Salicylate inhibits human placental sulphate transport in vitro

Micro- and nanomechanics of the cochlear outer hair cell

Outer hair cell electromotility is crucial for the amplification, sharp frequency selectivity, and nonlinearities of the mammalian cochlea. Current modeling efforts based on morphological, physiological, and biophysical observations reveal transmembrane potential gradients and membrane tension as key independent variables controlling the passive and active mechanics of the cell. The cell's mechanics has been modeled on the microscale using a continuum approach formulated in terms of effective (cellular level) mechanical and electric properties. Another modeling approach is nanostructural and is based on the molecular organization of the cell's membranes and cytoskeleton. It considers interactions between the components of the composite cell wall and the molecular elements within each of its components. The methods and techniques utilized to increase our understanding of the central role outer hair cell mechanics plays in hearing are also relevant to broader research questions in cell mechanics, cell motility, and cell transduction.

Physiological roles and regulation of mammalian sulfate transporters

All cells require inorganic sulfate for normal function. Sulfate is among the most important macronutrients in cells and is the fourth most abundant anion in human plasma (300 microM). Sulfate is the major sulfur source in many organisms, and because it is a hydrophilic anion that cannot passively cross the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, all cells require a mechanism for sulfate influx and efflux to ensure an optimal supply of sulfate in the body. The class of proteins involved in moving sulfate into or out of cells is called sulfate transporters. To date, numerous sulfate transporters have been identified in tissues and cells from many origins. These include the renal sulfate transporters NaSi-1 and sat-1, the ubiquitously expressed diastrophic dysplasia sulfate transporter DTDST, the intestinal sulfate transporter DRA that is linked to congenital chloride diarrhea, and the erythrocyte anion exchanger AE1. These transporters have only been isolated in the last 10-15 years, and their physiological roles and contributions to body sulfate homeostasis are just now beginning to be determined. This review focuses on the structural and functional properties of mammalian sulfate transporters and highlights some of regulatory mechanisms that control their expression in vivo, under normal physiological and pathophysiological states.

Phenotypic variation in xenobiotic metabolism and adverse environmental response: focus on sulfur-dependent detoxification pathways

Proper bodily response to environmental toxicants presumably requires proper function of the xenobiotic (foreign chemical) detoxification pathways. Links between phenotypic variations in xenobiotic metabolism and adverse environmental response have long been sought. Metabolism of the drug S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine (SCMC) is polymorphous in the population, having a bimodal distribution of metabolites, 2.5% of the general population are thought to be nonmetabolizers. The researchers developing this data feel this implies a polymorphism in sulfoxidation of the amino acid cysteine to sulfate. While this interpretation is somewhat controversial, these metabolic differences reflected may have significant effects. Additionally, a significant number of individuals with environmental intolerance or chronic disease have impaired sulfation of phenolic xenobiotics. This impairment is demonstrated with the probe drug acetaminophen and is presumably due to starvation of the sulfotransferases for sulfate substrate. Reduced metabolism of SCMC has been found with increased frequency in individuals with several degenerative neurological and immunological conditions and drug intolerances, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, motor neuron disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and delayed food sensitivity. Impaired sulfation has been found in many of these conditions, and preliminary data suggests that it may be important in multiple chemical sensitivities and diet responsive autism. In addition, impaired sulfation may be relevant to intolerance of phenol, tyramine, and phenylic food constituents, and it may be a factor in the success of the Feingold diet. These studies indicate the need for the development of genetic and functional tests of xenobiotic metabolism as tools for further research in epidemiology and risk assessment.

Volume-activated amino acid efflux from term human placental tissue: stimulation of efflux via a pathway sensitive to anion transport inhibitors

The effect of a hyposmotic challenge and hence cell-swelling upon the efflux of a variety of solutes from isolated human placental tissue has been examined. A hyposmotic shock increased the fractional release of taurine, the most abundant free amino acid in placental tissue, via a pathway sensitive to niflumic acid, DIDS (4,4'-Diisothiocyanatostilbene-2',2'-disulphonic acid,) NPPB (5-Nitro-2(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid) and DIOA (R(+)[2-n-butyl-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-1-oxo-1H-inden -5-y) oxy] acetic acid). In contrast, tamoxifen was without effect. The cell-swelling induced efflux of taurine was attenuated (40 per cent) by replacing external Cl- with NO3-. The efflux of glutamic acid was also markedly increased by a hyposmotic challenge. Niflumic acid inhibited both basal and volume-activated glutamic acid efflux. A hyposmotic shock also increased alpha-aminoisobutyric acid efflux but not that of 3-O-methylglucose and SO4(2)-. The results suggest that the human placenta can respond to cell-swelling by releasing organic osmolytes such as amino acids via a pathway which is sensitive to anion transport inhibitors. However, it appears that the volume-activated amino acid transport system is independent from the placental anion-exchange pathways. The efflux of these compounds may act with K+ and Cl- efflux to effect a regulatory volume decrease in placental tissue. In addition, volume-activated transport may play a role in transplacental amino acid transfer.

Amiloride-sensitive sodium uptake into human placental brush border membrane vesicles

Sodium transport into human placental brush border membrane vesicles was examined in the presence of an outwardly directed sodium gradient leading to the formation of an intravesicular negative charge. 22Na entered the vesicles in a time dependent fashion. The activation energy of the uptake process was calculated and was found to be 11.2 kcal/mol, similar to the value of ionic diffusion in free solution. Amiloride inhibited Na uptake in a concentration dependent fashion with an IC50 value of 3.08 microM. Neither ouabain nor bumetanide had an effect on Na uptake at concentrations up to 100 or 1000 microM, respectively. The system presented here indicates Na transport via channels without involvement of the Na-K-ATPase or the Na-K-Cl cotransporter. The system may be useful in investigating Na transport defects in cystic fibrosis.

Sites of female reproductive vulnerability: implications for testing and risk assessment

All reproductive toxicity testing, whether in vivo or in vitro, should be conducted with consideration of the ultimate use of the data for reproductive risk assessment and the protection of human reproductive health. In this review selected sites of vulnerability in the female reproductive system are identified. These sites of female reproductive vulnerability may be utilized for in vitro toxicity testing assays, and the data from assays may be employed in the hazard identification and hazard characterization steps necessary for reproductive risk assessment. Using biomarkers of female reproductive function derived from in vitro toxicity testing it is possible to define functions that characterize female fecundity. These characterizations of female fecundity may be used to quantitate reproductive risk in human populations.

Salicylate-induced cation fluxes across biological membranes. A study of the underlying mechanism

The effect of salicylate on cation transport by lactating rat mammary tissue has been examined. Consistent with previous results, salicylate increased the unidirectional efflux of K+ (Rb+): this increase was dependent on extracellular Ca2+. Lowering the temperature of the incubation medium from 37 degrees to 4 degrees did not attenuate the effect of salicylate on K+ (Rb+). Ca2+ uptake by mammary tissue was stimulated by salicylate, whereas Ca2+ efflux was not greatly affected. Salicylate reduced the ouabain-insensitive uptake of K+ (Rb+). The net K+ content of mammary tissue was reduced by incubating tissue in a medium containing salicylate, whereas net Na+ content was increased. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that salicylate activated a calcium-dependent K+ efflux channel and/or a calcium-dependent non-selective cation channel.

Critical evaluation of a theory of molecular recognition using human insulin-like-growth-factor-I fragment 21-40 and its complementary peptide

Using solid-phase methods we have synthesized human insulin-like-growth-factor-I (IGF-I) fragment 21-40 (IGF-I 21-40) and the peptide derived from the 5'----3' translation of the complementary nucleic acid of this peptide, 'I-FGI 20-40' (the complementary peptide). According to a recently proposed theory of molecular recognition, these two peptides should bind specifically to each other. We have tested this theory by using both solid- and solution-phase direct-binding assays for this complementary-peptide pair. We have also investigated the ability of I-FGI 20-40 to interfere with native IGF-I binding during radioimmunoassay (r.i.a.), radio-receptor (r.r.a.) assay and ligand-blot analysis of IGF-binding proteins. We have obtained no evidence of any interaction between IGF-I 21-40 and I-FGI 20-40 in either solid- or solution-phase assays. In addition, I-FGI 20-40 does not interfere in the assays used to detect IGF-I binding antibodies (r.i.a.), receptors (r.r.a.) or binding proteins (ligand blots). Our data therefore question the universality of this particular theory of molecular recognition.