Millimolar concentrations of free magnesium enhance exocytosis from permeabilized rat pheochromocytoma (PC 12) cells

The role of Mg2+ during the final steps of exocytosis was investigated using rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) permeabilized with bacterial pore forming toxins. Concentrations of free Mg2+ between 0.2 and 2 mM slightly lowered the basal but greatly enhanced the [3H]dopamine release elicited by 8 μM free Ca2+. Maximal effects were obtained at approximately 1 mM free Mg2+. At higher concentrations Mg2+ was less potent. Similar effects of Mg2+ were obtained in cells permeabilized either for small molecules (by α-toxin) or for large ones (by streptolysin O). It is concluded that millimolar concentrations of cytoplasmic Mg2+ play an important role in Ca2+ triggered exocytosis

Reductive chain separation of botulinum A toxin — a prerequisite to its inhibitory action on exocytosis in chromaffin cells

Cleavage of the disulfide bond linking the heavy and the light chains of tetanus toxin is necessary for its inhibitory action on exocytotic release ofcatecholamines from permeabi1ized chromaffin cells [(1989) FEBS Lett. 242, 245-248; (1989) J. Neurochern., in press]. The related botulinum A toxin also consists of a heavy and a light chain linked by a disulfide bond. The actions ofboth neurotoxins on exocytosis were presently compared using streptolysin O-permeabilized bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Botulinum A toxin inhibited Ca2 +-stimulated catecholamine release from these cells. Addition of dithiothreitollowered the effective doses to values below 5 nM. Under the same conditions, the effective doses of tetanus toxin were decreased by a factor of five. This indicates that the interchain S-S bond of botulinum A toxin must also be split before the neurotoxin can exert its effect on exocytosis

Minimal requirements for exocytosis

The membrane-permeabilizing effects of streptolysin O, staphylococcal alpha-toxin, and digitonin on cultured rat pheochromocytoma cells were studied. All three agents perturbed the plasma membrane, causing release of intracellular 86Rb+ and uptake of trypan blue. In addition, streptolysin O and digitonin also damaged the membranes of secretory vesicles, including a parallel release of dopamine. In contrast, the effects of alpha-toxin appeared to be strictly confined to the plasma membrane, and no dopamine release was observed with this agent. The exocytotic machinery, however, remained intact and could be triggered by subsequent introduction of micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ into the medium. Dopamine release was entirely Ca2+ specific and occurred independent of the presence or absence of other cations or anions including K+ glutamate, K+ acetate, or Na+ chloride. Ca2+-induced exocytosis did not require the presence of Mg2+-ATP in the medium. The process was insensitive to pH alterations in the range pH 6.6-7.2, and appeared optimal at an osmolarity of 300 mosm/kg. Toxin permeabilization seems to be an excellent method for studying the minimal requirements for exocytosis

The light chain but not the heavy chain of botulinum A toxin inhibits exocytosis from permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells

The heavy and light chains of botulinum A toxin were separated by anion exchange chromatography. Their intracellular actions were studied using bovine adrenal chromaffin cells permeabilized with streptolysin O. Purified light chain inhibited the Ca2+-stimulated [3H]noradrenaline release with a half-maximal effect at about 1.8 nM. The inhibition was incomplete. Heavy chain up to 28 nM was neither effective by itself nor did it enhance the inhibitory effect of light chain. It is concluded that the light chain of botulinum A toxin contains the functional domain responsible for the inhibition of exocytosis

Release of vasopressin from isolated permeabilized neurosecretory nerve terminals is blocked by the light chain of botulinum A toxin

The intracellular action on exocytosis of botulinim A toxin and constituent chains was studied using permeabilized isolated nerve endings from the rat neural lobe. The release of the neuropeptide vasopressin was measured by radioimmunoassay. In the presence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol, the two-chain form of botulinum A toxin inhibited vasopressin release induced by 10 μM free calcium. Half maximal inhibition was obtained with 15 nM botulinum A toxin. In the absence of the heavy chain the light chain of the toxin strongly inhibited exocytosis with a half maximal effect of 2.5 nM. The inhibitory effects on secretion could be prevented by incubating the light chain with an immune serum against botulinum A toxin. The heavy chain of botulinum A toxin did not affect vasopressin release. However, it prevented the inhibitory effects of the light chain on stimulated exocytosis. It is concluded that botulinum A toxin inhibits the calcium-dependent step leading to exocytosis by interfering with a target present in the isolated and permeabilized nerve terminals. The functional domain of this neurotoxin, which is responsible for the inhibition of vasopressin release, is present in its light chain

Release of vasopressin from isolated permeabilized neurosecretory nerve terminals is blocked by the light chain of botulinum A toxin

The intracellular action on exocytosis of botulinim A toxin and constituent chains was studied using permeabilized isolated nerve endings from the rat neural lobe. The release of the neuropeptide vasopressin was measured by radioimmunoassay. In the presence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol, the two-chain form of botulinum A toxin inhibited vasopressin release induced by 10 μM free calcium. Half maximal inhibition was obtained with 15 nM botulinum A toxin. In the absence of the heavy chain the light chain of the toxin strongly inhibited exocytosis with a half maximal effect of 2.5 nM. The inhibitory effects on secretion could be prevented by incubating the light chain with an immune serum against botulinum A toxin. The heavy chain of botulinum A toxin did not affect vasopressin release. However, it prevented the inhibitory effects of the light chain on stimulated exocytosis. It is concluded that botulinum A toxin inhibits the calcium-dependent step leading to exocytosis by interfering with a target present in the isolated and permeabilized nerve terminals. The functional domain of this neurotoxin, which is responsible for the inhibition of vasopressin release, is present in its light chain