Extracellular Ca2+ and the effect of antidiuretic hormone on the water permeability of the toad urinary bladder: an example of flow-induced alteration of flow

Dobutamine inhibits vasopressin-mediated water transport across toad bladder epithelium

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dobutamine on water transport across toad bladder epithelium. Water flow through the membrane was measured gravimetrically in bladder sac preparations. Dobutamine had no effect on basal water transport, but partially inhibited transport stimulated by vasopressin. Similarly, dobutamine exerted no influence on the hydrosmotic response to 8-chlorophenylthio-cAMP, but interfered with the response to phosphodiesterase inhibitor 1-methyl-3-isobutyl-xanthine. These results demonstrate that this catecholamine may inhibit vasopressin-stimulated water transport at a site prior to cAMP formation. The use of propranolol was ineffective in blocking the effect of dobutamine on transport stimulated by vasopressin, indicating that beta-adrenoceptors play no role in this effect. On the other hand, phentolamine significantly reduced the effect of dobutamine, indicating the involvement of alpha-adrenoceptors in such event. Rauwolscine also inhibited the effect of dobutamine, pointing to the specific contribution of the alpha(2)-adrenoceptors to this effect. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that dobutamine inhibits vasopressin-stimulated water transport in toad bladders through a mechanism mediated by the stimulation of alpha(2)-adrenoceptors, thus suggesting that such a drug may exert a direct cellular effect on membrane permeability to water in transporting epithelia. The current study may provide a better understanding of the effects of dobutamine on renal function by contributing towards the elucidation of its action mechanism.

Effects of cholinergic agents on the vasopressin-mediated water transport in the isolated toad bladder

The aim of this work was to study the effect of some pharmacological cholinergic agents on the events that follow the interaction of arginine vasopressin with toad bladder membrane receptors related to synthesis of 3'5'(c)AMP. The water flow through the membrane was measured gravimetrically in sac preparations of the membrane. In the absence of arginine vasopressin (AVP), carbachol induced a significant increase in the water flow (37%) related to the basal (Ringer's solution). On the other hand, when carbachol and AVP were associated, a significant decrease of AVP hydrosmotic activity occurred (23%). The inhibitory effect of carbachol on the AVP action was almost completely abolished by the cholinergic antagonists atropine, pirenzepine, 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP) and the calcium antagonist lanthanum. Similarly, when carbachol and 3'5' cyclic adenosine monophosphate (3'5'(c)AMP) were associated, a decrease of nucleotide hydrosmotic activity was observed (12.80%). This effect was partially restored by the addition of pirenzepine or 4-DAMP in the bath solution. These results suggest a role for muscarinic receptors of sub-type M(1) and M(3), which are involved in the intracellular calcium release. The increase of calcium concentration in the intracellular medium acts as a negative modulator in the hydrosmotic action of antidiuretic hormone.

Structural correlates of the transepithelial water transport

Transepithelial permeability is one of the fundamental problems in cell biology. Epithelial cell layers protect the organism from its environment and form a selective barrier to the exchange of molecules between the lumen of an organ and an underlying tissue. This chapter discusses some problems and analyzes the participation of intercellular junctions in the paracellular transport of water, migration of intramembrane particles in the apical membrane during its permeability changes for isotonic fluid in cells of leaky epithelia, insertion of water channels into the apical membrane and their cytoplasmic sources in cells of tight epithelia under ADH (antidiuretic hormone)-induced water flows, the osmoregulating function of giant vacuoles in the transcellular fluxes of hypotonic fluid across tight epithelia, and the role of actin filaments and microtubules in the transcellular transport of water across epithelia.

Cytochalasin B inhibition of toad bladder apical membrane responses to ADH

The possible role of actin microfilaments in antidiuretic hormone (ADH)-induced increases in apical membrane water permeability was investigated in studies that evaluate inhibition by cytochalasin B of both permeability and membrane structural responses in the toad urinary bladder. Experiments were carried out in the absence of a transepithelial osmotic gradient to eliminate possible flow-induced distortions of the response. Measurements of osmotic water permeability after a brief tissue fixation with glutaraldehyde show that cytochalasin B reduces the permeability response to ADH by approximately one-third. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy indicates that the intramembrane particle aggregates, previously found to correlate closely with ADH-induced permeability, are reduced by about the same extent (28%) under these conditions. However, the frequency of apical membrane fusion events was not affected by cytochalasin B treatment. These results suggest that cytochalasin B treatment in the absence of an osmotic gradient alters the ADH-induced permeability through an effect on apical membrane aggregate frequency.

Effects of glutaraldehyde fixation on renal tubular function. I. Preservation of vasopressin-stimulated water and urea pathways in rat papillary collecting duct

Using the in vitro microperfusion technique on isolated rat papillary collecting duct (PCD), we examined whether the glutaraldehyde-fixation method can be also applied to the mammalian collecting duct for preservation of the vasopressin-stimulated water and urea transport. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) at 10(-9) mol/l increased diffusional water permeability (Pdw) from 101.9 +/- 10.76 to 283.3 +/- 16.67 X 10(-7) cm2 s-1 (n = 8, P less than 0.01) and urea permeability (Purea) from 30.3 +/- 2.24 to 83.5 +/- 7.80 X 10(-7) cm2 s-1 (n = 8, P less than 0.01). Both parameters remained elevated after fixation with 0.1 mol/l glutaraldehyde even in the absence of AVP, with the values being 265.0 +/- 14.47 and 74.5 +/- 7.15 X 10(-7) cm2 s-1, respectively. Glutaraldehyde fixation did not affect the basal levels of Pdw or Purea. Phloretin at 2.5 X 10(-4) mol/l decreased glutaraldehyde-fixed AVP-stimulated Purea from 79.0 +/- 7.96 to 29.7 +/- 3.66 X 10(-7) cm2 s-1 (n = 4, P less than 0.01) and from 73.2 +/- 7.05 to 38.7 +/- 3.53 X 10(-7) cm2 s-1 (n = 4, P less than 0.01) when the drug was added to the lumen or to the bath, respectively. Phloretin also decreased glutaraldehyde-fixed non-stimulated Purea by 25-40%. However, this drug did not affect glutaraldehyde-fixed Pdw. These findings indicate that the glutaraldehyde fixation method can be applied to mammalian collecting tubules for studying vasopressin stimulated Pdw and Purea. Purea fixed by glutaraldehyde is functionally flexible and may be distinct from the water pathway.

Roles of Ca2+ and Na+ on the modulation of antidiuretic hormone action on urea permeability in toad urinary bladder

The present studies probe the role of Ca2+ and Na+ in the stimulation-permeability coupling sequences by which antidiuretic hormone (ADH) induces a cyclic AMP (cAMP)-mediated increase in urea permeability in toad urinary bladder. The following results were obtained: (a) Removal of mucosal Na+ or Ca2+ or deletion of serosal Ca2+ did not modify ADH action. (b) Reduction of the serosal Na+ concentration to less than 50 mM inhibited the effects of both ADH and cAMP. The minimal concentration of serosal Na+ needed for the hormone to elicit its maximal effect was reduced to approximately 10 mM if serosal Ca2+ was concomitantly deleted. (c) The Na+ ionophore monensin produced an inhibition of ADH and cAMP actions that was dependent on the presence of Na+ and Ca2+ in the serosa. (d) The Ca2+ ionophore A23187 produced a serosal Ca2+-dependent inhibition of ADH effect and did not modify cAMP action. (e) Carbachol, which increases Ca2+ uptake to the same extent that A23187 does, had no effect on ADH action. (f) Quinidine, which releases Ca2+ from intracellular stores, produced a large inhibition of the action of ADH but not that of cAMP; the inhibition was greatly reduced if serosal Ca2+ was deleted. (g) Dinitrophenol and iodoacetate, which also release Ca2+ from intracellular pools, had no effect on ADH action. (h) The Ca2+ channel blocker diltiazem had no effect on ADH action and did not modify the inhibitions produced by deletion of serosal Na+ or monensin. (i) The cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin partially removed the inhibition produced by deletion of serosal Na+ and almost completely impeded the inhibitions produced by either monensin or A23187. It is concluded: (a) Extracellular Ca2+, Na+ transport rates, and serosal Na+, in concentrations between 10 and 110 mM, have no participation in modulating the increase in urea permeability produced by ADH. (b) Increases in cytosolic Ca2+ activity, which are capable of inhibiting the effect of ADH on urea permeability at pre- and/or post-cAMP steps, seem to be highly compartmentalized. (c) Endogenous prostaglandins might play a role in the inhibitions produced by absence of serosal Na+, monensin, or A23187.

Ca2+- and H+-dependent effects of crude bacterial phospholipase C on the hydroosmotic response of toad urinary bladder to serosal hypertonicity

Phospholipase C (EC 3.1.4.3.) from Clostridium perfringens (crude extracts) was used to study the role of phospholipids in the osmotic permeability of the urinary bladder of the toad. When added to the serosal bath (430 mU/ml) it inhibited the effects of antidiurectic hormone (ADH) and exogenous cyclic AMP. Under the same conditions the increase in osmotic flow produced by serosal hypertonicity (SH) was slightly enhanced by the lipase. The hydroosmotic effect of SH was greatly potentiated by the lipase by decreasing 10-fold the Ca2+ concentration. The SH-induced flow was inhibited by the lipase if the Ca2+ or the H+ concentration was increased 10-fold, but not if the increase in positive charges was produced by a concentration of Mg2+. Phospholipase C had no effect on the action of either ADH or SH if added to the mucosal bath. Serosal neuraminidase or phospholipase A2 could not mimic the effect of phospholipase C on SH. The effect of phospholipase C on the response to SH was not modified if fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin was added to the bath. Therefore, the release of products of lipolysis into the bath do not seem to be responsible for the effects of phospholipase C on SH-induced water flow. The results suggest that the effects of the enzyme on the composition and rearrangement of lipids at the basolateral membrane produce modifications of the water flow. Ca2+ and H+ may modify the enzyme-substrate interaction, suggesting that different phospholipids may be differentially involved in the control of water permeability of the basolateral membrane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

High [K+] alters the stimulus-hydrosmotic response coupling in toad bladder

Substitution of K+ for Na+ in the Ringer solution bathing the inner surface of toad urinary bladders (Bufo marinus) had no effect on basal water permeability but significantly altered the stimulus-hydrosmotic response of this epithelium. In chloride-Ringer, high [K+] increased the hydrosmotic responses to submaximal stimulations induced by vasopressin or exogenous cAMP, while the responses to theophylline or serosal hypertonicity were decreased. In sulfate-Ringer, all these responses were enhanced but for that induced by serosal hypertonicity which was actually diminished. As a step towards determining if Ca2+ might mediate the K+-induced effects on water flow, experiments were conducted either in the presence of a Ca2+ "antagonist" (cobalt) or in nominally Ca2+-free Ringer. In both conditions the hydrosmotic effects of vasopressin and cAMP were markedly reduced. The results raise the possibility that a transient Ca2+ influx through voltage-sensitive, Co2+-blockade Ca2+ channels may play a role in the stimulus-hydrosmotic response of toad urinary bladder.

Cytoplasmic involvement in ADH-mediated osmosis across toad urinary bladder

Several lines of investigation have suggested that antidiuretic hormone (ADH) may have direct effects on the cytoskeletal organization of granular epithelial cells in the toad urinary bladder. To some extent, these effects are in concert with the well-established action of ADH on the hydraulic permeability of the mucosal plasma membrane, but it appears that other conformational adjustments (largely cytoplasmic) may be of comparable importance. The thrust of this review is that the hormone brings about a general restructuring of the granular cells so that the epithelium as a whole may function efficiently as an osmotic pathway. Details of cytoskeletal changes are far from clear as yet, but interference with or modulation of these particular effects infer that cytoplasmic organization is the seat of feedback control of osmotic flow rate, the basis for viability in the presence of dramatic cytosolic dilution and a major factor in the observed disparity in osmotic and diffusional permeability coefficients. In the interest of stimulating new thoughts and experiments in this area, a number of preliminary findings have been freely cited.

Effect of calcium ionophore A23187 on electrogenic acid-base transport in turtle bladder. Inhibition of acidification and stimulation of alkalinization

Turtle bladders bathed on both surfaces with identical HCO3-/CO2-rich, Cl--free Na+ media and treated with ouabain and amiloride exhibit a transepithelial potential serosa electronegative to mucosa and a short-circuit current (Isc) which is a measure of the net luminal acidification rate. Addition of calcium ionophore A23187 (10 microM) to the mucosal side of the epithelium rapidly reverses the direction of the potential difference and Isc and decreases tissue resistance. The resulting positive Isc resembles that previously observed in response to isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) and cAMP analogs. Reversal of the Isc is enhanced in bladders from severely alkalotic turtles. In contrast, in severely acidotic turtles, ionophore A23187 decreases, but does not reverse, the Isc. The data suggest that, like IBMX and cAMP analogs, the Ca ionophore stimulates an electrogenic alkalinization mechanism, but, unlike the former agents, inhibits the concurrent acidification process as well.