Activation of chloride current and decrease of cell volume by ATP in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells / 生理学报

Whole-cell patch clamp and cell volume measurement techniques were used to investigate the ATP-activated chloride current and the ATP effect on cell volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Extracellular application of ATP in micromolar concentrations activated a current with the properties of modest outward rectification and negligible time-dependent inactivation in a dose-dependent manner. The current reversed at a potential [(-0.05+/-0.03) mV] close to the Cl- equilibrium potential (-0.9 mV). Substitution of Cl- with gluconate in the extracellular solution decreased the ATP-activated current and shifted the reversal potential positively. NPPB, one of the chloride channel blockers, inhibited the current by (81.03+/-9.36)%. The current was also depressed by the P2Y purinoceptor antagonist, reactive blue 2, by (67.39+/-5.06)%. ATP (50 micromol/L) decreased the cell volume under the isotonic condition. Depletion of extracellular and intracellular Cl- abolished the ATP effect on cell volume. The results suggest that extracellular ATP of micromolar scales can induce a chloride current associated with cell volume regulation by activation of chloride channel through binding to purinoceptor P2Y.

Volume-activated Cl- current in migrated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells / 生理学报

The transwell chamber migration assay and the patch-clamp technique were used to investigate the volume-activated Cl(-) current (I(Cl.vol)) in migrated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (CNE-2Z). 47% hypotonic solution activated a ICl.vol in the migrated CNE-2Z cells. Compared with the control cells (non-migrated), the properties of this current and the sensitivity to Cl(-) channel blockers were changed. The current density in migrated CNE-2Z cells was higher than that in non-migrated cells. The current was almost completely inhibited by extracellular application of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP, 10 mmol/L), 5-nitro-2-3-phenylpropylamino benzoic acid (NPPB, 100 mmol/L) and tamoxifen (30 mmol/L) in all voltage steps applied. The inhibition of NPPB and tamoxifen on the current was stronger in migrated cells than that in non-migrated cells. The permeability sequence of the four anions was Br(-)>Cl(-)> I (-)>Gluconate. The sequence was different from that of the non-migrated cells (I(-)> Br(-)> Cl(-)> Gluconate). The results suggest that volume-activated chloride channels may be involved in the CNE-2Z cell migration.

ClC-3 expression in the cell cycle of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells / 生理学报

The immunofluorescence approach, the confocal microscopy and the patch-clamp technique were used to investigate the expression of ClC-3 (one of the candidates of volume-activated chloride channels) and its relationships with the volume-activated chloride current and the capacity of regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in the cell cycle of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (CNE-2Z cells). The results indicated that CNE-2Z cells expressed ClC-3. ClC-3 was located predominantly inside the cells but not in the membrane. Both the expression level and the distribution of ClC-3 were cell cycle dependent. ClC-3 expression was low in G1 but high in S phase. The cells in G2/M phase possessed an intermediate level of the expression. ClC-3 expression level was negatively correlated to the RVD capacity and amplitude of the volume-activated chloride current in the cell cycle. The results suggest that ClC-3 may be an important factor in the regulation of cell cycle progression, but that it is probably not the chloride channel associated with RVD in these cancer cells.

The role of MDR1 gene in volume-activated chloride currents in pigmented ciliary epithelial cells / 生理学报

The role of multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene in the activation of volume-activated chloride currents in bovine pigmented ciliary epithelial (PCE) cells was investigated by the patch-clamp technique, the antisense approach, the immunofluorescent technique and the confocal microscopy. PCE cells express P-glycoprotein (P-gp, the product of MDR1 gene). An MDR1 antisense oligonucleotide suppressed MDR1 expression (93% reduction of P-gp immunofluorescence), delayed the activation of a volume-activated chloride current (latency prolonged by 109%), reduced the activation rate by 62% and decreased the peak value of the current by 56%. The transfection reagent lipofectin and the mismatch control oligonucleotide did not significantly affect the current. The data indicate that the volume-activated chloride current is associated with the endogenous expression of MDR1 gene in PCE cells.