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Sudnitsyna J, Ruzhnikova TO, Panteleev MA, Kharazova A, Gambaryan S, Mindukshev IV. Chloride Gradient Is Involved in Ammonium Influx in Human Erythrocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7390. [PMID: 39000500 PMCID: PMC11242273 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The ammonia/ammonium (NH3/NH4+, AM) concentration in human erythrocytes (RBCs) is significantly higher than in plasma. Two main possible mechanisms for AM transport, including simple and facilitated diffusion, are described; however, the driving force for AM transport is not yet fully characterized. Since the erythroid ammonium channel RhAG forms a structural unit with anion exchanger 1 (eAE1) within the ankyrin core complex, we hypothesized the involvement of eAE1 in AM transport. To evaluate the functional interaction between eAE1 and RhAG, we used a unique feature of RBCs to swell and lyse in isotonic NH4+ buffer. The kinetics of cell swelling and lysis were analyzed by flow cytometry and an original laser diffraction method, adapted for accurate volume sensing. The eAE1 role was revealed according to (i) the changes in cell swelling and lysis kinetics, and (ii) changes in intracellular pH, triggered by eAE1 inhibition or the modulation of eAE1 main ligand concentrations (Cl- and HCO3-). Additionally, the AM import kinetics was analyzed enzymatically and colorimetrically. In NH4+ buffer, RBCs concentration-dependently swelled and lysed when [NH4+] exceeded 100 mM. Cell swelling and hemolysis were tightly regulated by chloride concentration. The complete substitution of chloride with glutamate prevented NH4+-induced cell swelling and hemolysis, and the restoration of [Cl-] dose-dependently amplified the rates of RBC swelling and lysis and the percentage of hemolyzed cells. Similarly, eAE1 inhibition impeded cell swelling and completely prevented hemolysis. Accordingly, eAE1 inhibition, or a lack of chloride anions in the buffer, significantly decreased NH4+ import. Our data indicate that the eAE1-mediated chloride gradient is required for AM transport. Taken together, our data reveal a new player in AM transport in RBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Sudnitsyna
- Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30 Srednyaya Kalitnikovskaya St., 109029 Moscow, Russia
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 44 Thorez Ave., 194223 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Tamara O Ruzhnikova
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 44 Thorez Ave., 194223 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikhail A Panteleev
- Center for Theoretical Problems of Physicochemical Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 30 Srednyaya Kalitnikovskaya St., 109029 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandra Kharazova
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Stepan Gambaryan
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 44 Thorez Ave., 194223 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Igor V Mindukshev
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 44 Thorez Ave., 194223 Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Pflüger T, Gschell M, Zhang L, Shnitsar V, Zabadné AJ, Zierep P, Günther S, Einsle O, Andrade SLA. How sensor Amt-like proteins integrate ammonium signals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm9441. [PMID: 38838143 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm9441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Unlike aquaporins or potassium channels, ammonium transporters (Amts) uniquely discriminate ammonium from potassium and water. This feature has certainly contributed to their repurposing as ammonium receptors during evolution. Here, we describe the ammonium receptor Sd-Amt1, where an Amt module connects to a cytoplasmic diguanylate cyclase transducer module via an HAMP domain. Structures of the protein with and without bound ammonium were determined to 1.7- and 1.9-Ångstrom resolution, depicting the ON and OFF states of the receptor and confirming the presence of a binding site for two ammonium cations that is pivotal for signal perception and receptor activation. The transducer domain was disordered in the crystals, and an AlphaFold2 prediction suggests that the helices linking both domains are flexible. While the sensor domain retains the trimeric fold formed by all Amt family members, the HAMP domains interact as pairs and serve to dimerize the transducer domain upon activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Pflüger
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mathias Gschell
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lin Zhang
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Volodymyr Shnitsar
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Annas J Zabadné
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Paul Zierep
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 9, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Günther
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Str. 9, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Einsle
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, University Freiburg, Schänzlerstr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Susana L A Andrade
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute for Biochemistry, University Freiburg, Albertstr. 21, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, University Freiburg, Schänzlerstr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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3
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Huang M, Shang ZH, Wu MX, Zhang LJ, Zhang YL. Regulation of Rhesus glycoprotein-related genes in large-scale loach Paramisgurnus dabryanus during ammonia loading. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 244:114077. [PMID: 36108439 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.114077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Waterborne ammonia is one of the crucial issues that limited production and animal health in aquaculture. Ammonia-tolerant varieties are highly desired in intensive fish farming. Screening for the key regulatory genes of ammonia tolerance is essential for variety breeding. According to the previous hypothesis, Rh glycoproteins play an important role in ammonia excretion in teleosts. However, the ammonia defensive mechanisms are not well described at present for large-scale loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus), a typical air-breathing and commercially important fish in East Asia. Here we show that the transcription of Rh glycoprotein-related genes was significantly affected by ammonia exposure in this species. Probit analysis showed that 96 h-LC50 of NH4Cl at 23 ℃ and pH 7.2 was 92.64 mmol/L. A significant increase of Rhcg expression in gills was observed after 48 h of 60 mmol/L and 36 h of 80 mmol/L NH4Cl exposure, suggesting that Rhcg present on the apical side of the branchial epithelium facilitates NH3 excretion out of gills. A high concentration of acute ammonia exposure induced elevated Rhbg transcript in the gills of large-scale loaches, while a slight change in Rhbg expression was observed in response to lower ammonia, suggesting that transcriptions of Rhbg genes are activated by a considerably high level of ambient ammonia to eliminate excessive endogenous nitrogen. The Rhag mRNA level in gills of large-scale loaches increased markedly with the prolonging of exposure time from 0 to 36 h of ammonia loading, suggesting Rhag localized in gills may be primarily associated with ammonia handling. During 7-21 days of ammonia exposure, the expression of most Rh glycoproteins-related genes in the gills decreased, indicating that the functional role of Rh glycoproteins is not primarily associated with ammonia defense over a long period (more than 7 days). Although a significant transcript of Rhbg was found in the skin of a large-scale loach, the lack of Rhcg and down-regulation of Rhag may indicate that the skin is not an essential location of ammonia excretion, at least when submerged to high levels of ammonia in the environment. In conclusion, Rh glycoproteins localized in gills as ammonia transporters play a momentous role in ammonia detoxification in this species during acute ammonia loading. However, it does not show a positive function during long-term ammonia exposure. Furthermore, the physiological function of Rh glycoproteins localized in the skin is still unclear and deserves further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, PR China
| | - Ze-Hao Shang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, PR China
| | - Meng-Xiao Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, PR China
| | - Lin-Jiang Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, PR China
| | - Yun-Long Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, PR China.
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4
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Ribas GS, Lopes FF, Deon M, Vargas CR. Hyperammonemia in Inherited Metabolic Diseases. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 42:2593-2610. [PMID: 34665389 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-021-01156-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia is a neurotoxic compound which is detoxified through liver enzymes from urea cycle. Several inherited or acquired conditions can elevate ammonia concentrations in blood, causing severe damage to the central nervous system due to the toxic effects exerted by ammonia on the astrocytes. Therefore, hyperammonemic patients present potentially life-threatening neuropsychiatric symptoms, whose severity is related with the hyperammonemia magnitude and duration, as well as the brain maturation stage. Inherited metabolic diseases caused by enzymatic defects that compromise directly or indirectly the urea cycle activity are the main cause of hyperammonemia in the neonatal period. These diseases are mainly represented by the congenital defects of urea cycle, classical organic acidurias, and the defects of mitochondrial fatty acids oxidation, with hyperammonemia being more severe and frequent in the first two groups mentioned. An effective and rapid treatment of hyperammonemia is crucial to prevent irreversible neurological damage and it depends on the understanding of the pathophysiology of the diseases, as well as of the available therapeutic approaches. In this review, the mechanisms underlying the hyperammonemia and neurological dysfunction in urea cycle disorders, organic acidurias, and fatty acids oxidation defects, as well as the therapeutic strategies for the ammonia control will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziela Schmitt Ribas
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clíınicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90035-003, Brazil.
| | - Franciele Fátima Lopes
- Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clíınicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Marion Deon
- Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clíınicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Carmen Regla Vargas
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clíınicas de Porto Alegre, Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90035-003, Brazil.
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5
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Ye Z, Liu F, Sun H, Barker M, Pitts RJ, Zwiebel LJ. Heterogeneous expression of the ammonium transporter AgAmt in chemosensory appendages of the malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 120:103360. [PMID: 32126276 PMCID: PMC7161093 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia is one of the principal kairomones originating from human and other animal emanations and in that context, plays an essential role in the host-seeking behaviors of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Nevertheless, despite its importance in directing host-seeking, the mechanisms underlying ammonia detection in the mosquito olfactory system remains largely unknown. In addition to ongoing efforts to identify and characterize the molecular receptors that underlie ammonia sensitivity, previous studies have revealed a prominent role for ammonium transporters (Amt) in modulating antennal and behavioral responses in Drosophila melanogaster and An. gambiae. In the former, localization of DmAmt in antennal sensilla to auxiliary cells surrounding the ammonia sensory neurons led to the hypothesis that its role was to clear excess ammonium ions in the sensillar lymph. In the latter, RT-PCR and heterologous expression have been used to examine the expression and functional characteristics of the An. gambiae ammonium transporter, AgAmt. We now employ advanced transgenic tools to comprehensively examine AgAmt spatial localization across the peripheral chemosensory appendages in larvae and adult female An. gambiae. In the larval antennae, AgAmt appears localized in both neuronal and auxiliary cells. In contrast to D. melanogaster, in the adult antennae, AgAmt-derived signals are observed in both non-neuronal auxiliary cells and in sensory neurons in ammonia-responsive basiconic and coeloconic sensilla. In the maxillary palps, labella, and tarsi, AgAmt appears restricted to sensory neurons. We have also characterized the responses to ammonia of adult antennal coeloconic sensilla and maxillary palp capitate pegs revealing a correlation between sensillar AgAmt expression and ammonia sensitivity. Taken together, these data suggest that AgAmt may play heterogeneous roles in the adult and larval chemosensory apparatus and potentially broad utility as a supra-receptor target in mosquito control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Ye
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Huahua Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | | | - R Jason Pitts
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76706, USA
| | - Laurence J Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
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Petkova-Kirova P, Hertz L, Danielczok J, Huisjes R, Makhro A, Bogdanova A, Mañú-Pereira MDM, Vives Corrons JL, van Wijk R, Kaestner L. Red Blood Cell Membrane Conductance in Hereditary Haemolytic Anaemias. Front Physiol 2019; 10:386. [PMID: 31040790 PMCID: PMC6477063 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital haemolytic anaemias are inherited disorders caused by red blood cell membrane and cytoskeletal protein defects, deviant hemoglobin synthesis and metabolic enzyme deficiencies. In many cases, although the causing mutation might be known, the pathophysiology and the connection between the particular mutation and the symptoms of the disease are not completely understood. Thus effective treatment is lagging behind. As in many cases abnormal red blood cell cation content and cation leaks go along with the disease, by direct electrophysiological measurements of the general conductance of red blood cells, we aimed to assess if changes in the membrane conductance could be a possible cause. We recorded whole-cell currents from 29 patients with different types of congenital haemolytic anaemias: 14 with hereditary spherocytosis due to mutations in α-spectrin, β-spectrin, ankyrin and band 3 protein; 6 patients with hereditary xerocytosis due to mutations in Piezo1; 6 patients with enzymatic disorders (3 patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, 1 patient with pyruvate kinase deficiency, 1 patient with glutamate-cysteine ligase deficiency and 1 patient with glutathione reductase deficiency), 1 patient with β-thalassemia and 2 patients, carriers of several mutations and a complex genotype. While the patients with β-thalassemia and metabolic enzyme deficiencies showed no changes in their membrane conductance, the patients with hereditary spherocytosis and hereditary xerocytosis showed largely variable results depending on the underlying mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Hertz
- Theoretical Medicine and Biosciences, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.,Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jens Danielczok
- Theoretical Medicine and Biosciences, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Rick Huisjes
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Haematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Asya Makhro
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Bogdanova
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Joan-Lluis Vives Corrons
- Red Blood Cell Defects and Hematopoietic Disorders Unit, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Richard van Wijk
- Department of Clinical Chemistry & Haematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Lars Kaestner
- Theoretical Medicine and Biosciences, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.,Experimental Physics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
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7
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Wang W, Lu H, Lu X, Wang D, Wang Z, Dai W, Wang J, Liu P. Effect of tumor necrosis factor-α on the expression of the ammonia transporter Rhcg in the brain in mice with acute liver failure. J Neuroinflammation 2018; 15:234. [PMID: 30134917 PMCID: PMC6106833 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-018-1264-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ammonia and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) play important roles in the mechanisms of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Rhesus glycoprotein C (Rhcg) is important for ammonia transport especially in the kidney. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of Rhcg in the brain in acute liver failure (ALF) and the effect of TNF-α on Rhcg expression. METHODS ALF mouse models were generated by treatment with D-galactosamine (D-GalN) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or D-GalN and TNF-α. ALF induction was blocked by pretreatment with anti-TNF-α IgG. The levels of serum TNF-α were determined by ELISA. Blood ammonia and brain ammonia concentrations were detected using an ammonia assay kit. The expression and distribution of Rhcg in the brain tissues of ALF mice were examined by western blotting, real-time PCR, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence analyses. RESULTS Serum TNF-α levels were increased in the LPS/D-GalN group. Blood and brain ammonia were increased in the LPS/D-GalN- and TNF-α/D-GalN-induced ALF groups. Rhcg mRNA and protein levels were elevated in both ALF groups, consistent with the increase in blood and brain ammonia. Rhcg was mainly expressed in vascular endothelial cells and astrocytes. Pretreatment with anti-TNF-α IgG antibody downregulated Rhcg in brain tissues in the LPS/D-GalN group, prevented the occurrence of ALF, and reduced blood and brain ammonia levels in the LPS/D-GalN group. CONCLUSION TNF-α promoted the transport of ammonia from the blood to brain tissues and exacerbated the toxic effects of ammonia by upregulating Rhcg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Lu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Donglei Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaohan Wang
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenying Dai
- Department of Intervention, the Sixth People's Hospital of Shenyang, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinyong Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei Liu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China. .,The Institute of Liver Diseases of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
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8
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Chng YR, Ong JLY, Ching B, Chen XL, Hiong KC, Wong WP, Chew SF, Lam SH, Ip YK. Molecular characterization of three Rhesus glycoproteins from the gills of the African lungfish, Protopterus annectens, and effects of aestivation on their mRNA expression levels and protein abundance. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185814. [PMID: 29073147 PMCID: PMC5657625 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
African lungfishes are ammonotelic in water. They can aestivate for long periods on land during drought. During aestivation, the gills are covered with dried mucus and ammonia excretion ceases. In fishes, ammonia excretion through the gills involves Rhesus glycoproteins (RhGP/Rhgp). This study aimed to obtain the complete cDNA coding sequences of rhgp from the gills of Protopterus annectens, and to determine their branchial mRNA and protein expression levels during the induction, maintenance and arousal phases of aestivation. Three isoforms of rhgp (rhag, rhbg and rhcg) were obtained in the gills of P. annectens. Their complete cDNA coding sequences ranged between 1311 and 1398 bp, coding for 436 to 465 amino acids with estimated molecular masses between 46.8 and 50.9 kDa. Dendrogramic analyses indicated that Rhag was grouped closer to fishes, while Rhbg and Rhcg were grouped closer to tetrapods. During the induction phase, the protein abundance of Rhag, but not its transcript level, was down-regulated in the gills, suggesting that there could be a decrease in the release of ammonia from the erythrocytes to the plasma. Furthermore, the branchial transcript levels of rhbg and rhcg decreased significantly, in preparation for the subsequent shutdown of gill functions. During the maintenance phase, the branchial expression levels of rhag/Rhag, rhbg/Rhbg and rhcg/Rhcg decreased significantly, indicating that their transcription and translation were down-regulated. This could be part of an overall mechanism to shut down branchial functions and save metabolic energy used for transcription and translation. It could also be regarded as an adaptive response to stop ammonia excretion. During the arousal phase, it is essential for the lungfish to regain the ability to excrete ammonia. Indeed, the protein abundance of Rhag, Rhbg and Rhcg recovered to the corresponding control levels after 1 day or 3 days of recovery from 6 months of aestivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- You R. Chng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jasmine L. Y. Ong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Biyun Ching
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xiu L. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kum C. Hiong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wai P. Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shit F. Chew
- Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Siew H. Lam
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yuen K. Ip
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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9
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Dasarathy S, Mookerjee RP, Rackayova V, Rangroo Thrane V, Vairappan B, Ott P, Rose CF. Ammonia toxicity: from head to toe? Metab Brain Dis 2017; 32:529-538. [PMID: 28012068 PMCID: PMC8839071 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-016-9938-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia is diffused and transported across all plasma membranes. This entails that hyperammonemia leads to an increase in ammonia in all organs and tissues. It is known that the toxic ramifications of ammonia primarily touch the brain and cause neurological impairment. However, the deleterious effects of ammonia are not specific to the brain, as the direct effect of increased ammonia (change in pH, membrane potential, metabolism) can occur in any type of cell. Therefore, in the setting of chronic liver disease where multi-organ dysfunction is common, the role of ammonia, only as neurotoxin, is challenged. This review provides insights and evidence that increased ammonia can disturb many organ and cell types and hence lead to dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasan Dasarathy
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Pathobiology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rajeshwar P Mookerjee
- Liver Failure Group, UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, UCL Medical School, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Veronika Rackayova
- Laboratory of Functional and Metabolic Imaging, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Vinita Rangroo Thrane
- Department of Ophthalmology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
- Division of Glial Disease and Therapeutics, Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Balasubramaniyan Vairappan
- Department of Biochemistry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Dhanvantri Nagar, Pondicherry, India
| | - Peter Ott
- Department of Medicine V (Hepatology and Gastroenterology), Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Christopher F Rose
- Hepato-Neuro Laboratory, CRCHUM, Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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10
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Yeam CT, Chng YR, Ong JLY, Wong WP, Chew SF, Ip YK. Molecular characterization of two Rhesus glycoproteins from the euryhaline freshwater white-rimmed stingray, Himantura signifer, and changes in their transcript levels and protein abundance in the gills, kidney, and liver during brackish water acclimation. J Comp Physiol B 2017; 187:911-929. [PMID: 28324156 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-017-1067-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Himantura signifer is a freshwater stingray which inhabits rivers in Southeast Asia. It is ammonotelic in fresh water, but retains the capacities of urea synthesis and ureosmotic osmoregulation to survive in brackish water. This study aimed to elucidate the roles of Rhesus glycoproteins (Rhgp), which are known to transport ammonia, in conserving nitrogen (N) in H. signifer during brackish water acclimation when N became limited resulting from increased hepatic urea synthesis. The complete coding sequence of rhbg from H. signifer consisted of 1383 bp, encoding 460 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 50.5 kDa, while that of rhcg comprised 1395 bp, encoding for 464 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 50.8 kDa. The deduced amino sequences of Rhbg and Rhcg contained ammonia binding sites, which could recruit NH4+ to be deprotonated, and a hydrophobic pore with two histidine residues, which could mediate the transport of NH3. Our results indicated for the first time that brackish water acclimation resulted in significant decreases in the expression levels of rhbg/Rhbg and rhcg/Rhcg in the gills of H. signifer, which offered a mechanistic explanation of brackish water-related decreased ammonia excretion reported elsewhere. Furthermore, rhbg/Rhbg expression levels increased significantly in the liver of H. signifer during brackish water acclimation, indicating that the ammonia produced by extra-hepatic tissues and released into the blood could be channeled into the liver for increased urea synthesis. Overall, these results lend support to the proposition that H. signifer becomes N-limited upon utilizing urea as an osmolyte in brackish water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng T Yeam
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - You R Chng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Jasmine L Y Ong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Wai P Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Shit F Chew
- Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore
| | - Yuen K Ip
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 117543, Singapore. .,The Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 119227, Singapore.
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11
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Badens C, Guizouarn H. Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of the red cell volume disorders. Br J Haematol 2016; 174:674-85. [PMID: 27353637 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.14197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Genetic defects of erythrocyte transport proteins cause disorders of red blood cell volume that are characterized by abnormal permeability to the cations Na(+) and K(+) and, consequently, by changes in red cell hydration. Clinically, these disorders are associated with chronic haemolytic anaemia of variable severity and significant co-morbidities, such as iron overload. This review provides an overview of recent insights into the molecular basis of this group of rare anaemias involving cation channels and transporters dysfunction. To date, a total of 5 different membrane proteins have been reported to be responsible for volume homeostasis alteration when mutated, 3 of them leading to overhydrated cells (AE1 [also termed SLC4A1], RHAG and GLUT1 [also termed SCL2A1) and 2 others to dehydrated cells (PIEZO1 and the Gardos Channel). These findings are not only of basic scientific interest, but also of direct clinical significance for improving diagnostic procedures and identify potential approaches for novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Badens
- APHM Department of Medical Genetics, Hôpital de la Timone, Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, GMGF, Marseille, France
| | - Hélène Guizouarn
- Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, 06100 Nice, France
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12
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Geyer RR, Parker MD, Toye AM, Boron WF, Musa-Aziz R. Relative CO₂/NH₃ permeabilities of human RhAG, RhBG and RhCG. J Membr Biol 2014; 246:915-26. [PMID: 24077989 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-013-9593-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian glycosylated rhesus (Rh) proteins include the erythroid RhAG and the nonerythroid RhBG and RhCG. RhBG and RhCG are expressed in multiple tissues, including hepatocytes and the collecting duct (CD) of the kidney. Here, we expressed human RhAG, RhBG and RhCG in Xenopus oocytes (vs. H2O-injected control oocytes) and used microelectrodes to monitor the maximum transient change in surface pH (DpHS) caused by exposing the same oocyte to 5 % CO₂/33 mM HCO₃⁻ (an increase) or 0.5 mM NH₃/NH₄⁺ (a decrease). Subtracting the respective values for day-matched, H₂O-injected control oocytes yielded channel-specific values (*). (ΔpH*(S))(CO₂) and (-ΔpH*(S))(NH₃) were each significantly >0 for all channels, indicating that RhBG and RhCG--like RhAG--can carry CO₂ and NH₃. We also investigated the role of a conserved aspartate residue, which was reported to inhibit NH₃ transport. However, surface biotinylation experiments indicate the mutants RhBG(D178N) and RhCG(D177N) have at most a very low abundance in the oocyte plasma membrane. We demonstrate for the first time that RhBG and RhCG--like RhAG--have significant CO₂ permeability, and we confirm that RhAG, RhBG and RhCG all have significant NH₃ permeability. However, as evidenced by (ΔpH*(S))(CO₂)/ (-ΔpH*(S))(NH₃) values, we could not distinguish among the CO₂/ NH₃ permeability ratios for RhAG, RhBG and RhCG. Finally, we propose a mechanism whereby RhBG and RhCG contribute to acid secretion in the CD by enhancing the transport of not only NH₃ but also CO₂ across the membranes of CD cells.
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13
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Nakhoul NL, Lee Hamm L. The challenge of determining the role of Rh glycoproteins in transport of NH3and NH4+. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/wmts.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nazih L. Nakhoul
- Department of Physiology; Tulane University Medical School; New Orleans LA USA
- Department of Medicine, Section of Nephrology; Tulane University Medical School; New Orleans LA USA
| | - L. Lee Hamm
- Department of Medicine, Section of Nephrology; Tulane University Medical School; New Orleans LA USA
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14
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Chew SF, Ip YK. Excretory nitrogen metabolism and defence against ammonia toxicity in air-breathing fishes. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2014; 84:603-38. [PMID: 24438022 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
With the development of air-breathing capabilities, some fishes can emerge from water, make excursions onto land or even burrow into mud during droughts. Air-breathing fishes have modified gill morphology and morphometry and accessory breathing organs, which would tend to reduce branchial ammonia excretion. As ammonia is toxic, air-breathing fishes, especially amphibious ones, are equipped with various strategies to ameliorate ammonia toxicity during emersion or ammonia exposure. These strategies can be categorized into (1) enhancement of ammonia excretion and reduction of ammonia entry, (2) conversion of ammonia to a less toxic product for accumulation and subsequent excretion, (3) reduction of ammonia production and avoidance of ammonia accumulation and (4) tolerance of ammonia at cellular and tissue levels. Active ammonia excretion, operating in conjunction with lowering of ambient pH and reduction in branchial and cutaneous NH₃ permeability, is theoretically the most effective strategy to maintain low internal ammonia concentrations. NH₃ volatilization involves the alkalization of certain epithelial surfaces and requires mechanisms to prevent NH₃ back flux. Urea synthesis is an energy-intensive process and hence uncommon among air-breathing teleosts. Aestivating African lungfishes detoxify ammonia to urea and the accumulated urea is excreted following arousal. Reduction in ammonia production is achieved in some air-breathing fishes through suppression of amino acid catabolism and proteolysis, or through partial amino acid catabolism leading to alanine formation. Others can slow down ammonia accumulation through increased glutamine synthesis in the liver and muscle. Yet, some others develop high tolerance of ammonia at cellular and tissue levels, including tissues in the brain. In summary, the responses of air-breathing fishes to ameliorate ammonia toxicity are many and varied, determined by the behaviour of the species and the nature of the environment in which it lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Chew
- Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616, Republic of Singapore
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15
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Sturgeon JP, Shawcross DL. Recent insights into the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy and treatments. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2014; 8:83-100. [PMID: 24236755 DOI: 10.1586/17474124.2014.858598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) encompasses a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders related to liver failure. The development of HE can have a profound impact on mortality as well as quality of life for patients and carers. Ammonia is central in the disease process contributing to alteration in neurotransmission, oxidative stress, and cerebral edema and astrocyte swelling in acute liver failure. Inflammation in the presence of ammonia coactively worsens HE. Inflammation can result from hyperammonemic responses, endotoxemia, innate immune dysfunction or concurrent infection. This review summarizes the current processes implicated in the pathogenesis of HE, as well as current and potential treatments. Treatments currently focus on reducing inflammation and/or blood ammonia levels and provide varying degrees of success. Optimization of current treatments and initial testing of novel therapies will provide the basis of improvement of care in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Sturgeon
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College London School of Medicine at King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, UK
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16
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Characteristics of mammalian Rh glycoproteins (SLC42 transporters) and their role in acid-base transport. Mol Aspects Med 2013; 34:629-37. [PMID: 23506896 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2012.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2012] [Accepted: 04/16/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian Rh glycoproteins belong to the solute transporter family SLC42 and include RhAG, present in red blood cells, and two non-erythroid members RhBG and RhCG that are expressed in various tissues, including kidney, liver, skin and the GI tract. The Rh proteins in the red blood cell form an "Rh complex" made up of one D-subunit, one CE-subunit and two RhAG subunits. The Rh complex has a well-known antigenic effect but also contributes to the stability of the red cell membrane. RhBG and RhCG are related to the NH4(+) transporters of the yeast and bacteria but their exact function is yet to be determined. This review describes the expression and molecular properties of these membrane proteins and their potential role as NH3/NH4(+) and CO2 transporters. The likelihood that these proteins transport gases such as CO2 or NH3 is novel and significant. The review also describes the physiological importance of these proteins and their relevance to human disease.
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17
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Wang J, Yang H, Zuo Z, Yan X, Wang Y, Luo X, Jiang H, Chen K, Zhu W. Molecular Dynamics Simulations on the Mechanism of Transporting Methylamine and Ammonia by Ammonium Transporter AmtB. J Phys Chem B 2010; 114:15172-9. [DOI: 10.1021/jp104508k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jinan Wang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Huaiyu Yang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Zhili Zuo
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xiuhua Yan
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Xiaomin Luo
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Hualiang Jiang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Kaixian Chen
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Weiliang Zhu
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai, 201203, China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth WA 6485, Australia, and School of Science, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
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18
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Ip YK, Chew SF. Ammonia production, excretion, toxicity, and defense in fish: a review. Front Physiol 2010; 1:134. [PMID: 21423375 PMCID: PMC3059970 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2010.00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2010] [Accepted: 09/06/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many fishes are ammonotelic but some species can detoxify ammonia to glutamine or urea. Certain fish species can accumulate high levels of ammonia in the brain or defense against ammonia toxicity by enhancing the effectiveness of ammonia excretion through active NH4+transport, manipulation of ambient pH, or reduction in ammonia permeability through the branchial and cutaneous epithelia. Recent reports on ammonia toxicity in mammalian brain reveal the importance of permeation of ammonia through the blood-brain barrier and passages of ammonia and water through transporters in the plasmalemma of brain cells. Additionally, brain ammonia toxicity could be related to the passage of glutamine through the mitochondrial membranes into the mitochondrial matrix. On the other hand, recent reports on ammonia excretion in fish confirm the involvement of Rhesus glycoproteins in the branchial and cutaneous epithelia. Therefore, this review focuses on both the earlier literature and the up-to-date information on the problems and mechanisms concerning the permeation of ammonia, as NH(3), NH4+ or proton-neutral nitrogenous compounds, across mitochondrial membranes, the blood-brain barrier, the plasmalemma of neurons, and the branchial and cutaneous epithelia of fish. It also addresses how certain fishes with high ammonia tolerance defend against ammonia toxicity through the regulation of the permeation of ammonia and related nitrogenous compounds through various types of membranes. It is hoped that this review would revive the interests in investigations on the passage of ammonia through the mitochondrial membranes and the blood-brain barrier of ammonotelic fishes and fishes with high brain ammonia tolerance, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen K Ip
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
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19
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Abstract
The traditional dogma has been that all gases diffuse through all membranes simply by dissolving in the lipid phase of the membrane. Although this mechanism may explain how most gases move through most membranes, it is now clear that some membranes have no demonstrable gas permeability, and that at least two families of membrane proteins, the aquaporins (AQPs) and the Rhesus (Rh) proteins, can each serve as pathways for the diffusion of both CO2 and NH3. The knockout of RhCG in the renal collecting duct leads to the predicted consequences in acid–base physiology, providing a clear-cut role for at least one gas channel in the normal physiology of mammals. In our laboratory, we have found that surface-pH (pHS) transients provide a sensitive approach for detecting CO2 and NH3 movement across the cell membranes of Xenopus oocytes. Using this approach, we have found that each tested AQP and Rh protein has its own characteristic CO2/NH3 permeability ratio, which provides the first demonstration of gas selectivity by a channel. Our preliminary AQP1 data suggest that all the NH3 and less than half of the CO2 move along with H2O through the four monomeric aquapores. The majority of CO2 takes an alternative route through AQP1, possibly the central pore at the four-fold axis of symmetry. Preliminary data with two Rh proteins, bacterial AmtB and human erythroid RhAG, suggest a similar story, with all the NH3 moving through the three monomeric NH3 pores and the CO2 taking a separate route, perhaps the central pore at the three-fold axis of symmetry. The movement of different gases via different pathways is likely to underlie the gas selectivity that these channels exhibit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter F Boron
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106-4970, USA.
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20
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Lamoureux G, Javelle A, Baday S, Wang S, Bernèche S. Transport mechanisms in the ammonium transporter family. Transfus Clin Biol 2010; 17:168-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tracli.2010.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2010] [Accepted: 06/14/2010] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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21
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Rose CF. Increase brain lactate in hepatic encephalopathy: cause or consequence? Neurochem Int 2010; 57:389-94. [PMID: 20600436 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2010.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2010] [Revised: 06/16/2010] [Accepted: 06/17/2010] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome which develops as a result of liver failure or disease. Increased concentrations of brain lactate (microdialysate, cerebrospinal fluid, tissue) are commonly measured in patients with HE induced by either acute or chronic liver failure. Whether an increase in brain lactate is a cause or a consequence of HE remains undetermined. A rise in cerebral lactate may occur due to (1) blood-borne lactate (hyperlactataemia) crossing the blood-brain barrier, (2) increased glycolysis due to energy failure or impairment and (3) increased lactate production/release or decreased lactate utilization/uptake. This review explores the different reasons for lactate accumulation in the brain during liver failure and describes the possible roles of lactate in the pathogenesis of HE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher F Rose
- Neuroscience Research Unit, CRCHUM, Hôpital Saint-Luc, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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22
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Nakhoul NL, Abdulnour-Nakhoul SM, Boulpaep EL, Rabon E, Schmidt E, Hamm LL. Substrate specificity of Rhbg: ammonium and methyl ammonium transport. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2010; 299:C695-705. [PMID: 20592240 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00019.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Rhbg is a nonerythroid membrane glycoprotein belonging to the Rh antigen family. In the kidney, Rhbg is expressed at the basolateral membrane of intercalated cells of the distal nephron and is involved in NH4+ transport. We investigated the substrate specificity of Rhbg by comparing transport of NH3/NH4+ with that of methyl amine (hydrochloride) (MA/MA+), often used to replace NH3/NH4+, in oocytes expressing Rhbg. Methyl amine (HCl) in solution exists as neutral methyl amine (MA) in equilibrium with the protonated methyl ammonium (MA+). To assess transport, we used ion-selective microelectrodes and voltage-clamp experiments to measure NH3/NH4+- and MA/MA+-induced intracellular pH (pH(i)) changes and whole cell currents. Our data showed that in Rhbg oocytes, NH3/NH4+ caused an inward current and decrease in pH(i) consistent with electrogenic NH4+ transport. These changes were significantly larger than in H2O-injected oocytes. The NH3/NH4+-induced current was not inhibited in the presence of barium or in the absence of Na+. In Rhbg oocytes, MA/MA+ caused an inward current but an increase (rather than a decrease) in pH(i). MA/MA+ did not cause any changes in H2O-injected oocytes. The MA/MA+-induced current and pH(i) increase were saturated at higher concentrations of MA/MA+. Amiloride inhibited MA/MA+-induced current and the increase in pH(i) in oocytes expressing Rhbg but had no effect on control oocytes. These results indicate that MA/MA+ is transported by Rhbg but differently than NH3/NH4+. The protonated MA+ is likely a direct substrate whose transport resembles that of NH4+. Transport of electroneutral MA is also enhanced by expression of Rhbg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazih L Nakhoul
- Dept. of Medicine, Section of Nephrology, SL-45, Tulane Univ. School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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23
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Gruswitz F, Chaudhary S, Ho JD, Schlessinger A, Pezeshki B, Ho CM, Sali A, Westhoff CM, Stroud RM. Function of human Rh based on structure of RhCG at 2.1 A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:9638-43. [PMID: 20457942 PMCID: PMC2906887 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1003587107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, NH(3) transport across cell membranes is facilitated by the Rh (rhesus) family of proteins. Human Rh C glycoprotein (RhCG) forms a trimeric complex that plays an essential role in ammonia excretion and renal pH regulation. The X-ray crystallographic structure of human RhCG, determined at 2.1 A resolution, reveals the mechanism of ammonia transport. Each monomer contains 12 transmembrane helices, one more than in the bacterial homologs. Reconstituted into proteoliposomes, RhCG conducts NH(3) to raise internal pH. Models of the erythrocyte Rh complex based on our RhCG structure suggest that the erythrocytic Rh complex is composed of stochastically assembled heterotrimers of RhAG, RhD, and RhCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Gruswitz
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, S412C Genentech Hall
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Membrane Protein Expression Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Sarika Chaudhary
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, S412C Genentech Hall
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Membrane Protein Expression Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Joseph D. Ho
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, S412C Genentech Hall
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Membrane Protein Expression Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Avner Schlessinger
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences, 503B Byers Hall, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158; and
| | - Bobak Pezeshki
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, S412C Genentech Hall
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Membrane Protein Expression Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Chi-Min Ho
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, S412C Genentech Hall
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Membrane Protein Expression Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Andrej Sali
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences, 503B Byers Hall, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158; and
| | - Connie M. Westhoff
- American Red Cross, and Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19123
| | - Robert M. Stroud
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, S412C Genentech Hall
- Center for the Structure of Membrane Proteins, and
- Membrane Protein Expression Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158
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24
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Ammonium ion transport by the AMT/Rh homolog TaAMT1;1 is stimulated by acidic pH. Pflugers Arch 2009; 458:733-43. [DOI: 10.1007/s00424-009-0665-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2009] [Revised: 03/09/2009] [Accepted: 03/12/2009] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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25
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Bosoi CR, Rose CF. Identifying the direct effects of ammonia on the brain. Metab Brain Dis 2009; 24:95-102. [PMID: 19104924 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-008-9112-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2008] [Accepted: 10/28/2008] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Elevated concentrations of ammonia in the brain as a result of hyperammonemia leads to cerebral dysfunction involving a spectrum of neuropsychiatric and neurological symptoms (impaired memory, shortened attention span, sleep-wake inversions, brain edema, intracranial hypertension, seizures, ataxia and coma). Many studies have demonstrated ammonia as a major player involved in the neuropathophysiology associated with liver failure and inherited urea cycle enzyme disorders. Ammonia in solution is composed of a gas (NH(3)) and an ionic (NH(4) (+)) component which are both capable of crossing plasma membranes through diffusion, channels and transport mechanisms and as a result have a direct effect on pH. Furthermore, NH(4) (+) has similar properties as K(+) and, therefore, competes with K(+) on K(+) transporters and channels resulting in a direct effect on membrane potential. Ammonia is also a product as well as a substrate for many different biochemical reactions and consequently, an increase in brain ammonia accompanies disturbances in cerebral metabolism. These direct effects of elevated ammonia concentrations on the brain will lead to a cascade of secondary effects and encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina R Bosoi
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Hôpital Saint-Luc (CRCHUM), Université de Montreal, 264, boulevard René Lévesque Est, H2X 1P1, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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26
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Musa-Aziz R, Jiang L, Chen LM, Behar KL, Boron WF. Concentration-dependent effects on intracellular and surface pH of exposing Xenopus oocytes to solutions containing NH3/NH4(+). J Membr Biol 2009; 228:15-31. [PMID: 19242745 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-009-9155-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2008] [Accepted: 01/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Others have shown that exposing oocytes to high levels of NH(3)/NH(4)(+) (10-20 mM) causes a paradoxical fall in intracellular pH (pH(i)), whereas low levels (e.g., 0.5 mM) cause little pH(i) change. Here we monitored pH(i) and extracellular surface pH (pH(S)) while exposing oocytes to 5 or 0.5 mM NH(3)/NH(4)(+). We confirm that 5 mM NH(3)/NH(4)(+) causes a paradoxical pH(i) fall (-DeltapH(i) approximately equal 0.2), but also observe an abrupt pH(S) fall (-DeltapH(S) approximately equal 0.2)-indicative of NH(3) influx-followed by a slow decay. Reducing [NH(3)/NH(4)(+)] to 0.5 mM minimizes pH(i) changes but maintains pH(S) changes at a reduced magnitude. Expressing AmtB (bacterial Rh homologue) exaggerates -DeltapH(S) at both NH(3)/NH(4)(+) levels. During removal of 0.5 or 5 mM NH(3)/NH(4)(+), failure of pH(S) to markedly overshoot bulk extracellular pH implies little NH(3) efflux and, thus, little free cytosolic NH(3)/NH(4)(+). A new analysis of the effects of NH(3) vs. NH(4)(+) fluxes on pH(S) and pH(i) indicates that (a) NH(3) rather than NH(4)(+) fluxes dominate pH(i) and pH(S) changes and (b) oocytes dispose of most incoming NH(3). NMR studies of oocytes exposed to (15)N-labeled NH(3)/NH(4)(+) show no significant formation of glutamine but substantial NH(3)/NH(4)(+) accumulation in what is likely an acid intracellular compartment. In conclusion, parallel measurements of pH(i) and pH(S) demonstrate that NH(3) flows across the plasma membrane and provide new insights into how a protein molecule in the plasma membrane-AmtB-enhances the flux of a gas across a biological membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raif Musa-Aziz
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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Regulation of ammonia homeostasis by the ammonium transporter AmtA in Dictyostelium discoideum. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2007; 6:2419-28. [PMID: 17951519 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00204-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ammonia has been shown to function as a morphogen at multiple steps during the development of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum; however, it is largely unknown how intracellular ammonia levels are controlled. In the Dictyostelium genome, there are five genes that encode putative ammonium transporters: amtA, amtB, amtC, rhgA, and rhgB. Here, we show that AmtA regulates ammonia homeostasis during growth and development. We found that cells lacking amtA had increased levels of ammonia/ammonium, whereas their extracellular ammonia/ammonium levels were highly decreased. These results suggest that AmtA mediates the excretion of ammonium. In support of a role for AmtA in ammonia homeostasis, AmtA mRNA is expressed throughout the life cycle, and its expression level increases during development. Importantly, AmtA-mediated ammonia homeostasis is critical for many developmental processes. amtA(-) cells are more sensitive to NH(4)Cl than wild-type cells in inhibition of chemotaxis toward cyclic AMP and of formation of multicellular aggregates. Furthermore, even in the absence of exogenously added ammonia, we found that amtA(-) cells produced many small fruiting bodies and that the viability and germination of amtA(-) spores were dramatically compromised. Taken together, our data clearly demonstrate that AmtA regulates ammonia homeostasis and plays important roles in multiple developmental processes in Dictyostelium.
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Nawata CM, Hung CCY, Tsui TKN, Wilson JM, Wright PA, Wood CM. Ammonia excretion in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): evidence for Rh glycoprotein and H+-ATPase involvement. Physiol Genomics 2007; 31:463-74. [PMID: 17712040 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00061.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Branchial ammonia transport in freshwater teleosts is not well understood. Most studies conclude that NH(3) diffuses out of the gill and becomes protonated to NH(4)(+) in an acidified gill boundary layer. Rhesus (Rh) proteins are new members of the ammonia transporter superfamily and rainbow trout possess genes encoding for Rh30-like1 and Rhcg2. We identified seven additional full-length trout Rh cDNA sequences: one Rhag and two each of Rhbg, Rhcg1, and Rh30-like. The mRNA expression of Rhbg, Rhcg1, and Rhcg2 was examined in trout tissues (blood, brain, eye, gill, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, muscle, skin, spleen) exposed to high external ammonia (HEA; 1.5 mmol/l NH(4)HCO(3), pH 7.95, 15 degrees C). Rhbg was expressed in all tissues, Rhcg1 was expressed in brain, gill, liver, and skin, and Rhcg2 was expressed in gill and skin. Brain Rhbg and Rhcg1 were downregulated, blood Rh30-like and Rhag were downregulated, and skin Rhbg and Rhcg2 were upregulated with HEA. After an initial uptake of ammonia into the fish during HEA, excretion was reestablished, coinciding with upregulations of gill Rh mRNA in the pavement cell fraction: Rhcg2 at 12 and 48 h, and Rhbg at 48 h. NHE2 expression remained unchanged, but upregulated H(+)-ATPase (V-type, B-subunit) and downregulated carbonic anhydrase (CA2) expression and activity were noted in the gill and again expression changes occurred in pavement cells, and not in mitochondria-rich cells. Together, these results indicate Rh glycoprotein involvement in ammonia transport and excretion in the rainbow trout while underscoring the significance of gill boundary layer acidification by H(+)-ATPase.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Michele Nawata
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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29
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Abstract
The brain ammonium production is detoxified by astrocytes, the gut ammonium production is detoxified by hepatic cells, and the renal ammonium production plays a major role in renal acid excretion. As a result of ammonium handling in these organs, the ammonium and pH values are strictly regulated in plasma. Up until recently, it was accepted that mammalian cell transmembrane ammonium transport was due to NH(4)(+) transport by non-specific transporting systems, and to non-ionic NH(3) diffusion, whereas lower organisms (such as bacteria, yeasts and plants) were endowed with specific ammonium transporters (Amts). Sequence homologies between Amts and human Rhesus (Rh) glycoproteins (RhAG, from erythroid cells, and RhBG and RhCG from epithelial cells) raised the hypothesis that Rh glycoproteins act as specific ammonium transporters, further sustained by the polarized distribution of RhBG and RhCG in gut, kidney and liver. Results from functional studies agree that Rh glycoproteins are the first ammonium transporters reported in mammals. However, the nature of the transported specie(s) is much debated: in particular, it is proposed that Rh glycoproteins mediate a direct NH(3) transport, or that they mediate an indirect NH(3) transport (resulting from NH(4)(+) for H(+) exchange). Direct NH(3) transport (associated or not with NH(4)(+) transport) raises the exciting hypothesis that Rh glycoproteins may also transport other gases than NH(3) (namely, CO(2)).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Planelles
- Inserm, U806 et Université Paris Descartes, Faculté de Médecine René Descartes, Paris, France.
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