Demonstration of Na+-selective channels in the luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule

Characteristics of 22Na+ fluxes through Na+ channels in luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from either pars recta or pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule were studied. In NaCl-loaded vesicles from pars recta, transient accumulation of 22Na+ is observed, which is inhibited by amiloride. The isotope accumulation is driven by an electrical diffusion potential as shown in experiments using either these membrane vesicles loaded with different anions, or an outwardly directed K+ gradient with a K+ ionophore valinomycin. The vesicles containing the channel show a cation selectivity with the order Li+ greater than Na+ greater than K+. The amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ flux is dependent on intravesicular Ca2+. In NaCl-loaded vesicles from pars convoluta, no overshoot for 22Na+ uptake is observed. Furthermore, addition of amiloride to the incubation medium did not influence the uptake of 22Na+ in these vesicle preparations. It is concluded that Na+ channels are only present in pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.     

Mechanism of transport of L-alanine by luminal-membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule

The characteristics of renal transport of L-alanine by luminal-membrane vesicles from proximal straight tubules (pars recta) of rabbit kidney were investigated. The following picture emerges from transport studies. Two electrogenic and Na+ requiring systems confined to this region of the nephron exist for the transport of L-alanine. In addition to Na+, the transport of L-alanine was influenced by H+. However, H+ does not substitute for Na+, but instead potentiates the Na+ effect. Modification of histidyl residues of the intact luminal-membrane vesicles by diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP), completely abolished the transient renal accumulation of L-alanine. Substrate and Na+-protection experiments suggest that histidyl residues may be at or close to the active site of the L-alanine transporter in membrane vesicles from pars recta.     

Potassium channels in basolateral membrane vesicles from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule

The characteristics of 86Rb+ fluxes through conductive channels in basolateral-membrane vesicles isolated from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule were investigated. In KCl loaded vesicles a transient accumulation of 86Rb+ was observed which was inhibited by BaCl2. The accumulation was driven by an electrical diffusion potential, as shown in experiments using membrane vesicles loaded with Li2SO4 and an outwardly directed Li+ gradient established with a Li(+)-ionophore. The vesicles containing the channel showed a cation selectivity with the order K+ = Rb+ much greater than Li+ greater than or equal to Na+ greater than choline+. The 86Rb+ flux was dependent on intravesicular Ca2+. Increasing concentrations of Ca2+ gradually decreased the 86Rb+ uptake.     

Characteristics of D-alanine transport by luminal membrane vesicles from pars convoluta and pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule

Uptake of D-alanine against a concentration gradient has been shown to occur with isolated luminal-membrane vesicles from pars convoluta or pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule. Renal D-alanine transport systems, displaying the following characteristics, were shown: (1) In vesicles from pars convoluta, the uptake of D-alanine was mediated by both Na+-dependent and Na+-independent transport processes. It was found that an inwardly directed H+-gradient could drive the transport of D-alanine into the vesicles both in the presence and absence of Na+. Thus, in addition to Na+, the transport of D-alanine is influenced by the H+-gradient. (2) In vesicles from pars recta, the transient accumulation of D-alanine was strictly dependent on Na+, since no 'overshoot' was ever observed in the absence of Na+. Although the Na+-dependent uptake of D-alanine was stimulated at acid pH, H+ did not substitute for Na+, as it apparently does in pars convoluta, but instead potentiated the Na+ effect. (3) Addition of L-alanine to vesicle preparations, both from pars convoluta and from pars recta, specifically inhibited renal uptake of D-alanine. A comparison between the transport characteristics of D- and L-alanine indicated that these two isomers of alanine probably share common transport systems located along the proximal tubule of rabbit kidney.     

GTP-binding proteins in luminal and basolateral membranes from pars convoluta and pars recta of rabbit kidney proximal tubule.

The GTP-binding proteins on luminal and basolateral membrane vesicles from outer cortex (pars convoluta) and outer medulla (pars recta) of rabbit proximal tubule have been examined. The membrane vesicles were highly purified, as ascertained by electron microscopy, by measurements of marker enzymes, and by investigating segmental-specific transport systems. The [35S]GTP gamma S binding to vesicles, and to sodium cholate-extracted proteins from vesicles, indicated that the total content of GTP-binding proteins were equally distributed on pars convoluta, pars recta luminal and basolateral membranes. The membranes were ADP-ribosylated with [32P]NAD+ in the presence of pertussis toxin and cholera toxin. Gel electrophoresis revealed, for all preparations, the presence of cholera toxin [32P]ADP-ribosylated 42 and 45 kDa G alpha s proteins, and pertussis toxin [32P]ADP-ribosylated 41 kDa G alpha i1, 40 kDa G alpha i2 and 41 kDa G alpha i3 proteins. The 2D electrophoresis indicated that Go's were not present in luminal nor in basolateral membranes of pars convoluta or pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.     

Ba2+-sensitive K+ channels in luminal-membrane vesicles from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule

This paper describes properties of 86Rb+ fluxes through a novel K+ channel in luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule. The uptake of 86Rb+ into potassium salt loaded vesicles was specifically inhibited by Ba2+. The isotope accumulation is driven by an electrical diffusion potential as shown in experiments using these membrane vesicles loaded with anions of different membrane permeability and was as follows: gluconate greater than SO4(2-) greater than Cl-. Furthermore, the vesicles containing the channels show a cation selectivity with the order K+ greater than Rb+ greater than Li+ greater than Na+ = choline+.     

Effects of divalent cations and pH on amiloride-sensitive Na+ fluxes into luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.

The effect of Ca2+, Cd2+, Ba2+, Mg2+ and pH on the renal epithelial Na(+)-channel was investigated by measuring the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ fluxes into luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule. It was found that intravesicular Ca2+ as well as extravesicular Ca2+ substantially lowered the channel-mediated flux. Amiloride sensitive Na+ uptake was nearly completely blocked by 10 microM Ca2+ at pH 7.4. The inhibitory effect of Ca2+ was dependent on pH. Thus, 10 microM Ca2+ produced 90% inhibition of 22Na+ uptake at pH 7.4, and only 40% inhibition at pH 7.0. The tracer fluxes measured in the absence of Ca2+ were pH independent over the range from 7.0 to 7.4. All the cations Ca2+, Cd2+, Ba2+ except Mg2+ inhibited the 22Na+ influx drastically when added extravesicularly in millimolar concentrations. The cations Cd2+, Ba2+ and Mg2+ in the same concentrations intravesicularly inhibited the 22Na+ influx only slightly. A millimolar concentration of Ca2+ intravesicularly blocked the amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ flux completely. The data indicate that Ca2+ inhibits Na+ influx specifically by binding to sites composed of one or several deprotonated groups on the channel proteins.     

Glycyl-L-proline transport in rabbit enterocyte basolateral-membrane vesicles.

The properties of a peptide-transport system in rabbit enterocyte basolateral membrane were examined with glycyl-L-proline as the substrate. Basolateral-membrane vesicles prepared from rabbit proximal intestine were characterized in terms of both purity and orientation. Marker-enzyme assays show that the basolateral-membrane marker, ouabain-sensitive K(+)-activated phosphatase, is enriched 17-fold with respect to the initial homogenate. The activities of enzymes used as markers for other membranes and organelles are low, and contamination of the final membrane fraction with these is minimal. The use of immunoblotting techniques further confirms the absence of brush-border-membrane contamination. Proteins in the basolateral-membrane vesicle preparation gave no cross-reaction with antibodies against the 140 kDa antigen and the Na+/glucose-symport protein, markers specific to the brush-border membrane of the enterocyte. Conversely, antibodies raised against the classical basolateral-membrane marker, the RLA class I histocompatibility complex, reacted strongly with a 43 kDa basolateral-membrane protein. The orientation of the basolateral-membrane vesicles was shown to be predominantly inside-out on determination by two independent criteria. The uptake of [1-14C]glycyl-L-proline by these vesicles is stimulated by the presence of an inwardly directed pH gradient, and this stimulation can be abolished by the proton ionophores carbonyl cyanide p-trichloromethoxyphenylhydrazone (CCCP) and tetrachlorotrifluoromethylbenzimidazole (TTFB). Transport is also inhibited by HgCl2, thimerosal, Na+ and other glycyl dipeptides.     

Membrane stress causes inhibition of water channels in brush border membrane vesicles from kidney proximal tubule

Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) from rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells, prepared with different internal solute concentrations (cellobiose buffer 13, 18 or 85 mosM) developed an hydrostatic pressure difference across the membrane of 18.7 mosM, that causes a membrane tension close to 5 × 10⁻⁵ N cm⁻¹. When subjected to several hypertonic osmotic shocks an initial delay of osmotic shrinkage (a lag time), corresponding to a very small change in initial volume was apparent. This initial osmotic response, which is significantly retarded, was correlated with the initial period of elevated membrane tension, suggesting that the water permeability coefficient is inhibited by membrane stress. We speculate that this inhibition may serve to regulate cell volume in the proximal tubule.     

A freeze-fracture study of tight junctions in the pars convoluta and pars recta of the renal proximal tubule

Summary The morphology of tight junctions of the renal proximal tubule was studied comparing the pars convoluta and pars recta of rat, golden hamster, rabbit, cat, dog and tupaia. Though some interspecies variations were observed, the convoluted portions of the proximal tubules revealed quite uniformly very leaky tight junctions with mainly 1–2 strands.Along the whole proximal tubule of the rabbit kidney including the pars recta only minor differences of the zonulae occludentes were found. By contrast, the tight junctions of the pars recta in other species were much more elaborate, especially in cat and tupaia, having up to 6 strands and an overall depth of more than 150 nm. The implications of these findings are discussed with special regard to the functional differences between the pars convoluta and pars recta of the proximal tubule.This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Renal transport of taurine in luminal membrane vesicles from rabbit proximal tubule

The uptake of taurine by luminal membrane vesicles from pars convoluta and pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule was examined. In pars convoluta, the transport of taurine was characterized by two Na(+)-dependent (Km1 = 0.086 mM, Km2 = 5.41 mM) systems, and one Na(+)-independent (Km = 2.87 mM) system, which in the presence of an inwardly directed H(+)-gradient was able to drive the transport of taurine into these vesicles. By contrast, in luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta, the transport of taurine occurred via a dual transport system (Km1 = 0.012 mM, Km2 = 5.62 mM), which was strictly dependent on Na+. At acidic pH with or without a H(+)-gradient, the Na(+)-dependent flux of taurine was drastically reduced. In both kind of vesicles, competition experiments only showed inhibition of the Na(+)-dependent high-affinity taurine transporter in the presence of beta-alanine, whereas there was no significant inhibition with alpha-amino acids, indicating a beta-amino acid specific transport system. Addition of beta-alanine, L-alanine, L-proline and glycine, but not L-serine reduced the H(+)-dependent uptake of taurine to approx. 50%. Moreover, only the Na(+)-dependent high-affinity transport systems in both segments specifically required Cl-. Investigation of the stoichiometry indicated 1.8 Na+: 1 Cl-: 1 taurine (high affinity), 1 Na+: 1 taurine (low affinity) and 1 H+: 1 taurine in pars convoluta. In pars recta, the data showed 1.8 Na+: 1 Cl-: 1 taurine (high affinity) and 1 Na+: 1 taurine (low affinity).     

Sodium-dependent chloride transport in basolateral membrane vesicles isolated from rabbit proximal tubule

The mechanisms for Cl transport across basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV) isolated from rabbit renal cortex were examined by using the Cl-sensitive fluorescent indicator 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium (SPQ). The transporters studied included Cl/base exchange, Cl/base/Na cotransport, K/Cl cotransport, and Cl conductance. Initial rates of chloride influx (JCl) were determined from the measured time course of SPQ fluorescence in BLMV following inwardly directed gradients of Cl and gradients of other ions and/or pH. For a 50 mM inwardly directed Cl gradient in BLMV which were voltage and pH clamped (7.0) using K/valinomycin and nigericin, JCl was 0.80 +/- 0.14 nmol S-1 (mg of vesicle protein)-1 (mean +/- SD, n = 8 separate preparations). In the absence of Na and CO2/HCO3 in voltage-clamped BLMV, JCl increased 56% +/- 5% in response to a 1.9 pH unit inwardly directed H gradient; the increase was further enhanced by 40% +/- 3% in the presence of CO2/HCO3 and inhibited 30% +/- 8% by 100 microM dihydro-4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. Na gradients did not increase JCl in the absence of CO2/HCO3; however, an outwardly directed Na gradient in the presence of CO2/HCO3 increased JCl by 31% +/- 8% with a Na KD of 7 +/- 2 mM. These results indicate the presence of Cl/OH and Cl/HCO3 exchange, and Cl/HCO3 exchange trans-stimulated by Na. There was no significant effect of K gradients in the presence or absence of valinomycin, suggesting lack of significant K/Cl cotransport and Cl conductance under experimental conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

An efficient method for the isolation and separation of basolateral-membrane and luminal-membrane vesicles from rabbit kidney cortex.

A procedure for isolation and separation of purified luminal-membrane and basolateral-membrane vesicles from adult and newborn rabbit renal cortex by using Ca2+/Mg2+ precipitation, differential centrifugation and a self-orienting Percoll-gradient centrifugation is described. The purity of the membrane-vesicle suspensions was examined by electron microscopy and by measuring the activity of several marker enzymes. The activity of Na+ + K+-stimulated ATPase in the fraction mainly containing adult rabbit basolateral-membrane vesicles was enriched 16-fold, and the activity of alkaline phosphatase in the fraction mainly containing luminal-membrane vesicles was increased 13-fold, compared with the homogenate. Similar results were obtained with kidneys from newborn rabbits. Uptake studies, with a rapid filtration technique and the spectrophotometric method described in an accompanying paper [Kragh-Hansen, Jørgensen & Sheikh (1982) Biochem. J. 208, 359-368], showed that both adult and newborn rabbit luminal-membrane vesicles, in contrast with the basolateral-membrane preparations, possess an Na+-dependent electrogenic transport system for L-proline. Adult rabbit luminal-membrane vesicles take up citrate and L-malate by Na+-dependent electrogenic processes, whereas adult rabbit basolateral membrane vesicles do not exhibit electrogenic uptake of citrate. By contrast, these vesicles show Na+-dependent electrogenic uptake of L-malate.     

Axial heterogeneity of organic cation transport along the rabbit renal proximal tubule: studies with brush-border membrane vesicles

Brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from rabbit kidney outer cortex (rich in S1 and S2) and outer medulla (rich in S3) were used to evaluate the axial heterogeneity of tetraethylammonium transport in the proximal tubule. The vesicle preparations had similar Km values but the Vmax values differed, suggesting that axial heterogeneity of tetraethylammonium secretion may be due to differences in transport across the brush-border membrane.     

Water permeabilities and salt reflection coefficients of luminal, basolateral and intracellular membrane vesicles isolated from rabbit kidney proximal tubule

The mechanisms of water transport across the rabbit renal proximal convoluted tubule were approached by measuring osmotic permeabilities and solute reflection coefficients of the brush-border and the basolateral membranes. Plasma and intracellular membrane vesicles were isolated from rabbit renal cortex by centrifugation on a Percoll gradient. Three major turbidity bands were obtained: a fraction of purified basolateral membranes (BLMV), the two others being brush-border (BBMV) and endoplasmic reticulum (ERMV) membrane vesicles. The osmotic permeability (Pf) of the three types of vesicle was measured using stop-flow techniques and their geometry was determined by quasi-elastic light scattering. Pf was equal to 123 +/- 8 microns/s (n = 10) for BBMV, 166 +/- 10 microns/s (n = 10) for BLMV and 156 +/- 9 microns/s (n = 4) for ERMV (T = 26 degrees C). A transcellular water permeability, per unit of apical surface area, of 71 microns/s was calculated considering that the luminal and the basolateral membranes act as two conductances in series. This value is in close agreement, after appropriate normalizations, with previously reported transepithelial water permeabilities obtained using in vitro microperfusion techniques thus supporting the hypothesis of a predominantly transcellular route for water flow across rabbit proximal convoluted tubule. The addition of 0.4 mM HgCl2, a sulfhydryl reagent, decreased Pf about 60% in three types of membrane providing evidence for the existence of proteic pathways. NaCl and KCl reflection coefficients were measured and found to be close to one for plasma and intracellular membranes suggesting that the water channels are not shared by salts.     

Functional colocalization of water channels and proton pumps in endosomes from kidney proximal tubule

The apical membrane of mammalian proximal tubule undergoes rapid membrane cycling by exocytosis and endocytosis. Osmotic water and ATP- driven proton transport were measured in endocytic vesicles from rabbit and rat proximal tubule apical membrane labeled in vivo with the fluid phase marker fluorescein-dextran. Osmotic water permeability (Pf) was determined from the time course of fluorescein-dextran fluorescence after exposure of endosomes to an inward osmotic gradient in a stopped- flow apparatus. Pf was 0.009 (rabbit) and 0.029 cm/s (rat) (23 degrees C) and independent of osmotic gradient size. Pf in rabbit endosomes was inhibited reversibly by HgCl2 (KI = 0.2 mM) and had an activation energy of 6.4 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol (15-35 degrees C). Endosomal proton ATPase activity was measured from the time course of internal pH, measured by fluorescein-dextran fluorescence, after the addition of external ATP. Endosomes contained an ATP-driven proton pump that was sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide and insensitive to vanadate and oligomycin. In response to saturating [ATP] the pump acidified the endosomal compartment at a rate of 0.17 (rat) and 0.029 pH unit/s (rabbit); at an external pH of 7.4, the steady-state pH was 6.4 (rat) and 6.5 (rabbit). To examine whether water channels and the proton ATPase were present in the same endosome, the time course of fluorescein-dextran fluorescence was measured in response to an osmotic gradient in the presence and absence of ATP. ATP did not alter endosome Pf, but decreased the amplitude of the fluorescence signal by 43 +/- 3% (rabbit) and 47 +/- 4% (rat).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Response of primary rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells to estrogens

The effects of estrogens on the growth and function of primary rabbit kidney proximal tubule (RPT) cells have been examined in hormonally defined phenol red–free medium. 17β-estradiol was observed to stimulate growth at dosages as low as 10⁻¹⁰ M. The growth stimulatory effects of 17β-estradiol were mitigated in the presence of hydrocortisone, suggesting that these two steroid hormones acted at least in part by common mechanisms. The effects of other steroids known to interact with the estrogen receptor were examined. Alpha estradiol was found to be growth stimulatory over a concentration range of 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁸ M, albeit to a lower extent than beta estradiol. In addition, the anti-estrogen tamoxifen was also growth stimulatory (unlike the case with the human mammary tumor cell line MCF-7). The effects of several metabolic precursors of 17β-estradiol were examined, including testosterone, which was growth stimulatory, and progesterone, which was growth inhibitory. The growth stimulatory effects of 17β-estradiol, alpha estradiol, and tamoxifen could possibly be explained by their interaction with an estrogen receptor. Indeed, metabolic labelling and immunoprecipitation studies indicated the presence of such an estrogen receptor in the primary cultures. The rate of biosynthesis of the estrogen receptor was found to be affected by the presence of exogenously added 17β-estradiol. 17β-estradiol was also observed to increase the activity of two brush border enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, during the growth phase of the primary cultures. J Cell Physiol 178:35–43, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Heterogeneity in ATP-dependent acidification in endocytic vesicles from kidney proximal tubule. Measurement of pH in individual endocytic vesicles in a cell-free system.

Measurement of membrane transport in suspensions of isolated membrane vesicles provides averaged information over a potentially very heterogeneous vesicle population. To examine the regulatory mechanisms for ATP-dependent acidification, methodology was developed to measure pH in individual endocytic vesicles. Endocytic vesicles from proximal tubule apical membrane of rat kidney were labeled in vivo by intravenous infusion of FITC-dextran (9 kD); a microsomal fraction was obtained from dissected renal cortex by homogenization and differential centrifugation. Vesicles were immobilized on a polylysine coated coverglass and imaged at high magnification by a silicon intensified target camera. ATP-dependent acidification was not influenced by endosome immobilization. Endosome pH was determined from the integrated fluorescence intensity of individual labeled vesicles after background subtraction. Calibration studies with high K and nigericin showed nearly identical fluorescence vs. pH curves for different endosomes with a standard deviation for a single pH measurement in a single endosome of approximately 0.2 pH units. In response to addition of 1 mM MgATP in the presence of K and valinomycin, endosome pH decreased from 7.2 to a mean of 6.4 with a unimodal distribution with width at half-maximum of approximately 1 pH unit. The drop in endosome pH increased and the shape of the distribution changed when the time between FITC-dextran infusion and kidney removal was increased from 5 to 20 min. Differences in ATP-dependent acidification could not be attributed to heterogeneity in passive proton conductance. These results establish a direct method to measure pH in single endocytic vesicles and demonstrate remarkable heterogeneity in ATP-dependent acidification which was interpreted in terms of heterogeneity in the number and/or activity of proton pumps at serial stages of endocytosis.