Vasopressin stimulates sodium transport in A6 cells via a phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase-dependent pathway.

The enzyme phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) phosphorylates the D-3 position of the inositol ring of inositol phospholipids and produces 3-phosphorylated inositides. These novel second messengers are thought to mediate diverse cellular signaling functions. The fungal metabolite wortmannin covalently binds to PI3K and selectively inhibits its activity. The role of PI3K in basal and hormone-stimulated transepithelial sodium transport was examined using this specific inhibitor. Wortmannin, 50 nM, did not affect basal, aldosterone-stimulated, or insulin-stimulated transport in A6 cells. Wortmannin completely inhibits vasopressin stimulation of transport in these cells. Vasopressin stimulates PI3K activity in A6 cells. Vasopressin stimulation of transport is also blocked by 5 microM LY-294002, a second inhibitor of PI3K. One-hour preincubation with wortmannin blocked vasopressin stimulation of protein kinase A activity in the cells. Sodium transport responses to exogenous cAMP and forskolin, which directly activates adenylate cyclase, were not affected by wortmannin. These results indicate that wortmannin inhibits vasopressin stimulation of Na(+) transport at a site proximal to activation of adenylate cyclase. The results suggest that PI3K may be involved in receptor activation by vasopressin.

Carboxylmethylation of the beta subunit of xENaC regulates channel activity.

The action of aldosterone to increase apical membrane permeability in responsive epithelia is thought to be due to activation of sodium channels. Aldosterone stimulates methylation of a 95-kDa protein in apical membrane of A6 cells, and we have previously shown that methylation of a 95-kDa protein in the immunopurified Na+ channel complex increases open probability of these channels in planar lipid bilayers. We report here that aldosterone stimulates carboxylmethylation of the beta subunit of xENaC in A6 cells. In vitro translated beta subunit, but not alpha or gamma, serves as a substrate for carboxylmethylation. Carboxylmethylation of ENaC reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers leads to an increase in open probability only when beta subunit is present. When the channel complex is immunoprecipitated from A6 cells and analyzed by Western blot with antibodies to the three subunits of xENaC, all three subunits are recognized as constituents of the complex. The results suggest that Na+ channel activity in A6 cells is regulated, in part, by carboxylmethylation of the beta subunit of xENaC.

A second enzyme protecting mineralocorticoid receptors from glucocorticoid occupancy.

We have confirmed that A6 cells (derived from kidney of Xenopus laevis), which contain both mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors, do not normally possess 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydroxgenase (11 beta-HSD1 or 11 beta-HSD2) enzymatic activity and so are without apparent "protective" enzymes. A6 cells do not convert the glucocorticoid corticosterone to 11-dehydrocorticosterone but do, however, possess steroid 6 beta-hydroxylase that transforms corticosterone to 6 beta-hydroxycorticosterone. This hydroxylase is cytochrome P-450 3A (CYP3A). We have now determined the effects of 3 alpha,5 beta-tetrahydroprogesterone and chenodeoxycholic acid (both inhibitors of 11 beta-HSD1) and 11-dehydrocorticosterone and 11 beta-hydroxy-3 alpha,5 beta-tetrahydroprogesterone (inhibitors of 11 beta-HSD2) and carbenoxalone, which inhibits both 11 beta-HSD1 and 11 beta-HSD2, on the actions and metabolism of corticosterone and active Na+ transport [short-circuit current (Isc)] in A6 cells. All of these 11 beta-HSD inhibitory substances induced a significant increment in corticosterone-induced Isc, which was detectable within 2 h. However, none of these agents caused an increase in Isc when incubated by themselves with A6 cells. In all cases, the additional Isc was inhibited by the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist, RU-28318, whereas the original Isc elicited by corticosterone alone was inhibited by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU-38486. In separate experiments, each agent was shown to significantly inhibit metabolism of corticosterone to 6 beta-hydroxycorticosterone in A6 cells, and a linear relationship existed between 6 beta-hydroxylase inhibition and the MR-mediated increase in Isc in the one inhibitor tested. Troleandomycin, a selective inhibitor of CYP3A, inhibited 6 beta-hydroxylase and also significantly enhanced corticosterone-induced Isc at 2 h. These experiments indicate that the enhanced MR-mediated Isc in A6 cells may be related to inhibition of 6 beta-hydroxylase activity in these cells and that this 6 beta-hydroxylase (CYP3A) may be protecting the expression of corticosterone-induced active Na+ transport in A6 cells by MR-mediated mechanism(s).

Differential glycosylation of MUC1 in tumors and transfected epithelial and lymphoblastoid cell lines.

The membrane-bound mucin-like protein MUC1 with a specified number of tandem repeats has been expressed by transfection of the cDNAs in both the epithelial cell lines MDCK and LLC-PK1, and human lymphoblastoid cell lines T2 and C1R. The structure and glycosylation states of the MUC1 in these four lines were compared with that of the endogenous MUC1 found in the human pancreatic (HPAF) and breast (BT-20) tumor cell lines using flow cytometry and Western blot analysis with anti-MUC1 antibodies, which are either sensitive or insensitive to the glycosylation state of the tandem repeat, and pretreatment of cells with phenyl-alpha-galactosaminide, an inhibitor of mucin sialylation. A similar analysis of MUC1 expression in transfected normal and O-glycosylation defective CHO cells reveals that the addition of galactose to the core oligosaccharide structure is apparently responsible for the anomalous difference in M(r), between the mature and propeptide forms of the MUC1. Both the tumor cells and the transfected lymphoblastoid cells consistently express significant steady state levels of both the heavily glycosylated mature forms and the poorly glycosylated propeptide forms of the MUC1, whereas MUC1 is found predominantly as the mature extensively glycosylated species in the transfected epithelial cells. Immunofluoresence microscopy of cross sections of the polarized epithelial cells grown on culture filter inserts reveals that the MUC1 is clearly present at the apical surface of the cells, consistent with its expression in normal tissues. Thus, the successful expression of the MUC1 by transfection of either lymphoblastoid cells or epithelial cells yields model systems both for studying the natural structure/function relationships of the protein domains within the MUC1 molecule and for further elucidating the previously reported MHC-independent T-cell recognition of the MUC1.

Rapamycin inhibits protein kinase C activity and stimulates Na+ transport in A6 cells.

Rapamycin and FK506 have unique cellular effects despite the fact that they bind to the same set of immunophilins, the FK506 binding proteins (FKBP). We have previously reported that rapamycin (RAP) stimulates sodium transport in A6 cells. FK506 did not stimulate sodium transport but did inhibit the stimulation seen in RAP-treated cells. Since FKBP12 has been shown to have sequence homology with an endogenous inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) and PKC inhibition has been shown to increase Na+ channel activity in A6 cells, studies to determine the effect of RAP on PKC activity and its relationship to sodium transport were performed. Here we report that RAP stimulates sodium transport, and the effect is not additive to that seen with a cell-permeant inhibitor of PKCalpha and -beta subtypes. RAP significantly inhibits endogenous PKC activity in A6 cells both in membrane and cytosolic preparations. There is a strong correlation between the degree of inhibition of PKC activity and the stimulation of sodium transport by RAP. RAP has no effect on Na+/K+-ATPase activity over this time course. Purified recombinant FKBP12 with or without FK506 has no effect on PKC activity when incubated with a rat brain-derived PKC preparation of known activity. By contrast, RAP plus FKBP12 significantly inhibits PKC activity. RAP plus FKBP12 inhibits the PKCalpha and not the -beta subtype. The results demonstrate inhibition of PKC activity by RAP and not FK506 through its binding to FKBP12. The inhibition of PKC activity by RAP stimulates sodium transport in A6. The results therefore imply the existence of an endogenous RAP-like ligand which when bound to FKBP12 could regulate Na+ channel activity through this mechanism.

FK-506 and rapamycin but not cyclosporin inhibit aldosterone-stimulated sodium transport in A6 cells.

The immunosuppressants cyclosporin A (CyA), FK-506, and rapamycin (RAP) have multiple actions on target cells that appear to be mediated by interaction of drug-binding protein complexes. Both FK-506 and CyA, but not RAP, inhibit the Ca2(+)-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin, and in so doing have been found to inhibit Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in various nephron segments. Of interest, FK-506 and RAP, but not CyA, are bound by the steroid receptor-associated FK-506-binding heat shock protein of 56 kDa, HSP56. To determine the physiological effect of this interaction on a steroid-mediated phenomenon, the effect of these agents on steroid-mediated Na+ transport in A6 cells was investigated. Aldosterone stimulation of Na+ transport and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity are significantly inhibited by prolonged incubation with FK-506 and RAP. Although CyA inhibits basal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, it has no effect on aldosterone-induced Na+ transport or the aldosterone-induced increase in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity. FK-506 inhibits the aldosterone-induced synthesis of G alpha i-3 protein but has no effect on glucocorticoid receptor number as quantified by Western blotting. The results suggest that FK-506 and RAP inhibit steroid-mediated Na+ transport at some pretranslational site. The common interaction of these agents with the steroid receptor-associated HSP56 might account for these findings.

Regulation of a sodium channel-associated G-protein by aldosterone.

The action of aldosterone to increase apical membrane permeability in responsive epithelia is thought to be due to activation of sodium channels. This channel is regulated, in part, by G-proteins, but it is not known if this mechanism is regulated by aldosterone. We report that aldosterone stimulates the expression of the 41-kDa alphai3 subunit of the heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins in A-6 cells. Both mRNA and the total amount of this protein are increased by aldosterone. The G-protein is palmitoylated in response to the steroid, and the newly synthesized subunit is found to co-localize with the sodium channel. Aldosterone stimulation of sodium transport is significantly inhibited by inhibition of palmitoylation. These results suggest that aldosterone regulates sodium channel activity in epithelia through stimulation of the expression and post-translational targeting of a channel regulatory G-protein subunit.

Chronic regulation of transepithelial Na+ transport by the rate of apical Na+ entry.

In several settings in vivo, prolonged inhibition of apical Na+ entry reduces and prolonged stimulation of apical entry enhances the ability of renal epithelial cells to reabsorb Na+, an important feature of the load-dependent regulation of renal tubular Na+ transport. To model this load dependency, apical Na+ entry was inhibited or stimulated for 18 h in A6 cells and vectorial transport was measured as short-circuit current (Isc) across monolayers on filter-bottom structures. Basal amiloride-sensitive Isc represents the activity of apical Na+ channels, whereas Isc after permeabilization of the apical membrane to cations with nystatin represents maximal activity of the basolateral Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. Chronic inhibition of apical Na+ entry by 18-h apical exposure to amiloride or replacement of apical Na+ with tetramethylammonium (TMA+), followed by washing and restoration of normal apical medium, revealed a persistent decrease in Isc that remained despite exposure to nystatin. Both basal and nystatin-stimulated Isc recovered progressively after restoration of normal apical medium. In contrast, chronic stimulation of apical Na+ entry by short circuiting the epithelium increased Isc in the absence and presence of nystatin, indicating upregulation of both apical Na+ channels and basolateral Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. Basolateral equilibrium [3H]ouabain binding was reduced to 67 +/- 5% in TMA+ vs. control cells, whereas values in 18-h short-circuited cells increased by 42 +/- 19%. The results demonstrate that load dependency of tubular Na+ transport can be modeled in vitro and indicate that the regulation of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase observed in these studies occurs in part by changes in the density of functional transporter proteins within the basolateral membrane.

Sepsis or ischemia in experimental acute renal failure: what have we learned?

Acute renal failure (ARF) has been studied in experimental settings for many years and has led to many insights into the cell biology of renal injury. The development of more clinically relevant models of renal injury combining endotoxemia, hypoperfusion, and nephrotoxins has led to a new appreciation of the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of ARF. Endotoxin produces profound declines in renal blood flow even when systemic pressures are preserved, and this effect appears to be mediated by systemically and locally generated vasoactive factors including cytokines, platelet-activating factor, endothelin, and adenosine. Activated neutrophils (PMN) contribute to injury through the generation of cytokines, production of oxidants, or interactions with renal endothelium. Specific inhibition of immune activation at various steps has been shown to ameliorate the course of experimental endotoxic and ischemic ARF. Inhibition of PMN adhesion to endothelial cells by monoclonal antibodies to binding proteins, and blockade of thromboxane or interleukin action with specific inhibitors have all been shown to improve renal outcome in experimental ARF. These studies demonstrate that immunologically activated mediators are important in the pathogenesis of ARF in sepsis. Strategies to reduce the levels or to block the binding of specific cytokines may hold promise for the treatment of ARF in the critically ill.