Swelling-induced taurine transport: relationship with chloride channels, anion-exchangers and other swelling-activated transport pathways

Cells have to regulate their volume in order to survive. Moreover, it is now evident that cell volume per se and the membrane transport processes which regulate it, comprise an important signalling unit. For example, macromolecular synthesis, apoptosis, cell growth and hormone secretion are all influenced by the cellular hydration state. Therefore, a thorough understanding of volume-activated transport processes could lead to new strategies being developed to control the function and growth of both normal and cancerous cells. Cell swelling stimulates the release of ions such as K(+) and Cl(-) together with organic osmolytes, especially the beta-amino acid taurine. Despite being the subject of intense research interest, the nature of the volume-activated taurine efflux pathway is still a matter of controversy. On the one hand it has been suggested that osmosensitive taurine efflux utilizes volume-sensitive anion channels whereas on the other it has been proposed that the band 3 anion-exchanger is a swelling-induced taurine efflux pathway. This article reviews the evidence for and against a role of anion channels and exchangers in osmosensitive taurine transport. Furthermore, the distinct possibility that neither pathway is involved in taurine transport is highlighted. The putative relationship between swelling-induced taurine transport and volume-activated anionic amino acid, alpha-neutral amino acid and K(+) transport is also examined.

Water regulates oxygen binding in hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) hemoglobin

Hagfish hemoglobin (Hb) is considered to represent a transition stage between invertebrate and vertebrate hemoglobins. The Hb system of Myxine glutinosa consists of three monomeric hemoglobins, which upon deoxygenation associate to form primarily heterodimers and heterotetramers. Myxine glutinosa is an osmoconformer, whose red blood cells show the exceptional ability to swell and remain swollen under hyposmotic conditions. In order to determine whether water activity regulates hemoglobin function, the effect of changes in osmolality on hemoglobin-O(2) affinity was investigated by applying the osmotic stress method to purified hemoglobins as well as intact red blood cells. Oxygen affinity decreases when water activity increases, indicating that water molecules stabilize the low-affinity, oligomeric state of the hemoglobin. This effect is opposite to that observed in tetrameric vertebrate hemoglobins, but resembles that seen in the dimeric hemoglobin of the marine clam Scapharca inaequivalvis. Our data show that water may act as an allosteric effector for hemoglobin within intact red cells and even in animals that do not experience large variations in blood osmolality.

Volume-activated trimethylamine oxide efflux in red blood cells of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

The aims of this study were to determine the pathway of swelling-activated trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) efflux and its regulation in spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) red blood cells and compare the characteristics of this efflux pathway with the volume-activated osmolyte (taurine) channel present in erythrocytes of fishes. The characteristics of the TMAO efflux pathway were similar to those of the taurine efflux pathway. The swelling-activated effluxes of both TMAO and taurine were significantly inhibited by known anion transport inhibitors (DIDS and niflumic acid) and by the general channel inhibitor quinine. Volume expansion by hypotonicity, ethylene glycol, and diethyl urea activated both TMAO and taurine effluxes similarly. Volume expansion by hypotonicity, ethylene glycol, and diethyl urea also stimulated the activity of tyrosine kinases p72syk and p56lyn, although the stimulations by the latter two treatments were less than by hypotonicity. The volume activations of both TMAO and taurine effluxes were inhibited by tyrosine kinase inhibitors, suggesting that activation of tyrosine kinases may play a role in activating the osmolyte effluxes. These results indicate that the volume-activated TMAO efflux occurs via the organic osmolyte (taurine) channel and may be regulated by the volume activation of tyrosine kinases.

Modulation of erythrocyte band 4.1 binding by volume expansion

Erythrocyte band 4.1 is an important protein in the control and maintenance of the cytoskeleton. Skate erythrocyte band 3, the anion exchanger, appears to play a pivotal role in the regulation of volume-stimulated solute efflux during volume expansion. Because band 4.1 interacts with band 3, we tested whether their interaction might change during volume expansion. Skate red blood cells were volume-expanded in either hypotonic media (one-half osmolarity) or were swollen under isoosmotic conditions by inclusion of ethylene glycol or ammonium chloride in the medium. Microsomal membranes isolated from red cells under volume expanded conditions demonstrated a significant decrease in the amount of band 4.1 bound to band 3. In unstimulated cells, approximately one third of the binding of band 4.1 occurred to band 3. This binding was characterized as being sensitive to competition by the peptide IRRRY. The majority of band 4.1 is bound to glycophorin (as demonstrated in other species), and this binding does not change during volume expansion. The alteration in band 4.1:band 3 interaction occurs within 5 min after volume expansion and is transient, returning to near normal interaction within 60 min. Two drugs that promote band 3 oligomerization, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and DIDS, also decreased band 4.1 interaction with band 3. Band 4.1 and ankyrin binding to band 3 may be reciprocally related as high-affinity ankyrin binding sites to band 3 observed under volume-expanded conditions are decreased by inclusion of band 4.1 in the binding reactions. J. Exp. Zool. 289:177-183, 2001.

Beta-adrenergic stimulation of volume-sensitive chloride transport in lamprey erythrocytes

We measured the effects of a beta-adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol, on chloride transport and volume regulation of lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) erythrocytes in isotonic (288 mosm L(-1)) and hypotonic (192 mosm L(-1)) medium. Isoproterenol at a high concentration (10(-5) M) did not influence chloride transport in isotonic medium but markedly increased chloride fluxes in hypotonic conditions: unidirectional flux increased from 100 mmol kg dcw(-1) h(-1) in the absence to 350 mmol kg dcw(-1) h(-1) (dcw=dry cell weight) in the presence of isoproterenol. Simultaneously, the half-time for volume recovery decreased from 27 to 9 min. Isoproterenol caused an increase in cellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) concentration. The stimulation of chloride transport in hypotonic conditions could be induced by application of the permeable cAMP analogue, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP, suggesting that the effect of beta-adrenergic stimulation on chloride transport occurs downstream of cAMP production. As isoproterenol did not affect unidirectional rubidium fluxes in hypotonic conditions, the transport pathway influenced by beta-adrenergic stimulation is most likely the swelling-activated chloride channel. Because the beta-adrenergic agonist only influenced the transport in hypotonic conditions despite the fact that cAMP concentration also increased in isotonic conditions, the activation may involve a volume-dependent conformational change in the chloride channel.

Na+-dependent transport of pyruvate in erythrocytes of the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stouti)

We investigated the mechanisms of pyruvate transport in the erythrocytes of an ancient marine agnathan, the Pacific hagfish (Eptatretus stouti), and a sedentary euryhaline teleost, the starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus). Uptake of [14C]pyruvate (50 µM, 10°C) by flounder erythrocytes was slow (t1/2 (half-life) ~ 30 min), nonconcentrative, and mediated by the band 3 Cl-/HCO-3 exchanger in combination with a process similar to the H+/monocarboxylate symporter present in freshwater teleosts and mammalian erythrocytes. In contrast, pyruvate uptake by hagfish erythrocytes (50 µM, 10°C) was rapid (t1/2 ~ 1.5 min) and, in 10 min, reached an intracellular concentration more than 20-fold higher than that present in the extracellular medium. Pyruvate accounted for almost 90% of the accumulated intracellular radioactivity, the remaining label being incorporated into tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and glutamate. Influx of pyruvate was saturable (apparent Km = 12 mM) and inhibited by p-chloromercuriphenylsulphonate (PCMBS) (Ki = 71 µM) and 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonate (DIDS) (Ki = 0.49 mM). Transport was inhibited poorly by α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (CIN) (Ki > 4 mM) and was not coupled to the movement of protons. Instead, the influx of pyruvate was Na+ dependent. A sigmoidal relationship between pyruvate transport and extracellular Na+ concentration was observed, suggesting a Na+:pyruvate coupling ratio greater than 1:1. In contrast with previously described Na+-dependent monocarboxylate transport activities in mammalian renal and intestinal epithelia, the hagfish erythrocyte system did not transport lactate.

Red blood cells from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) regulate volume incompletely following osmotic shrinkage and swelling in vitro

The ability of rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) red blood cells to volume regulate in vitro has been investigated. Blood was drawn through a catheter inserted in the dorsal aorta and equilibrated to gas mixtures of different composition. Cells shrunken osmotically by increasing the extracellular osmolarity from approximately 291 mosm l(-1) (n=3) to approximately 632 mosm l(-1) (calculated) only partially regulated their volume back towards the original volume either at pH 7.51+/-0.05 (mean+/-S.D., n=5) or pH 7. 20+/-0.06 (mean+/-S.D., n=3). There was no improvement of the regulatory volume increase at low haemoglobin oxygen saturation. The limited volume restoration was inhibited by separate additions of amiloride (10(-4) M) or DIDS (10(-4) M) suggesting involvement of the Na(+)/H(+) and Cl(-)/HCO(3)(-) exchangers. Cells that were swollen osmotically by an approximately 30% dilution of the extracellular medium also exhibited a limited ability to recover their volume. Therefore, these cells show little ability to volume regulate when exposed to in vitro conditions that shrink or swell the cell.

Osmolyte channel regulation by ionic strength in skate RBC

The aim of this study was to determine whether the opening of the osmolyte channel in skate red blood cells (RBC) is regulated by intracellular electrolyte concentration and conductivity. Consistent with previous studies, experiments with hyperosmotic preincubation before cell swelling or swelling with an isosmotic electrolyte (e.g., ammonium chloride) showed that an increase in ionic strength inhibits the opening of the taurine channel. However, a decrease in intracellular ionic strength did not always stimulate taurine efflux to the same degree. Whereas hyposmotic swelling caused a large increase in taurine efflux, swelling induced by treatment with isosmotic nonelectrolytes produced much smaller stimulation. Results with assays for band 3 phosphorylating enzymes were consistent with those from the taurine efflux studies; stimulation of enzyme activity was lower in cells that were swollen with isosmotic nonelectrolyte media than in cells swollen in hyposmotic media. These results indicate that a decrease in ionic strength is not the only signal for the opening of the taurine channel in skate RBC. Ionic strength does affect channel activity, but there must also be some other regulator.

Hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) red cell membrane exhibits no bicarbonate permeability as detected by (18)O exchange

The bicarbonate permeability of the plasma membrane of intact hagfish (Myxine glutinosa) red blood cells and the intracellular carbonic anhydrase activity of these cells were determined by applying the (18)O exchange reaction using a special mass spectrometric technique. When the macromolecular carbonic anhydrase inhibitor Prontosil-Dextran was used to suppress any extracellular carbonic anhydrase activity, the mean intracellular acceleration of the CO(2) hydration/HCO(3)(−) dehydration reaction over the uncatalyzed reaction (referred to as intracellular carbonic anhydrase activity A(i)) was 21 320+/−3000 at 10 degrees C (mean +/− s.d., N=9). The mean bicarbonate permeability of the red blood cell membrane (P(HCO3)-) was indistinguishable from zero. It can be concluded that CO(2) transport within hagfish blood does not follow the classical scheme of CO(2) transport in vertebrate blood. It is suggested that the combination of considerable intraerythrocytic carbonic anhydrase activity and low P(HCO3)- may serve to enhance O(2) delivery to the tissue in the exceptionally hypoxia-tolerant hagfish.

Mechanism of free radical-induced hemolysis of human erythrocytes: comparison of calculated rate constants for hemolysis with experimental rate constants

We previously developed a simple competitive reaction model between lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in erythrocyte membranes that accounts for radical-induced hemolysis of human erythrocytes. In this study, we compared the rate constants calculated from the hemolysis curves of erythrocytes in the presence of radical initiators with those obtained from experiments using erythrocyte ghosts treated with radicals. 2,2'-Azobis(amidinopropane) dihydrochloride and 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) were used as radical initiators. Plots of the logarithm of concentration of the radical initiator against the logarithm of the rate constant gave straight lines. The slope of the lines for the calculated lipid peroxidation was nearly equal with the experimental value. Similar results were obtained for oxidation of membrane proteins, except for band 3 oxidation. The values for the rate constants calculated from hemolysis curves seem to be accurate. The slope of the lines for the calculated rate constants for proteins was larger than the experimental value for band 3 oxidation, because band 3 oxidation is accompanied by aggregation or redistribution of band 3 proteins to form hemolytic holes. These results indicate that the competitive reaction model may be useful for analyzing radical-induced hemolysis.

The lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) erythrocyte; morphology, ultrastructure, major plasma membrane proteins and phospholipids, and cytoskeletal organization

The aim of this study was to characterize the erythrocyte of the lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis), a primitive vertebrate. The lamprey erythrocyte predominantly has a non-axisymmetric stomatocytelike shape. It has a nucleus and a haemoglobin-filled cytosol with a few organelles and vesicular structures. Surprisingly, there is no marginal band of microtubules. Sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by Coomassie blue staining of isolated plasma membranes revealed a single band at the level of the human spectrin doublet. Major bands also occurred at approximately 175 kDa and comigrating with human erythrocyte actin (approximately 45 kDa). The presence of spectrin, actin and vimentin was shown by immunoblotting. Band 3 protein, the anion exchanger in higher vertebrates, seemed to be highly deficient or lacking, as was also the case with ankyrin. Confocal laser scanning microscopy combined with immunocytochemical methods showed spectrin, actin and vimentin mainly to be localized around the nucleus, from where actin- and vimentin-strands extended out into the cytoplasm. Actin also seemed to be present at the plasma membrane. Phospholipid analyses of plasma membrane preparations showed the presence of the same four major phospholipid groups as in the human erythrocyte, although with higher and lower amounts of phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, respectively. The low fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated annexin V binding, as monitored by flow cytometry, indicated that phosphatidylserine is mainly confined to the inner membrane leaflet in the lamprey erythrocyte plasma membrane.

Volume-activated osmolyte channel in skate erythrocytes: inhibition by pyridoxal derivatives

Volume expansion of erythrocytes of little skate, Raja erinacea, triggers the opening of an osmolyte channel. We review this transport mechanism and further investigate the channel's physicochemical nature by probing the channel with a series of pyridoxine derivatives in skate RBC as well as in epithelial cells: MDCK and C6 glioma cells and in skate hepatocytes. The identity of the transport mechanism (band 3 vs. an anion channel) which mediates the swelling-activated efflux of osmolytes in fish RBC is controversial. Therefore, we compared taurine and Cl- effluxes in similar conditions. We found that there is significant Cl- loss from volume-expanded skate RBC. However, there was no effect of either hypotonicity or a number of taurine transport inhibitors on this loss. Utilizing changes in intracellular pH as a means of indirectly measuring H+/Cl- cotransport, we found that a rise in cell pH accompanied the loss of Cl-. This suggests that Cl- efflux could occur via a H+/Cl- cotransporter. To probe and compare the osmolyte channel (taurine efflux) of the skate RBC and three other cell types we used a family of pyridoxine inhibitors. The inhibitory patterns for the skate erythrocytes and hepatocytes differed from those for MDCK and C6 glioma cells and the two former cell types differed from each other. Therefore, the results show that the osmolyte channel in the skate differs from that in other epithelial cells with regard to pyridoxine derivative binding properties.

High affinity binding of ankyrin induced by volume expansion in skate erythrocytes

Volume expansion of little skate (Raja erinacea) erythrocytes increases the affinity of ankyrin binding without altering in the number of binding sites. Potassium iodide-stripped inside-out vesicles (KI-IOV) were used to assess ankyrin binding under volume-expanded conditions. Under isoosmotic conditions, ankyrin binds nearly exclusively to a single class of sites (Bmax, 52 +/- 12 microg/mg; Kd, 150 +/- 28 nM). KI-IOV from volume-expanded cells (either with one-half osmolarity medium or with inclusion of the permeant solute ethylene glycol) demonstrate two ankyrin-binding populations. A high affinity population occurs transiently under volume-expanded conditions. This population has a Bmax of 18 +/- 7 microg/mg and a Kd of 25 +/- 9 nM. Total binding of high and low affinity sites is 57 +/- 17 microg/mg. This change in ankyrin affinity is reversible on volume regulatory decrease. A major target protein in the KI-IOV was identified as the skate homolog of the mammalian red cell anion exchanger band 3. Inclusion of the purified cytoplasmic domain of band 3 competes away more than 80% of the ankyrin binding. To determine whether increased ankyrin affinity is due to band 3 tetramer formation that occurs in volume expansion, cells were treated with pyridoxal 5-phosphate or 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, two agents that increase tetramer formation under isoosmotic conditions. Both treatments altered the binding affinity with a shift toward higher affinity binding without significant alteration in the number of binding sites.

Bicarbonate permeability and immunological evidence for an anion exchanger-like protein in the red blood cells of the sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus

Physiological and immuno-blotting experiments were used to determine whether the red blood cell membrane of a primitive vertebrate, the sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus, contained a counterpart similar to the vertebrate anion exchange protein known as AE1 or band 3. Results of the physiological experiments which measured CO2 production after adding H14CO3- to the extracellular saline, indicated significant transmembrane bicarbonate movement in lamprey blood which unlike that in most vertebrates, was insensitive to inhibition by 4,4' diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2' disulfonic acid. The present study also showed that lamprey red blood cells possess acetazolamide-sensitive carbonic anhydrase which is an important component of CO2 production by vertebrate red blood cells. Polyclonal immunoglobulins against a 12 amino acid domain in the C-terminus of the mouse AE1 recognized a trout red blood cell membrane protein with a relative molecular mass of 97 kDa, but failed to immunoreact with any membrane proteins from the red blood cells of lamprey. Antibodies against trout AE1 immunoreacted with trout red blood cell membrane proteins of approximately 97 kDa, 200 kDa and > 200 kDa. Interestingly, only a 200-kDa membrane protein from the red blood cells of the primitive lamprey immunoreacted with the trout anti-AE1 immunoglobulin proteins. Therefore, lamprey red blood cells appear to possess an AE1-like protein that may be physiologically different than that in most other vertebrates.

Organic osmolyte channels: transport characteristics and regulation

Erythrocytes of the skate (Raja erinacea) exposed to hypotonic stress swell and then undergo a volume regulatory decrease by releasing taurine and other osmolytes. Previous studies showed that taurine release occurs via a volume-activated, Na(+)-independent, bi-directional transporter that has the properties of a size-limited channel. We now report on the transport characteristics of this channel and its regulation. Kinetic, competition and inhibitor studies indicate that polyols (myo-inositol) and trimethylamines (betaine) are transported by the same channel as taurine. Although the identity of the channel is still unknown a variety of evidence suggests that band 3 is involved in either channel formation or regulation. Hypotonicity causes phosphorylation and structural changes in band 3. Under isotonic conditions band 3 is predominantly in the dimeric form. Hypotonicity causes a shift to tetrameric band 3. We hypothesize that the band 3 tetramer either forms or regulates an osmolyte channel. The finding that expression of band 3 protein increases osmolyte channel activity in Xenopus oocytes supports this hypothesis.

Substrate transport and utilization in fish erythrocytes

In contrast to mammalian erythrocytes which fulfil their energy requirements via anaerobic glycolysis, fish erythrocytes obtain most of their energy aerobically via the Krebs cycle. This enables them to use various substrates, including monocarboxylic acids, glucose and amino acids. This review discusses the membrane permeability of these substrates, and their relative importance in the energy production of fish erythrocytes. Agnathans are characterized by a high permeability to all of the potential substrates, glucose, monocarboxylic and amino acids. In contrast, teleost erythrocytes are often characterized by low glucose permeability. It appears that monocarboxylic acids and certain amino acids such as glutamine may be more important in energy production of teleost erythrocytes than glucose.

Taurine efflux and the regulation of cell volume in incubated slices of rat cerebral cortex

The kinetics of efflux [3H]taurine have been examined in pre-loaded slices of rat cerebral cortex incubated in media of variable osmolality. Alterations in the rate of the slowest phase of efflux, considered to represent cellular loss, have been correlated with cell volumes, provisionally identified as the slice non-inulin space. Efflux was stimulated by reduction in medium osmolality, and impaired in hyperosmotic media; these variations were accompanied by moderate (non-osmometric) cell swelling and shrinkage, respectively. The rates of taurine efflux into media in which NaCl was partly replaced by sucrose, and measurement of the corresponding cell volumes, suggest that ionic strength, rather than osmolality or cell volume per se, may be a significant controlling factor. In both isosmolal and hyposmolal media efflux was significantly impaired by the anion transport inhibitor niflumic acid, with accompanying cell swelling, or by replacement of chloride by gluconate. In hyposmotic, but not isosmotic, media efflux was impaired, and cell volumes increased, in the presence of trifluoperazine or TMB-8, a reported blocker of intracellular calcium release, and the effects of niflumic acid and trifluoperazine on both variables were strongly additive. It is suggested that in both isosmotic and hyposmotic media taurine, efflux occurs by anionic transport, mainly through exchange with external chloride, whereas in hyposmotic media a second pathway is present, probably a volume-activated calmodulin-dependent channel.