measurement of band 4.1 binding to the purified cytoplasmic domain of band 3. Phosphorylation of band 4.1 by protein kinase C reduced its binding to the purified 43-kDa domain by as much as 90%, while phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent kinase was without effect. These results show a selective effect of protein kinase C phosphorylation on the binding of band 4.1 to one of its membrane receptors, band 3, and suggest a mechanism whereby one of the key red cell-skeletal membrane associations may be modulated.

Cytoskeletal Proteins↗
PubMed1990

Complete amino acid sequence and homologies of human erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.2.

The complete amino acid sequence for human erythrocyte band 4.2 has been derived from the nucleotide sequence of a full-length 2.35-kilobase (kb) cDNA. The 2.35-kb cDNA was isolated from a human reticulocyte cDNA library made in the expression vector lambda gt11. Of the 2348 base pairs (bp), 2073 bp encode 691 amino acids representing 76.9 kDa (the SDS/PAGE molecular mass is 72 kDa). RNA blot analysis of human reticulocyte total RNA gives a message size for band 4.2 of 2.4 kb. The amino acid sequence of band 4.2 has homology with two closely related Ca2(+)-dependent cross-linking proteins, guinea pig liver transglutaminase (protein-glutamine gamma-glutamyltransferase; protein-glutamine: amine gamma-glutamyltransferase, EC 2.3.2.13) (32% identity in a 446-amino acid overlap) and the a subunit of human coagulation factor XIII (27% identity in a 639-amino acid overlap), a transglutaminase that forms intermolecular gamma-glutamyl-epsilon-lysine bonds between fibrin molecules. The region of greatest identity includes a 49-amino acid stretch of band 4.2, which is 69% and 51% identical with guinea pig liver transglutaminase and the a subunit of factor XIII, respectively, within the regions that contain the active sites of these enzymes. Significantly, within the five contiguous consensus residues of the transglutaminase active site, Gly-Gln-Cys-Trp-Val, band 4.2 has an alanine substituted for cysteine (which is apparently essential for activity). Consistent with this active site substitution, erythrocyte membranes or inside-out vesicles, which contain band 4.2, show no evidence of transglutaminase activity by two types of in vitro assay.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Wheat germ agglutinin but not concanavalin A modulates protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of red cell skeletal proteins.

Human red blood cells contain protein kinase C (PKC) which acts exclusively on the membrane skeletal proteins band 4.1, band 4.9 and adducin. PKC activity can be stimulated by the addition of the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate to intact cells. Phosphorylation of band 4.1 by PKC in vitro results in a dramatic reduction in band 4.1 binding to spectrin and actin, as well as to the cytoplasmic domain of band 3. Here we show that the lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), which binds to the extracellular domain of glycophorin results in the inhibition of PKC catalyzed phosphorylation of band 4.1, band 4.9 and likely adducin as well. The lectin concanavalin A, which binds to band 3 was without effect. Our results suggest that the binding of WGA to glycophorin results in a major rearrangement of the membrane skeletal network which correlates with reduced phosphorylation of membrane skeletal proteins by PKC.

Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte↗
PubMed1988

Associations of human erythrocyte band 4.2. Binding to ankyrin and to the cytoplasmic domain of band 3.

We have examined the associations of purified red cell band 4.2 with red cell membrane and membrane skeletal proteins using in vitro binding assays. Band 4.2 bound to the purified cytoplasmic domain of band 3 with a Kd between 2 and 8 X 10(-7) M. Binding was saturable and slow, requiring 2-4 h to reach equilibrium. This finding confirms previous work suggesting that the principal membrane-binding site for band 4.2 lies within the 43-kDa cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (Korsgren, C., and Cohen, C. M. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5536-5543). Band 4.2 also bound to purified ankyrin in solution with a Kd between 1 and 3.5 X 10(-7) M. As with the cytoplasmic domain of band 3, binding was saturable and required 4-5 h to reach equilibrium. Reconstitution with ankyrin of inside-out vesicles stripped of all peripheral proteins had no effect upon band 4.2 binding to membranes; similarly, reconstitution with band 4.2 had no effect upon ankyrin binding. This shows that ankyrin and band 4.2 bind to distinct loci within the 43-kDa band 3 cytoplasmic domain. Coincubation of ankyrin and band 4.2 in solution partially blocked the binding of both proteins to the membrane. Similarly, coincubation of bands 4.1 and 4.2 in solution partially blocked binding of both to membranes. In all cases, the data suggest the possibility that domains on each of these proteins responsible for low affinity membrane binding are principally affected. The data also provide evidence for an association of band 4.2 with band 4.1. Our results show that band 4.2 can form multiple associations with red cell membrane proteins and may therefore play an as yet unrecognized structural role on the membrane.

Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte↗
PubMed1988

Modulation of red cell band 4.1 function by cAMP-dependent kinase and protein kinase C phosphorylation.

Human erythrocyte protein 4.1 is phosphorylated in vivo by several protein kinases including protein kinase C and cAMP-dependent kinase. We have used cAMP-dependent kinase purified from red cells and protein kinase C purified from brain to test the effects of phosphorylation on band 4.1 function. In solution, each kinase catalyzed the incorporation of 1-4 mol of PO4/mol of band 4.1. Phosphorylation of band 4.1 by each kinase resulted in a significant (50-80%) reduction in the ability of band 4.1 to promote spectrin binding to F-actin. Direct measurement of spectrin-band 4.1 binding showed that phosphorylation by each kinase also caused dramatic reduction in this association. Phosphorylation of band 4.1 by each kinase for increasing time periods enabled us to demonstrate an approximately linear inverse relationship between PO4 incorporation into band 4.1 and spectrin binding. These results show that phosphorylation of band 4.1 by cAMP-dependent kinase and protein kinase C may be central to the regulation of red cell cytoskeletal organization and membrane mechanical properties.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Cell type-specific association between two types of spectrin and two types of intermediate filaments.

We have demonstrated a differential association between two types of spectrin, from erythrocytes and brain, with two types of intermediate filaments, vimentin filaments and neurofilaments. Electron microscopy showed that erythrocyte spectrin promoted the binding of vimentin filaments to red cell inside-out vesicles via lateral associations with the filaments. In vitro binding studies showed that the association of spectrin with vimentin filaments was apparently saturable, increased with temperature, and could be prevented by heat denaturation of the spectrin. Comparisons were made between erythrocyte and brain spectrin binding to both vimentin filaments and neurofilaments. We found that vimentin filaments bound more erythrocyte spectrin than brain spectrin, while neurofilaments bound more brain spectrin than erythrocyte spectrin. Our results show that both erythroid and nonerythroid spectrins are capable of binding to intermediate filaments and that such associations may be characterized by differential affinities of the various types of spectrin with the several classes of intermediate filaments present in cells. Our results also suggest a role for both erythroid and nonerythroid spectrins in mediating the association of intermediate filaments with plasma membranes or other cytoskeletal elements.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Purification of a membrane-derived human erythroid growth factor.

We have purified erythroid burst-promoting activity (BPA) from human lymphocyte plasma membranes by detergent extraction followed by gel-filtration, ion-exchange, and hydroxylapatite chromatography. BPA is a heat-stable integral membrane glycoprotein of Mr 28,000 by gel filtration whose activity is eluted from NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gels as a broad band at Mr 25,000-29,000. The growth stimulator appears to be erythroid-specific, stimulating proliferation of the human erythroid burst-forming unit (BFU-E) by up to 600% of control values when tested in serum-free bone marrow culture. In contrast, it is devoid of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor activity and has a negligible effect on the formation of human megakaryocyte and mixed hematopoietic colonies. Polyclonal anti-lymphocyte membrane IgG, which neutralizes BPA expression in culture, completely absorbs BPA from all lymphocyte-derived sources [solubilized lymphocyte plasma membranes, membrane-containing vesicles shed into lymphocyte conditioned medium (LCM) and soluble vesicle-free LCM supernatants], suggesting that soluble and membrane-derived lymphocyte BPA are antigenically related. This membrane glycoprotein may be an important mediator of proximal cellular interactions that are known to promote erythropoiesis in vitro.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1986

Phorbol ester- and Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of human red cell membrane skeletal proteins.

The addition of the tumor promoting phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate to intact human red blood cells activates protein kinase C and stimulates the phosphorylation of the membrane skeletal proteins band 4.1 and band 4.9 as well as two proteins of molecular mass 115 and 110 kDa. We show that 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate promotes the association of cytosolic protein kinase C with the red cell membrane and that the enzyme is present on ghost membranes but is largely absent from inside-out vesicles. We show that micromolar Ca2+ added to ghosts also promotes the phosphorylation of band 4.1 and the approximately 100-kDa proteins, a reaction which has not been described previously. Digestion and extraction studies show that the 100-kDa proteins are unrelated to band 3 since they are absent from NaOH stripped membranes, but are found in Triton-prepared cytoskeletons. Digestion of intact red cells with chymotrypsin or neuraminidase, which attack principally band 3 and glycophorin, respectively, markedly inhibits protein kinase C phosphorylation of band 4.1 in red cells and ghosts and of the 100-kDa proteins in ghosts. These enzymes have no effect upon the activity of the Ca2+-activated phosphorylation reaction, suggesting that it does not involve protein kinase C. These results shed light on two phosphorylation reactions which act exclusively on red cell membrane skeletal proteins. Our findings suggest that digestion of the integral membrane proteins band 3 and glycophorin, the principal targets of external protease digestion, affects the activity or specificity of protein kinase C. Finally we have described two apparently novel approximately 100-kDa phosphorylated proteins which are components of Triton-prepared red cell membrane skeletons.

Calcium↗
PubMed1986

Purification and properties of human erythrocyte band 4.2. Association with the cytoplasmic domain of band 3.

We have purified the human erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.2 to greater than 85% homogeneity. The protein was extracted from spectrin-actin-depleted inside-out vesicles in a pH 11 medium and purified by gel filtration in the presence of 1 M KI. The purified protein was heterogeneous and had an average S20,w of 5.5 and an average Stokes radius of 82 A. By electron microscopy, the protein appeared heterogeneous in size and shape, having a diameter ranging from 80 to 150 A. The protein bound saturably to band 4.2-depleted red cell inside-out vesicles, and the binding exhibited a concave Scatchard plot. Binding was reduced greater than 90% by proteolytic digestion of membranes. Digestion studies suggested that there are two classes of binding sites for band 4.2 on the cytoplasmic aspect of red cell membranes, one of which is likely to be band 3. The purified 43-kDa cytoplasmic domain of band 3 competed for band 4.2 binding to red cell membranes and could completely abolish binding when added at a concentration of greater than 200 micrograms/ml. The purification of band 4.2 and the characterization of its association with red cell membranes should facilitate the discovery of the function of this major red cell membrane protein.

Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte↗
PubMed1986

The effect of mild diamide oxidation on the structure and function of human erythrocyte spectrin.

Oxidants can alter erythrocyte membrane properties and cause ultimate hemolysis, but the mechanisms responsible for these changes are not understood. A protein skeleton preserves the normal integrity of the erythrocyte membrane. In this study, we investigated the effects of limited chemical oxidation on the structure and function of the major skeletal protein, spectrin. After mild treatment of spectrin with 2.5 microM diamide, with formation of an average of only one disulfide bond, we observed a 50% reduction in the ability of protein 4.1 to amplify spectrin-actin binding. The oxidized spectrin specifically lacked the ability to bind protein 4.1, whereas all other spectrin functions remained intact. However, oxidation also produced a structural change in spectrin. A rapidly migrating species appeared on non-denaturing gels in a dose-dependent manner with increasing diamide concentrations. By electron microscopy, the oxidized spectrin appeared as single-stranded signet rings with irregular knob-like protrusions. Fifty per cent of spectrin was converted to the ring form after the formation of an average of two disulfide bonds. Both the structural and functional defects were reversed by chemical reduction. The loss of spectrin function or the structural transformation in spectrin may contribute to erythrocyte membrane failure in the oxidative environment.

Azo Compounds↗
PubMed1986

Association of spectrin with desmin intermediate filaments.

The association of erythrocyte spectrin with desmin filaments was investigated using two in vitro assays. The ability of spectrin to promote the interaction of desmin filaments with membranes was investigated by electron microscopy of desmin filament-erythrocyte inside-out vesicle preparations. Desmin filaments bound to erythrocyte inside-out vesicles in a spectrin-dependent manner, demonstrating that spectrin is capable of mediating the association of desmin filaments with plasma membranes. A quantitative sedimentation assay was used to demonstrate the direct association of spectrin with desmin filaments in vitro. When increasing concentrations of spectrin were incubated with desmin filaments, spectrin cosedimented with desmin filaments in a concentration-dependent manner. At near saturation the spectrin:desmin molar ratio in the sedimented complex was 1:230. Our results suggest that, in addition to its well characterized associations with actin, spectrin functions to mediate the association of intermediate filaments with plasma membranes. It might be that nonerythrocyte spectrins share erythrocyte spectrin's ability to bind to intermediate filaments and function in nonerythroid cells to promote the interaction of intermediate filaments with actin filaments and/or the plasma membrane.

Animals↗