Cation transport in different volume populations of genetically low K+ lamb red cells

During the first three months after birth lambs produce sequentially three erthryocyte populations of different mean volume as demonstrated by electric sizing methods (Valet, Franz, and Lauf, J. Cell. Physiol. 94 (1978) 215). We separated by centrifugal elutriation the small volume population (type II) red cells of a genotypically low K⁺ (LK) lamb from the population containing the larger volume type I and III cells, an admixture of fetal (I) and adult (III) erythrocytes. The cells were separated at various time intervals after birth and analyzed with respect to their volumes, cation contents, and cation flux properties by means of ⁸⁶Rb uptake. The effect of anti-L on K⁺ pump and leak fluxes was ascertained in unseparated and separated red cells. It was found that the small red cells of population II, transiently present for several weeks, were fully developed LK cells with K⁺ pumps responding characteristically to the stimulatory action of anti-L. In constrast, the larger cells of population I and III were of high K⁺ (HK) nature at early time points, the K⁺ pump activities approximately ten times higher than adult LK cells. These cells constitute an admixture of type I fetal HK cells, and type III reticulocytes which are precursors for the final type III adult LK cells, since anti-L had a small stimulatory effect. At later times, however, only adult type III LK cells predominated. The data directly support our earlier finding that the HK-LK transition in genotypically LK lambs is primarily governed by cellular replacement.     

Hemolysate increases calcium-inhibition of the Na+,K+ pump of resealed human red cell ghosts

The Na+,K+ pump of resealed human red cell ghosts is more sensitive to inhibition by intracellular Ca (Cai) when they contain diluted hemolysate compared to ghosts without hemolysate. The activity of the Na+,K+ pump was assessed by measuring ouabain-sensitive 22Na efflux in ghosts that, in addition to the presence or absence of hemolysate, also contained arsenazo III to measure free Cai and a regenerating system to maintain a constant concentration of ATP. Incorporating hemolysate diluted 20-fold compared to in situ conditions doubled the inhibitory effects of 1-50 microM free Cai on the Na+,K+ pump and caused 50% inhibition to occur between 5 and 10 microM free Cai. Increased inhibition in the presence of the hemolysate was not due to a cytoplasm-induced decrease in the ATP content of the ghosts. These findings are consistent with the suggestion that the cytoplasm of human red cells contains a factor which increases the sensitivity of the Na+,K+ pump to inhibition by Cai.     

Active and passive cation transport and L antigen hertogeneity in low potassium sheep red cells

Several lines of experimental evidence are presented suggesting that the L antigens in low potassium (LK) sheep red cells are associated with separate Na(+)K(+) pump flux is distinct from the action of anti-L(l) on K(+) leak flux, implying that K(+) leak transport sites may not be converted into active pumps by the L antiserum. Treatment of LK red cells with trypsin completely abolished both the stimulation of K(+) pump flux and the enhancement of the rate of ouabain binding brought about by anti- L. That this effect is due to a total destruction of the L(p) determinant associated with the LK pump was evident from the complete failure of anti-L(p) to bind to trypsinized LK red cells. The L(p) antigen can be effectively protected against the trypsin attack by prior incubation with anti-L, indicating that the sites for antibody binding and trypsin action may be closely adjacent at the structural level. Trypsin treatment, however, did not interfere with anti-L(l) reducing ouabain insensitive K(+) leak influx, nor did it prevent binding of anti-L(ly), the hemolytically active L antibody which is probably identical with anti-L(l). The functional independence of the L(p) and L(l) sites was documented by the observation that anti-L(l) still reduced K(+) leak influx in LK cells with experimentally induced high potassium concentrations, at which K(+) pump flux is fully suppressed, whether or not anti-L(p) was binding to the L(p) antigen associated with the LK pump.     

Anion-coupled Na efflux mediated by the human red blood cell Na/K pump

The red cell Na/K pump is known to continue to extrude Na when both Na and K are removed from the external medium. Because this ouabain-sensitive flux occurs in the absence of an exchangeable cation, it is referred to as uncoupled Na efflux. This flux is also known to be inhibited by 5 mM Nao but to a lesser extent than that inhibitable by ouabain. Uncoupled Na efflux via the Na/K pump therefore can be divided into a Nao-sensitive and Nao-insensitive component. We used DIDS-treated, SO4-equilibrated human red blood cells suspended in HEPES-buffered (pHo 7.4) MgSO4 or (Tris)2SO4, in which we measured 22Na efflux, 35SO4 efflux, and changes in the membrane potential with the fluorescent dye, diS-C3 (5). A principal finding is that uncoupled Na efflux occurs electroneurally, in contrast to the pump's normal electrogenic operation when exchanging Nai for Ko. This electroneutral uncoupled efflux of Na was found to be balanced by an efflux of cellular anions. (We were unable to detect any ouabain-sensitive uptake of protons, measured in an unbuffered medium at pH 7.4 with a Radiometer pH-STAT.) The Nao-sensitive efflux of Nai was found to be 1.95 +/- 0.10 times the Nao-sensitive efflux of (SO4)i, indicating that the stoichiometry of this cotransport is two Na+ per SO4=, accounting for 60-80% of the electroneutral Na efflux. The remainder portion, that is, the ouabain-sensitive Nao-insensitive component, has been identified as PO4-coupled Na transport and is the subject of a separate paper. That uncoupled Na efflux occurs as a cotransport with anions is supported by the result, obtained with resealed ghosts, that when internal and external SO4 was substituted by the impermeant anion, tartrate i,o, the efflux of Na was inhibited 60-80%. This inhibition could be relieved by the inclusion, before DIDS treatment, of 5 mM Cli,o. Addition of 10 mM Ko to tartrate i,o ghosts, with or without Cli,o, resulted in full activation of Na/K exchange and the pump's electrogenicity. Although it can be concluded that Na efflux in the uncoupled mode occurs by means of a cotransport with cellular anions, the molecular basis for this change in the internal charge structure of the pump and its change in ion selectivity is at present unknown.     

The modulation of the calcium pump of human red cells by Na+ and K+

1. The sidedness of Ca²⁺-pump activation by Na⁺ and K⁺ was studied by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in human erythrocyte ghosts, which had been prepared in dextran solutions and resealed to alkali cations. 2. When ghosts were incubated in an all-choline medium, the increase in Na_i⁺ elicited an inhibitory-stimulatory effect on Ca²⁺ extrusion. By contrast, only a stimulatory action was induced when choline was replaced by Na₀⁺. 3. A dual effect on active Ca²⁺ efflux was also produced by increasing K_i⁺ or K₀⁺. The biphasic response to the latter, however, was absent from high-K⁺ ghosts. Furthermore, the stimulation obtained at high K₀⁺ was additive to that elicited by K_i⁺. 4. The results suggest that Na⁺ and K⁺ stimulate the Ca²⁺ pump of human red cells through two different mechanisms. The first one appears to be an electric coupling between Ca²⁺ efflux and the external activating cation. The other seems associated with the molecular reactions of the Ca²⁺-pump protein.     

Changes in K+ pump transport and ouabain binding sites in erythrocytes of genetically low K+ lambs

Red cells from 3 genetically low K⁺ lambs exhibited: high cell K⁺ and K⁺ pump activity and 135 pumps/cell on day 3 after birth; increased cellular Na⁺ and a decrease of the number of pumps relative to K⁺ pump flux on day 17; and low cell K⁺, low K⁺ pump flux and about 40–50 pumps/cell on day 40 or later.     

Na+, K+ and Cl- transport in isolated small intestinal cells from guinea pig. Evidences for the existence of a second Na+ pump

Isolated small intestinal epithelial cells, after incubation at 4 degrees C for 30 min, reach ion concentrations (36 mM K+, 113 mM Na+ and 110 mM Cl-) very similar to those of the incubation medium. Upon rewarming to 37 degrees C, cells are able to extrude Na+, Cl- and water and to gain K+. Na+ extrusion is performed by two active mechanisms. The first mechanism, transporting Na+ by exchanging it for K+, is inhibited by ouabain and is insensitive to ethacrynic acid. It is the classical Na+ pump. The second mechanism transports Na+ with Cl- and water, is insensitive to ouabain but is inhibited by ethacrynic acid. Both mechanisms are inhibited by dinitrophenol and anoxia. The second Na+ extruding mechanism could be the Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransport system. However, this possibility can be ruled out because the force driving cotransport would work inwards, and because Na+ extrusion with water loss continues after substitution of Cl- by NO3-. We propose that enterocytes have a second Na+ pump, similar to that proposed in proximal tubular cells.     

Amino acid transport and intracellular Na+ and K+ content of chicken erythrocytes genetically selected for high and low leucine transport activity

1. Amino acid transport and intracellular Na+ and K+ content have been studied in two lines of chickens, one high and the other low uptake, selected for their ability to transport leucine into erythrocytes. 2. Low line birds were less effective in absorbing glycine into erythrocytes than were high line birds, the difference in transport being due to a difference in maximal flux (Vmax), but not in apparent affinity for transport sites (Kt). 3. In contrast to glycine uptake, the greater ability of the high line to absorb lysine was found to be due to a difference in both Vmax and Kt. 4. High line erythrocytes were also observed to contain slightly more K+ (about 5%) and about 20% less Na+ than low line erythrocytes. 5. These results are discussed in terms of the ion dependency of amino acid transport.     

Effect of peroxynitrite on passive K+ transport in human red blood cells.

Peroxynitrite is generated in vivo by the reaction between nitric oxide, from endothelial and other cells, and the superoxide anion. It is therefore pertinent to examine its effects on the membrane permeability of red blood cells. Treatment of human red blood cells with peroxynitrite (nominally 1 mM) markedly stimulated passive K+ permeability. The main effect was on a Cl(-)-independent K+ pathway, which remains unidentified. Although K+-Cl- cotransport (KCC) was stimulated, this was dependent on saline composition, being inhibited by physiological levels of glucose (IC50 4 mM), and also by sucrose and MOPS. Effects on the Cl(-)-independent K+ pathway were less dependent on saline composition, and were not inhibited by amiloride, ethylisopropylamiloride, dimethylamiloride or gadolinium. Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter was inhibited whilst there was little effect on the Gardos channel (Ca2+-activated K+ channel). Peroxynitrite was markedly more effective in oxygenated cells than deoxygenated ones. Treatment with peroxynitrite per se did not affect initial cell volume. Anisotonic swelling modestly increased the Cl(-)-independent K+ influx, but did not affect peroxynitrite-stimulated KCC. Decreasing extracellular pH from 7.4 to 7.2 or 7.0 increased KCC stimulation, whilst the Cl(-)-independent component of K+ transport was lowest at pH 7.2. Finally, protein phosphatase inhibition with calyculin A (100 nM) inhibited KCC, implying that, as with other KCC stimuli, peroxynitrite acts via decreased protein phosphorylation; pre-treatment with calyculin A also inhibited the Cl(-)-independent component of K+ transport. These findings are relevant to the actions of peroxynitrite in vivo.     

Active sodium and potassium transport in high potassium and low potassium sheep red cells

The kinetic characteristics of the ouabain-sensitive (Na + K) transport system (pump) of high potassium (HK) and low potassium (LK) sheep red cells have been investigated. In sodium medium, the curve relating pump rate to external K is sigmoid with half maximal stimulation (K_1/2) occurring at 3 mM for both cell types, the maximum pump rate in HK cells being about four times that in LK cells. In sodium-free media, both HK and LK pumps are adequately described by the Michaelis-Menten equation, but the K_1/2 for HK cells is 0.6 ± 0.1 mM K, while that for LK is 0.2 ± 0.05 mM K. When the internal Na and K content of the cells was varied by the PCMBS method, it was found that the pump rate of HK cells showed a gradual increase from zero at very low internal Na to a maximum when internal K was reduced to nearly zero (100% Na). In LK cells, on the other hand, no pump activity was detected if Na constituted less than 70% of the total (Na + K) in the cell. Increasing Na from 70 to nearly 100% of the internal cation composition, however, resulted in an exponential increase in pump rate in these cells to about ⅙ the maximum rate observed in HK cells. While changes in internal composition altered the pump rate at saturating concentrations of external K, it had no effect on the apparent affinity of the pumps for external K. These results lead us to conclude that the individual pump sites in the HK and LK sheep red cell membranes must be different. Moreover, we believe that these data contribute significantly to defining the types of mechanism which can account for the kinetic characteristics of (Na + K) transport in sheep red cells and perhaps in other systems.     

Intracellular K+ activities in Aplysia gut: effects of transport inhibitors on the Na+ pump

Na+ absorption by the Aplysia californica foregut is affected through an active Na+ transport mechanism located in the basolateral membrane of the epithelial absorptive cells. Since Cl- absorption by the Aplysia gut has been shown to be very different from that demonstrated in vertebrate gut, the present study was undertaken to discern if Na+ transport was also different from that observed in vertebrate preparations. Utilizing microelectrode technique, it was demonstrated that intracellular K+ activity is above electrochemical equilibrium in the Aplysia absorptive cells and that serosal ouabain, Ba2+ or Cd2+ abolished this asymmetry in K+ electrochemical potential. Neither bumetanide nor furosemide had any effect on intracellular K+ activities, mucosal membrane potentials or transepithelial potentials in the Aplysia gut preparation. These results are consistent with the operation of a basolateral Na+/K+ pump.     

Increase of Na+ gradient-dependent L-glutamate and L-aspartate transport in high K+ dog erythrocytes associated with high activity of (Na+, K+)-ATPase

As reported previously, some dogs possess red cells characterized by low Na+, high K+ concentrations, and high activity of (Na+, K+)-ATPase, although normal dog red cells contain low K+, high Na+, and lack (Na+, K+)-ATPase. Furthermore, these red cells show increased activities of L-glutamate and L-aspartate transport, resulting in high accumulations of such amino acids in their cells. The present study demonstrated: (i) Na+ gradient-dependent L-glutamate and L-aspartate transport in the high K+ and low K+ red cells were dominated by a saturable component obeying Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Although no difference of the Km values was observed between the high K+ and low K+ cells, the Vmax values for both amino acids' transport in the high K+ cells were about three times those of low ones. (ii) L- and D-aspartate, but not D-glutamate, competitively inhibited L-glutamate transport in both types of the cells. (iii) Ouabain decreased the uptake of the amino acids in the high K+ dog red cells, whereas it was not effective on those in the low K+ cells. (iv) The ATP-treated high K+ cells [(K+]i not equal to [K+]o, [Na+]i greater than [Na+]o) showed a marked decrease of both amino acids' uptake rate, which was almost the same as that of the low K+ cells. (v) Valinomycin stimulated the amino acids' transport in both of the high K+ and the ATP-treated low K+ cells [( K+]i greater than [K+]o, [Na+]o), suggesting that the transport system of L-glutamate and L-aspartate in both types of the cells might be electrogenic. These results indicate that the increased transport activity in the high K+ dog red cells was a secondary consequence of the Na+ concentration gradient created by (Na+, K+)-ATPase.     

Na+ and K+ transport in excised soybean roots

Uptake, accumulation and xylem transport of K⁺ and Na⁺ in excised roots of soybean were investigated by use of a perfusion technique. This technique permitted independent quantification of, on the one hand, entry of ions into the roots and their transport through the cortex to the xylem vessels, and on the other hand reabsorption from the xylem vessels to the neighbouring cells and the external medium. Data are consistent with a low degree of selective uptake of K⁺ over Na⁺. However, Na⁺ depletion of the xylem stream by reabsorption limits, although weakly, its translocation to the shoots. Na⁺ reabsorbed is for a great part reexcreted into the external medium. The low efficiency of these processes is discussed in relation to the Na⁺ sensitivity of soybean.     

Inward-directed current generated by the Na+,K+ pump in Na+- and K+-free medium

In Na⁺- and K⁺-free solution, an inward-directed current can be detected in Xenopus oocytes, which is inhibited by cardic glycosides and activated by ATP. Therefore, it is assumed to be generated by the Na⁺, K⁺ pump. At negative membrane potentials, the pump current increases with more negative potentials and with increasing [H⁺] in the external medium. This current is not observed when Mg²⁺ instead of Ba²⁺ is the only divalent cation present in the bath medium, and it does not depend on whether Na⁺ or K⁺ is present internally. At 5 to 10 mM Na⁺ externally, maximum pump-generated current is obtained while no current can be detected in presence of physiological [Na⁺]. It is suggested that in low-Na⁺ and K⁺-free medium the Na⁺, K⁺ pump molecule can either form a conductive pathway that is permeable to Ba²⁺ or protons or operate in its conventional transport mode accepting Ba²⁺ as a K⁺ congener. A reversed pump mode or an electrogenic uncoupled Na⁺-efflux mode is excluded.