Stimulation of Erythrocyte Cell Membrane Scrambling by Mushroom Tyrosinase

Background: Mushroom tyrosinase, a copper containing enzyme, modifies growth and survival of tumor cells. Mushroom tyrosinase may foster apoptosis, an effect in part due to interference with mitochondrial function. Erythrocytes lack mitochondria but are able to undergo apoptosis-like suicidal cell death or eryptosis, which is characterized by cell shrinkage and cell membrane scrambling leading to phosphatidylserine-exposure at the erythrocyte surface. Signaling involved in the triggering of eryptosis include increase of cytosolic Ca(2+)-activity ([Ca(2+)](i)) and activation of sphingomyelinase with subsequent formation of ceramide. The present study explored, whether tyrosinase stimulates eryptosis. Methods: Cell volume has been estimated from forward scatter, phosphatidylserine-exposure from annexin V binding, [Ca(2+)](i) from Fluo3-fluorescence, and ceramide abundance from binding of fluorescent antibodies in flow cytometry. Results: A 24 h exposure to mushroom tyrosinase (7 U/mL) was followed by a significant increase of [Ca(2+)](i), a significant increase of ceramide abundance, and a significant increase of annexin-V-binding. The annexin-V-binding following tyrosinase treatment was significantly blunted but not abrogated in the nominal absence of extracellular Ca(2+). Tyrosinase did not significantly modify forward scatter. Conclusions: Tyrosinase triggers cell membrane scrambling, an effect, at least partially, due to entry of extracellular Ca(2+) and ceramide formation

Enhanced eryptosis following auranofin exposure

Background/Aims: The antiinflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer drug auranofin has previously been shown to trigger apoptosis, the suicidal death of nucleated cells. Side effects of the drug include anaemia. At least in theory the anaemia could result from stimulation of suicidal death of erythrocytes or eryptosis, which involves cell shrinkage and cell membrane scrambling with phosphatidylserine translocation to the erythrocyte surface. Methods: Stimulators of eryptosis include oxidative stress and increase of cytosolic Ca2+-activity ([Ca2+]i). In the present study, phosphatidylserine exposure at the cell surface was estimated from annexin V binding, cell volume from forward scatter, hemolysis from hemoglobin release, reactive oxygen species (ROS) from 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) fluorescence, and [Ca2+]i from Fluo3-fluorescence. Results: A 24 hours exposure of human erythrocytes to auranofin (≥5 µg/ml) significantly increased the percentage of annexin-V-binding cells (from 2.2 ± 0.5 to 17.4 ± 1.5%), significantly decreased forward scatter and significantly enhanced ROS. At higher concentrations (10 µg/ml) auranofin triggered slight hemolysis (from 2.1 ± 0.2 to 3.2 ± 0.3%). Conclusions: Auranofin stimulates cell shrinkage and phospholipid scrambling of the erythrocyte cell membrane, an effect at least partially due to induction of oxidative stress