Mode of stimulation by aldosterone of the sodium efflux in barnacle muscle fibres: effects of ouabain, ethacrynic acid, diphenylhydantoin, (ATPMg)(2-), adenine translocase inhibitors, pyruvate and oxythiamine

Hormones and the barnacle muscle fiber as a preparation

This minireview discusses the use of single barnacle muscle fibers as a model system for studying hormonal actions. The response of barnacle muscle fibers to serotonin, proctolin, octopamine, aldosterone and insulin is described. Recent data relating to the actions of these hormones on other invertebrate and vertebrate preparations is touched upon. The use of the barnacle muscle fiber as a preparation to investigate hormone-stimulated protein phosphorylation is emphasized.

Further observations of aldosterone response in barnacle muscle fibers

Work with single muscle fibers from the barnacle Balanus nubilus has revealed that these fibers can be rendered sensitive to external application of aldosterone by preexposing the barnacle in vivo to the steroid for 16 h. Experiments investigating the dose-response relationship, glucocorticoid sensitivity of the preparation, and the role of the mitochondria in the aldosterone response in this preparation are presented. It is demonstrated that saturation kinetics may be seen in the dose-response curve if care is taken to isolate only fibers from animals that are in midmolt cycle. Data is presented that demonstrated a specific mineralocorticoid response to aldosterone in this preparation rather than a combined mineralocorticoid-glucocorticoid response, as has been demonstrated in other preparations. Experiments investigating the role of the mitochondrial inhibitors and substrates suggest that aldosterone modulates Na efflux in barnacle muscle fibers by altering mitochondrial function, presumably at the level of succinic hydrogenase.

Increased sensitivity to injected 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate of the sodium efflux in barnacle muscle fibres preexposed to aldosterone

1. A study has been made of the response to injected Gpp(NH)p of the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux in barnacle muscle fibres preexposed to aldosterone. 2. The response to injected Gpp(NH)p is not only greater in size than in unexposed fibres but also sustained. 3. Injection of MgCl2 following peak stimulation causes a partial reversal of the response. 4. Injection of ATPNa2 (and 5'-App(NH)p) leads to a sustained stimulatory response which is not significantly greater than that seen in unexposed fibres. 5. MgCl2 injection causes complete reversal of this response. 6. The response of preexposed fibres to injected CaCl2 in varying concentration and to injected cholera toxin is not significantly different from that seen in unexposed fibres. 7. This is also true of Gpp(NH)p when it is injected after peak stimulation by cholera toxin. 8. Prior application of verapamil (10(-4)M) drastically reduces the response to injected Gpp(NH)p. 9. The residual response is sustained but markedly reduced by injected Mg2+, Fe or Zn. 10. Injection of PKI following Gpp(NH)p reduces the response, provided PKI is also injected before Gpp(NH)p. By contrast, injection of R11 subunits causes a partial reversal if injected only once. 11. Imipramine and trifluoperazine, when applied externally (5 X 10(-5)M), cause almost complete reversal of the response. 12. The suggestion is made that the response to injected Gpp(NH)p is mainly due to activation of Ca2+-channels resulting in activation of the calmodulin/Ca-dependent form of adenylate cyclase and that the primary site of aldosterone action is at the level of the calmodulin form of adenylate cyclase.

Some aspects of sodium efflux from single barnacle muscle fibres

This mini-review attempts to summarize information about the efflux of 22Na from single barnacle muscle fibres, based on the use of the microinjection technique. The view is put forward that the Na efflux consists of three components: an ouabain-sensitive component, an ouabain-insensitive component (representing secondary active transport), and an Na-Na exchange diffusion component. Evidence is brought forward which supports the view that the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux is divisible operationally into 3 phases: (i) the cyclic nucleotide-sensitive phase, (ii) the Cai-sensitive phase, and (iii) the pHe-sensitive phase. It is shown how the barnacle muscle fibre preparation has yielded information about the validity of the cAMP-protein kinase hypothesis and how it can be used to shed some light on the post-translational mechanism of aldosterone action.

Stimulation by injected guanosine triphosphate of the sodium efflux in barnacle muscle fibres pre-exposed to aldosterone

1. A study has been made of the response of the Na efflux to injected guanosine triphosphate (GTP) in barnacle muscle fibres pre-exposed to aldosterone. 2. (i) Injection of GTP into unpoisoned fibres causes a transitory stimulation. By contrast, injection of GTP into ouabain-poisoned fibres causes a sustained stimulation. Little or no fall in Em is recorded following GTP injection. (ii) The stimulatory response to GTP of aldosterone pre-exposed ouabain-poisoned fibres differs from that seen in unexposed, ouabain-poisoned fibres, in that its magnitude is greater and always sustained. 3. The magnitude of the response to GTP depends on external Ca and pH but not external Na. The response itself is not seen at 0 degrees C. 4. (i) Verapamil reduces the size of the response to GTP only if applied before GTP. Injection of EGTA, Fe, Zn and Co partially abolishes the residual response. (ii) Injection of MgCl2 almost completely reverses the response to GTP. KCl is ineffective. 5. These results are explained by supposing that removal of internal Mg and trace elements by GTP leads to activation of phosphoprotein phosphatase.

Changes in the electrolyte content of leucocytes at different clinical stages of cirrhosis

The intracellular sodium, potassium, and water content of isolated leucocytes was estimated in 47 patients with cirrhosis. The values for sodium showed a wide scatter. In patients without ascites the mean value was significantly increased but in those accumulating ascites it was normal, although often reduced in individual subjects. Reduced values were found in patients with hyponatraemia associated with end-stage cirrhosis and diuretic treatment. Changes in leucocyte water content closely followed those in sodium content. Leucocyte potassium content was normal except in patients accumulating ascites in whom it was significantly reduced, indicating whole body depletion, and this could be corrected by administration of spironolactone.

Digoxin toxicity compared with myocardial digoxin and potassium concentration

1 Twenty-nine dogs were given digoxin (0.25 mg) by mouth twice daily for eight days. Some of them (group 1) also received diuretics and others (group 2) a mineralocorticoid. The dogs were then given an intravenous bolus injection of digoxin and plasma and cardiac muscle were analysed for digoxin and potassium. 2 In the digitalized dogs, myocardial potassium concentration decreased following the intravenous injection of either 0.05 or 0.15 mg/kg digoxin; in contrast, in those dogs given diuretics or mineralocorticoid the potassium concentration increased. 3 Ventricular arrhythmias occurred after digoxin injection (0.05 mg/kg) in the hypokalemic dogs, in those given a mineralocortocoid and in those dogs which received a toxic digoxin dose (0.15 mg/kg). No arrhythmias where seen in the control (digitalized) group. 4 Myocardial digoxin concentrations were similar in the control digitalized group and in the mineralocorticoid-treated dogs after the intravenous administration of the lower digoxin dose (0.05 mg/kg). The myocardial digoxin concentration was significantly higher in the hypokalemic group and in the group receiving the higher digoxin dose (0.15 mg/kg). 5 There was no obvious relationship between the occurrence of arrhythmias and the myocardial concentration of digoxin or potassium.

Mode of stimulation by adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate of the sodium efflux in barnacle muscle fibres

1. Giant fibres of the barnacle Balanus nubilus have been used as a preparation for studying the mode of action of cAMP on sodium transport. 2. It is shown that a concentration of cAMP as low as 10(-6)M, when micro-injected, causes a sharp rise in the radio-Na efflux. Ouabain fails to reverse the cAMP effect. 3. The magnitude of the response of the Na efflux to cAMP is markedly reduced by pre-injecting 100 or 500 mM-EGTA solutions or by omitting Ca2+ from the bathing medium. Both together fail to bring about a greater reduction in the response. 4. The response to cAMP is greatly reduced by pre-injecting the protein inhibitor of Walsh and practically abolished by pre-injecting 500 mM-EGTA and soaking in Ca-free artificial sea water, ASW. 5. The Ca2+-independent component of the Na efflux which is also stimulated by cAMP is shown to involve Na for H exchange. The magnitude of this exchange is governed by external pH. 6. The Na efflux into Ca2+-free, Li+-ASW is shown to be markedly stimulated by injecting cAMP, an effect which is enhanced by reducing external pH. 7. The Na efflux at 0 degrees C is stimulated by injecting cAMP. This is shown to be related to activation of the protein kinase by cAMP and to depend on the presence of external Ca2+. 8 (i) Ethacrynic acid when injected reduces the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux into HEPES-Ca2+-free ASW at pH 6-3. These same fibres show a marked response to cAMP. (II) The ouabain-insensitive Na efflux into HCO3-, Ca2+-free ASW from fibres pre-treated with ethacrynic acid fails to respond to external acidification. This is interpreted as indicating that ethacrynic acid inactivates the CO2-sensitive adenyl cyclase system. These same fibres when injected with cAMP show a marked response. (iii) Stimulation of the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux into HCO-3, Ca2+-free ASW by external acidification is reversed by injecting ethacrynic acid. These fibres when injected with cAMP show a reduced response. 9. It is concluded that: (i) stimulation of the Na efflux by injected cAMP is mainly due to activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase; (ii) the underlying exchange mechanism consists of Na:Ca and Na:H exchange. Interaction of Ca2+ with a phosphorylated membrane, thereby modifying permeability remains as a real possibility; (iii) the site of action of CO2 and ethacrynic acid is the adenyl cyclase system. 10. The implications of activation of the adenyl cyclase system by CO2 and Na:H exchange are briefly touched upon.