Bilayers composed of phosphatidylcholine initially resist catalysis by phospholipase A2. However, after a latency period, they become susceptible when sufficient reaction products (lysolecithin and fatty acid) accumulate in the membrane. Temperature near the main bilayer phase transition and calcium concentration modulate the effectiveness of the reaction products. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual contributions of lysolecithin and palmitic acid to the susceptibility of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles and to rationalize the effects of temperature and calcium. Various fluorescent probes (Prodan, Laurdan, pyrene-labeled fatty acid, and dansyl-labeled phospholipid) were used to assess changes in the ability of the reaction products to perturb the bilayer and to affect the interactions with the enzyme. Un-ionized palmitic acid decreased bilayer polarity and perturbed the membrane surface exposing some of the Prodan to bulk water. Lysolecithin increased bilayer polarity and the rate of dipolar relaxation in response to the excited states of Laurdan and Prodan. A combination of the individual contributions of each product was observed when palmitic acid and lysolecithin were present together at low calcium, and the effects of lysolecithin dominated at high calcium. Palmitic acid, but not lysolecithin, promoted the binding of phospholipase A2 to the bilayer surface in the absence of calcium. Lysolecithin reduced the ability of fatty acid to enhance binding apparently by altering the structure of fatty acid domains in the membrane. Furthermore, increased temperature and ionization of the fatty acid tended to cause segregation of bound phospholipase A2 into domains poor in phospholipid content which presumably impeded bilayer hydrolysis. In contrast, un-ionized palmitic acid and lysolecithin promoted hydrolysis by augmenting a step distal to the adsorption of enzyme to the bilayer. This kinetic response to lysolecithin was calcium-dependent. A model accounting for these varied influences of the reaction products is presented.
Suppression subtractive hybridization analysis in our laboratory recently revealed that transferrin mRNA may be elevated in Sedeficient rat liver. In this work, we compared expression in rat liver of genes for transferrin, transferrin receptor, ferritin light and heavy chains, and iron-regulatory proteins 1 and 2 in Se adequacy and deficiency. Weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed Torula yeast diets supplemented with 0 or 0.15 microg Se/kg diet as sodium selenite for 15 wk. Activity of cellular glutathione peroxidase was virtually abolished in Se-deficient rat liver, whereas activity of glutathione S-transferase was 43% higher than in Se-adequate liver. There were no differences in hematocrit, hemoglobin, or liver iron content. To examine differential gene expression, we used a multiplex relative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method. Three of the six genes examined showed modest but consistent upregulation in Se deficiency. Transferrin mRNA was 30% more abundant in Se-deficient than in Se-adequate liver. For the transferrin receptor, the difference was 32%, and for iron regulatory protein 1, it was 63%. No consistent differences were observed for iron regulatory protein 2 or for ferritin light or heavy chain. These findings suggest a possible role for dietary Se in moderating iron metabolism.
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