scholarly journals Comparison of the effects of certain thiol reagents on alanine transport in plasma membrane vesicles from rat liver and their use in identifying the alanine carrier

1983 ◽  
Vol 214 (2) ◽  
pp. 489-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
M R Hayes ◽  
J D McGivan

The Na+-dependent uptake of alanine into plasma membrane vesicles from rat liver was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and by mersalyl. NEM did not inhibit alanine-independent Na+ uptake and the inhibition of alanine transport by NEM was protected by pre-incubation with an excess of substrate. It was therefore concluded that NEM acted by binding to the alanine carrier. A protein of Mr 20 000 was found to bind NEM with a concentration dependence parallel to the NEM inhibition of alanine transport. The inhibition of binding of [3H]NEM to this protein by mersalyl had a concentration dependence similar to that of the inhibition of transport by mersalyl. Preincubation with L-alanine, but not with D-alanine, led to protection of the Mr 20 000 protein from binding NEM. It is concluded that this protein is an essential component of the alanine transport system.

Hepatology ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 521-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Berardi ◽  
Bruno Stieger ◽  
Sandra Wächter ◽  
Brigitte O'Neill ◽  
Stephan Krähenbühl

1990 ◽  
Vol 271 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Pola ◽  
J Bertran ◽  
A Roca ◽  
M Palacín ◽  
A Zorzano ◽  
...  

1. In the present study we have examined the sensitivity of A and ASC amino-acid-carrier activities in rat liver plasma-membrane vesicles to the thiol-group modifying reagents N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and iodoacetamide (IA). To this end, the different Na(+)-dependent entities involved in alanine transport were assessed. 2. NEM inactivated Na(+)-dependent alanine transport as a result of the inhibition of both system A and ASC transport activities. The functional sensitivity of system A to NEM was greater than that of system ASC. 3. The presence of L-alanine (10 mM) during the exposure of vesicles to NEM afforded partial protection to system A, but not to the ASC, carrier. This effect was specific, since the presence of L-phenylalanine (10 mM) did not cause any protection. 4. Na+ did not protect A or ASC carriers against NEM inactivation; however, the presence of Na+ (100 mM-NaCl) and L-alanine (10 mM) during the exposure of the vesicles to NEM protected against inactivation of system A and ASC transport activities. The extent of protection was greater in the case of the system ASC transport activity than in the case of the A carrier. 5. IA also diminished Na(+)-dependent alanine transport by inhibition of A and ASC transport activities. Sodium and L-alanine afforded protection to both A and ASC transport activities from the inhibitory action of IA. The extent of protection induced by substrates was similar for both carriers. 6. It is concluded that there is one, or several, free thiol groups in A and ASC carriers, the integrity of which is essential for transport activity. Sensitivity to thiol-group-specific reagents and the pattern of protection with substrates against inactivation is different in A and ASC carriers. That suggests the existence of topological dissimilarities regarding the thiol-group containing site(s) in A and ASC amino acid carriers.


1978 ◽  
Vol 174 (3) ◽  
pp. 1083-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M M van Amelsvoort ◽  
H J Sips ◽  
K van Dam

L-Alanine transport was studied in plasma-membrane vesicles from rat liver. A gradient of NaSCN, but not of KSCN, stimulated alanine uptake. Monensin plus carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone abolished the observed overshoot in uptake. After equilibration of alanine, NaSCN induced uphill transport.


1996 ◽  
Vol 316 (3) ◽  
pp. 999-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorella PASCOLO ◽  
Savino DEL VECCHIO ◽  
Ronald K. KOEHLER ◽  
J. Enrique BAYON ◽  
Cecile C. WEBSTER ◽  
...  

Using highly purified unconjugated [3H]bilirubin (UCB), we measured UCB binding to delipidated human serum albumin (HSA) and its uptake by basolateral rat liver plasma membrane vesicles, in both the absence and presence of an inside-positive membrane potential. Free UCB concentrations ([Bf]) were calculated from UCB–HSA affinity constants (K´f), determined by five cycles of ultrafiltration through a Centricon-10 device (Amicon) of the same solutions used in the uptake studies. At HSA concentrations from 12 to 380 μM, K´f (litre/mol) was inversely related to [HSA], irrespective of the [Bt]/[HSA] ratio. K´f was 2.066×106+(3.258×108/[HSA]). When 50 mM KCl was iso-osmotically substituted for sucrose, the K´f value was significantly lower {2.077×106+(1.099×108/[HSA])}. The transport occurred into an osmotic-sensitive space. Below saturation ([Bf] ⩽ 65 nM), both electroneutral and electrogenic components followed saturation kinetics with respect to [Bf], with Km values of 28±7 and 57±8 nM respectively (mean±S.D., n = 3, P < 0.001). The Vmax was greater for the electrogenic than for the electroneutral component (112±12 versus 45±4 pmol of UCB·mg-1 of protein·15 s-1, P < 0.001). Sulphobromophthalein trans-stimulated both electrogenic (61%) and electroneutral (72%) UCB uptake. These data indicate that: (a) as [HSA] increases, K´f decreases, thus increasing the concentration of free UCB. This may account for much of the enhanced hepatocytic uptake of organic anions observed with increasing [HSA]. (b) UCB is taken up at the basolateral membrane of the hepatocyte by two systems with Km values within the range of physiological free UCB levels in plasma. The electrogenic component shows a lower affinity and a higher capacity than the electroneutral component. (c) It is important to calculate the actual [Bf] using a K´f value determined under the same experimental conditions (medium and [HSA]) used for the uptake studies.


FEBS Letters ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 235 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 224-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Quintana ◽  
Antonio Felipe ◽  
Xavier Remesar ◽  
Marçal Pastor-Anglada

1998 ◽  
Vol 275 (4) ◽  
pp. C995-C1008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Cefaratti ◽  
Andrea Romani ◽  
Antonio Scarpa

The plasma membrane of mammalian cells possesses rapid Mg2+ transport mechanisms. The identity of Mg2+ transporters is unknown, and so are their properties. In this study, Mg2+ transporters were characterized using a biochemically and morphologically standardized preparation of sealed rat liver plasma membranes (LPM) whose intravesicular content could be set and controlled. The system has the advantages that it is not regulated by intracellular signaling machinery and that the intravesicular ion milieu can be designed. The results indicate that 1) LPM retain trapped intravesicular total Mg2+with negligible leak; 2) the addition of Na+ or Ca2+ induces a concentration- and temperature-dependent efflux corresponding to 30–50% of the intravesicular Mg2+; 3) the rate of flux is very rapid (137.6 and 86.8 nmol total Mg2+ ⋅ μm−2 ⋅ min−1after Na+ and Ca2+ addition, respectively); 4) coaddition of maximal concentrations of Na+ and Ca2+ induces an additive Mg2+ efflux; 5) both Na+- and Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+ effluxes are inhibited by amiloride, imipramine, or quinidine but not by vanadate or Ca2+ channel blockers; 6) extracellular Na+ or Ca2+ can stimulate Mg2+ efflux in the absence of Mg2+ gradients; and 7) Mg2+ uptake occurs in LPM loaded with Na+ but not with Ca2+, thus indicating that Na+/Mg2+but not Ca2+/Mg2+exchange is reversible. These data are consistent with the operation of two distinct Mg2+ transport mechanisms and provide new information on rates of Mg2+ transport, specificity of the cotransported ions, and reversibility of the transport.


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