Basolateral transport pathways for K+ and Cl- in rabbit proximal tubule: effects on cell volume

To characterize the nature of K+ and Cl- transport pathways across basolateral membrane of rabbit proximal convoluted tubule, we used quantitative video microscopy to measure cell volume changes induced by rapid basolateral K+ and Cl- concentration changes. Elevating basolateral K+ resulted in cell swelling, which was largely inhibited by replacement of basolateral Cl- with cyclamate (85%) or by addition of 2 mM Ba2+ (72%). Substitution of basolateral Cl- by NO3- enhanced cell swelling, whereas substitution of Cl- by I- did not affect the K(+)-induced volume changes. Removal of Cl- from the bath reversed the cell swelling induced by raising K+ in the bath. Steady-state cell volume was 28% greater in hypotonic medium (250 mosmol/kgH2O) than in hypertonic medium (350 mosmol/kgH2O), and the rate of increase in cell volume induced by raising K+ was three times higher in hypotonic than in hypertonic medium. Substitution of Cl- by NO3- did not alter the effect of medium osmolality on K(+)-induced cell swelling, whereas addition of 0.2 mM diphenylamine-2-carboxylate inhibited the response (63%). We conclude that K(+)-induced cell swelling results from entry of K+ and Cl- into the cell across the basolateral membrane; it is proposed that transport of KCl across the basolateral cell membrane proceeds largely through two separate conductive pathways for K+ and Cl-. Cell swelling activates KCl transport occurring via K+ and Cl- channels across the basolateral membrane.

Role of protein phosphatase in activation of KCl cotransport in human erythrocytes

We investigated the effects of okadaic acid, a novel highly specific inhibitor of protein phosphatases on swelling-activated transport in human erythrocytes. Nanomolar concentrations of this compound inhibited swelling-activated K transport. Complete inhibition of this transport was observed at 1 microM. Analysis of the time course of activation of K transport upon swelling revealed that okadaic acid not only decreased the final steady-state flux but also markedly increased the time lag for activation. These results suggest that okadaic acid decreases the rate constant for the conversion of KCl transporters from the resting to the active form. Okadaic acid also inhibited N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-stimulated K transport, and this inhibition was also observed when cells were first treated with NEM before exposure to okadaic acid. The latter finding suggests that NEM activation of KCl transport is reversible and that a later step for this activation may involve the net dephosphorylation of the KCl transport protein. These results provide the first evidence that activation of KCl cotransport in human erythrocytes is regulated by phosphoprotein phosphatase.

Kinetics of activation and inactivation of swelling-stimulated K+/Cl- transport. The volume-sensitive parameter is the rate constant for inactivation.

Red blood cells of several species are known to exhibit a ouabain-insensitive, anion-dependent K+ (Rb+) flux that is stimulated by cell swelling. We have used rabbit red cells to study the kinetics of activation and inactivation of the flux upon step changes in tonicity. Sudden hypotonic swelling (210 mosmol) activates the flux after a lag period of 10 min at 37 degrees C and 30-50 min at 25 degrees C. In cells that were preswollen to activate the transporter, sudden shrinkage (by addition of hypertonic NaCl) causes a rapid inactivation of the flux; the time lag for inactivation is less than 2 min at 37 degrees C. A minimal model of the volume-sensitive KCl transport system requires two states of the transporter. The activated (A) state catalyzes transport at some finite rate (turnover number unknown because the number of transporters is unknown). The resting (R) state has a much lower or possibly zero transport rate. The interconversion between the states is characterized by unimolecular rate constants R k12 in equilibrium with k21 A. The rate of relaxation to any new steady state is equal to the sum of the rate constants k12 + k21. Because the rate of transport activation in a hypotonic medium is lower than the rate of inactivation in an isotonic medium, we conclude that the volume-sensitive rate process is inactivation (the A to R transition); that is, cell swelling activates transport by lowering k21. Three phosphatase inhibitors (fluoride, orthovanadate, and inorganic phosphate) all inhibit the swelling-activated flux and also slow down the rate of approach to the swollen steady state. This finding suggests that a net dephosphorylation is necessary for activation of the flux and that the net dephosphorylation takes place as a result of swelling-induced inhibition of a kinase rather than stimulation of a phosphatase.

Stimulation-associated redistribution of H+-K+-ATPase activity in isolated gastric glands

The objective of this work is to establish a procedure to study the stimulation-dependent membrane redistribution and properties of H+-K+-ATPase in an in vitro model system, rabbit isolated gastric glands. Stimulated (10(-4) M histamine plus 10(-5) M forskolin) and resting (10(-4) M metiamide) glands were homogenized and fractionated into PO (40 g, 5 min), P1 (400 g, 10 min), P2 (14,500 g, 10 min), P3 (48,200 g, 90 min), and supernatant, S3. Significant changes occurred in the distribution of our marker for H+-K+-ATPase (K+-p-nitrophenyl phosphatase) activity: a reduction in activity of P3 and a compensatory increment in P1. P3 showed valinomycin (Val)-dependent vesicular H+ uptake, while H+ uptake in P1 was Val independent. Direct measurements of ATPase revealed that H+-K+-ATPase activity of P3 was Val dependent and decreased by stimulation; H+-K+-ATPase activity of P1 was Val independent and increased by stimulation. Further density gradient purification of P1 showed that membranes lighter than 17% Ficoll contained higher specific H+-K+-ATPase activity, and the observed increase in H+-K+-ATPase associated with stimulation was more pronounced. Also, the lighter fractions from stimulated P1 had much latent H+-K+-ATPase activity that was unmasked by n-octylglucoside. The properties of membrane fractions from isolated glands were consistent with results obtained in vivo: high H+-K+-ATPase activity of P3 from resting glands corresponds to cytoplasmic tubulovesicles lacking KCl transport pathways; high activity of P1 from stimulated glands corresponds to apical plasma membrane vesicles containing KCl transport in addition to the H+-K+-ATPase, and full competency for the generation of HCl.

KCl Transport Across an Insect Epithelium: Characterization of K-Stimulated Cl Absorption and Active K Transport

The kinetics of 36C1 fluxes across cAMP-stimulated, short-circuited locust rectum were studied. Raising external K+ from 0 to 100 mM increased both Kt and Vmax for net Cl transport (JnetCl) by four- to six-fold. Hill plots of JnetCl indicated non-cooperative Cl interactions. The sequence for cation stimulation of JnetCl was K > Rb > Cs > Na > NH4. Low levels of K were stimulatory only when added to the mucosal side. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) caused a small active absorption of K, although this was minor compared to the four-fold increase in transepithelial K diffusion (PK). Neither cAMP stimulation of JnetK nor of PK was sensitive to Cl removal, suggesting that K-stimulated Cl absorption and K transport are not mediated by the same co-transport mechanism. Potassium is the counter-ion for electrogenic Cl transport because JnetK was less than 10% of the JnetK during cAMP exposure under Isc conditions, but JnetK equalled JnetCl at open-circuit.

Stimulation of oxyntic cell triggers K+ and Cl- conductances in apical H+-K+-ATPase membrane

Vesicles isolated from the apical membrane of stimulated oxyntic cells [stimulation-associated (SA) vesicles] are highly permeable to KCl. The KCl flux is coupled to an electroneutral ATP-driven H+-K+ exchange (the H+-K+-ATPase) to produce net intravesicular HCl accumulation. In the past, we observed that rates of KCl transport were not accelerated by valinomycin and that dissipation of preformed H+ gradients in the presence of a protonophore (carbonyl cyanide, m-chlorophenylhydrazone, 10 microM) required the simultaneous presence of valinomycin. Consequently the fast KCl transport was attributed to an electroneutral cotransport system. Now we have been able to elicit fast H+ gradient dissipation in the absence of valinomycin by using the protonophore tetrachlorosalicylanilide. Experiments carried out in the absence of Cl- demonstrated the existence of a specific high-conductance pathway for K+. Experiments in K+-free medium demonstrated the existence of a high Cl- conductance. Parallel experiments in the equivalent H+-K+-ATPase-rich vesicles from nonsecreting oxyntic cells showed very little K+ and Cl- conductivity, suggesting that the appearance of large ionic conductance in the membrane is associated with the stimulation of the cell.