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Title: Nitrogen dioxide-induced alterations in ganglioside content and structure of pulmonary artery endothelial cell plasma membranes

Conference · · FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States)
OSTI ID:5618810
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville (United States) VA Medical Center, Gainesville (United States)

Nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}), an environmental oxidant, is known to cause injury to the surface of pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC). Because gangliosides are present in the outer leaflet of plasma membranes, the authors hypothesize that NO{sub 2} exposure may alter the ganglioside content and structure of PAEC plasma membranes. To test this, confluent porcine PAEC were exposed to 5 ppm NO{sub 2} containing 5% CO{sub 2} for 48 hours at 37 C in a CO{sub 2} incubator. Controls were exposed to air containing 5% Co{sub 2} under identical conditions. After exposure: (1) total lipids were extracted and ganglioside bases were separated and estimated by fluorescamine, (2) the sialic acid content of intact cells was measured by the resorcinol method, and (3) freeze-fracture analysis of the intact cell plasma membrane was done by propane jet freezing and shadowing with platinum and carbon to form a replica. The ganglioside and sialic acid/{mu}g protein, respectively. In No{sub 2}-exposed cells, ganglioside content was reduced by 45% and sialic acid content was increased by 30%. Freeze-fracture analysis of the plasma membrane of control cells showed the presence of 160{+-}12 particles/cm area at 45000x. In contrast, the number of particles on the No{sub 2}-exposed plasma membrane was reduced to 68{+-}5 particles/cm at 45000x (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that NO{sub 2} causes structural changes in the surface of PAEC plasma membranes, and these are temporally associated with a reduction in the number of gagliosides in these cells.

OSTI ID:
5618810
Report Number(s):
CONF-9004153-; CODEN: FAJOE
Journal Information:
FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (United States), Vol. 4:3; Conference: 74. annual meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Washington, DC (United States), 1-5 Apr 1990; ISSN 0892-6638
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English