Sulfonylurea receptors inhibit the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by reducing surface expression.

In the kidney the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) is co-expressed with the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR), an ABC protein that shares a high degree of homology with the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and reportedly modifies ENaC in various preparations. To investigate a possible regulatory relationship between SUR and ENaC, we performed co-expression studies on Xenopus laevis oocytes, which were assayed for amiloride-sensitive currents (DeltaIami). Moreover, a chemiluminescence assay was used to investigate the surface expression of extracellular hemagglutinin-tagged SUR1 (SUR1-HA) or HA-tagged ENaC (ENaC-HA). In oocytes co-injected with SUR1/ENaC (or SUR2B/ENaC) DeltaIami was reduced by congruent with 53% (or congruent with 45%) compared to DeltaIami measured in matched control oocytes injected with ENaC alone. The inhibitory effect of SUR on DeltaIami was preserved in oocytes expressing ENaC with C-terminally truncated subunits. Co-expression of SURs did not confer sensitivity of DeltaIami to diazoxide, pinacidil, tolbutamide, or glibenclamide. ENaC does not facilitate the surface expression of SUR1-HA, which is known to be retained in the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER) by an ER-retention/retrieval signal. SUR1-HAAAA, a mutant that lacks this signal, still inhibits ENaC currents. Chemiluminescence was reduced by congruent with 49% in oocytes co-expressing ENaC-HA/SUR1 compared to that in control oocytes expressing ENaC-HA alone. We conclude that SUR does not interact with ENaC at the level of the plasma membrane but that it inhibits DeltaIami by reducing surface expression of the channel.

Ovine male genital duct epithelial cells differentiate in vitro and express functional CFTR and ENaC.

To investigate the biology of the male genital duct epithelium, we have established cell cultures from the ovine vas deferens and epididymis epithelium. These cells develop tight junctions, high transepithelial electrical resistance, and a lumen-negative transepithelial potential difference as a sign of active transepithelial ion transport. In epididymis cultures the equivalent short-circuit current (I(sc)) averaged 20.8+/-0.7 microA/cm(2) (n = 150) and was partially inhibited by apical application of amiloride with an inhibitor concentration of 0.64 microM. In vas deferens cultures, I(sc) averaged 14.4+/-1.1 microA/cm(2) (n = 18) and was also inhibited by apical application of amiloride with a half-maximal inhibitor concentration (K(i)) of 0.68 microM. The remaining amiloride-insensitive I(sc) component in epididymis and vas deferens cells was partially inhibited by apical application of the Cl(-) channel blocker diphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid (1 mM). It was largely dependent on extracellular Cl(-) and, to a lesser extent, on extracellular HCO(-)(3). It was further stimulated by basolateral application of forskolin (10(-5) M), which increased I(sc) by 3.1+/-0.3 microA/cm(2) (n = 65) in epididymis and 0.9+/-0.1 microA/cm(2) (n = 11) in vas deferens. These findings suggest that cultured ovine vas deferens and epididymis cells absorb Na(+) via amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na(+) channels (ENaC) and secrete Cl(-) and HCO(-)(3) via apical cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl(-) channels. This interpretation is supported by RT-PCR data showing that vas deferens and epididymis cells express CFTR and ENaC mRNA.

ATP stimulates Cl- secretion and reduces amiloride-sensitive Na+ absorption in M-1 mouse cortical collecting duct cells.

1. Using equivalent short circuit current (ISC) measurements we examined the effect of extracellular ATP on transepithelial ion transport in M-1 mouse cortical collecting duct cells. Apical addition of ATP produced a rapid transient peak increase in ISC. This was followed by a fall below basal ISC due to a reduction in the amiloride-sensitive ISC component. 2. The ATP-induced ISC increase was preserved in the presence of apical amiloride while it was reduced in the absence of extracellular Cl- and in the presence of the apical Cl- channel blockers diphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid (DPC, 1 mM), DIDS (300 microM) and niflumic acid (100 microM). 3. The stimulatory effect of apical ATP on ISC was concentration dependent with an EC50 of about 0.6 microM. Basolateral ATP elicited a similar ISC response. Experiments using the ATP scavenger hexokinase demonstrated that the ATP effects were elicited via separate apical and basolateral receptors. 4. ATP and UTP applied to either the apical or the basolateral bath equi-potently stimulated ISC while 'purified' ADP and UDP had no effect consistent with P2Y2 purinoceptors, the expression of which was confirmed using RT-PCR. 5. Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) measurements using fura-2 demonstrated that ATP and UTP elicited a rise in [Ca2+]i with EC50 values of 1.1 and 0.6 microM, respectively. The shape and time course of the calcium response were similar to those of the ISC response. The peak ISC response was preserved in the nominal absence of extracellular calcium but was significantly reduced in cells pre-incubated with the calcium chelator BAPTA AM. 6. We conclude that in M-1 cells extracellular ATP reduces amiloride-sensitive Na+ absorption and stimulates Cl- secretion via calcium-activated Cl- channels through activation of P2Y2 purinoreceptors located in the apical and basolateral membrane.

Basolateral proteinase-activated receptor (PAR-2) induces chloride secretion in M-1 mouse renal cortical collecting duct cells.

1. Using RT-PCR, Northern blot analysis, and immunocytochemistry, we confirmed renal expression of proteinase-activated receptor (PAR-2) and demonstrated its presence in native renal epithelial and in cultured M-1 mouse cortical collecting duct (CCD) cells. 2. We investigated the effects of a PAR-2 activating peptide (AP), corresponding to the tethered ligand that is exposed upon trypsin cleavage, and of trypsin on M-1 cells using patch-clamp, intracellular calcium (fura-2) and transepithelial short-circuit current (ISC) measurements. 3. In single M-1 cells, addition of AP elicited a concentration-dependent transient increase in the whole-cell conductance. Removal of extracellular Na+ had no effect while removal of Cl- prevented the stimulation of outward currents. The intracellular calcium concentration increased significantly upon application of AP while a Ca2+-free pipette solution completely abolished the electrical response to AP. 4. In confluent monolayers of M-1 cells, apical application of AP had no effect on ISC whereas subsequent basolateral application elicited a transient increase in ISC. This increase was not due to a stimulation of electrogenic Na+ absorption since the response was preserved in the presence of amiloride. 5. The ISC response to AP was reduced in the presence of the Cl- channel blocker diphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid on the apical side and abolished in the absence of extracellular Cl-. 6. Trypsin elicited similar responses to those to AP while application of a peptide (RP) with the reverse amino acid sequence of AP had no effect on whole-cell currents or ISC. 7. In conclusion, our data suggest that AP or trypsin stimulates Cl- secretion by Ca2+-activated Cl- channels in M-1 CCD cells by activating basolateral PAR-2.

Maitotoxin (MTX) activates a nonselective cation channel in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Maitotoxin (MTX) may exert its toxic effect by activating ion conductances and has been shown to elicit a fertilization-like response in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In the present study we investigated the electrophysiological response of stage V-VI Xenopus oocytes to MTX using the two-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. Membrane voltage (Vm) measurements demonstrated that MTX (50 pM to 1 nM) depolarized the oocytes from -49+/-7 to -14+/-1 mV. Subsequent replacement of bath Na+ by the impermeant cation NMDG (N-methyl-d-glucamine) shifted Vm from -14+/-1 to -53+/-5 mV (n=29). This indicates that MTX activates a cation conductance. Indeed, current measurements at a holding potential of -60 or -100 mV showed that within 10 s of MTX application an inward current component developed which was largely abolished by extracellular Na+ removal. After a 1-min application of 1 nM MTX the NMDG-sensitive current increased more than 100-fold from 0.14+/-0.03 microA to a peak value of 21+/-3 microA (n=11). The effect of MTX was concentration dependent with an EC50 of about 250 pM but only slowly reversible. Ion substitution experiments indicated that the stimulated conductance was nonselective for monovalent cations with a slight preference for NH4+ (2.1) > K+ (1.5) > Na+ (1.0) > Li+ (0.7). Regarding divalent cations, a complex biphasic response to extracellular Na+ replacement by Ca2+ was observed, which suggests that the stimulated channels may have a small Ca2+ permeability but that exposure to high extracellular Ca2+ enhances recovery from MTX stimulation. No significant conductance for Mn2+ was observed. Application of 1 mM benzamil, 1 mM amiloride, or 100 microM 1-(beta-[3-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-propoxy]-4-methoxyphenethyl)-1H-imidazol e hydrochloride (SK&F 96365) reduced the MTX-stimulated inward current by 81%, 62%, or 65%, respectively. Gd3+ had an inhibitory effect of 29% and 38% at concentrations of 10 microM or 100 microM, respectively. Flufenamic acid, niflumic acid, (RS)-(3,4-dihydro-6, 7-dimethoxyisoquinoline-1-gamma1)-2-phenyl-N,N-di-[2-(2,3, 4-trimethoxyphenyl)-ethyl]-acetamide (LOE908), and 3', 5'-dichlorodiphenylamine-2-carboxylic acid (DCDPC), known blockers of other nonselective cation channels, had no significant effect. We conclude that MTX activates a nonselective cation conductance in Xenopus oocytes. The underlying channels may be involved in changes in Vm that occur during the early stages of fertilization.