Hexose-specific inhibition in vitro of human red cell Ca(2+)-ATPase activity

Glucose-induced alterations of intracellular ionized magnesium in human lymphocytes

The intracellular ionic content of human erythrocytes may be altered by hyperglycaemia. Despite this, very little is known about the cellular mechanisms linking glucose and cellular magnesium homeostasis. We measured intracellular ionized magnesium in human lymphocytes, by means of a fluorimetric technique, total intracellular magnesium by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry and intracellular ATP by means of HPLC. The incubation of lymphocytes with D-glucose in the absence of insulin was followed by a significant decrease in intracellular ionized magnesium; this effect did not occur when the cells were incubated with L-glucose. The effect of glucose on intracellular ionized magnesium was blocked by amphotericin B and the EC(50) of the effect of glucose on intracellular ionized magnesium was about 5 mmol/l of glucose. The increase of intracellular ionized magnesium in cells incubated in the absence of glucose was followed by a decrease in intracellular ATP. In a Na(+)-free medium the decrease of intracellular ionized magnesium in the presence of glucose was still present and the incubation of lymphocytes with glucose did not modify total intralymphocyte magnesium. By selective permeabilization of cell membranes, we established that glucose could not increase compartmentalized intracellular ionized magnesium. Our data supports the hypothesis that glucose per se induces a substantial decrease in intracellular ionized magnesium, which is probably due to an augmented binding of intracellular ionized magnesium to cellular ATP.

Normal Ca2+ extrusion by the Ca2+ pump of intact red blood cells exposed to high glucose concentrations

The ATPase activity of the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump (PMCA) has been reported to be inhibited by exposure of red blood cell (RBC) PMCA preparations to high glucose concentrations. It has been claimed that this effect could have potential pathophysiological relevance in diabetes. To ascertain whether high glucose levels also affect PMCA transport function in intact RBCs, Ca2+ extrusion by the Ca2+-saturated pump [PMCA maximal velocity (V(max))] was measured in human and rat RBCs exposed to high glucose in vivo or in vitro. Preincubation of normal human RBCs in 30-100 mM glucose for up to 6 h had no effect on PMCA V(max). The mean V(max) of RBCs from 15 diabetic subjects of 12.9 +/- 0.7 mmol. 340 g Hb(-1). h(-1) was not significantly different from that of controls (14.3 +/- 0.5 mmol. 340 g Hb(-1). h(-1)). Similarly, the PMCA V(max) of RBCs from 11 streptozotocin-diabetic rats was not affected by plasma glucose levels more than three times normal for 6-8 wk. Thus exposure to high glucose concentrations does not affect the ability of intact RBCs to extrude Ca2+.

High extracellular glucose impairs cardiac E-C coupling in a glycosylation-dependent manner

Hyperglycemia is a major manifestation of all forms of diabetes mellitus and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is well established that cardiac excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling is adversely affected in diabetic animals such that ventricular myocyte action potential duration is prolonged and intracellular Ca2+ clearing and mechanical relaxation are slowed. We now report that ventricular myocytes incubated in a culture medium containing high extracellular glucose (25.5 mM) also exhibit these same changes in E-C coupling. These effects are not manifested for approximately 24 h after exposure. Furthermore, in the presence of normal glucose (5.5 mM), relaxation is also prolonged by fructose (20 mM), yet is unaffected by equimolar concentrations of nonmetabolizable sugars such as L-glucose and mannitol, implying that the high glucose effects require glucose entry into the cell and metabolic processing. The prolonged relaxation can also be produced by 5 mM glucosamine (an intermediate of glycosylation) and is blocked by 0.5 microgram/ml tunicamycin (an inhibitor of N-linked glycoprotein synthesis). Culturing myocytes with an inhibitor of glycation (10 mM aminoguanidine) does not prevent the high extracellular glucose concentration effects. Thus our data indicate that high extracellular glucose impairs cellular mechanisms contributing to myocardial relaxation and that this impairment may involve glycosylation of nascent proteins.

Inositol phosphates modulate human red blood cell Ca(2+)-adenosine triphosphatase activity in vitro by a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein

D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] inhibits human red blood cell (RBC) Ca(2+)-stimulable, Mg(2+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Ca(2+)-ATPase) activity in vitro. Because we have previously shown that adrenergic receptors exist on the human mature RBC membrane and can modulate Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, we examined the possibility that a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (G protein) mediated the Ins(1,4,5)P3 effect. Guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotrisphosphate) (GTP gamma S) 10(-4) mol/L also inhibited RBC Ca(2+)-ATPase activity. Pertussis toxin 200 ng/mL blocked the effects of both Ins(1,4,5)P3 and GTP gamma S on Ca(2+)-ATPase activity. In separate studies, pertussis toxin-catalyzed adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribosylation was shown to occur in RBC membranes under conditions in which measurements of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity were performed. When Ins(1,4,5)P3 10(-7) mol/L and GTP gamma S 10(-6) mol/L were added to membranes concurrently, their inhibitory actions on the enzyme were additive. At greater concentrations of Ins(1,4,5)P3 (10(-6) to 10(-5) mol/L) and GTP gamma S (10(-4) mol/L), the inositol phosphate reversed the inhibitory effect of GTP gamma S. These observations indicate that the novel effect of Ins(1,4,5)P3 on the activity of a plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase depends at least in part on the action of a pertussis toxin-susceptible G protein.

Glucose-induced alterations of cytosolic free calcium in cultured rat tail artery vascular smooth muscle cells

We have previously suggested that hyperglycemia per se may contribute to diabetic hypertensive and vascular disease by altering cellular ion content. To more directly investigate the potential role of glucose in this process, we measured cytosolic free calcium in primary cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from Sprague-Dawley rat tail artery before and after incubation with 5 (basal), 10, 15, and 20 mM glucose. Glucose significantly elevated cytosolic free calcium in a dose- and time-dependent manner, from 110.0 +/- 5.4 to 124.5 +/- 9.0, 192.7 +/- 20.4, and 228.4 +/- 21.9 nM at 5, 10, 15, and 20 mM glucose concentrations, respectively. This glucose-induced cytosolic free calcium elevation was also specific, no change being observed after incubation with equivalent concentrations of L-glucose or mannitol. This glucose effect was also dependent on extracellular calcium and pH, since these calcium changes were inhibited in an acidotic or a calcium-free medium, or by the competitive calcium antagonist lanthanum. We conclude that ambient glucose concentrations within clinically observed limits may alter cellular calcium ion homeostasis in vascular smooth muscle cells. We suggest that these cellular ionic effects of hyperglycemia may underlie the predisposition to hypertension and vascular diseases among diabetic subjects and/or those with impaired glucose tolerance.

The erythrocyte calcium pump is inhibited by non-enzymic glycation: studies in situ and with the purified enzyme

In a previous paper we demonstrated that incubation of either intact erythrocytes or erythrocytes membranes with glucose decreases the activity of the membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase [González Flecha, Bermúdez, Cédola, Gagliardino and Rossi (1990) Diabetes 39, 707-711]. The aim of the present work was to obtain information about the mechanism of this inhibition. For this purpose, experiments were carried out with purified Ca(2+)-ATPase, inside-out vesicles and membranes from human erythrocytes. Incubation of the purified Ca(2+)-ATPase with glucose led to a decay in the enzyme activity of up to 50% of the control activity under the conditions used. The decrease in ATPase activity was concomitant with labelling by [6-3H]glucose of the purified Ca2+ pump; the kinetic properties of both processes were almost identical, suggesting that inhibition is a consequence of the incorporation of glucose into the Ca(2+)-ATPase molecule. In inside-out vesicles, glucose also promoted inhibition of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity as well as of active Ca2+ transport. Arabinose, xylose, mannose, ribose, fructose and glucose 6-phosphate (but not mannitol) were also able to inactive the ATPase. The activation energy for both the decrease in ATPase activity by glucose and the labelling of the pump with [6-3H]glucose was about 65 kJ/mol. Furthermore, inorganic phosphate enhanced the inactivation of the Ca(2+)-ATPase by glucose. This evidence strongly suggests that inhibition is a non-enzymically catalysed process. Inactivation of the Ca(2+)-ATPase by glucose was enhanced by reductive alkylation with sodium borohydride. Aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of the formation of the advanced end products of glycosylation, did not prevent the deleterious effect of glucose on the enzyme activity. Therefore it is concluded that inactivation of the Ca2+ pump is a consequence of the glycation of this protein.