Differential cytolysis of murine spleen, bone-marrow and leukemia cells by melittin reveals differences in membrane topography.
L1210 leukemia cells are 2-4 fold more sensitive to the cytolytic effects of melittin, the membrane-active toxin of bee venom, than normal DBA/2 mouse spleen and bone-marrow cells. Lysis of the normal cells was abolished when either 75 mM galactosamine, glucosamine or 100 microM beta-lactoglobulin was added to the melittin-cell reaction, but lysis of the leukemia cells was unaffected. The amino-groups appeared necessary for blocking melittin-mediated lysis since glucose, galactose and the N-acetyl derivatives were not inhibitory. Bone-marrow cells were more readily protected from lysis than spleen cells. Since melittin-inhibitor complexes were not detected by gel chromatography and the inhibitor could be added to the cell suspension after melittin, the evidence suggests that bone-marrow cells are rich in membrane binding sites for carbohydrates that decrease in mature spleen cells and are virtually absent after neoplastic transformation.
D000818:Animals; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007782:Lactoglobulins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007939:Leukemia L1210 / Q000473:pathology; D008555:Melitten / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects
D001514:Bee Venoms; D002241:Carbohydrates; D007782:Lactoglobulins; D008555:Melitten