Mechanism of antibody stimulation of hexose transport in rat myoblasts.

We have recently demonstrated that exposure of rat myoblasts to anti-rat myoblast antiserum results in two- to three-fold activation of hexose transport. The present communication reports the possible mechanism(s) by which specific antibody can bring about such activation. Studies with Fab and Fc fragments indicate that the binding of Fab to specific cell surface component(s) is not sufficient to trigger activation of hexose transport; the immunoglobulin G (IgG) mediated dimerization of membrane components is required for this process. Although cytochalasin D has no effect on hexose transport in control and antibody-treated cells, pretreatment of cells with this inhibitor prevents antibody-mediated activation of hexose transport. It may be inferred from this observation that proper disposition of membrane components is required for the dimerization of membrane receptors. Since this activation of hexose transport is an irreversible process, it is possible that covalent modification of membrane components may have occurred as a result of antibody treatment. Pretreatment of cells with ammonium chloride or methylamine is found to abolish the antibody-mediated activation of hexose transport, even though these inhibitors have no effect on hexose transport in control and antibody-treated cells. These inhibitors may be acting on transglutaminase and (or) on some other proteins involved in the activation process. Several lines of evidence suggest that limited proteolytic cleavage of membrane components may be involved in the antibody-mediated activation of hexose transport. First, pretreatment with several protease inhibitors prevents activation of hexose transport. Second, several cell surface proteins are missing in antibody-treated cells. Third, limited proteolysis of cell surface proteins with trypsin can also bring about activation of hexose transport. In view of the fact that proteolytic activity cannot be detected in various IgG and serum preparations, it seems likely that endogenous membrane associated proteases may be involved in this activation process.