Reactivity of lysosomes to inside-out cell membrane vesicles in a cell-free system.

To study ultrastructurally the mechanisms of lysosome reactions to cell membrane-derived intracellular membranes we developed a cell free system using small inside-out and rightside-out cell membrane vesicles (IOVs and ROVs) as a target of the reactions. The IOVs were generated from rat erythrocyte ghosts in a low ionic strength alkaline solution in the absence of divalent cations after erythrocytes were reacted with wheat germ agglutinin-coated colloidal gold [WGA (CG)], while ROVs were from ghosts homogenized in a buffer with MgSO4 and bovine serum albumin-coated CG [BSA (CG)]. WGA (CG)s bound to the cell surface were rearranged on the membrane and distributed irregularly on the inner surface of generated small IOVs. A coat structure derived from the ghost's submembranous coat was almost depleted from their outer surface. By contrast, BSA (CG)-binding to the membranes was negligible in the process of ROV formation. When isolated rat liver lysosomes were incubated with these WGA (CG)-binding small IOVs at 37 degrees C, CG particles were found in several lysosomes under electron microscopy. Some lysosomes adhered to the IOVs, and their limiting membranes were found to collapse and disappear partially at the adhering region, suggesting their fusion. This reaction seems to occur even in cytosol-free solution. By contrast, the lysosomes indicated very low reaction to BSA (CG)-containing ROV, and to WGA (CG) or BSA (CG) alone. Therefore, it is suggested that isolated liver lysosomes react, at least to fuse, in a cytosol-independent fashion, with surface coat-depleted IOVs derived from WGA (CG)-bound and then -rearranged erythrocyte membranes.