Abstract
Adaptive changes in membrane physical properties in response to changing environmental temperature (e.g., inereased fluidity at low growth temperatures) are well known in poikilotherms; however, the timecourse of this response has received little attention. In this study the plasma membrane lipids of hepatocytes prepared from 20°C-acclimated trout were analyzed for phospholipid class and molecular species composition and metabolism after the cells were exposed to 5°C for 6 hours. Proportions of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine were not altered by in vitro incubation at either 5 or 20°C. Molecular species analysis revealed that proportions of 18:1/20:5-phosphatidylcholine were significantly lower in plasma membranes of 5°C incubated cells, while decreases in 16:0/20:4-phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified phosphatidylcholine species, and 16:0/16:0-phosphatidylethanolamine as well as increases in 16:0/16:1-phosphatidylethanolamine as well as increases in 16:0/16:1-phosphatidylcholine bordered on significance. Exogenous radiolabeled molecular species of phosphatidylcholine (16:0/16:0-phosphatidylcholine and 16:0/18:1-phosphatidylcholine) were converted into other species at both temperatures, and the formation of some was influenced by incubation temperature. For example, cells exposed to 5°C convert significantly more 16:0/16:0-phosphatidylcholine into 16:0/20:4-phosphatidylcholine and 18:0/16:1-phosphatidylcholine and less into 18:1/18:1-phosphatidylcholine and 16:0/22:6-phosphatidylcholine than cells incubated at 20°C. In addition, cells at 5°C metabolized 16:0/18:1-phosphatidylcholine to a lesser extent than those at 20°C. The profile of conversion products indicates that deacylation/reacylation, elongation and desaturation reactions all participate in this early membrane restructuring. It is concluded that the plasma membrane of trout hepatocytes is a highly dynamic structure characterized by continuous lipid restructuring/turnover which can be rapidly altered upon acute cold exposure to adjust membrane phospholipid molecular species composition to the prevailing thermal environment.
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Abbreviations
- BHT:
-
butylated hydroxytoluene
- BSA:
-
bovine serum albumin
- HEPES:
-
N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N′-(2-ethanesnlphonic acid)
- HELC:
-
high-performance liquid chromatography
- HVA:
-
homeoviscous adaptation
- MS:
-
molecular species
- MS-222:
-
2-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester (methanesulphonate salt)
- RRT:
-
relative reteption time
- PC:
-
phosphatidylcholine
- PE:
-
phosphatidylethanolamine
- TLC:
-
thin-layer chromatography
- TRIS:
-
tris(hydroxymethyl)aminoethane
- T a :
-
ambient temperature
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Williams, E.E., Hazel, J.R. Restructuring of plasma membrane phospholipids in isolated hepatocytes of rainbow trout during brief in vitro cold exposure. J Comp Physiol B 164, 600–608 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389800
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389800