Direct inhibition of epithelial Na+ channels by a pH-dependent interaction with calcium, and by other divalent ions

Insights into the molecular determinants of proton inhibition in an acid-inactivated degenerins and mammalian epithelial Na(+) channel

Mammalian ASIC channels of the DEG/ENaC superfamily are gated by extracellular protons and function to mediate touch and pain sensitivity, learning and memory, and fear conditioning. The recently solved crystal structure of chicken ASIC1a and preliminary functional studies suggested that a highly negatively charged pocket in the extracellular domain of the channel might be the primary proton binding domain. However, more recent extensive mutagenesis analysis paints a more complex mechanism of channel gating, involving binding of protons at sites immediately after the first transmembrane domain (TM1) and displacement of inhibitory Ca(2+) ions from the acidic pocket in the extracellular domain and from another Ca(2+) binding site at the mouth of the pore. We recently identified and functionally characterized Caenorhabditis elegans ACD-1, the first acid-inactivated DEG/ENaC channel. ACD-1 is expressed in C. elegans amphid glia and functions with neuronal DEG/ENaC channel DEG-1 to mediate acid avoidance and chemotaxis to the amino acid lysine. The post-TM1 residues that were proposed to bind protons in ASIC1a are not conserved in ACD-1, but some of the amino acids constituting the acidic pocket are. However, ACD-1 proton sensitivity is completely independent from extracellular Ca(2+), and protons appear to bind the channel in a less cooperative manner. We thus wondered if residues in the acidic pocket might contribute to ACD-1 acid sensitivity. We show here that while ACD-1 sensitivity to extracellular protons is influenced by mutations in the acidic pocket, other sites are likely to participate. We also report that one histidine at the base of the thumb and residues in the channel pore influence proton inhibition in a voltage-independent manner, suggesting that they affect the coupling of proton binding with the gating rather than proton binding itself. We conclude that ACD-1 inhibition by protons is likely mediated by binding of proton ions to multiple sites throughout the extracellular domain of the channel. Our data also support a model in which residues in the acidic pocket contribute to determining the channel state perhaps by changing the strength of the interaction between adjacent thumb and finger domains.

Effects of [Ca2+]i and pH on epithelial Na+ channel activity of cultured mouse cortical collecting ducts

[Ca2+]i and pH have been demonstrated to affect Na+ transport in epithelium mediated via the apical epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC). However, it still remains unclear whether the effects of [Ca2+]i and intracellular pH (pHi) on ENaC activity are direct. In this study, inside-out recording was employed to clarify the effects of pH(i) and [Ca2+]i on ENaC activity. We found that elevation of [Ca2+]i induced a significant inhibition of ENaC open probability without altering channel conductance. The inhibitory effect was due to a direct interaction between Ca2+ and ENaC, and is dependent on [Ca2+]i. pHi also directly regulated ENaC open probability. Lower pHi (<7.0) reduced the ENaC open probability as shown in shorter opening time, and higher pH(i) (>7.0) enhanced the ENaC open probability as shown in augmented opening time. pHi did not cause any alteration in channel conductance. The effects of pHi on ENaC open probability could be summarized as an S-shaped curve around pH 7.2.

A glial DEG/ENaC channel functions with neuronal channel DEG-1 to mediate specific sensory functions in C. elegans

Mammalian neuronal DEG/ENaC channels known as ASICs (acid-sensing ion channels) mediate sensory perception and memory formation. ASICS are closed at rest and are gated by protons. Members of the DEG/ENaC family expressed in epithelial tissues are called ENaCs and mediate Na(+) transport across epithelia. ENaCs exhibit constitutive activity and strict Na(+) selectivity. We report here the analysis of the first DEG/ENaC in Caenorhabditis elegans with functional features of ENaCs that is involved in sensory perception. ACD-1 (acid-sensitive channel, degenerin-like) is constitutively open and impermeable to Ca(2+), yet it is required with neuronal DEG/ENaC channel DEG-1 for acid avoidance and chemotaxis to the amino acid lysine. Surprisingly, we document that ACD-1 is required in glia rather than neurons to orchestrate sensory perception. We also report that ACD-1 is inhibited by extracellular and intracellular acidification and, based on the analysis of an acid-hypersensitive ACD-1 mutant, we propose a mechanism of action of ACD-1 in sensory responses based on its sensitivity to protons. Our findings suggest that channels with ACD-1 features may be expressed in mammalian glia and have important functions in controlling neuronal function.

Aldosterone-controlled linkage between Na+/H+ exchange and K+ channels in fused renal epithelial cells

Aldosterone maintains acid-base balance and K+ homeostasis by controlling H+ and K+ secretion in renal epithelial cells. We have shown recently in the amphibian distal nephron that aldosterone activates a Na+/H+ exchange system in the luminal cell membrane, leading to transepithelial H+ secretion and cytoplasmic alkalinization. Since H+ secretory fluxes are paralleled by K+ secretion, it was postulated that the hormone-induced increase of intracellular pH activates the luminally located K+ channels. In 'giant' cells fused from individual cells of the distal nephron, we measured simultaneously cytoplasmic pH and cell membrane K+ conductance during acidification of the cell cytoplasm. The experiments demonstrate that cell membrane K+ conductance is half-maximal at an intracellular pH of 7.42, and that a positive cooperative interaction exists between K+ channel proteins and H+ ions (Hill coefficient = 6.5). Moreover, the cellular K+ conductance is most sensitive to cytoplasmic pH in the range modified by aldosterone. This supports the hypothesis that intracellular H+ activity, regulated by the Na+/H+ exchanger, serves as the signal to couple aldosterone-induced K+ secretory flux to H+ secretion in renal tubules.

Regulation of the epithelial Na(+) channel by extracellular acidification

The effect of extracellular acidification was tested on the native epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) in A6 epithelia and on the cloned ENaC expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Channel activity was determined utilizing blocker-induced fluctuation analysis in A6 epithelia and dual electrode voltage clamp in oocytes. In A6 cells, a decrease of extracellular pH (pH(o)) from 7.4 to 6.4 caused a slow stimulation of the amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current (I(Na)) by 68.4 +/- 11% (n = 9) at 60 min. This increase of I(Na) was attributed to an increase of open channel and total channel (N(T)) densities. Similar changes were observed with pH(o) 5.4. The effects of pH(o) were blocked by buffering intracellular Ca(2+) with 5 microM 1, 2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. In oocytes, pH(o) 6.4 elicited a small transient increase of the slope conductance of the cloned ENaC (11.4 +/- 2.2% at 2 min) followed by a decrease to 83.7 +/- 11.7% of control at 60 min (n = 6). Thus small decreases of pH(o) stimulate the native ENaC by increasing N(T) but do not appreciably affect ENaC expressed in Xenopus oocytes. These effects are distinct from those observed with decreasing intracellular pH with permeant buffers that are known to inhibit ENaC.

Role of the vasopressin V(1) receptor in regulating the epithelial functions of the guinea pig distal colon

Vasopressin has a wide spectrum of biological action. In this study, the role of vasopressin in regulating electrolyte transport in the colon was elucidated by measuring the short-circuit current (I(sc)) as well as the Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-) flux in a chamber-mounted mucosal sheet. The cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) was also measured in fura 2-loaded cells by fluorescence imaging. Serosal vasopressin decreased I(sc) at 10(-9) M and increased I(sc) at 10(-7)-10(-6) M. The decrease in I(sc) was accompanied by two effects: one was a decrease in the amiloride-sensitive Na(+) absorption, whereas the other was an increase in the bumetanide-sensitive K(+) secretion. The increase in I(sc) was accompanied by an increase in the Cl(-) secretion that can be inhibited by serosal bumetanide or mucosal diphenylamine-2-carboxylate. Vasopressin caused an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) in crypt cells. These responses of I(sc) and the [Ca(2+)](i) increase in crypt cells were all more potently inhibited by the vasopressin V(1) receptor antagonist than by the V(2) receptor antagonist. These results suggest that vasopressin inhibits electrogenic Na(+) absorption and stimulates electrogenic K(+) and Cl(-) secretion. In all of these responses, the V(1) receptor is involved, and the [Ca(2+)](i) increase may play an important role.

Feedback inhibition of rat amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes

1. Regulation of the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is essential for the control of body sodium homeostasis. The downregulation of the activity of this Na+ channel that occurs when the intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) is increased is known as feedback inhibition. Although intracellular Na+ is the trigger for this phenomenon, its cellular and molecular mediators are unknown. 2. We used the 'cut-open oocyte' technique to control the composition of the intracellular milieu of Xenopus oocytes expressing rat ENaCs to enable us to test several factors potentially involved in feedback inhibition. 3. The effects of perfusion of the intracellular space were demonstrated by an electromicrographic study and the time course of the intracellular solution exchange was established by observing the effect of intracellular pH: a decrease from pH 7.4 to 6.5 reduced the amiloride-sensitive current by about 40 % within 2 min. 4. Feedback inhibition was observed in non-perfused oocytes when Na+ entry induced a large increase in [Na+]i. Intracellular perfusion prevented feedback regulation even though the [Na+]i was allowed to increase to values above 50 mM. 5. No effects on the amiloride-sensitive current were observed after changes in the concentration of Na+ (from 1 to 50 mM), Ca2+ (from 10 to 1000 nM) or ATP (from nominally free to 1 or 5 mM) in the intracellular perfusate. 6. We conclude that feedback inhibition requires intracellular factors that can be removed by intracellular perfusion. Although a rise in [Na+]i may be the trigger for the feedback inhibition of the ENaC, this effect is not mediated by a direct effect of Na+, Ca2+ or ATP on the ENaC protein.

Intracellular H+ regulates the alpha-subunit of ENaC, the epithelial Na+ channel

Protons regulate electrogenic sodium absorption in a variety of epithelia, including the cortical collecting duct, frog skin, and urinary bladder. Recently, three subunits (alpha, beta, gamma) coding for the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) were cloned. However, it is not known whether pH regulates Na+ channels directly by interacting with one of the three ENaC subunits or indirectly by interacting with a regulatory protein. As a first step to identifying the molecular mechanisms of proton-mediated regulation of apical membrane Na+ permeability in epithelia, we examined the effect of pH on the biophysical properties of ENaC. To this end, we expressed various combinations of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits of ENaC in Xenopus oocytes and studied ENaC currents by the two-electrode voltage-clamp and patch-clamp techniques. In addition, the effect of pH on the alpha-ENaC subunit was examined in planar lipid bilayers. We report that alpha,beta,gamma-ENaC currents were regulated by changes in intracellular pH (pHi) but not by changes in extracellular pH (pHo). Acidification reduced and alkalization increased channel activity by a voltage-independent mechanism. Moreover, a reduction of pHi reduced single-channel open probability, reduced single-channel open time, and increased single-channel closed time without altering single-channel conductance. Acidification of the cytoplasmic solution also inhibited alpha, beta-ENaC, alpha,gamma-ENaC, and alpha-ENaC currents. We conclude that pHi but not pHo regulates ENaC and that the alpha-ENaC subunit is regulated directly by pHi.

Electrophysiological characterization of the rat epithelial Na+ channel (rENaC) expressed in MDCK cells. Effects of Na+ and Ca2+

The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), composed of three subunits (alpha, beta, and gamma), is expressed in several epithelia and plays a critical role in salt and water balance and in the regulation of blood pressure. Little is known, however, about the electrophysiological properties of this cloned channel when expressed in epithelial cells. Using whole-cell and single channel current recording techniques, we have now characterized the rat alpha beta gamma ENaC (rENaC) stably transfected and expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Under whole-cell patch-clamp configuration, the alpha beta gamma rENaC-expressing MDCK cells exhibited greater whole cell Na+ current at -143 mV (-1,466.2 +/- 297.5 pA) than did untransfected cells (-47.6 +/- 10.7 pA). This conductance was completely and reversibly inhibited by 10 microM amiloride, with a Ki of 20 nM at a membrane potential of -103 mV; the amiloride inhibition was slightly voltage dependent. Amiloride-sensitive whole-cell current of MDCK cells expressing alpha beta or alpha gamma subunits alone was -115.2 +/- 41.4 pA and -52.1 +/- 24.5 pA at -143 mV, respectively, similar to the whole-cell Na+ current of untransfected cells. Relaxation analysis of the amiloride-sensitive current after voltage steps suggested that the channels were activated by membrane hyperpolarization. Ion selectivity sequence of the Na+ conductance was Li+ > Na+ >> K+ = N-methyl-D-glucamine+ (NMDG+). Using excised outside-out patches, amiloride-sensitive single channel conductance, likely responsible for the macroscopic Na+ channel current, was found to be approximately 5 and 8 pS when Na+ and Li+ were used as a charge carrier, respectively. K+ conductance through the channel was undetectable. The channel activity, defined as a product of the number of active channel (n) and open probability (Po), was increased by membrane hyperpolarization. Both whole-cell Na+ current and conductance were saturated with increased extracellular Na+ concentrations, which likely resulted from saturation of the single channel conductance. The channel activity (nPo) was significantly decreased when cytosolic Na+ concentration was increased from 0 to 50 mM in inside-out patches. Whole-cell Na+ conductance (with Li+ as a charge carrier) was inhibited by the addition of ionomycin (microM) and Ca2+ (1 mM) to the bath. Dialysis of the cells with a pipette solution containing 1 microM Ca2+ caused a biphasic inhibition, with time constants of 1.7 +/- 0.3 min (n = 3) and 128.4 +/- 33.4 min (n = 3). An increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration from <1 nM to 1 microM was accompanied by a decrease in channel activity. Increasing cytosolic Ca2+ to 10 microM exhibited a pronounced inhibitory effect. Single channel conductance, however, was unchanged by increasing free Ca2+ concentrations from <1 nM to 10 microM. Collectively, these results provide the first characterization of rENaC heterologously expressed in a mammalian epithelial cell line, and provide evidence for channel regulation by cytosolic Na+ and Ca2+.

Mechanosensitivity of an epithelial Na+ channel in planar lipid bilayers: release from Ca2+ block

A family of novel epithelial Na+ channels (ENaCs) have recently been cloned from several different tissues. Three homologous subunits (alpha, beta, gamma-ENaCs) from the core conductive unit of Na(+)-selective, amiloride-sensitive channels that are found in epithelia. We here report the results of a study assessing the regulation of alpha,beta,gamma-rENaC by Ca2+ in planar lipid bilayers. Buffering of the bilayer bathing solutions to [Ca2+] < 1 nM increased single-channel open probability by fivefold. Further investigation of this phenomenon revealed that Ca2+ ions produced a voltage-dependent block, affecting open probability but not the unitary conductance of ENaC. Imposing a hydrostatic pressure gradient across bilayers containing alpha,beta,gamma-rENaC markedly reduced the sensitivity of these channels to inhibition by [Ca2+]. Conversely, in the nominal absence of Ca2+, the channels lost their sensitivity to mechanical stimulation. These results suggest that the previously observed mechanical activation of ENaCs reflects a release of the channels from block by Ca2+.

Characterization of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-mediated responses in perfused rat liver

The present work aimed to further characterise the hepatic alpha 1-adrenergic actions by studying the influence of nutritional status and/or extracellular medium composition in the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-induced responses. The experiments were performed in a non-recirculating liver-perfusion system featuring continuous monitoring of vascular resistance, as well as the effluent perfusate changes in pO2, pCa2+, pK+ and pH. The alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation produced biphasic responses to most parameters studied. The acute phase lasted for about 3 min and it was followed by a phase of sustained stimulation that lasted as long as the receptor activation was maintained. Our data indicate that there is not a single pattern of alpha 1-adrenergic responses but variable patterns depending on the nutritional status and the experimental conditions. Gluconeogenic substrates alone produced reciprocal changes in the outflow perfusate pH and Ca2+ activity. The magnitude of these changes indicates that the diversity of alpha 1-adrenoceptor responses are the result of the superposed effects of different rates of substrates and/or metabolites transport. The sustained alpha 1-adrenoceptor stimulation produced extracellular acidification and increases in respiration, vascular resistance and Ca2+ release. These responses required physiological extracellular [Ca2+]. At low extracellular [Ca2+], the alpha 1-adrenoceptor activation failed to acidify the extracellular medium, suggesting that receptor-induced H+ efflux demands normal rates of Ca2+ influx. The correlation between alpha 1-adrenergic-induced increase in O2 uptake and Ca2+ release indicates that the increased energy production can be accounted for by the energy cost of Ca2+ release. The alpha 1-agonist concentration-response studies have shown significant differences in the [alpha 1-agonist]0.5 for each type of response, suggesting the existence of multiple alpha 1-adrenoceptor-coupled signal-transduction pathways.

Effects of prostaglandin E2 on membrane voltage of the connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct from rabbits

1. Effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on ion transport were examined by observing the transmural (VT) and basolateral membrane voltage (VB) in the in vitro perfused rabbit connecting tubule (CNT) and the cortical collecting duct (CCD). 2. Addition of 1 microM PGE2 to the bath induced a biphasic response of transmural voltage (VT), with initial negative VT deflection followed by positive deflection in the CNT, but monophasic negative deflection in the CCD. Because PGE2 had no affect on the basolateral membrane voltage (VB), PGE2 mainly causes changes in the apical membrane voltage. 3. Elimination of Na+ from the lumen abolished the PGE2-induced VT response in the CNT. In the presence of 10 microM luminal amiloride, PGE2 caused only an initial negative deflection without causing later positive deflection. The positive VT deflection induced by PGE2 in the CCD was also blocked by luminal amiloride. 4. Addition of ouabain (0.1 mM) to the bath completely abolished the PGE2-induced VT changes in the CNT, indicating that an intact Na(+)-K+ pump is a prerequisite for the VT response to PGE2. 5. Addition of 2 mM Ba2+ to the lumen did not affect biphasic VT response to PGE2, indicating that Ba(2+)-sensitive K+ conductance is not involved. 6. Basolateral addition of 0.1 mM 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP inhibited only the negative VT deflection induced by PGE2. 7. The positive VT deflection was blocked by basolateral addition of 50 microM 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxy benzoate hydrochloride (TMB-8), an inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+ release. But elimination of luminal Ca2+ did not affect the biphasic response to PGE2. 8. These findings suggest that the initial negative VT deflection is caused by an increase in Na+ influx across the luminal membrane through an amiloride-insensitive Na+ conductive pathway, whereas the later positive deflection is caused by the inhibition of Na+ influx through the amiloride-sensitive Na+ conductive pathway. The cAMP messenger system may be responsible for the initial negative deflection, whereas an increased intercellular Ca2+ release from the store is necessary for the later positive deflection caused by PGE2. The response in the CCD is comparable to the later response in the CNT.

Aldosterone regulation of gene transcription leading to control of ion transport

Aldosterone, like other steroid hormones, initiates its effects by binding to intracellular receptors; these receptors are then able to control the transcription of several genes. The products of these genes eventually modulate the activity of ionic transport systems located in the apical and the basolateral membrane of specialized epithelial cells, thereby modulating the excretion of Na+ and K+ ions. Considerable progress has been made recently in understanding these mechanisms and the structure of the proteins involved in these processes. A novel principle has been discovered to explain the selective effect of aldosterone on its target epithelia. These tissues exclude competing glucocorticoid hormones by the activity of the 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase to allow aldosterone, an enzyme-resistant steroid, to bind to its receptors. Aldosterone induces numerous changes in the activity of membrane ion transport systems and enzymes and cell morphology. Although the enhancement of Na,K-ATPase synthesis and the increase of the number of active Na+ channels in the apical membrane appear as both direct and primary effects, the mechanisms of the other effects remain to be determined. The knowledge of the primary structure of several elements of the aldosterone response system (e.g., mineralocorticoid receptor and Na,K-ATPase) allows us to understand abnormal regulation of Na+ balance at the molecular level and, potentially, to identify genetic alterations responsible for these defects.

Effects of divalent cations and pH on amiloride-sensitive Na+ fluxes into luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule

The effect of Ca2+, Cd2+, Ba2+, Mg2+ and pH on the renal epithelial Na(+)-channel was investigated by measuring the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ fluxes into luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule. It was found that intravesicular Ca2+ as well as extravesicular Ca2+ substantially lowered the channel-mediated flux. Amiloride sensitive Na+ uptake was nearly completely blocked by 10 microM Ca2+ at pH 7.4. The inhibitory effect of Ca2+ was dependent on pH. Thus, 10 microM Ca2+ produced 90% inhibition of 22Na+ uptake at pH 7.4, and only 40% inhibition at pH 7.0. The tracer fluxes measured in the absence of Ca2+ were pH independent over the range from 7.0 to 7.4. All the cations Ca2+, Cd2+, Ba2+ except Mg2+ inhibited the 22Na+ influx drastically when added extravesicularly in millimolar concentrations. The cations Cd2+, Ba2+ and Mg2+ in the same concentrations intravesicularly inhibited the 22Na+ influx only slightly. A millimolar concentration of Ca2+ intravesicularly blocked the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ flux completely. The data indicate that Ca2+ inhibits Na+ influx specifically by binding to sites composed of one or several deprotonated groups on the channel proteins.

Ca(2+)-independent form of protein kinase C may regulate Na+ transport across frog skin

Activators of protein kinase C (PKC) stimulate Na+ transport (JNa) across frog skin. We have examined the effect of Ca2+ on PKC stimulation of JNa. Both the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and the diacyl-glycerol sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DiC8) were used as PKC activators. Blocking Ca2+ entry into the cytosol (either from external or internal stores) reduced the subsequent natriferic effect of the PKC activators. This negative interaction did not simply reflect saturation of activation of the apical Na+ channels, since the stimulations produced by blocking Ca2+ entry and adding cyclic AMP were simply additive. The Ca2+ dependence of the natriferic effect could have reflected either a direct action of cytosolic Ca2+ on PKC or an indirect action on the final receptor site (the Na+ channel). To distinguish between these possibilities, the TPA- and phospholipid-dependent kinase activity of broken-cell preparations was assayed. The kinase activity was not stimulated by physiological levels of Ca2+, and in fact was inhibited at millimolar concentrations of Ca2+. We conclude that the effects of Ca2+ on the natriferic response to PKC activators are indirect. Reducing cytosolic uptake of Ca2+ may have stimulated Na+ transport by a chemical modification of the apical channels observed in other tight epithelia. The usual stimulation of Na+ transport produced by PKC activators in frog skin may reflect the operation of a nonconventional form of PKC. This enzyme is Ca2+ independent and seems related to the nPKC or PKC epsilon observed in other systems.

Na+ channel activity in cultured renal (A6) epithelium: regulation by solution osmolarity

Solution osmolarity is known to affect Na+ transport rates across tight epithelia but this variable has been relatively ignored in studies of cultured renal epithelia. Using electrophysiological methods to study A6 epithelial monolayers, we observed a marked effect of solution tonicity on amiloride-sensitive Na+ currents (I(sc)). I(sc) for tissues bathed in symmetrical hyposmotic (170 mOsm), isosmotic (200 mOsm), and hyperosmotic (230 or 290 mOsm) NaCl Ringer's solutions averaged 25 +/- 2, 9 +/- 2, 3 +/- 0.4, and 0.6 +/- 0.5 microA/cm2, respectively. Similar results were obtained following changes in the serosal tonicity: mucosal changes did not significantly affect I(sc). The changes in I(sc) were slow and reached steady-state within 30 min. Current fluctuation analysis measurements indicated that single-channel currents and Na+ channel blocker kinetics were similar for isosmotic and hyposmotic conditions. However, the number of conducting Na+ channels was approximately threefold higher for tissues bathed in hyposmotic solutions. No channel activity was detected during hyperosmotic conditions. The results suggest that Na+ channels in A6 epithelia are highly sensitive to relatively small changes in serosal solution tonicity. Consequently, osmotic effects may partly account for the large variability in Na+ transport rates for A6 epithelia reported in the literature.

Rabbit distal colon epithelium: III. Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels in basolateral plasma membrane vesicles of surface and crypt cells

In the mammalian distal colon, the surface epithelium is responsible for electrolyte absorption, while the crypts are the site of secretion. This study examines the properties of electrical potential-driven 86Rb+ fluxes through K+ channels in basolateral membrane vesicles of surface and crypt cells of the rabbit distal colon epithelium. We show that Ba2(+)-sensitive, Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels are present in both surface and crypt cell derived vesicles with half-maximal activation at 5 x 10(-7) M free Ca2+. This suggests an important role of cytoplasmic Ca2+ in the regulation of the bidirectional ion fluxes in the colon epithelium. The properties of K+ channels in the surface cell membrane fraction differ from those of the channels in the crypt cell derived membranes. The peptide toxin apamin inhibits Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels exclusively in surface cell vesicles, while charybdotoxin inhibits predominantly in the crypt cell membrane fraction. Titrations with H+ and tetraethylammonium show that both high- and low-sensitive 86Rb+ flux components are present in surface cell vesicles, while the high-sensitive component is absent in the crypt cell membrane fraction. The Ba2(+)-sensitive, Ca2(+)-activated K+ channels can be solubilized in CHAPS and reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. This is an essential step for further characterization of channel properties and for identification of the channel proteins in purification procedures.

pHi-dependent membrane conductance of proximal tubule cells in culture (OK): differential effects on K(+)- and Na(+)-conductive channels

Confluent monolayers of the established opossum kidney cell line were exposed to NH4Cl pulses (20 mmol/liter) during continuous intracellular measurements of pH, membrane potential (PDm) and membrane resistance (R'm) in bicarbonate-free Ringer. The removal of extracellular NH4Cl leads to an intracellular acidification from a control value of 7.33 +/- 0.08 to 6.47 +/- 0.03 (n = 7). This inhibits the absolute K conductance (gK+), reflected by a decrease of K+ transference number from 71 +/- 3% (n = 28) to 26 +/- 6% (n = 5), a 2.6 +/- 0.2-fold rise of R'm, and a depolarization by 24.2 +/- 1.5 mV (n = 52). In contrast, intracellular acidification during a block of gK+ by 3 mmol/liter BaCl2 enhances the total membrane conductance, being shown by R'm decrease to 68 +/- 7% of control and cell membrane depolarization by 9.8 +/- 2.8 mV (n = 17). Conversely, intracellular alkalinization under barium elevates R'm and hyperpolarizes PDm. The replacement of extracellular sodium by choline in the presence of BaCl2 significantly hyperpolarizes PDm and increases R'm, indicating the presence of a sodium conductance. This conductance is not inhibited by 10(-4) mol/liter amiloride (n = 7). Patch-clamp studies at the apical membrane (excised inside-out configuration) revealed two Na(+)-conductive channels with 18.8 +/- 1.4 pS (n = 10) and 146 pS single-channel conductance. Both channels are inwardly rectifying and highly selective towards Cl-. The low-conductive channel is 4.8 times more permeable for Na+ than for K+. Its open probability rises at depolarizing potentials and is dependent on the pH of the membrane inside (higher at pH 6.5 than at pH 7.8).

Ca-sensitive sodium absorption in the colon of Xenopus laevis

Transepithelial electrogenic Na transport (INa) was investigated in the colon of the frog Xenopus laevis with electrophysiological methods in vitro. The short circuit current (Isc) of the voltage-clamped tissue was 24.2 +/- 1.8 microA.cm-2 (n = 10). About 60% of this current was generated by electrogenic Na transport. Removal of Ca2+ from the mucosal Ringer solution stimulated INa by about 120%. INa was not blockable by amiloride (0.1 mmol.l-1), a specific Na-channel blocker in epithelia, but a fully and reversible inhibition was achieved by mucosal application of 1 mmol.l-1 lanthanum (La3+). No Na-self-inhibition was found, because INa increased linearly with the mucosal Na concentration. A stimulation of INa by antidiuretic hormones was not possible. The analysis of fluctuations in the short circuit current (noise analysis) indicated that Na ions pass the apical cell membrane via a Ca-sensitive ion channel. The results clearly demonstrate that in the colon of Xenopus laevis Na ions are absorbed through Ca-sensitive apical ion channels. They differ considerably in their properties and regulation from the amiloride-sensitive Na channel which is "typically" found in the colon of vertebrates.

Effect of parathyroid hormone on the connecting tubule from the rabbit kidney: biphasic response of transmural voltage

The effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on ion transport was examined by observing transmural (VT) and basolateral membrane voltage (VB) in the in vitro perfused rabbit connecting tubule. Addition of 10 nmol/l PTH to the bath induced a biphasic response of VT, with hyperpolarization followed by depolarization. Chlorophenylthioadenosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate mimicked the effect of PTH, which did not change the VB in the connecting tubule cell, but mainly caused changes in the apical membrane voltage. The VT of distal convoluted tubule and the cortical collecting duct were not affected by PTH. Elimination of Na+ from the lumen abolished the PTH-induced VT responses in the connecting tubule. In the presence of 10 mumol/l amiloride, PTH caused an initial hyperpolarization but did not induce the late depolarization. The same was seen in the absence of luminal Ca2+. Either addition of 0.1 mmol/l ouabain to the bath or elimination of bath Na+ completely abolished the PTH-induced VT changes. The presence of 5 mmol/l Ba2+ in the lumen did not affect the response to PTH. These findings indicate that the initial hyperpolarization may be caused by an increase in Na+ influx across the luminal membrane through an amiloride-insensitive Na+ conductive pathway and that the late depolarization may be caused by the decrease in Na+ influx through the amiloride-sensitive Na+ conductive pathway. Luminal Ca2+ is necessary for the late depolarization caused by PTH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Toad urinary bladder as a model for studying transepithelial sodium transport

Sodium ion transport across tight epithelia has been investigated particularly extensively by studying two model systems: the urinary bladder of the toad and the frog skin. The greatest advantage presented by these models is the capability of monitoring net transepithelial Na+ flux simply, precisely, and instantaneously by measurement of the short circuit current (ISC). Many of the caveats involved in the measurement are discussed in detail. In order to fully characterize the forces driving Na+ movement across the series apical and basolateral membranes, it is necessary to measure intracellular potential and ionic composition. Such measurements are far more easily conducted with frog skin than with toad bladder, using the major biophysical techniques currently available. Regulation of transepithelial Na+ movement across tight epithelia is largely conducted at the apical membranes. This regulation can be clarified by study of the isolated Na+ channels in membrane vesicles. Such vesicles are far more easily prepared from toad urinary bladder than from frog skin. The strengths and potential misappropriations of this technique are considered in detail.

Interactions of TPA and insulin on Na+ transport across frog skin

The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) activates protein kinase C (PKC) and produces an early stimulation of Na+ transport across frog skin. The ionic basis for this stimulation was studied with combined transepithelial and intracellular electrical measurements. In an initial series of experiments, TPA approximately doubled the amiloride-sensitive short-circuit current (ISC), apical Na+ permeability (PapNa), and apical membrane conductance without affecting the basolateral membrane conductance. The apical effects led to a marked depolarization of the short-circuited skin and a small increase in intracellular Na+ concentration. TPAs increase of PapNa was sufficient to explain the stimulation of basolateral Na+ transport when both the voltage and substrate dependence of the pump were taken into account. After the early stimulation, TPA later depressed ISC. Added at this point (congruent to 1-2 h after TPA administration), insulin had no effect on ISC, whereas a partial response to vasopressin was still observed. Measured either early or late after TPA addition, the phorbol ester reduced insulin binding by congruent to 40%. Insofar as 60% of the specific binding is retained, the abolishment of insulin's natriferic response is unlikely to result from the TPA-induced reduction in hormonal binding. The data provide further support for the concept that activation of PKC produces an early stimulation of Na+ transport by increasing apical Na+ permeability, and that part of insulin's natriferic effect may be mediated by PKC activation.

Characterization of chloride channels in membrane vesicles from the kidney outer medulla

The basolateral membrane of the thick ascending loop of Henle (TALH) of the mammalian kidney is highly enriched in Na+/K+ ATPase and has been shown by electrophysiological methods to be highly conductive to Cl-. In order to study the Cl- conductive pathways, membrane vesicles were isolated from the TALH-containing region of the porcine kidney, the red outer medulla, and Cl- channel activity was determined by a 36Cl uptake assay where the uptake of the radioactive tracer is driven by the membrane potential (positive inside) generated by an outward Cl- gradient. The accumulation of 36Cl- inside the vesicles was found to be dependent on the intravesicular Cl- concentration and was abolished by clamping the membrane potential with valinomycin. The latter finding indicated the involvement of conductive pathways. Cl- channel activity was also observed using a fluorescent potential-sensitive carbocyanine dye, which detected a diffusion potential induced by an imposed inward Cl- gradient. The anion selectivity of the channels was Cl- greater than NO3- = I- much greater than gluconate. Among the Cl- transport inhibitors tested, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPAB), 4,4'-diisothiocyano-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS), and diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC) showed IC50 of 110, 200 and 550 microM, respectively. Inhibition of 36Cl uptake by NPPAB and two other structural analogues was fully reversible, whereas that by DIDS was not. The nonreactive analogue of DIDS, 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DNDS), was considerably less inhibitory than DIDS (25% inhibition at 200 microM). The irreversible inhibition by DIDS was prevented by NPPAB, whereas DPC was ineffective, consistent with its low inhibitory potency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cytoplasmic pH determines K+ conductance in fused renal epithelial cells

The mineralocorticoid hormone aldosterone maintains acid-base balance and K+ homeostasis by regulating H+ and K+ secretory mechanisms in kidney epithelial cells. We have shown recently in the amphibian distal nephron that aldosterone activates a Na+/H+ exchange system in the luminal cell membrane, thus leading to transepithelial H+ secretion and cytoplasmic alkalinization. Since H+ secretory fluxes were paralleled by K+ secretion, it was postulated that the hormone-induced increase of intracellular pH activates the luminally located K+ channels. In "giant" cells fused from individual cells of the distal nephron, we measured simultaneously cytoplasmic pH and cell membrane K+ conductance during acidification of the cell cytoplasm. The experiments show that cell membrane K+ conductance is half-maximal at an intracellular pH of 7.42 and that a positive cooperative interaction exists between K+-channel proteins and H+ (Hill coefficient = 6.5). Moreover, the cellular K+ conductance is most sensitive to cytoplasmic pH in the range modified by aldosterone. This supports the hypothesis that intracellular H+ activity, regulated by the Na+/H+ exchanger, serves as the signal to couple aldosterone-induced K+ secretory flux to H+ secretion in renal tubules.

Aldosterone increases the apical Na+ permeability of toad bladder by two different mechanisms

The aldosterone-induced augmentation of Na+ transport in toad bladder was analyzed by comparing the hormonal actions on the transepithelial short-circuit current and on the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ uptake in isolated membrane vesicles. Incubating bladders with 0.5 microM aldosterone for 3 hr evoked more than a 2-fold increase of the short-circuit current (because of the activation or insertion of apical amiloride-blockable channels) but had no effect on the amiloride-sensitive Na+ transport in apical vesicles derived from the treated tissue. A longer incubation (e.g., 6 hr) produced an additional augmentation of the short-circuit current, which was accompanied by about a 3-fold increase of the channel activity in isolated membranes. The stimulatory effect of aldosterone sustained in vesicles was inhibited by the antagonist spironolactone (present at 1000-fold excess) and the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (1 microM). In addition, triiodothyronine and butyrate, previously reported to partly inhibit the aldosterone-induced increase in short-circuit current, blocked the hormonal effect in vesicles. It is suggested that aldosterone elevates the apical Na+ permeability of target epithelia by two different mechanisms: a relatively fast effect (less than or equal to 3 hr), which is insensitive to triiodothyronine or butyrate and is not sustained by the isolated membrane, and a slower or later (greater than 3 hr) response blocked by these reagents, which is preserved by the isolated membrane. The data also indicate that these processes are mediated by different nuclear receptors.

Plasma membrane proton pump inhibition and stalk cell differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum

The choice of the stalk cell differentiation pathway in Dictyostelium is promoted by an endogenous substance, DIF-1, which is 1-(3,5-dichloro-2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-1-hexanone. It is also favoured by weak acids and two inhibitors of the plasma membrane proton pumps of fungi and plants, diethylstilbestrol (DES) and zearalenone, and antagonised by ammonia and other weak bases, which promote spore differentiation. These observations led to the proposal that the choice of differentiation pathway is regulated by intracellular pH. They also prompted the conjecture that DIF-1 itself is a plasma membrane proton pump inhibitor. We report here experiments showing that DIF-1 is not a plasma membrane proton pump inhibitor. We demonstrate that diethylstilbestrol and zearalenone do inhibit the plasma membrane proton pump of Dictyostelium and we show that there is an excellent qualitative and quantitative correlation between the inhibitory activity of these agents, and of a number of other substances, and their ability to divert differentiation from the spore to the stalk pathway. We conclude that inhibition of the plasma membrane proton pump does shift the choice of differentiation pathway in Dictyostelium towards the stalk pathway, but that DIF does not act by this route, and we propose a model for the actions of DIF and plasma membrane proton pump inhibitors in which the differentiation pathway is controlled by the pH of intracellular vesicles rather than by intracellular pH itself. The model invokes a DIF- and proton-activated vesicular chloride channel whose opening permits acidification of the vesicles and lowers cytosolic Ca++ concentration.

Sodium channels in membrane vesicles from cultured toad bladder cells

Electrical potential-driven 22Na+ fluxes were measured in membrane vesicles prepared from TBM-18(c123) cells (a clone of the established cell line TB-M). Fifty to seventy percent of the tracer uptake in vesicles derived from cells that were cultivated on a porous support were blocked by the diuretic amiloride. The amiloride inhibition constant was less than 0.1 microM, indicating that this flux is mediated by the apical Na+-specific channels. Vesicles prepared from cells that were not grown on a porous support exhibited much smaller amiloride-sensitive fluxes. Two Ca2+-dependent processes that down-regulate the channel conductance and were previously identified in native epithelia were found in the cultured cells as well. Vesicles isolated from cells that were preincubated with 5 X 10(-7) M aldosterone for 16-20 h exhibited higher amiloride-sensitive conductance than vesicles derived from control, steroid-depleted cells. Thus membrane derived from TBM-18(c123) cells can be used to characterize the epithelial Na+ channel and its hormonal regulation.

Ba2+-inhibitable 86Rb+ fluxes across membranes of vesicles from toad urinary bladder

86Rb+ fluxes have been measured in suspensions of vesicles prepared from the epithelium of toad urinary bladder. A readily measurable barium-sensitive, ouabain-insensitive component has been identified; the concentration of external Ba2+ required for half-maximal inhibition was 0.6 mM. The effects of externally added cations on 86Rb+ influx and efflux have established that this pathway is conductive, with a selectivity for K+, Rb+ and Cs+ over Na+ and Li+. The Rb+ uptake is inversely dependent on external pH, but not significantly affected by internal Ca2+ or external amiloride, quinine, quinidine or lidocaine. It is likely, albeit not yet certain, that the conductive Rb+ pathway is incorporated in basolateral vesicles oriented right-side-out. It is also not yet clear whether this pathway comprises the principle basolateral K+ channel in vivo, and that its properties have been unchanged during the preparative procedures. Subject to these caveats, the data suggest that the inhibition by quinidine of Na+ transport across toad bladder does not arise primarily from membrane depolarization produced by a direct blockage of the basolateral channels. It now seems more likely that the quinidine-induced elevation of intracellular Ca2+ activity directly blocks apical Na+ entry.