Transport of L-cysteine by rat renal brush border membrane vesicles

Amino acid transport across mammalian intestinal and renal epithelia

The transport of amino acids in kidney and intestine is critical for the supply of amino acids to all tissues and the homeostasis of plasma amino acid levels. This is illustrated by a number of inherited disorders affecting amino acid transport in epithelial cells, such as cystinuria, lysinuric protein intolerance, Hartnup disorder, iminoglycinuria, dicarboxylic aminoaciduria, and some other less well-described disturbances of amino acid transport. The identification of most epithelial amino acid transporters over the past 15 years allows the definition of these disorders at the molecular level and provides a clear picture of the functional cooperation between transporters in the apical and basolateral membranes of mammalian epithelial cells. Transport of amino acids across the apical membrane not only makes use of sodium-dependent symporters, but also uses the proton-motive force and the gradient of other amino acids to efficiently absorb amino acids from the lumen. In the basolateral membrane, antiporters cooperate with facilitators to release amino acids without depleting cells of valuable nutrients. With very few exceptions, individual amino acids are transported by more than one transporter, providing backup capacity for absorption in the case of mutational inactivation of a transport system.

Characterization of L-carnitine transport by rat kidney brush-border-membrane vesicles

In the presence of a 100 mM Na+ gradient, transport of L-carnitine into rat renal brush-border-membrane vesicles was linear over 30 s and showed an overshoot at 5 min. The uptake of L-carnitine was clearly less active in the presence of other cations such as Li+, K+, Cs+ or choline. In the presence of a Na+ gradient, L-carnitine uptake after 20 s was much higher for chloride as an anion than for SCN-, NO3-, gluconate or SO4(2-). In comparison with conditions with inside positive or no membrane potential, transport was higher in vesicles with an inside negative membrane potential, suggesting an electrogenic mechanism. The kinetic characterization of the Na(+)-dependent portion of L-carnitine transport revealed two transport systems with Km values of 17.4 +/- 3.9 microM and 15.0 +/- 6.0 mM, respectively. The transport could be inhibited in a concentration-dependent fashion by structural analogues such as butyrobetaine, L-acetylcarnitine, trimethyl-lysine and D-carnitine, but not by L-arginine or glycinebetaine.

ATP-dependent bile-salt transport in canalicular rat liver plasma-membrane vesicles

The present study identifies and characterizes a novel ATP-dependent bile-salt transport system in isolated canalicular rat liver plasma-membrane (cLPM) vesicles. ATP (1-5 mM) stimulated taurocholate uptake into cLPM vesicles between 6- and 8-fold above equilibrium uptake values (overshoot) and above values for incubations in the absence of ATP. The ATP-dependent portion of taurocholate uptake was 2-fold higher in the presence of equilibrated KNO3 as compared with potassium gluconate, indicating that the stimulatory effect of ATP was not due to the generation of an intravesicular positive membrane potential. Saturation kinetics revealed a very high affinity (Km approximately 2.1 microM) of the system for taurocholate. The system could only minimally be stimulated by nucleotides other than ATP. Furthermore, it was preferentially inhibited by conjugated univalent bile salts. Further strong inhibitory effects were observed with valinomycin, oligomycin, 4,4'-di-isothiocyano-2,2'-stilbene disulphonate, sulphobromophthalein, leukotriene C4 and N-ethylmaleimide, whereas nigericin, vanadate, GSH, GSSG and daunomycin exerted only weak inhibitory effects or none at all. These results indicate the presence of a high-affinity primary ATP-dependent bile-salt transport system in cLPM vesicles. This transport system might be regulated in vivo by the number of carriers present at the perspective transport site(s), which, in addition to the canalicular membrane, might also include pericanalicular membrane vesicles.

[Transport of the hydroxy analogs of leucine in the brush border membrane vesicles of the rabbit small intestine]

Hydroxy analogues of essential amino acids can be used in clinical nutrition to minimize nitrogen intake. In this study intestinal uptake of L-leucine hydroxy analogue into rabbit jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles was investigated. An inward directed H(+)-gradient was a driving force of uptake (pHoutside = 6.0; pHinside = 7.5) and led to a transient accumulation. The saturable system has a apparent transport constant Kt = 15.4 mM. By trans stimulation experiments it could be shown that both D- and L-stereoisomers of hydroxy analogues of branched chain amino acids as well as L-lactate share with the same H(+)-driven uptake system.

Transport of L-leucine hydroxy analogue and L-lactate in rabbit small-intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles

Substitution of the alpha-amino group of amino acids by hydroxyl groups yields hydroxy analogues (HA), which have been ascribed beneficial effects in nitrogen-sparing diets for uremic patients. In this study, intestinal uptake of L-leucine HA (L-LeuHA) and L-lactate into rabbit jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles was investigated. An inward-directed H+ or Na+ gradient stimulated uptake of both labelled substrates in a voltage-clamped assay. The H+ gradient was the major driving force of uptake as compared with the Na+ gradient, and it led to a transient accumulation of both L-LeuHA and L-lactate. The proton ionophore carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) reduced the initial H(+)-gradient-driven uptake rates of both substrates, but was without effect on Na(+)-gradient-driven uptakes. The H(+)-gradient-driven L-LeuHA uptake was saturable (apparent Kt = 15.4 mM). Alpha-HA of L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, D-leucine, D-valine or L-lactate inhibited the H(+)-gradient-driven L-LeuHA or L-lactate uptakes whereas free branched-chain amino acids had no effect. Preloading the vesicles with one of the L- or D-HA of branched-chain amino acids or with L-lactate stimulated tracer L-LeuHA and also tracer L-lactate uptakes in the presence of a H+ gradient. It is concluded that H(+)-gradient-driven transport of L- and D-stereoisomeric HA of branched-chain amino acids as well as of L-lactate across rabbit intestinal brush-border membranes is mediated by the same carrier. Furthermore, there exists a Na+ gradient-driven L-lactate transport system in the rabbit intestinal brush-border membrane.

A rapid method for the reconstitution of Na+-dependent neutral amino acid transport from bovine renal brush-border membranes

1. A simple and rapid method for the reconstitution of Na+-dependent neutral amino acid transport activity from bovine renal brush border membranes is described. 2. The neutral detergent decanoyl-N-methylglucamide ('MEGA-10') was employed to solubilize the membrane protein. This obviated the necessity for a prolonged dialysis step. 3. The properties of amino acid transport in these vesicles were similar to those observed in native membranes. 4. This should be a useful procedure in the eventual identification and isolation of amino acid transport proteins.

Evidence for a single common Na+-dependent transport system for alanine, glutamine, leucine and phenylalanine in brush-border membrane vesicles from bovine kidney

The characteristics of the Na+-dependent transport of alanine, glutamine, leucine and phenylalanine were studied in bovine renal brush-border membrane vesicles. Inhibition of the transport of any one of these amino acids by any other was mutually competitive. The Ki value for the inhibition of alanine transport by leucine was similar to the Km for leucine transport; similar interrelationships existed for the other amino acids. Each amino acid was shown to exchange with each of the other amino acids across the membrane. From these and other results it is concluded that the Na+-dependent transport of these four amino acids is catalysed by a single common transport system.

A comparison of 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (AP4) receptors and [3H]AP4 binding sites in the rat brain

The glutamate analogue 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (AP4) is a potent antagonist at several synapses where an excitatory amino acid appears to be the neurotransmitter. Previous studies identified a Cl-/Ca2+ dependent [3H]glutamate binding site in synaptic plasma membrane (SPM) preparations that was also labeled by [3H]AP4 and exhibited a pharmacology similar to the AP4 receptor. This report examines the pharmacological specificity in both biochemical and electrophysiological preparations in greater detail. Several compounds are identified which readily interact with the apparent binding site in membranes, but neither mimic nor inhibit the action of AP4 in electrophysiological studies. The rate of dissociation of [3H]AP4 from SPMs is shown to increase in the presence of added AP4 and increasing the osmolarity in the SPM binding assay decreases the level of observed [3H]AP4 binding. These findings indicate both a heterogeneous population of binding sites and the occurrence of transport. It is concluded that much of the AP4 binding observed in SPM preparations is to a site other than the AP4 receptor. The results provide a further pharmacological description of AP4 receptors which should facilitate the identification of the receptor in biochemical preparations.

Isolation of brush-border membranes from rat and rabbit colonocytes: is alkaline phosphatase a marker enzyme?

A method for the isolation of brush-border membranes of large intestinal epithelial cells was developed, which is based on the purification of intact brush-border caps by Percoll density-gradient centrifugation followed by separation of the vesiculated brush-border membranes on sucrose gradients. The procedure has two major advantages in comparison to known methods: its first step does not depend on the determination of marker enzymes and the method is applicable to rats as well as rabbits without major modifications. Due to the lack of an accepted marker for the colonic brush-border membrane the validity of the isolation procedure was tested by its application to the small intestine. Rat small intestinal brush-border membranes were enriched 21-fold when compared to the homogenate. The method was used to evaluate alkaline phosphatase as a marker enzyme for the colonic brush-border membrane. The results suggest that alkaline phosphatase is not exclusively localized in the brush-border membrane since this enzyme was also associated with membranes having different physical properties.

Heterogeneity of brush-border-membrane vesicles from rat small intestine prepared by a precipitation method using Mg/EGTA

Brush border membrane vesicles from rat small intestine were isolated by a Mg/EGTA precipitation method. Further fractionation either by free flow electrophoresis or by sucrose density gradient centrifugation leads to subfractions which differ with respect to enzyme enrichment factors, transport properties for D-glucose and protein pattern analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A relative enrichment of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is found in one fraction, whereas in another fraction maltase, aminopeptidase M and alkaline phosphatase are relatively enriched. The fractions show different properties of D-glucose transport under tracer exchange conditions and a different inhibition of D-glucose transport by phlorizin and phloretin. These results indicate that the vesicles obtained from rat small intestine by this cation precipitation method are not homogeneous. The inhomogeneity cannot be due to a crosscontamination by membranes other than from the cell envelopment, as none of the fractions show a significant enrichment of succinate--cytochrome c oxidoreductase, KCN-resistant NADH oxidoreductase or glucosaminidase. The inhomogeneity might be due either to a crosscontamination by basal-lateral membranes or to membranes derived from epithelial cells not yet fully differentiated.

Transport of L-lysine by rat renal brush border membrane vesicles

L-3H-lysine uptake into brush border membrane vesicles was measured by a rapid filtration technique. A significant binding of L-lysine at the vesicle interior was observed. Extrapolating initial linear uptake to zero incubation time did not indicate binding of the amino acid to the external membrane surface. Sodium stimulated the L-lysine uptake specifically. Experiments in the presence of potassium/valinomycin induced diffusion potentials, and experiments with a potential sensitive fluorescent dye documented an electrogenic uptake mechanism for L-lysine only in the presence of sodium. Sodium independent uptake proceeds via an electroneutral pathway. Transstimulation experiments show carrier mediated uptake in the presence and absence of sodium. An outwardly directed proton-gradient stimulated L-lysine uptake in the presence and absence of sodium. Saturation of L-lysine uptake was observed in the presence and absence of sodium. In the absence of sodium, L-lysine uptake was inhibited by L-arginine, L-cystine, L-phenylalanine and L-methionine. The sodium dependent uptake was inhibited by L-arginine and L-cysteine; small inhibition by L-phenylalanine was observed. In the presence or absence of sodium, L-lysine uptake was inhibited neither by D-lysine nor by L-glutamic acid. These results document carrier mediated transport of L-lysine via (a) transport mechanism(s) not obligatory requiring sodium.

Transport of L-cystine by rat renal brush border membrane vesicles

Brush border membranes were isolated from rat renal cortex by a divalent cation precipitation method. L-35S-cystine uptake into the vesicles was measured by a rapid filtration method. Covalent incorporation of tracer into membrane proteins was observed after prolonged incubations. At short incubation periods (1 min) binding was small and allowed an analysis of transmembrane transport. To guarantee transport of L-cystine, the experiments were performed in the presence of the oxidant diamide. Sodium stimulated L-cystine uptake specifically. A potassium/valinomycin induced inside negative diffusion potential stimulated sodium dependent L-cystine transport. Thus, transport is potential sensitive in the presence of sodium. At low substrate and inhibitor concentrations, L-cystine transport was inhibited by L-lysine, L-ornithine and L-arginine but not by D-lysine in the presence and absence of sodium. At higher inhibitor concentration, the neutral amino acids L-phenylalanine and L-leucine also inhibited L-cystine uptake, but only the sodium dependent uptake. These inhibition experiments suggest that L-cystine is transported by the brush border membrane by a transport system for basic amino acids not necessarily requiring sodium. In addition, transport of L-cystine can also proceed via sodium dependent transport pathways for neutral amino acids. In the concentration range tested (up to 0.225 mmoles/l), no saturation of L-cystine transport was observed in the presence and absence of sodium.