Susceptibility of Apoptotic Cells to Hydrolysis by Spla2: Molecular Basis and Mechanisms Defined
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Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2013-07-05 Susceptibility of Apoptotic Cells to Hydrolysis by sPLA2: Molecular Basis and Mechanisms Defined Elizabeth Gibbons Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Cell and Developmental Biology Commons, and the Physiology Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Gibbons, Elizabeth, "Susceptibility of Apoptotic Cells to Hydrolysis by sPLA2: Molecular Basis and Mechanisms Defined" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 3690. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/3690 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Susceptibility of Apoptotic Cells to Hydrolysis by sPLA2: Molecular Basis and Mechanisms Defined Elizabeth Gibbons A dissertation submitted to the faculty of Brigham Young University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy John D. Bell, Chair Allan M. Judd Sandra H. Burnett Michael R. Stark Laura C. Bridgewater Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology Brigham Young University July 2013 Copyright © 2013 Elizabeth Gibbons All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Susceptibility of Apoptotic Cells to Hydrolysis by sPLA2: Molecular Basis and Mechanisms Defined Elizabeth Gibbons Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology, BYU Doctor of Philosophy Secretory phospholipase A2 hydrolyzes phospholipids at a lipid-water interface, resulting in pro-inflammatory products being released from cell membranes. Healthy cells are resistant to cleavage by this enzyme, but apoptotic cells become susceptible to its activity. Only bilayers with certain characteristics are able to be hydrolyzed. Most recently, studies in this lab have emphasized the idea that the biophysical state of the bilayer (in terms of lipid order, spacing, and fluidity) is relevant in determining the probability of one phospholipid escaping the membrane to be hydrolyzed. Prior to this study, it had been shown that apoptotic cells undergo biophysical alterations that weaken inter-lipid interactions early in apoptosis. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine these changes in more detail, define them more clearly on the molecular level, and suggest possible mechanisms responsible for their occurrence. First, the role of increased membrane permeability in susceptibility to the phospholipase was investigated. S49 cells were treated with ionomycin or apoptotic agents and assayed for merocyanine 540 staining of the membrane and membrane permeability to a vital dye. Human group X and snake venom isoforms were active towards all treated cells, but human groups V and IIa only hydrolyzed cells that were moderately permeable to the vital dye. Different isoforms must then be sensitive to different membrane properties. Second, the role of membrane oxidation in cell membrane vulnerability to the phospholipase (specifically human group IIa) was tested. The temporal onset of lipid peroxidation was assayed during apoptosis. This correlated with the onset of susceptibility to the IIa isoform. Direct oxidizers were then used to verify this result in isolation from other apoptotic membrane changes. Third, biophysical alterations during thapsigargin-induced apoptosis were examined using TMA-DPH and Patman. Data from these probes in artificial bilayers undergoing phase transitions were used to quantify the decrease in interlipid interactions and predict a 50 – 100- fold increase in the probability of phospholipid protrusions. Patman equilibration kinetics also revealed more molecular detail about the biophysical changes related to susceptibility. Finally, temperature- and ionomyin-induced alterations in membrane properties were compared. Both increased fluidity, but only ionomycin caused susceptibility. Patman equilibration kinetic analysis could distinguish responsible membrane properties. Actin fragmentation during apoptosis or calcium loading is proposed as the mechanism. Keywords: secretory phospholipase A2, fluorescence spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, membrane biophysics, apoptosis, actin, cytoskeleton ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I am so grateful to my family and friends for supporting me and cheering me on throughout my educational career. My parents especially are my biggest fans. I would like to thank them for believing that I could do anything and always encouraging me to develop my talents to the greatest degree possible without ever making me feel pressured to do anything. I loved it when they read my papers and acted impressed, even if they didn’t completely understand them. I don’t know if I have the words to express my gratitude to my mentor, John Bell. I am so glad I took my freshman biology class from him at age 18 and that he took a chance and let me into his lab even though it was full. Since then, he has taught me how to think, how to write, and how to teach. I will miss our brainstorming sessions, writing parties, team-teaching, talks about life, and inside jokes. He and his wife, Rhonda, are like family to me, and I have loved spending time in their home. I would like to thank my amazing graduate committee, Allan Judd, Michael Stark, Sandra Burnett, and Laura Bridgewater, for investing their time into helping me develop as a scientist. Dr. Judd especially has been so helpful with both my coursework and research and has become a dear friend. I will miss his advice and teasing. I am also grateful for the many people that have worked with me in the lab for the past 7 years. I can’t mention them all by name, but they truly were my second family during my time at BYU. I am grateful for Anne Heiner and Rachel Bailey for mentoring me as an undergraduate. As a graduate student, so many lab members contributed to my dissertation: Hannabeth Franchino, Lauryl Campbell, Mike Streeter, Ashley Warcup, Katalyn Pickett, Celestine Yeung, Kelly Brewer, Lynn Anderson, Stephanie Melchor, Mike Murri, Eric Moss, and Amy Hamaker. In particular, Jen Nelson has been both a cherished friend and an invaluable collaborator. Our conversations about science and life will always be some of my fondest memories in the lab. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics at the University of California, Irvine for allowing us to use their two-photon microscope. I appreciate the assistance of Dan Reschke, Trevor Washburn, Ross Ahrendes, and Steve Barben with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry experiments. I would like to thank Connie Provost for doing so much behind the scenes that helped me finish this dissertation. I am also grateful for the funding provided by John Bell (NIH Grant GM073997), the PDBio Department, and the BYU Cancer Research Center. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................................................. 1 Secretory Phospholipase A2 ........................................................................................................ 1 Apoptosis .................................................................................................................................... 3 Classic Apoptotic Membrane Changes ....................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHODS ............................................................................ 8 Reagents ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Cell Culture and Treatment with Agents .................................................................................... 9 Vesicle Prep ................................................................................................................................ 9 Addition of Exogenous PS ........................................................................................................ 10 Fluorescence Spectroscopy ....................................................................................................... 10 Membrane Susceptibility Assays .......................................................................................... 11 Eq. 1 .................................................................................................................................. 11 Merocyanine 540 .................................................................................................................. 12 DPH and TMA-DPH............................................................................................................. 13 Eq. 2 .................................................................................................................................. 13 Eq. 3 .................................................................................................................................. 14 Laurdan and Patman ............................................................................................................. 14 Eq. 4 .................................................................................................................................. 14 v Eq. 5 .................................................................................................................................. 14 Flow cytometry ........................................................................................................................