Na+/Ca2+ exchanger overexpression impairs calcium signaling in fibroblasts: inhibition of the [Ca2+] increase at the cell periphery and retardation of cell adhesion

BRAF and NRAS mutated melanoma: Different Ca2+ responses, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger expression, and sensitivity to inhibitors

Calcium is a ubiquitous intracellular second messenger, playing central roles in the regulation of several biological processes. Alterations in Ca²⁺ homeostasis and signaling are an important feature of tumor cells to acquire proliferative and survival advantages, which include structural and functional changes in storage capacity, channels, and pumps. Here, we investigated the differences in Ca²⁺ homeostasis in vemurafenib-responsive and non-responsive melanoma cells. Also, the expression of the Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX) and the impact of its inhibition were studied. For this, it was used B-RAF^V600E and NRAS^Q61R-mutated human melanoma cells. The intracellular Ca²⁺ chelator BAPTA-AM decreased the viability of SK-MEL-147 but not of SK-MEL-19 and EGTA sensitized NRAS^Q61R-mutated cells to vemurafenib. These cells also presented a smaller response to thapsargin and ionomycin regarding the cytosolic Ca²⁺ levels in relation to SK-MEL-19, which was associated to an increased expression of NCX1, NO basal levels, and sensitivity to NCX inhibitors. These data highlight the differences between B-RAF^V600E and NRAS^Q61R-mutated melanoma cells in response to Ca²⁺ stimuli and point to the potential combination of clinically used chemotherapeutic drugs, including vemurafenib, with NCX inhibitors as a new therapeutic strategy to the treatment of melanoma.

Pharmacological characterization of the newly synthesized 5-amino-N-butyl-2-(4-ethoxyphenoxy)-benzamide hydrochloride (BED) as a potent NCX3 inhibitor that worsens anoxic injury in cortical neurons, organotypic hippocampal cultures, and ischemic brain

The Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX), a 10-transmembrane domain protein mainly involved in the regulation of intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis, plays a crucial role in cerebral ischemia. In the present paper, we characterized the effect of the newly synthesized compound 5-amino-N-butyl-2-(4-ethoxyphenoxy)-benzamide hydrochloride (BED) on the activity of the three NCX isoforms and on the evolution of cerebral ischemia. BED inhibited NCX isoform 3 (NCX3) activity (IC50 = 1.9 nM) recorded with the help of single-cell microflorimetry, (45)Ca(2+) radiotracer fluxes, and patch-clamp in whole-cell configuration. Furthermore, this drug displayed negligible effect on NCX2, the other isoform expressed within the CNS, and it failed to modulate the ubiquitously expressed NCX1 isoform. Concerning the molecular site of action, the use of chimera strategy and deletion mutagenesis showed that α1 and α2 repeats of NCX3 represented relevant molecular determinants for BED inhibitory action, whereas the intracellular regulatory f-loop was not involved. At 10 nM, BED worsened the damage induced by oxygen/glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by reoxygenation in cortical neurons through a dysregulation of [Ca(2+)]i. Furthermore, at the same concentration, BED significantly enhanced cell death in CA3 subregion of hippocampal organotypic slices exposed to OGD and aggravated infarct injury after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in mice. These results showed that the newly synthesized 5-amino-N-butyl-2-(4-ethoxyphenoxy)-benzamide hydrochloride is one of the most potent inhibitor of NCX3 so far identified, representing an useful tool to dissect the role played by NCX3 in the control of Ca(2+) homeostasis under physiological and pathological conditions.

Neurounina-1, a novel compound that increases Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activity, effectively protects against stroke damage

Previous studies have demonstrated that the knockdown or knockout of the three Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) isoforms, NCX1, NCX2, and NCX3, worsens ischemic brain damage. This suggests that the activation of these antiporters exerts a neuroprotective action against stroke damage. However, drugs able to increase the activity of NCXs are not yet available. We have here succeeded in synthesizing a new compound, named neurounina-1 (7-nitro-5-phenyl-1-(pyrrolidin-1-ylmethyl)-1H-benzo[e][1,4]diazepin-2(3H)-one), provided with an high lipophilicity index and able to increase NCX activity. Ca(2+) radiotracer, Fura-2 microfluorimetry, and patch-clamp techniques revealed that neurounina-1 stimulated NCX1 and NCX2 activities with an EC(50) in the picomolar to low nanomolar range, whereas it did not affect NCX3 activity. Furthermore, by using chimera strategy and site-directed mutagenesis, three specific molecular determinants of NCX1 responsible for neurounina-1 activity were identified in the α-repeats. Interestingly, NCX3 became responsive to neurounina-1 when both α-repeats were replaced with the corresponding regions of NCX1. In vitro studies showed that 10 nM neurounina-1 reduced cell death of primary cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation followed by reoxygenation. Moreover, in vitro, neurounina-1 also reduced γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) release, enhanced GABA(A) currents, and inhibited both glutamate release and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. More important, neurounina-1 proved to have a wide therapeutic window in vivo. Indeed, when administered at doses of 0.003 to 30 μg/kg i.p., it was able to reduce the infarct volume of mice subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion even up to 3 to 5 hours after stroke onset. Collectively, the present study shows that neurounina-1 exerts a remarkable neuroprotective effect during stroke and increases NCX1 and NCX2 activities.

Involvement of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in migration and contraction of rat cultured tendon fibroblasts

In response to injury and inflammation of tendons, tendon fibroblasts are activated, migrate to the wound, and eventually induce contraction of the extracellular matrices to repair the tissue. Under such conditions, Ca(2+) signalling is involved in motility and contractility of tendon fibroblasts. Using cultured tendon fibroblasts isolated from rat Achilles tendons, we investigated functional expression of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers (NCX). The fluorometric study showed that the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) was increased by reducing extracellular Na(+) concentration ([Na(+)](o)) in tendon fibroblasts. Selective NCX inhibitors, KB-R7943 and SEA0400, both attenuated [Na(+)](o)-dependent [Ca(2+)](i) elevation and the resting [Ca(2+)](i) in tendon fibroblasts. RT-PCR, Western blots and sequence analyses revealed that NCX1.3 and NCX1.7 were expressed in cultured tendon fibroblasts. NCX2 mRNA was undetected. NCX3 expression was negligibly low. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that NCX1 protein localized in the plasma membrane especially at the microspikes of tendon fibroblasts. In the wound-healing scratch assay, the cells migrated toward the space created by a scratch and almost completely filled the space within 48 h. This phenomenon was significantly suppressed by KB-R7943 and SEA0400. Furthermore, the NCX inhibitors abrogated the tendon fibroblast-mediated collagen-matrix contractions. Two types of siRNAs for NCX1 also suppressed the migration and contraction of tendon fibroblasts. We conclude that NCX is expressed and mediates Ca(2+) influx in cultured tendon fibroblasts. Since the pharmacological inhibitors and siRNA for NCX1 suppressed motility and contractility of tendon fibroblasts, NCX may play an important role in the function of tendon fibroblasts in the wound healing.

The participation of the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger in primary cardiac myofibroblast migration, contraction, and proliferation

Cardiac ventricular myofibroblast motility, proliferation, and contraction contribute to post-myocardial infarct wound healing, infarct scar formation, and remodeling of the ventricle remote to the site of infarction. The Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1) is involved in altered calcium handling in cardiac myocytes during cardiac remodeling associated with heart failure, however, its role in cardiac myofibroblast cell function is unexplored. In this study we investigated the involvement of NCX1 as well as the role of non-selective-cation channels (NSCC) in cardiac myofibroblast cell function in vitro. Immunofluorescence and Western blots revealed that P1 cells upregulate alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) and embryonic smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMemb) expression. NCX1 mRNA and proteins as well as Ca(v)1.2a protein are also expressed in P1 myofibroblasts. Myofibroblast motility in the presence of 50 ng/ml PDGF-BB was blocked with AG1296. Myofibroblast motility, contraction, and proliferation were sensitive to KB-R7943, a specific NCX1 reverse-mode inhibitor. In contrast, only proliferation and contraction, but not motility were sensitive to nifedipine, while gadolinium (NSCC blocker) was only associated with decreased motility. ML-7 treatment was associated with inhibition of the chemotactic response and contraction. Thus cardiac myofibroblast chemotaxis, contraction, and proliferation were sensitive to different pharmacologic treatments suggesting that regulation of transplasmalemmal calcium movements may be important in growth factor receptor-mediated processes. NCX1 may represent an important moiety in suppression of myofibroblast functions.

The regulation of the Na/Ca exchanger and plasmalemmal Ca2+ ATPase by other proteins

Na/Ca exchanger (NCX) and plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase are the Ca2+ efflux mechanisms known in mammalian cells. NCX is the main transporter to efflux intracellular Ca2+ in the heart. NCX protein contains nine putative transmembrane domains and a large intracellular loop joining two sets of the transmembrane domains. The intracellular loop regulates the activity of the NCX by interacting with other proteins and nonprotein factors, such as ions, PIP2. Several proteins that are associated with NCX have been identified recently. Similarly, plasmalemmal Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) has 10 putative transmembrane domains, and the C-terminal intracellular region inhibits transporter activity. There are several proteins associated with PMCA, and the roles of the associated proteins of PMCA vary from specific localization to involving PMCA in signal transduction. Elucidation of structural and functional roles played by these associated proteins of NCX and PMCA will provide opportunities to develop drugs of potential therapeutic value.

Sodium-calcium exchange does not require allosteric calcium activation at high cytosolic sodium concentrations

The activity of the cardiac Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX1.1) is allosterically regulated by Ca(2+), which binds to two acidic regions in the cytosolically disposed central hydrophilic domain of the NCX protein. A mutation in one of the regulatory Ca(2+) binding regions (D447V) increases the half-activation constant (K(h)) for allosteric Ca(2+) activation from approximately 0.3 to > 1.8 microm. Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the D447V exchanger showed little or no activity under physiological ionic conditions unless cytosolic [Ca(2+)] was elevated to > 1 microm. However, when cytosolic [Na(+)] was increased to 20 mm or more (using ouabain-induced inhibition of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase or the ionophore gramicidin), cells expressing the D447V mutant rapidly accumulated Ca(2+) or Ba(2+) when the reverse (Ca(2+) influx) mode of NCX activity was initiated, although initial cytosolic [Ca(2+)] was < 100 nm. Importantly, the time course of Ca(2+) uptake did not display the lag phase that reflects allosteric Ca(2+) activation of NCX activity in the wild-type NCX1.1; indeed, at elevated [Na(+)], the D447V mutant behaved similarly to the constitutively active deletion mutant Delta(241-680), which lacks the regulatory Ca(2+) binding sites. In cells expressing wild-type NCX1.1, increasing concentrations of cytosolic Na(+) led to a progressive shortening of the lag phase for Ca(2+) uptake. The effects of elevated [Na(+)] developed rapidly and were fully reversible. The activity of the D447V mutant was markedly inhibited when phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) levels were reduced. We conclude that when PIP2 levels are high, elevated cytosolic [Na(+)] induces a mode of exchange activity that does not require allosteric Ca(2+) activation.

Actin-dependent regulation of the cardiac Na+/Ca2+exchanger

In the present study, the bovine cardiac Na+/Ca2+exchanger (NCX1.1) was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The surface distribution of the exchanger protein, externally tagged with the hemagglutinin (HA) epitope, was associated with underlying actin filaments in regions of cell-to-cell contact and also along stress fibers. After we treated cells with cytochalasin D, NCX1.1 protein colocalized with patches of fragmented filamentous actin (F-actin). In contrast, an HA-tagged deletion mutant of NCX1.1 that was missing much of the exchanger's central hydrophilic domain Δ(241–680) did not associate with F-actin. In cells expressing the wild-type exchanger, cytochalasin D inhibited allosteric Ca2+activation of NCX activity as shown by prolongation of the lag phase of low Ca2+uptake after initiation of the reverse (i.e., Ca2+influx) mode of NCX activity. Other agents that perturbed F-actin structure (methyl-β-cyclodextrin, latrunculin B, and jasplakinolide) also increased the duration of the lag phase. In contrast, when reverse-mode activity was initiated after allosteric Ca2+activation, both cytochalasin D and methyl-β-cyclodextrin (Me-β-CD) stimulated NCX activity by ∼70%. The activity of the Δ(241–680) mutant, which does not require allosteric Ca2+activation, was also stimulated by cytochalasin D and Me-β-CD. The increased activity after these treatments appeared to reflect an increased amount of exchanger protein at the cell surface. We conclude that wild-type NCX1.1 associates with the F-actin cytoskeleton, probably through interactions involving the exchanger's central hydrophilic domain, and that this association interferes with allosteric Ca2+activation.

Discovery of N-(3-{4-[(3-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenoxy}propyl)-2-pyridin-4-ylacetamide as a potent and selective reverse NCX inhibitor

In the setting of heart failure and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion, the sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) can lead to calcium overload, which is responsible for contractile dysfunction and arrhythmia. NCX is an attractive target for treatment in heart failure and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. We have designed and synthesized a series of benzyloxyphenyl derivatives based on compound 3. These derivatives have been evaluated for their inhibitory activity against both the reverse and forward modes of NCX. We have discovered a novel potent and selective reverse NCX inhibitor (12) with an IC50 value of 0.085 microM against reverse NCX.

Discovery of an N-(2-aminopyridin-4-ylmethyl)nicotinamide derivative: a potent and orally bioavailable NCX inhibitor

Ca(2+) overload in myocardial cells is responsible for arrhythmia. Sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) inhibitors are more effective than sodium-hydrogen exchanger (NHE) inhibitors with regard to modulation of Ca(2+) overload, because NCX inhibitors can directly inhibit the influx of Ca(2+) into cells. NCX is an attractive target for the treatment of heart failure and ischemia-reperfusion. We have designed and synthesized a series of N-(2-aminopyridin-4-ylmethyl)nicotinamide derivatives, based on compound 5. We have discovered a novel NCX inhibitor (23 h) with an IC(50) value of 0.12 microM against reverse NCX. The inhibitory activities of our NCX inhibitors against cytochrome P450 were also evaluated. The effects on heart failure and the pharmacokinetic profile of compound 23 h are discussed.

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of phenoxypyridine derivatives as novel inhibitors of the sodium-calcium exchanger

The sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) is known as the transporter that controls the concentration of Ca(2+) in cardiac myocytes. In the setting of heart failure and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion, NCX underlies an arrhythmogenic transient inward current responsible for delayed after--depolarizations and nonreentrant initiation of ventricular tachycardia. NCX is an attractive target for treatment in heart failure and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. We have designed and synthesized a series of phenoxypyridine derivatives, based on compound 3. These derivatives have been evaluated for their inhibitory activity against both the reverse and forward mode of NCX in CCL39 cells. We have discovered several novel potent NCX inhibitors (39q, 48k), which have a high selectivity for reverse NCX inhibitory activity.

Synthesis and structure–activity relationships of benzyloxyphenyl derivatives as a novel class of NCX inhibitors: effects on heart failure

In the context of heart failure and myocardial ischemia reperfusion, the activity of the sodium-calcium exchanger can lead to calcium overload, which in turn can lead to contractile dysfunction and arrhythmia. Therefore, NCX is an attractive target for treatment of heart failure and myocardial ischemia reperfusion. We have designed and synthesized a series of benzyloxyphenyl derivatives as potential NCX inhibitors, based on compound 4. These derivatives have been evaluated for their inhibitory activity against both the reverse and forward modes of NCX, and two novel potent NCX inhibitors (7i, 10a) were discovered. Compound 7i was evaluated for its efficacy on ouabain-induced tonotropy and arrhythmia in a heart-failure model.

Synthesis and structure–activity relationships of 6-{4-[(3-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenoxy}nicotinamide derivatives as a novel class of NCX inhibitors: a QSAR study

The sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) transports Na+ and Ca2+ ions, and controls the Ca2+ concentration in myocytes. Calcium overload is induced via activation of reverse NCX, and is responsible for reperfusion injury in heart failure. Hence, NCX is an attractive target for prevention and treatment of reperfusion arrhythmias, myocardial contracture, and necrosis. We have synthesized a series of 6-{4-[(3-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenoxy}nicotinamide derivatives, and evaluated their inhibitory activity against the reverse and forward modes of NCX. N-(3-Aminobenzyl)-6-{4-[(3-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenoxy}nicotinamide (8) was shown to be a potent inhibitor of reverse NCX activity, with an IC50 value of 0.24 microM. A QSAR study showed that inhibition of reverse NCX activity by 6-{4-[(3-fluorobenzyl)oxy]phenoxy}nicotinamide derivatives is multiply dependent on the hydrophobicity (pi) and the shape (B(iv)) of the substituent at the 3-position of the phenyl ring.

Effects of amiodarone on mutant Na+/Ca2+ exchangers expressed in CCL 39 cells

Using the whole cell voltage clamp, we reported previously that amiodarone acutely inhibits Na+/Ca2+ exchange current (INCX) in guinea pig cardiac ventricular myocytes. Intracellular application of trypsin via the patch pipette attenuated the blocking effect of amiodarone, suggesting that amiodarone affects the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) from the cytoplasmic side. Here, we attempted to detect the site of amiodarone inhibition using wild type NCX1, mutants, and NCX3 expressed in CCL39 fibroblasts. INCX was recorded by ramp pulses. Amiodarone at 30 microM inhibited INCX by 80% in cells expressing wild type NCX1. However, 30 microM amiodarone inhibited INCX by about 55% in cells expressing mutant NCX1 with amino acids 217-671 (DeltaXIP) or 247-671 (Delta247-671) deleted in the long intracellular loop between the transmembrane segments (TM) 5 and 6. INCXs from NCX mutants deleted of cytoplasmic TM1-2, TM3-4 or the C-terminus were inhibited by amiodarone to a similar extent as the wild type. Amiodarone also inhibited INCX of NCX3 by 76%. These results suggest that a long intracellular loop may be involved in the inhibition of NCX1 by amiodarone, but that other intracellular loops, XIP region or C terminus are not involved in the amiodarone inhibition of NCX1.

Allosteric activation of sodium-calcium exchange by picomolar concentrations of cadmium

Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the bovine cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1.1) accumulated Cd2+ after a lag period of several tens of seconds. The lag period reflects the progressive allosteric activation of exchange activity by Cd2+ as it accumulates within the cytosol. The lag period was greatly reduced in cells expressing a mutant exchanger, Delta(241-680), that does not require allosteric activation by Ca2+ for activity. Non-transfected cells did not show Cd2+ uptake under the same conditions. In cells expressing NCX1.1, the lag period was nearly abolished following an elevation of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Cytosolic Cd2+ concentrations estimated at 0.5-2 pm markedly stimulated the subsequent uptake of Ca2+ by Na+-Ca2+ exchange. Outward exchange currents in membrane patches from Xenopus oocytes expressing the canine NCX1.1 were rapidly and reversibly stimulated by 3 pm Cd2+ applied at the cytosolic membrane surface. Exchange currents activated by 3 pm Cd2+ were 40% smaller than currents activated by 1 mum cytosolic Ca2+. Current amplitudes declined by 30% and the rate of current development fell sharply upon repetitive applications of Na+ in the presence of 3 pm Cd2+. Cd2+ mimicked the anomalous inhibitory effects of Ca2+ on outward exchange currents generated by the Drosophila exchanger CALX1.1. We conclude that the regulatory sites responsible for allosteric Ca2+ activation bind Cd2+ with high affinity and that Cd2+ mimics the regulatory effects of Ca2+ at concentrations 5 orders of magnitude lower than Ca2+.

Calcium-dependent regulation of calcium efflux by the cardiac sodium/calcium exchanger

Allosteric regulation by cytosolic Ca2+of Na+/Ca2+exchange activity in the Ca2+efflux mode has received little attention because it has been technically difficult to distinguish between the roles of Ca2+as allosteric activator and transport substrate. In this study, we used transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells to compare the Ca2+efflux activities in nontransfected cells and in cells expressing either the wild-type exchanger or a mutant, Δ(241–680), that operates constitutively; i.e., its activity does not require allosteric Ca2+activation. Expression of the wild-type exchanger did not significantly lower the cytosolic Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i) compared with nontransfected cells. During Ca2+entry through store-operated Ca2+channels, Ca2+efflux by the wild-type exchanger became evident only after [Ca2+]iapproached 100–200 nM. A subsequent decline in [Ca2+]iwas observed, suggesting that the activation process was time dependent. In contrast, Ca2+efflux activity was evident under all experimental conditions in cells expressing the constitutive exchanger mutant. After transient exposure to elevated [Ca2+]i, the wild-type exchanger behaved similarly to the constitutive mutant for tens of seconds after [Ca2+]ihad returned to resting levels. We conclude that Ca2+efflux activity by the wild-type exchanger is allosterically activated by Ca2+, perhaps in a time-dependent manner, and that the activated state is briefly retained after the return of [Ca2+]ito resting levels.

Allosteric activation of sodium-calcium exchange activity by calcium: persistence at low calcium concentrations

The activity of the cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is stimulated allosterically by Ca2+, but estimates of the half-maximal activating concentration have varied over a wide range. In Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, the time course of exchange-mediated Ca2+ influx showed a pronounced lag period followed by an acceleration of Ca2+ uptake. Lag periods were absent in cells expressing an exchanger mutant that was not dependent on regulatory Ca2+ activation. We assumed that the rate of Ca2+ uptake during the acceleration phase reflected the degree of allosteric activation of the exchanger and determined the value of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) at which the rate of Ca2+ influx was half-maximal (Kh). After correcting for the effects of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and fura-2 buffering, Kh values of approximately 300 nM were obtained. After an increase in [Ca2+]i, the activated state of the exchanger persisted following a subsequent reduction in [Ca2+]i to values <100 nM. Thus, within 30 s after termination of a transient increase in [Ca2+]i, exchange-mediated Ca2+ entry began without a lag period and displayed a linear rate of Ca2+ uptake in most cells; a sigmoidal time course of Ca2+ uptake returned 60-90 s after the transient increase in [Ca2+]i was terminated. Relaxation of the activated state was accelerated by the activity of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump, suggesting that local Ca2+ gradients contribute to maintaining exchanger activation after the return of global [Ca2+]i to low values.

Lanthanum is transported by the sodium/calcium exchanger and regulates its activity

La3+ uptake was measured in fura 2-loaded Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing the bovine cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1.1). La3+ was taken up by the cells after an initial lag phase of 50-60 s and achieved a steady state within 5-6 min. Neonatal cardiac myocytes accumulated La3+ in a similar manner. La3+ uptake was due to the activity of the exchanger, because no uptake was seen in nontransfected cells or in transfected cells that had been treated with gramicidin to remove cytosolic Na+. The low rate of La3+ uptake during the lag period resulted from insufficient cytosolic Ca2+ to activate the exchanger at its regulatory sites, as shown by the following observations. La3+ uptake occurred without a lag period in cells expressing a mutant of NCX1.1 that does not exhibit regulatory activation by cytosolic Ca2+. The rate of La3+ uptake by wild-type cells was increased, and the lag phase was reduced or eliminated, when the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was increased before initiating La3+ uptake. La3+ could substitute for Ca2+ at very low concentrations to activate exchange activity. Thus preloading cells expressing NCX1.1 with a small quantity of La3+ increased the rate of exchange-mediated Ca2+ influx by 20-fold; in contrast, cytosolic La3+ partially inhibited Ca2+ uptake by the regulation-deficient mutant. With an estimated KD of 30 pM for the binding of La3+ to fura 2, we conclude that cytosolic La3+ activates exchange activity at picomolar concentrations. We speculatively suggest that endogenous trace metals might activate exchange activity under physiological conditions.

Recombinant expression of the plasma membrane Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger affects local and global Ca(2+) homeostasis in Chinese hamster ovary cells

The cardiac type Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX1) has been transiently expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, which do not contain an endogenous exchanger, together with aequorin chimeras that are targeted to different intracellular compartments to investigate intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis. The expression of NCX decreased the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) concentration, [Ca(2+)](er), in resting cells, showing that the exchanger was operative under these conditions. It induced a greater reduction in the height of the mitochondrial and cytosolic Ca(2+) transients in agonist-stimulated cells than would have been expected from the [Ca(2+)](er) decrease. It also had a major effect on the sub-plasma membrane Ca(2+) concentration, [Ca(2+)](pm): after a transient [Ca(2+)](pm) rise induced by the activation of capacitative Ca(2+) influx, [Ca(2+)](pm) settled to a value about 3-fold higher than in controls. The sustained [Ca(2+)](pm) increase after the transient was due to the operation of the exchanger, either directly by operating in the Ca(2+) entry mode, or indirectly by removing the Ca(2+) inhibition on the capacitative Ca(2+) influx channels.

Overexpression of the Na/Ca exchanger shapes stimulus-induced cytosolic Ca(2+) oscillations in insulin-producing BRIN-BD11 cells

In response to glucose, mouse beta-cells display slow oscillations of the membrane potential and cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)), whereas rat beta-cells display a staircase increase in these parameters. Mouse and rat islet cells differ also by their level of Na/Ca exchanger (NCX) activity. The view that the inward current generated by Na/Ca exchange shapes stimulus-induced electrical activity and [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations in pancreatic beta-cells was examined in insulin-producing BRIN-BD11 cells overexpressing the Na/Ca exchanger. BRIN-BD11 cells were stably transfected with NCX1.7, one of the exchanger isoforms identified in the beta-cell. Overexpression could be assessed at the mRNA and protein level. Appropriate targeting to the plasma membrane could be assessed by microfluorescence and the increase in Na/Ca exchange activity. In response to K(+), overexpressing cells showed a more rapid increase in [Ca(2+)](i) on membrane depolarization as well as a more rapid decrease of [Ca(2+)](i) on membrane repolarization. In response to glucose and tolbutamide, control BRIN cells showed large amplitude [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations. In contrast, overexpressing cells showed a staircase increase in [Ca(2+)](i) without such large oscillations. Diazoxide-induced membrane hyperpolarization restored large amplitude [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations in overexpressing cells. The present data confirm that Na/Ca exchange plays a significant role in the rat beta-cell [Ca(2+)](i) homeostasis, the exchanger being a versatile system allowing both Ca(2+) entry and outflow. Our data suggest that the current generated by the exchanger shapes stimulus-induced membrane potential and [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations in insulin-secreting cells, with the difference in electrical activity and [Ca(2+)](i) behavior seen in mouse and rat beta-cells resulting in part from a difference in Na/Ca exchange activity between these two cells.

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger NCX1 has oppositely oriented reentrant loop domains that contain conserved aspartic acids whose mutation alters its apparent Ca2+ affinity

We examined the membrane topology and functional importance of residues in regions of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger NCX1 encompassing the conserved internal alpha repeats by substituted cysteine scanning analysis and kinetic analysis of site-directed mutants. The results suggest that both the alpha-1 repeat and a region encompassing the alpha-2 repeat and its immediately C-terminal segment contain reentrant loop domains, each oriented in an opposite direction with respect to the membrane. We found that single or multiple mutations of six residues including Asn-125 and conserved aspartates Asp-130, Asp-825, and Asp-829 in the alpha repeat reentrant domains reduce the apparent affinity of the exchanger for extracellular Ca(2+) by up to 6-fold. In contrast, the triple cysteine mutation D130C/D825C/D829C did not influence the current-voltage (I-V) relationship of the exchange current. Cysteine accessibility scanning with different thiol modifiers suggested that N125C, D130C, and D825C may be located in a restricted aqueous space in the membrane accessible only to ions when examined with external probes, although N125C and D825C were previously shown to be internally accessible during exchange reaction. The results suggest that these reentrant domains in the alpha repeats may participate in the formation of the ion transport pathway in the exchanger with some of the aspartates possibly lining it or located close to it.

Physiological functions of the regulatory domains of the cardiac Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger NCX1

Physiological functions of the intracellular regulatory domains of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger NCX1 were studied by examining Ca(2+) handling in CCL39 cells expressing a low-affinity Ca(2+) regulatory site mutant (D447V/D498I), an exchanger inhibitory peptide (XIP) region mutant displaying no Na(+) inactivation (XIP-4YW), or a mutant lacking most of the central cytoplasmic loop (Delta246-672). We found that D447V/D498I was unable to efficiently extrude Ca(2+) from the cytoplasm, particularly during a small rise in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration induced by the physiological agonist alpha-thrombin or thapsigargin. The same mutant took up Ca(2+) much less efficiently than the wild-type NCX1 in Na(+)-free medium when transfectants were not loaded with Na(+), although it appeared to take up Ca(2+) normally in transfectants preloaded with Na(+). XIP-4YW and, to a lesser extent, Delta246-672, but not NCX1 and D447V/D498I, markedly accelerated the loss of viability of Na(+)-loaded transfectants. Furthermore, XIP-4YW was not activated by phorbol ester, whereas XIP-4YW and D447V/D498I were resistant to inhibition by ATP depletion. The results suggest that these regulatory domains play important roles in the physiological and pathological Ca(2+) handling by NCX1, as well as in the regulation of NCX1 by protein kinase C or ATP depletion.

Chimeric analysis of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers NCX1 and NCX3 reveals structural domains important for differential sensitivity to external Ni(2+) or Li(+)

Externally applied Ni(2+), which apparently competes with Ca(2+) in all three isoforms of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, inhibits exchange activity of NCX1 or NCX2 with a 10-fold higher affinity than that of NCX3, whereas stimulation of exchange by external Li(+) is significantly greater in NCX2 and NCX3 than in NCX1 (Iwamoto, T., and Shigekawa, M. (1998) Am. J. Physiol. 275, C423-C430). Here we identified structural domains in the exchanger that confer differential sensitivity to Ni(2+) or Li(+) by measuring intracellular Na(+)-dependent (45)Ca(2+) uptake in CCL39 cells stably expressing NCX1/NCX3 chimeras or mutants. We found that two segments in the exchanger corresponding mostly to the internal alpha-1 and alpha-2 repeats are individually responsible for the alteration of Ni(2+) sensitivity, both together accounting for approximately 80% of the difference between NCX1 and NCX3. In contrast, the segment corresponding to the alpha-2 repeat fully accounts for the differential Li(+) sensitivity between the isoforms. The Ni(2+) sensitivity was mimicked, respectively, by simultaneous substitution of two amino acids in the alpha-1 repeat (N125G/T127I in NCX1 and G159N/I161T in NCX3) and substitution of one amino acid in the alpha-2 repeat (V820A in NCX1 and A809V in NCX3). On the other hand, the Li(+) sensitivity was mimicked by double substitution mutation in the alpha-2 repeat (V820A/Q826V in NCX1 and A809V/V815Q in NCX3). Single substitution mutations at Asn(125) and Val(820) of NCX1 caused significant alterations in the interactions of the exchanger with Ca(2+) and Ni(2+), and Ni(2+) and Li(+), respectively, although the extent of alteration varied depending on the nature of side chains of substituted residues. Since the above four important residues are mostly in the putative loops of the alpha repeats, these regions might form an ion interaction domain in the exchanger.

Unique topology of the internal repeats in the cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger

Hydropathy analysis predicts 11 transmembrane helices in the cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger. Using cysteine susceptibility analysis and epitope tagging, we here studied the membrane topology of the exchanger, in particular of the highly conserved internal alpha-1 and alpha-2 repeats. Unexpectedly, we found that the connecting loop in the alpha-1 repeat forms a re-entrant membrane loop with both ends facing the extracellular side and one residue (Asn-125) being accessible from the inside and that the region containing the alpha-2 repeat is mostly accessible from the cytoplasm. Together with other data, we propose that the exchanger may consist of nine transmembrane helices.

Protein kinase C-dependent regulation of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger isoforms NCX1 and NCX3 does not require their direct phosphorylation

We compared the phosphorylation-dependent regulation of three mammalian Na+/Ca2+ exchanger isoforms (NCX1-NCX3) expressed in CCL39 fibroblasts that have little endogenous activity. Na+i-dependent 45Ca2+ uptake into NCX1- or NCX3-expressing cells, but not that into NCX2-expressing cells, was significantly enhanced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or platelet-derived growth factor-BB, which was abolished by pretreatment of cells with calphostin C or a prior long exposure to PMA. This suggests that NCX1 or NCX3, but not NCX2, is stimulated by a pathway involving protein kinase C (PKC). Immunoprecipitation experiments using [32P]orthophosphate-labeled cells revealed that both NCX2 and NCX3 proteins were phosphorylated to a much lesser extent than the NCX1 protein in unstimulated cells and that the extent of phosphorylation was not increased by treatment with PKC activators, although NCX1 phosphorylation was enhanced significantly. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we identified three phosphorylation sites in the NCX1 protein in the PMA-stimulated cells to be Ser-249, Ser-250, and Ser-357 with Ser-250 being predominantly phosphorylated. We found that the NCX1 mutant with these serine residues substituted with alanine still maintained a normal response to PMA. In contrast, the NCX1 or NCX3 mutant, with the large central cytoplasmic loop deleted, lost the responsiveness to PMA. These results suggest that the PKC-dependent regulation of NCX1 or NCX3 requires the central cytoplasmic loop but does not require the direct phosphorylation of the exchanger.