The sodium-calcium exchanger of bovine rod photoreceptors: K(+)-dependence of the purified and reconstituted protein

Exporting calcium from cells

All eukaryotic cells import Ca2+ through a number of variously gated plasma membrane channels. Once inside cells, Ca2+ transmits information to a large number of (enzyme) targets. Eventually, it must be exported again, to prevent the overloading of the cytosol with Ca2+. Two systems export Ca2+ from cells: a high affinity, low capacity Ca2+-ATPase, and a lower affinity, but much larger capacity, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. The ATPase (commonly called the Ca2+ pump) is the fine-tuner of cell Ca2+, as it functions well even if the concentration of the ion drops below the microM level. It is a large enzyme, with 10 transmembrane domains and a C-terminal cytosolic tail that contains regulatory sites, including a calmodulin-binding domain. Four distinct gene products plus a large number of splice variants have been described. Some are tissue specific, the isoform 2 being specifically expressed in the sensorial cells of the Corti organ in the inner-ear. Its genetic absence causes deafness in mice. Two different families of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger exist, one of which, originally described in photoreceptors, transports K+ and Ca2+ in exchange for Na+. The exchanger is particularly active in excitable cells, e.g., heart, where the necessity cyclically arises to rapidly eject large amounts of Ca2+. In addition to heart, the exchanger is particularly important to neurons: the cleavage of the most important neuronal isoform (NCX3) by calpains activated by excitotoxic treatments generates Ca2+ overload and eventually cell death.

Electrogenic Na+/Ca2+-exchange of nerve and muscle cells

The plasma membrane Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger is a bi-directional electrogenic (3Na(+):1Ca(2+)) and voltage-sensitive ion transport mechanism, which is mainly responsible for Ca(2+)-extrusion. The Na(+)-gradient, required for normal mode operation, is created by the Na(+)-pump, which is also electrogenic (3Na(+):2K(+)) and voltage-sensitive. The Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger operational modes are very similar to those of the Na(+)-pump, except that the uncoupled flux (Na(+)-influx or -efflux?) is missing. The reversal potential of the exchanger is around -40 mV; therefore, during the upstroke of the AP it is probably transiently activated, leading to Ca(2+)-influx. The Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchange is regulated by transported and non-transported external and internal cations, and shows ATP(i)-, pH- and temperature-dependence. The main problem in determining the role of Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchange in excitation-secretion/contraction coupling is the lack of specific (mode-selective) blockers. During recent years, evidence has been accumulated for co-localisation of the Na(+)-pump, and the Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger and their possible functional interaction in the "restricted" or "fuzzy space." In cardiac failure, the Na(+)-pump is down-regulated, while the exchanger is up-regulated. If the exchanger is working in normal mode (Ca(2+)-extrusion) during most of the cardiac cycle, upregulation of the exchanger may result in SR Ca(2+)-store depletion and further impairment in contractility. If so, a normal mode selective Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchange inhibitor would be useful therapy for decompensation, and unlike CGs would not increase internal Na(+). In peripheral sympathetic nerves, pre-synaptic alpha(2)-receptors may regulate not only the VSCCs but possibly the reverse Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchange as well.

Calcium-sensitive downregulation of the transduction chain in rod photoreceptors of the rat retina

In vertebrate rod outer segments phototransduction is suggested to be modulated by intracellular Ca. We aimed at verifying this hypothesis by recording saturated photosignals in the rat retina after single and double flashes of light and determining the time t(c) to the beginning of the signal recovery. The time course of Ca(i) after a flash was calculated from a change of the spatial Ca(2+) concentration profile recorded in the space between the rods. After single flashes t(c) increased linearly with the logarithm of flash intensity, confirming the assumption that t(c) is determined by deactivation of a single species X* in the phototransduction cascade. The photoresponse was shortened up to 45% if the test flash was preceded by a conditioning preflash. The shortening depended on the reduction of Ca(i) induced by the preflash. The data suggest that the phototransduction gain determining the amount of activated X* is regulated by a Ca(i)-dependent mechanism in a short time period (<800 ms) after the test flash. Lowering of Ca(i) by a preflash reduced the gain up to 20% compared to its value in a dark-adapted rod. The relation between phototransduction gain and Ca(i) revealed a K(1/2) value close to the dark level of Ca(i).

Electrophysiological characterization and ionic stoichiometry of the rat brain K(+)-dependent NA(+)/CA(2+) exchanger, NCKX2

We have recently described a novel K(+)-dependent Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, NCKX2, that is abundantly expressed in brain neurons (Tsoi, M., Rhee, K.-H., Bungard, D., Li, X.-F., Lee, S.-L., Auer, R. N., and Lytton, J. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 4115--4162). The precise role for NCKX2 in neuronal Ca(2+) homeostasis is not yet clearly understood but will depend upon the functional properties of the molecule. Here, we have performed whole-cell patch clamp analysis to characterize cation dependences and ion stoichiometry for rat brain NCKX2, heterologously expressed in HEK293 cells. Outward currents generated by reverse NCKX2 exchange depended on external Ca(2+) with a K(12) of 1.4 or 101 microm without or with 1 mm Mg(2+), and on external K(+) with a K(1/2) of about 12 or 36 mm with choline or Li(+) as counter ion, respectively. Na(+) inhibited outward currents with a K(1/2) of about 60 mm. Inward currents generated by forward NCKX2 exchange depended upon external Na(+) with a K(1/2) of 30 mm and a Hill coefficient of 2.8. K(+) inhibited the inward currents by a maximum of 40%, with a K(1/2) of 2 mm or less, depending upon the conditions. The transport stoichiometry of NCKX2 was determined by observing the change in reversal potential as individual ion gradients were altered. Our data support a stoichiometry for rat brain NCKX2 of 4 Na(+):(1 Ca(2+) + 1 K(+)). These findings provide the first electrophysiological characterization of rat brain NCKX2, and the first evidence that a single recombinantly expressed NCKX polypeptide encodes a K(+)-transporting Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger with a transport stoichiometry of 4 Na(+):(1 Ca(2+) + 1 K(+)).

The N-terminal portion of the main cytosolic loop mediates K+ sensitivity in the retinal rod Na+/Ca2+-K+-exchanger

Two types of Na+/Ca2+-exchangers have been characterized in the literature: The first is the cardiac, skeletal muscle and brain type, which exchanges 1 Ca2+ for 3 Na+, the second, found in retinal photosensor cells, transports 1 Ca2+ and 1 K+ in exchange for 4 Na+. The present work describes the properties of chimeric constructs of the two exchanger types. Ca2+ gel overlay experiments have identified a high affinity (Kd in the 1 microM range) Ca2+-binding domain between Glu601 and Asp733 in the main cytosolic loop of the retinal protein, just after transmembrane domain 5. Insertion of the retinal Ca2+-binding domain in the cytosolic loop of the cardiac exchanger conferred K+-dependence to the Ca2+ uptake activity of the chimeric constructs expressed in HeLa cells. The apparent Km of the K+ effect was about 1 mM. Experiments with C-terminally truncated versions of the retinal insert indicated that the sequence between Leu643 and Asp733 was critical in mediating K+ sensitivity of the recombinant chimeras. Thus, the high affinity Ca2+-binding domain in the main cytosolic loop of the retinal exchanger may regulate the activity of the retinal protein by binding Ca2+, and by conferring to it K+ sensitivity.

Physiological and molecular characterization of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in human platelets

In this report, we have demonstrated that Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activity in a human megakaryocytic cell line (CHRF-288 cells) is K+ dependent, similar to the properties previously described for Na+/Ca2+ exchange activity in human platelets. With the use of RT-PCR techniques and mRNA, the exchanger expressed in CHRF-288 cells was found to be identical to that expressed in human retinal rods. Northern blot analysis of the mRNA for the human retinal rod exchanger in CHRF-288 cells revealed a major transcript at 5.8 kb with two minor bands at 4.9 and 6.8 kb. mRNA for the retinal rod exchanger was also identified in human platelets. Using Ba2+ influx as a measure of Na+/Ca2+ exchange activity in human platelets, we have demonstrated that exchange activity is driven by the transmembrane gradient for K+ as well as that for Na+. We propose that the K+ dependence of the platelet Na+/Ca2+ exchanger could make platelets especially sensitive to daily fluctuations in salt intake.

Sodium/calcium exchange: its physiological implications

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, an ion transport protein, is expressed in the plasma membrane (PM) of virtually all animal cells. It extrudes Ca2+ in parallel with the PM ATP-driven Ca2+ pump. As a reversible transporter, it also mediates Ca2+ entry in parallel with various ion channels. The energy for net Ca2+ transport by the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and its direction depend on the Na+, Ca2+, and K+ gradients across the PM, the membrane potential, and the transport stoichiometry. In most cells, three Na+ are exchanged for one Ca2+. In vertebrate photoreceptors, some neurons, and certain other cells, K+ is transported in the same direction as Ca2+, with a coupling ratio of four Na+ to one Ca2+ plus one K+. The exchanger kinetics are affected by nontransported Ca2+, Na+, protons, ATP, and diverse other modulators. Five genes that code for the exchangers have been identified in mammals: three in the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger family (NCX1, NCX2, and NCX3) and two in the Na+/Ca2+ plus K+ family (NCKX1 and NCKX2). Genes homologous to NCX1 have been identified in frog, squid, lobster, and Drosophila. In mammals, alternatively spliced variants of NCX1 have been identified; dominant expression of these variants is cell type specific, which suggests that the variations are involved in targeting and/or functional differences. In cardiac myocytes, and probably other cell types, the exchanger serves a housekeeping role by maintaining a low intracellular Ca2+ concentration; its possible role in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling is controversial. Cellular increases in Na+ concentration lead to increases in Ca2+ concentration mediated by the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger; this is important in the therapeutic action of cardiotonic steroids like digitalis. Similarly, alterations of Na+ and Ca2+ apparently modulate basolateral K+ conductance in some epithelia, signaling in some special sense organs (e.g., photoreceptors and olfactory receptors) and Ca2+-dependent secretion in neurons and in many secretory cells. The juxtaposition of PM and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum membranes may permit the PM Na+/Ca2+ exchanger to regulate sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores and influence cellular Ca2+ signaling.

Structure-function relationships and localization of the Na/Ca-K exchanger in rod photoreceptors

The structural and functional properties of the bovine rod photoreceptor Na/Ca-K exchanger and its distribution in vertebrate photoreceptor cells were studied using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies that bind to distinct epitopes along the large hydrophilic N-terminal segment of the exchanger labeled the extracellular surface of the rod outer segment plasma membrane, whereas antibodies against a large hydrophilic loop between the two membrane domains labeled the intracellular side. Enzymatic deglycosylation studies indicated that the exchanger primarily contains O-linked sialo-oligosaccharides located within the N-terminal domain. Removal of the extracellular domain with trypsin or the large intracellular domain with kallikrein did not alter the Na+- or K+-dependent Ca2+ efflux activity of the exchanger when reconstituted into lipid vesicles. Anti-exchanger antibodies were also used to visualize the distribution of the exchanger in the retina by light and electron microscopy. The exchanger was localized to the plasma membrane of rod outer segments. No labeling was observed in the disk membranes, cone photoreceptor cells, or other retinal neurons, and only faint staining was seen in the rod inner segment. These results indicate that the O-linked glycosylated rod Na/Ca-K exchanger is specifically targeted to the plasma membrane of rod photoreceptors and has a topological organization similar to that reported for the cardiac Na/Ca exchanger. The large intracellular and extracellular domains do not directly function in the transport of ions across the rod outer segment plasma membrane, but instead may play a role in protein-protein interactions that maintain the spatial organization of the exchanger in the plasma membrane or possibly regulate transport activity of the exchanger.

Molecular cloning of a novel potassium-dependent sodium-calcium exchanger from rat brain

We have isolated a novel cDNA clone from rat cerebral cortex encoding a protein of 670 amino acids (NCKX2) that has significant similarity to the 1199-amino acid-long Na/Ca-K exchanger of bovine rod outer segment (NCKX1). NCKX2 transcripts are 10.5 kilobase pairs in length and are expressed abundantly in neurons throughout the brain and with much lower abundance in selected other tissues. The predicted topology of the rat NCKX2 protein is very similar to that of bovine NCKX1, beginning with a solitary transmembrane segment (M0), which is removed as a "signal peptide" in bovine NCKX1, an extracellular loop, a cluster of five transmembrane spanning segments (M1 to M5), a long cytoplasmic loop, and a final hydrophobic cluster (M6 to M11). Within the hydrophobic clusters, rat NCKX2 shares 80% identity and 91% similarity with bovine NCKX1. The two larger hydrophilic loops are much shorter in NCKX2 than in NCKX1, accounting largely for the difference in length between the two proteins, and are dissimilar in sequence except for a 32-amino acid stretch with 69% identity in the cytosolic loop. NCKX2 was epitope-tagged in the extracellular domain and was shown to be expressed at the surface of transfected HEK cells. Analysis of NCKX2 function by fluorescent imaging of fura-2-loaded transfected cells demonstrated that NCKX2 is a potassium-dependent sodium/calcium exchanger.

The Na/Ca-K exchanger of rod photoreceptor exists as dimer in the plasma membrane

The oligomeric state of the Na/Ca-K exchanger in the plasma membrane of bovine photoreceptors was investigated using chemical cross-linking techniques. In the natural membrane, virtually all Na/Ca-K exchanger could be cross-linked mainly to a complex having an apparent molecular mass of 490 kDa by cupric phenanthroline catalyzed disulfide bonding as evidenced by Western blotting. Stable cross-links of the exchanger were also obtained with the thiol-specific reagent N,N'-p-phenylidenedimaleimide. Neuraminidase treatment reduced the apparent molecular mass of the highly glycosylated Na/Ca-K exchanger and of the 490 kDa cross-link product by 50 and 85 kDa, respectively. DL-1,4-Bismaleimido-2,3-butanediol (BMBD), a novel cleavable dimaleimide, was synthesized in order to produce cross-links that were stable to reductive conditions. Purification of the BMBD cross-linked exchanger followed by two-dimensional SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresis identified the cross-linked homodimers of the exchanger. There was no indication of higher oligomers, suggesting that the exchanger exists as a dimer in the plasma membrane. Hydrodynamic properties of the detergent-solubilized exchanger were determined by velocity sedimentation and gel filtration chromatography. The Triton X-100-solubilized exchanger ran as a single species having a Stokes radius of 10.0 nm, a sedimentation coefficient of 5.4 S, and a partial specific volume of 0.74 mL/g in Triton X-100. Similar results were obtained for the CHAPS-solubilized exchanger. A molecular mass of 236 and 205 kDa was calculated for the exchanger-detergent complex and the detergent-free protein, respectively. Neuraminidase treatment further reduced the molecular mass of the exchanger indicating that glycosylation contributes significantly to the mass of the exchanger. Cross-links of the exchanger were not detected if cross-linking was attempted after solubilization in 10 mM CHAPS. However, after reconstitution of the purified exchanger into soybean phosphatidylcholine vesicles, chemical cross-linking yielded again dimers. On the basis of these cross-linking and hydrodynamic studies, we conclude that the exchanger exists as a homodimer in the rod outer segment plasma membrane but dissociates into a monomer when solubilized in detergent.

Ca2+ fluxes and channel regulation in rods of the albino rat

By use of microelectrodes, changes in the receptor current and the Ca2+ concentration were measured in the rod layer of the rat retina after stimulation by flashes or steady light. Thereby light induced Ca2+ sources, and sinks along a rod were determined in dependence of time. Thus, the Ca2+ fluxes across the plasma membrane of a mammalian rod could be studied in detail. By light stimulation, Ca2+ sources are evoked along the outer segment only. Immediately after a saturating flash, a maximum of Ca2+ efflux is observed which decays exponentially with tau = 0.3 s at 37 degrees C (4.2 s at 23 degrees C). During regeneration of the dark current, the outer segment acts as a Ca2+ sink, indicating a restoration of the Ca(2+)-depleted outer segment. These findings agree with earlier reports on amphibian rods. Further experiments showed that the peak Ca2+ efflux and tau are temperature dependent. The peak amplitude also depends on the external Ca2+ concentration. In contrast to the reports on amphibian rods, only a part of the Ca2+ ions extruded from the outer segment is directly restored. Surprisingly, during steady light the Ca2+ efflux approaches a permanent residual value. Therefore, in course of a photoresponse, Ca2+ must be liberated irreversibly from internal Ca2+ stores. There is certain evidence that the inner segment acts as a Ca2+ store. Our results show that the Ca2+ fraction of the ions carrying the dark current is proportional to the extracellular Ca2+ concentration. This indicates that the Ca2+ permeability of the plasma membrane of the rod outer segment is independent of the Ca2+ concentration.

Rods, cones and calcium

A transduction cascade in the outer segments of vertebrate photoreceptors amplifies the visual signal, resulting in the metabolism of cGMP and the closure of ionic channels. The intracellular calcium concentration declines after a light response, and this decline is the key regulator responsible for controlling the gain of the transduction cascade. Calcium turnover in the outer segment is determined by three processes: influx through light-sensitive channels; buffering within the outer segment; and extrusion by a Na/Ca,K exchange mechanism.

Na(+)-Ca2+,K+ exchange in bovine retinal rod outer segments: quantitative characterization of normal and reversed mode

Ca2+ homeostasis of bovine retinal rod outer segments is maintained through Na(+)-Ca2+,K+ exchangers and cGMP-gated channels in the plasma membrane. It has recently been demonstrated that both proteins are associated. This novel finding allowed us to investigate quantitatively normal and reversed mode Na(+)-Ca2+,K+ exchange in rod outer segment membrane vesicles and reconstituted proteoliposomes both containing exchangers in rightside-out and inside-out orientations. Addition of Na+ activated both normal and reversed mode exchange; if, however, initially Ca2+ from vesicles containing inside-out oriented exchangers has been released by activation of the associated channels, only normal mode exchange was observed upon addition of Na+. Using this approach, the fractions of vesicles containing rightside-out and inside-out oriented exchangers were about similar in these vesicle preparations. Normal and reversed mode exchange had similar Na+ concentrations of about 70 mM for half maximal activation (in the presence of 115 mM K+) and cooperativity parameters, nHill, of about 2.0. Furthermore, both modes were electrogenic, and showed only little Na(+)-Ca2+,K+ exchange in the absence of K+. The two modes of exchange differed, however, in the maximal exchange rate, the normal mode being about twice as fast as the reversed mode.

Regional distribution in the rat central nervous system of a mRNA encoding a portion of the cardiac sodium/calcium exchanger isolated from cerebellar granule neurons

The cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is a bidirectional electrogenic ion transporter that exchanges three Na+ ions for each Ca2+ ion and plays a critical role in returning sarcolemma Ca2+ concentrations to their resting levels. Because of the importance that the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger may play in maintaining neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis in the central nervous system, we subcloned a 456 bp portion of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger cDNA from RNA isolated from primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This cDNA fragment was sequenced and shown to share 91.4% sequence identity with the human and 88% sequence identity with the canine cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchangers. The PCR amplification product was used to analyze the distribution of this portion of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger mRNA in various regions of the CNS by both Northern blotting and in situ hybridization histochemistry. The Northern analysis showed that the rank order of abundance of this mRNA was: hippocampus > cortex > cerebellum > hypothalamus > midbrain > striatum. The in situ hybridization data indicated that the corresponding mRNA containing this portion of the exchanger was present in numerous brain regions including multiple cortical layers, the hippocampus, septal nuclei, various thalamic nuclei, cerebellum, hypothalamus, olfactory bulb, brainstem, in various regions of the thoracic spinal cord and to a lesser extent in the striatum. The differential distribution of the mRNA as revealed by the in situ hybridization pattern suggests that either additional molecular variants exist or that different Na+/Ca2+ exchange mechanisms may be operative in those cell types that contain low amounts of this fragment of the exchanger mRNA.

Biochemical mechanism of light adaptation in vertebrate photoreceptors

Vertebrate photoreceptors can adjust their sensitivity to a wide range of light intensities spanning several orders of magnitude, the phenomenon of which is called light adaptation. Electrophysiological and biochemical studies have revealed that calcium can serve as an intracellular transmitter of light adaptation under the control of cGMP metabolism. After illumination, the cytoplasmic calcium concentration of a photoreceptor decreases, which in turn strongly activates photoreceptor guanylate cyclase. This calcium-dependent effect is mediated by a novel calcium-binding protein (recoverin) and leads to the restoration of the depleted cGMP pool after illumination.

Sodium-calcium exchange

During the past year, significant advances have been made in the investigation of molecular, kinetic and electrophysiological aspects of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. The cardiac and retinal exchangers have been cloned and structure-function studies have begun.

Signal transduction enzymes of vertebrate photoreceptors

A flash of light initiates a cascade of biochemical reactions inside vertebrate photoreceptor cells, culminating in hydrolysis of intracellular cyclic GMP and hyperpolarization of the cell. The cell recovers by shutting down this cascade and resynthesizing cGMP. Many of the reactions responsible for the excitation and recovery phases of the photoresponse have been identified. Here I review some characteristics of the proteins that participate in these reactions.

The exchange in intact squid axons

The exchange in intact axons displays a number of features in common with other systems, but a number of interesting points remain to be examined. Both forward (Nao-Cai) and reverse (Cao-Nai) exchange are sensitive to changes in membrane potential, but potassium depolarization can also stimulate Cao-Nai exchange by chemical activation at a monovalent cation-binding site. By monitoring lithium uptakes into intact axons, activating cations do not appear to be transported on the exchange, but this deserves further examination under more stringent conditions. Cao-Nai exchange in intact axons appears activated by monovalent cations to a greater extent compared to dialyzed axons that exhibit little, if any, shift in the Km for Cao. The catalytic effect of Cai on Cao-Nai exchange seen in dialyzed axons proves elusive to study in intact axons, with or without introduction of Ca chelators. Experiments using ruthenium red suggest that free calcium can be dissociated from Cao-Nai exchange fluxes; this finding is also important to those studies monitoring exchange activity using Ca indicators. The possibility that Ca chelators may effect changes in the kinetics of Na-Ca exchange is a subject that needs further investigation.

Rapid purification and characterization of protein kinase C from bovine retinal rod outer segments

A rapid FPLC procedure for the purification of protein kinase C from bovine rod outer segments is described. The enzyme is essentially homogeneous after purification and exhibits a molecular mass of approximately 85 kDa, as determined by SDS/PAGE. From its chromatographic behaviour on hydroxyapatite, and from Western-blotting experiments using isoenzyme-specific antibodies, we were able to identify the bovine rod outer segment protein kinase C as being of the alpha or type-III form. The purified protein kinase C has a specific activity of 1066 nmol 32P.min-1.mg protein-1, and shows a 30-fold activation upon the addition of the effectors Ca2+, PtdSer and 1,2-diacylglycerol. Arachidonic acid and linoleic acid were also found to enhance significantly the activity of the purified enzyme.