In Human Erythrocytes (Red Cell/Metabolism/Membrane) E
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Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 75, No. 6, pp. 2825-2828, June 1978 Cell Biology Existence of only a single functional pool of adenosine triphosphate in human erythrocytes (red cell/metabolism/membrane) E. BEUTLER, E. GUINTO, W. KUHL, AND F. MATSUMOTO Department of Hematology, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010 Contributed by Ernest Beutler, March 21, 1978 ABSTRACT The question of whether separate "membrane" sium-ATPase activity exerted on 32P-labeled ATP by pre- and "soluble" pools of ATP exist in erythrocytes has been ex- treatment in the cold with nonradioactive ATP (2) have been amined. Phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3)derived ("mem- cited as evidence for the existence of two ATP pools. However, brane") ATP was labeled by short-term incubation with inor- ganic [32P]phosphate. Pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40)derived a study of phosphoglycerate kinase-deficient erythrocytes failed ("soluble") ATP is not labeled under these circumstances. The to show any decrease in ion pumping (4). specific activity of the 'y-phosphate of "soluble" ATP was then We have now devised a technique that allows us to examine evaluated by the addition of 2-deoxyglucose and measurement under more physiological circumstances the possible existence of the specific activity of 2-deoxyglucose-6432Plphosphate of two ATP pools in erythrocytes. This method depends upon formed. This specific activity was essentially the same as the the fortunate circumstance that the inorganic phosphate con- overall specific activity of erythrocyte ATP y-phosphate, indi- cating that no functional pools of phosphoglycerate kinase- sumed during glycolysis is quickly incorporated into the y- derived and pyruvate kinase-derived ATP exist in erythro- phosphate of ATP formed in the phosphogylycerate kinase cytes. reaction. In contrast, the phosphate transferred from phos- phoenolpyruvate to ADP is derived almost entirely from Lacking nucleus, mitochondria, and other intracellular or- phosphate esterified to glucose in the early stages of glycolysis ganelles, the erythrocyte was long considered to be a simple, (Fig. 1). Thus, it is possible to selectively label ATP formed in single metabolic unit. However, the association of certain gly- the phosphoglycerate kinase reaction with [32P]phosphate. The colytic enzymes with the erythrocyte membrane (1) spawned specific activity of the putative soluble ATP pool may readily an interesting hypothesis. It was proposed that two pools of ATP be estimated by measuring the labeling of 2-deoxyglucose exist in erythrocytes and that a membrane-associated pool of phosphorylated in the hexokinase reaction to its nonmetaboliz- ATP is preferentially involved in the pumping of sodium and able derivative, 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate. potassium ions. The ATP in this pool would be replenished by the action of phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3) (2-5). A MATERIALS AND METHODS second, soluble pool of ATP, replenished in the pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) reaction, presumably provides ATP for phos- Blood from normal human donors was collected in 1 mg of phorylation of glucose in the initial steps of glycolysis. EDTA per ml of erythrocytes and passed through a column of Certain features of this model are attractive. The ATP used microcrystalline cellulose-a-cellulose (8) to remove the leuko- for sodium and potassium transport would be produced in cytes and platelets. The erythrocytes were then washed three proximity to the sitewhere it functions. Moreover, the amount times at 250 in a buffered saline solution prepared by mixing of ATP required for glucose phosphorylation very closely ap- nine parts of 0.154 M NaCl solution with one part of 0.15 M proximates the amount of ADP that is phosphorylated to ATP triethanolamine hydrochloride, pH 7.8 (25°), and containing in the pyruvate kinase step. Attractive as the two-compartment 0.3 mM glucose. Sixty milliliters of a 45% suspension of the model of ATP metabolism in the erythrocyte may be, no direct erythrocytes was prepared in the same buffer and 180,Ci of experimental evidence supports its existence. The purported H32P04 (ICN, Irvine, CA) was added. After 4 min of incuba- existence of a specific linkage between ATPase activity and tion at 370, 20 ml of the erythrocyte suspension was rapidly ATP generated in the phosphoglycerate kinase step was initially transferred into 80 ml of ice-cold 4% perchloric acid. 2.1 ml of based upon the failure of ouabain to inhibit lactate production 2 M 2-deoxyglucose in 0.77 M K2HPO4/0.23 M KH2PO4 was from phosphoenolpyruvate in crude hemolysates. However, immediately added to the remaining 40 ml of the erythrocyte this interpretation failed to take into account the reversibility suspension; after 2 min this suspension was mixed rapidly with of the phosphoglycerate kinase step, and reinterpretation of the 160 ml of ice-cold 4% perchloric acid. The acid-extracted data shows them to be irrelevant to the question of selective erythrocytes were centrifuged in the cold and the supernatant linkage of ATP produced in the phosphoglycerate kinase step was adjusted to pH 7.0 with KOH. Aliquots were removed for to ion pumping (6). Other data that have been presented to measurement of lactate and ATP concentrations (9). The ex- support the existence of a membrane-associated ATP pool are tracts were then diluted with 6 vol of water and applied to quite indirect. For example, the effect of ouabain on crossover Dowex-1 formate (1.5 X 25 cm) columns at a flow rate of 1 plots (7), the lack of effective ion transport in substrate-depleted ml/min. Chromatography was carried out by modifications of erythrocytes in which 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was the source the methods described by Bartlett (10). First each extract was of glycolytic energy (5), and the blocking of sodium-magne- eluted with a 2-liter linear gradient of 0-5 M formic acid/ ammonium formate (4:1) adjusted to pH 2.9 with 5 M ammo- nium formate. The peak containing 2-deoxyglucose-6-phos- The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked phate, eluting just before the inorganic phosphate peak, was "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U. S. C. §1734 solely to indicate pooled and lyophilized. After the sample was reconstituted with this fact. 3.0 ml of water, 0.03 ml of 0.5 M MgCI2, 0.5 ml of 1 M Tris.HCl 2825 Downloaded by guest on September 30, 2021 2826 Cell Biology: Beutler et al. Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA 75 (1978) /Aldolose TPI rNAD G (NADH (1,3-OPG) A-R-P-P DPGM (ADP) I -OOH C-OOH ofmembrane A-R-P-P ATP (ATP) (9 - ® C-® (3-PGA) C - OOH c- @ (2-PGA) C - OH f I ENOLASE I t C -OOH I (PEP) A-R-P-P C-1H2 (ADP) I PK soluble" A-R-P-P ® ATP (ATP) FIG. 1. A portion ofthe glycolytic pathway of erythrocytes showing the manner in which inorganic 32p preferentially enters ATP synthesized in the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) reaction. This putative pool of heavily labeled ATP has been designated "membrane" ATP. In contrast, ATP synthesized in the pyruvate kinase (PK) step, designated "soluble" ATP, is labeled only to the extent that 32P has gained access to the large 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) pool through the diphosphoglycerate mutase (DPGM) reaction. TPI, triosephosphate isomerase; DPGP, diphosphoglycerate phosphatase; MPGM, monophosphoglycerate mutase; GAP, glyceraldehyde phosphate; GAPD, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase; PEP, phosphoenolpyruvate; 3-PGA, 3-phosphoglyceric acid. (pH 8, with 5 mM EDTA), 0.6 unit of glucosephosphate isom- chloride, was added to 0.5 ml of the neutralized fraction and erase and 0.6 units of yeast glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase the mixture was incubated at 370 for 2 hr. The pH was then (Sigma Type VII), and 0.03 ml of 100 mM- NADP were added adjusted to between 3 and 4 with 4 M HCl, and the mixture was and the mixture was incubated for 30 min to oxidize glucose- boiled for 1 min. After centrifugation the extract was neutral- 6-phosphate and fructose-6-phosphate to 6-phosphogluconic ized with potassium carbonate, and the 2-deoxyglucose content acid. Ammonium ions were then removed by passing the so- was measured in a volume of 1 ml containing 0.1 M Tris-HCl lution through a column of Dowex-50 in the hydrogen form. (pH 8), 0.5 mM EDTA, 5 mM MgCl2, 2 mM ATP, 1 mM After the mixture was diluted to 150 ml with distilled water, phosphoenolpyruvate, 0.2 mM NADH, 12 units of pyruvate the 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate was applied to a 1 X 8 cm kinase, and 20 units of lactate dehydrogenase. After the ab- Dowex-1 column and rechromatographed with a 1-liter gra- sorbance was recorded, at 340 nm, the reaction was started by dient of 0-1 M formic acid. The peaks containing 2-deoxy- the addition of 15 units of yeast hexokinase (Sigma). In this glucose-6-phosphate were lyophilized and dissolved in a small system 1 mole of ADP is formed in the hexokinase reaction for quantity of distilled water, and the 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate each mole of 2-deoxyglucose phosphorylated. The ADP is content and radioactivity were determined. 2-Deoxyglucose- measured in the pyruvate kinase reaction linked to the lactate 6-phosphate was measured by hydrolyzing the phosphate group dehydrogenase reaction. One mole of NADH is therefore oxi- with alkaline phosphatase and measuring the ADP formed in dized for each mole of 2-deoxyglucose present. the hexokinase reaction when the 2-deoxyglucose was rephos- ATP was located in the original chromatogram by use of the phorylated.