Inhibition of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator by novel interaction with the metabolic sensor AMP-activated protein kinase.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an ATP-gated Cl(-) channel that regulates other epithelial transport proteins by uncharacterized mechanisms. We employed a yeast two-hybrid screen using the COOH-terminal 70 residues of CFTR to identify proteins that might be involved in such interactions. The alpha1 (catalytic) subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was identified as a dominant and novel interacting protein. The interaction is mediated by residues 1420-1457 in CFTR and by the COOH-terminal regulatory domain of alpha1-AMPK. Mutations of two protein trafficking motifs within the 38-amino acid region in CFTR each disrupted the interaction. GST-fusion protein pull-down assays in vitro and in transfected cells confirmed the CFTR-alpha1-AMPK interaction and also identified alpha2-AMPK as an interactor with CFTR. AMPK is coexpressed in CFTR-expressing cell lines and shares an apical distribution with CFTR in rat nasal epithelium. AMPK phosphorylated full-length CFTR in vitro, and AMPK coexpression with CFTR in Xenopus oocytes inhibited cAMP-activated CFTR whole-cell Cl(-) conductance by approximately 35-50%. Because AMPK is a metabolic sensor in cells and responds to changes in cellular ATP, regulation of CFTR by AMPK may be important in inhibiting CFTR under conditions of metabolic stress, thereby linking transepithelial transport to cell metabolic state.

The urine/plasma electrolyte ratio: a predictive guide to water restriction.

Patients with hypotonic hyponatremia are encountered commonly in the general practice of medicine. Nearly all strategies for the management of subacute or chronic hyponatremia call for some amount of water restriction. The considerations for such a prescription have not been addressed in the literature. We describe therefore a simple approach grounded in the physiology of electrolyte-free water clearance that can be used at the bedside.

Changes in cytoskeletal actin content, F-actin distribution, and surface morphology during HL-60 cell volume regulation.

Cell volume regulation occurs via the regulated fluxes of ions and solutes across the cell membrane in response to cell volume perturbations under anisotonic conditions. Our earlier studies in human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells showed that volume-dependent changes in total cellular F-actin content occur concomitantly as an inverse function of acute cell volume changes in anisotonic media (Hallows et al., 1991, Am. J. Physiol., 261:C1154-C1161). Although treatment with cytochalasin under anisotonic conditions significantly reduced total cellular F-actin levels, cytochalasin did not significantly affect the ability of cells to undergo normal volume regulation responses, which suggested that these volume-dependent changes in F-actin content may not play a critical role in HL-60 cell volume regulation. To examine more closely the possible role of the actin cytoskeleton in HL-60 cell volume regulation, we quantitated changes in Triton-insoluble cytoskeletal actin in the presence and absence of cytochalasin and also observed changes in F-actin distribution and surface morphology during volume regulation. The quantity of cytoskeletal-associated F-actin, like total F-actin, shifts inversely with initial cell volume changes in anisotonic media; however, subsequent changes in cytoskeletal actin levels during volume regulation are not significant. The soluble F-actin pool in HL-60 cells may thus be more susceptible to the physicochemical effects of shifts in cell volume than the insoluble (cytoskeletal) F-actin pool. Twenty-five micromolar dihydrocytochalasin B (DHB) treatment dramatically lowers cellular cytoskeletal actin levels by approximately 75% under resting (isotonic) conditions, but there are no significant further changes in cytoskeletal actin as cells undergo anisotonic volume regulation in the presence of DHB. These results suggest that volume-dependent changes in the absolute amounts of cytoskeletal-associated F-actin are not critical for HL-60 cell volume regulation. However, because some portions of the actin cytoskeleton are resistant to cytochalasin disruption during volume regulation, a role for the cytoskeleton in the sensing and signaling of HL-60 cell volume regulatory responses cannot be rigorously excluded. Particular F-actin distribution patterns, as observed using confocal fluorescent microscopy, were correlated with particular phases of volume regulation. Also, comparison of cellular F-actin distribution with surface morphology (observed by scanning electronic microscopy) of cells during volume regulation reveals a positive correlation between surface blebs and increased cortical F-actin staining intensity.

Volume-activated chloride channels in HL-60 cells: potent inhibition by an oxonol dye.

When swollen in hypotonic media, HL-60 cells exhibit a regulatory volume decrease (RVD) response as a result of net losses of K+ and Cl-. This is primarily caused by a dramatic increase in Cl- permeability, which may reflect the opening of volume-sensitive channels (11). To test this hypothesis, we measured volume-activated Cl- currents in HL-60 cells using the patch-clamp technique. The whole cell Cl- conductance (in nS/pF at 100 mV) increased from 0.09 +/- 0.06 to 1.15 +/- 0.19 to 1.64 +/- 0.40 as the tonicity (in mosmol/kgH2O) of the external medium was decreased from 334 to 263 to 164, respectively. Cl- currents showed no significant inactivation during 800-ms pulses. Current-voltage curves exhibited outward rectification and were identical at holding potentials of 0 or -50 mV, suggesting that the gating of the channels is voltage independent. The selectivity sequence, based on permeability ratios (PX/PCl) calculated from the shifts of the reversal potentials, was SCN- > I- approximately NO3- > Br- > Cl- >> gluconate. 4-Acetamido-4'- isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS; 0.5 mM) inhibits HL-60 Cl- channels in a voltage-dependent manner, with approximately 10-fold increased affinity at potentials greater than +40 mV. Voltage-dependent blockade by SITS indicates that the binding site is located near the outside, where it senses 20% of the membrane potential. These Cl- channels were also inhibited in a voltage-independent manner by the oxonol dye bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)pentamethine oxonol [diBA-(5)-C4] with a concentration that gives half inhibition (IC50) of 1.8 microM at room temperature. A similar apparent IC50 value (1.2 microM) was observed for net 36Cl- efflux into a Cl(-)-free hypotonic medium at 21 degrees C. It seems likely, therefore, that the volume-activated Cl- channels are responsible for the net Cl- efflux during RVD. These Cl- channels have properties similar to the "mini-Cl-" channels described in lymphocytes and neutrophils and are strongly inhibited by low concentrations of diBA-(5)-C4.

Regulatory volume decrease in HL-60 cells: importance of rapid changes in permeability of Cl- and organic solutes.

Results obtained through the use of inhibitors and isotope flux and equilibration techniques indicate that the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) response of human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells occurs largely through the efflux of K+ and Cl- through separate conductive membrane pathways. These "channels" differ pharmacologically and in their modes of activation from those described in lymphocytes and Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. With use of measured 86Rb+ and 36Cl- fluxes, together with a diffusion kinetic model, the membrane potential (Em) and apparent K+ and Cl- permeabilities (PK and PCl) were estimated under various isotonic and hypotonic conditions. Under isotonic (300 mosM) conditions, Em is close to the Nernst potential for K+ and PCl is < 0.1 PK. Rapid and steeply graded increases in the measured Cl- efflux rate and calculated PCl occur with decreasing tonicity, with the largest increases at tonicities < 80% of isotonic. K+ efflux and the apparent PK increase only modestly with decreasing tonicity. At 50% tonicity, PCl rises to nearly 10 times PK, which should cause substantial membrane depolarization, with Em approaching the Nernst potential for Cl-. Gramicidin treatment markedly accelerates the rate of RVD and net 36Cl- efflux in hypotonic Na(+)-and Cl(-)-free media, providing further evidence that PK is rate limiting during RVD. K+ loss exceeds Cl- loss during RVD, and the total loss of K+ and Cl- is insufficient to account for the observed degree of volume recovery in 50% tonicity media, indicating that other (organic) osmolytes must take part in the HL-60 cell RVD response.

Control of intracellular pH during regulatory volume decrease in HL-60 cells.

Intracellular pH (pHi) homeostasis was investigated in human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells as they undergo regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in hypotonic media to determine how well pHi is regulated and which transport systems are involved. Cells suspended in hypotonic (50-60% of isotonic) media undergo a small (< 0.2 pH units), but significant (P < 0.05), intracellular acidification within 5 min. However, after 30 min of RVD, pHi is not significantly different from the initial pHi in 20 mM HCO3- medium and is significantly higher in HCO3(-)-free medium. Experiments performed in media with or without 150 microM 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid and HCO3- demonstrate that the anion exchanger (AE) mediates a net Cl- influx, with compensating HCO3- efflux, during RVD. To determine which transport systems are involved in counteracting this tendency toward acidification, we measured transport rates and examined the effect of transport system inhibitors on pHi. We found that inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange (NHE) with 12.5 microM ethylisoproplamiloride (EIPA) causes pHi to fall significantly by the end of 30 min of RVD. As assessed by EIPA-sensitive 22Na+ uptake measurements, NHE, largely dormant under resting isotonic conditions, becomes significantly activated by the end of 30 min of RVD, despite recovery of pHi and cell volume to near-normal levels. Thus a shift in the normal pHi dependence and/or volume dependence of NHE activity must occur during RVD under hypotonic conditions. In contrast, H(+)-monocarboxylate cotransport appears to play only a supportive role in pH regulation during RVD, as indicated by lack of stimulation of [14C]lactate efflux during RVD.

Changes in mechanical properties with DMSO-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells.

We measured changes in the deformability of human promyelocytic leukemic (HL-60) cells induced to differentiate for 5-6 days along the granulocyte pathway by 1.25% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Differentiation resulted in an approximately 90% reduction in the transit times of the cells through capillary-sized pores over a range of aspiration pressures. Cell volume, as measured by two methods, decreased by an average of 35%. To account for the contribution of the volume decrease to the decrease in transit time, the liquid drop model, developed to describe neutrophil deformability, was used to calculate an apparent viscosity of the cells during this deformation. The apparent viscosity of both uninduced and induced HL-60 cells was a function of aspiration pressure, and an approximately 80% reduction in viscosity occurred with induction, as determined by regression analysis. The deformation rate-dependent viscosities of the induced cells were between 65 and 240 Pa-sec, values similar to those measured for circulating neutrophils. To assess the role of polymerized actin in these viscosity changes, intracellular F-actin content was measured, and the effect of dihydrocytochalasin B (DHB), an agent that disrupts actin polymerization, was determined. Despite the significant decrease in cellular viscosity, F-actin content per cell volume did not change significantly after induced differentiation. Treatment with 3 and 30 microM DHB lowered cellular F-actin content in a dose-dependent manner in both uninduced and induced cells. Cellular viscosity of both uninduced and induced cells decreased sharply with 3 microM DHB treatment (85% and 76% respectively). 30 microM DHB treatment caused a further significant reduction in the viscosity of uninduced cells, but for induced cells the additional decrease in viscosity was not significant. These data indicate that reductions in both cell volume and intrinsic viscosity contribute to the increased deformability of HL-60 cells with DMSO-induced differentiation. However, changes in the concentration of F-actin cannot account for the decrease in cellular viscosity that occurs.

Acute cell volume changes in anisotonic media affect F-actin content of HL-60 cells.

To investigate the possible role of the cytoskeleton in volume regulatory responses of human promyelocytic leukemic (HL-60) cells, we monitored and modulated the F-actin content of these cells undergoing volume regulation in anisotonic media. Initial volume changes of HL-60 cells suspended in hypertonic media followed a Van't Hoff relationship, and intracellular F-actin content during volume regulatory responses in anisotonic media changed concomitantly as an inverse function of the volume shifts. These F-actin changes were shown to be an explicit function of cell volume and not tonicity of the medium. The data fit with the idea that changes in affinity of actin-binding proteins (ABPs) for actin and/or changes in the overall effective critical concentration of actin occur during acute cell volume changes, producing shifts in the relative amounts of G- and F-actin. Treatment of HL-60 cells with dihydrocytochalasin B (DHB), which perturbs cellular actin assembly, lowered resting levels of intracellular F-actin but did not prevent volume-associated F-actin changes in anisotonic media. Despite the lowered F-actin levels, HL-60 cells in the presence of DHB still undergo normal volume regulatory responses. Thus the absolute amount of intracellular F-actin does not appear to be critical for volume regulation in HL-60 cells.

Effects of the differentiating agents sodium butyrate and N-methylformamide on the oxygen enhancement ratio of human colon tumor cells.

We have previously shown that chronic adaptation of human tumor cells to the differentiation-inducing agents N-methylformamide (NMF) and sodium butyrate (NAB) increases the sensitivity of oxic cells to graded single doses of X rays. These studies were carried out to define the sensitivity of hypoxic cells after adaptation. Clone A colon tumor cells were grown for three passages in medium containing 170 mM NMF or 2 mM NAB and irradiated in suspension culture, after gassing with either oxygen (60 min) or ultrapure nitrogen (90 min), and complete survival curves were generated. Using the linear-quadratic equation to describe the data, it was found that NMF and NAB produced increased X-ray killing of hypoxic cells. At the 10% level of survival, the dose-modifying factors were about 1.20 and 1.25 for NMF- and NAB-adapted hypoxic cells, respectively, as compared to hypoxic control cells. However, since both oxic and hypoxic cells exhibited increased sensitivity after NMF and NAB adaptation, there was no major change in the oxygen enhancement ratio.