A Major Fraction of Glycosphingolipids in Model and Cellular Cholesterol-containing Membranes Is Undetectable by Their Binding Proteins |
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| Authors: | Radhia Mahfoud Adam Manis Beth Binnington Cameron Ackerley Clifford A Lingwood |
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| Affiliation: | From the ‡Division of Molecular Structure and Function, Research Institute, and ;the ¶Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario M5G 1X8 and ;the §Departments of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology and ;‖Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) accumulate in cholesterol-enriched cell membrane domains and provide receptors for protein ligands. Lipid-based “aglycone” interactions can influence GSL carbohydrate epitope presentation. To evaluate this relationship, Verotoxin binding its receptor GSL, globotriaosyl ceramide (Gb3), was analyzed in simple GSL/cholesterol, detergent-resistant membrane vesicles by equilibrium density gradient centrifugation. Vesicles separated into two Gb3/cholesterol-containing populations. The lighter, minor fraction (<5% total GSL), bound VT1, VT2, IgG/IgM mAb anti-Gb3, HIVgp120 or Bandeiraea simplicifolia lectin. Only IgM anti-Gb3, more tolerant of carbohydrate modification, bound both vesicle fractions. Post-embedding cryo-immuno-EM confirmed these results. This appears to be a general GSL-cholesterol property, because similar receptor-inactive vesicles were separated for other GSL-protein ligand systems; cholera toxin (CTx)-GM1, HIVgp120-galactosyl ceramide/sulfatide. Inclusion of galactosyl or glucosyl ceramide (GalCer and GlcCer) rendered VT1-unreactive Gb3/cholesterol vesicles, VT1-reactive. We found GalCer and GlcCer bind Gb3, suggesting GSL-GSL interaction can counter cholesterol masking of Gb3. The similar separation of Vero cell membrane-derived vesicles into minor “binding,” and major “non-binding” fractions when probed with VT1, CTx, or anti-SSEA4 (a human GSL stem cell marker), demonstrates potential physiological relevance. Cell membrane GSL masking was cholesterol- and actin-dependent. Cholesterol depletion of Vero and HeLa cells enabled differential VT1B subunit labeling of “available” and “cholesterol-masked” plasma membrane Gb3 pools by fluorescence microscopy. Thus, the model GSL/cholesterol vesicle studies predicted two distinct membrane GSL formats, which were demonstrated within the plasma membrane of cultured cells. Cholesterol masking of most cell membrane GSLs may impinge many GSL receptor functions. |
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| Keywords: | Glycolipids Lipid Raft Membrane Bilayer Receptors Toxins Xenobiotics Cholera HIVgp120 Ultracentrafugation Verotoxin |
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