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C-peptide stimulates Na+,K+-ATPase activity via PKC alpha in rat medullary thick ascending limb.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: C-peptide, the cleavage product of proinsulin processing exerts physiological effects including stimulation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in erythrocytes and renal proximal tubules. This study was undertaken to assess the physiological effects of connecting peptide on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. METHODS: Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was measured as the ouabain-sensitive generation of (32)Pi from gamma[(32)P]-ATP and (86)Rb uptake on isolated rat medullary thick ascending limbs. The cell-surface expression of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was evaluated by Western blotting of biotinylated proteins, and its phosphorylation amount was measured by autoradiography. The membrane-associated fraction of protein kinase C isoforms was evaluated by Western blotting. RESULTS: Rat connecting peptide concentration-dependently stimulated Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity with a threshold at 10(-9) mol/l and a maximal effect at 10(-7) mol/l. C-peptide (10(-7) mol/l) already stimulates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity after 5 min with a plateau from 15 to 60 min. C-peptide (10(-7) mol/l) stimulated Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and (86)Rb uptake to the same extent, but did not alter Na(+),K(+)-ATPase cell surface expression. The stimulation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was associated with an increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit phosphorylation and both effects were abolished by a specific protein kinase C inhibitor. Furthermore, connecting peptide induced selective membrane translocation of PKC-alpha. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: This study provides evidence that in rat medullary thick ascending limb, C-peptide stimulates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity within a physiological concentration range. This effect is due to an increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase turnover rate that is most likely mediated by protein kinase C-alpha phosphorylation of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit, suggesting that C-peptide could control Na(+) reabsorption during non-fasting periods.

Animals↗

Sorbitol uptake in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from immortalized rabbit TALH cells: activation by a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.

Apical plasma membrane vesicles were isolated from cultures of immortalized thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (TALH) cells and sorbitol uptake was investigated using a rapid filtration technique. In the presence of Mg2+, Ca2+, ATP, and GTP sorbitol equilibrated within three minutes with the intravesicular space; this uptake was reduced by 75% when the incubation temperature was decreased from 37 degrees C to 4 degrees C. A lower level of uptake was also observed in the presence of 100 microM quinidine and when Ca2+ or ATP were omitted from the medium. Membranes preincubated with Mg2+, Ca2+, ATP, and GTP showed, however, a high sorbitol uptake in ATP-free medium. Staurosporine, but only at high concentrations of 200 nm, inhibited sorbitol uptake when present during the transport experiments or during the preincubation with ATP. Similar results were obtained with 1 microM trifluoperazine. Protein kinase C inhibitory peptide was ineffective whereas 20 nm KT 5926, at low concentrations a specific inhibitor of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase, attenuated the activation. On the basis of these data we suggest that a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase is a mediator of regulation of sorbitol plasma membrane permeability in renal medullary cells.

Animals↗

Calcium-induced calcium release participates in cell volume regulation of rabbit TALH cells.

Changes of cell volume and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in immortalized thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (TALH) cells were monitored using confocal laser scanning microscopy and fura-2 fluorescence, respectively. Reduction of the extracellular osmolarity from 600 to 300 mosmol/l induced cell swelling followed by regulatory volume decrease (RVD). Simultaneously, the [Ca(2+)](i) increased transiently. The calcium rise was not observed in calcium-free solution or in the presence of nifedipine, indicating that the change was, in the first place, due to the activation of a calcium influx. Application of ATP or caffeine in isotonic solutions increased transiently the [Ca(2+)](i) which revealed the existence of stores in TALH cells sensitive to inositol-1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP(3)) and ryanodine. To examine the possibility that the calcium influx might induce calcium release, manganese quenching experiments were performed. In hypotonic calcium-free solutions, the decay of the calcium-insensitive and calcium-sensitive fluorescence occurred simultaneously. In the presence of extracellular calcium however, the calcium-sensitive wavelength revealed initial calcium influx followed by a calcium release from intracellular stores. Thus, the calcium influx was a prerequisite for the calcium release. We conclude that calcium-induced calcium release participates in global calcium signalling during RVD of TALH cells.

Animals↗

Dopamine is metabolised by different enzymes along the rat nephron.

The purpose of this study was to determine the basal levels of dopamine (DA) and to examine the enzymes involved in DA metabolism in different microdissected nephron segments from rat kidneys. Segments were incubated with DA (50 nM) or DA plus monoamine oxidase (MAO) or catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors. Basal DA levels were higher in the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT, 10.8+/-3.7 pg/mm) and in the medullary collecting duct (MCD, 10.9+/-4.0 pg/mm) than in the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (MTAL, 4.9+/-0.9 pg/mm) (P<0.05). The percentage of exogenously added DA that was not metabolised was similar in both PCT (67+/-13%) and MCD (65+/-5%) and lower in MTAL (35+/-7%), suggesting that MTAL is a major site of DA metabolism. Inhibition of MAO (pargyline 1 mM) significantly increased the basal content of DA and the percentage of the added non-metabolised DA (to 95+/-10%) in PCT but had no effect on MTAL or MCD. Conversely, inhibition of COMT (nitecapone or Ro-41-0960, both 1 mM) slightly increased the basal levels of DA only in MTAL, whereas the percentage of added DA not metabolised rose to 97+/-10% in MTAL and to 91+/-15% in MCD. COMT inhibition had no effect in PCT. In conscious rats pargyline (50 mg/kg) increased urinary DA from 680+/-34 to 1,128+/-158 ng/d/100 g BW (P<0.01) while nitecapone (40 mg/kg) produced a slight non-significant increment. Our results show that DA is present all along the rat nephron and that renal DA is metabolised continuously and predominantly by MAO in proximal segments, and by COMT in the more distal ones.

Animals↗

Choline transport and its osmotic regulation in renal cells derived from the rabbit outer medullary thick ascending limb of Henle.

Organic osmolytes such as betaine and glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC) are of major importance concerning volume regulation of inner and outer medullary epithelial cells. Recently we demonstrated that the intracellular betaine content in rabbit kidney cells derived from the outer medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop (TALH) is osmotically regulated by betaine synthesis. In this context it was our purpose to characterize the uptake of choline, a precursor of betaine and GPC. We found TALH cells to possess a specific choline transport system with a maximum velocity (Vmax) of 71 +/- 12 pmol . micro l-1 cell water . min-1 and an apparent affinity (Km) of 155 +/- 19 micromol . l-1. The uptake of choline was sodium independent and not electrogenic, but it was significantly reduced by the removement of chloride from the incubation medium. After long-term adaptation of TALH cells to a hyperosmotic medium (600 mosmol . l-1, osmolarity adjusted with NaCl or urea) a significant higher choline uptake rate was observed (Vmax: 166 +/- 9 (NaCl), 96 +/- 12 (urea) pmol . microl-1 cell water . min-1). Our results suggest that the uptake of choline is due to higher intracellular requirements of choline under hypertonic conditions. Finally, an increase in the Vmax of the choline transport system may enable sufficient synthesis of betaine and GPC.

Animals↗

Apical membrane ionic channels in the rabbit cortical thick ascending limb in primary culture.

Cortical thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop (cTAL) were microdissected from rabbit kidneys and cultured in a hormonally-defined medium. The cultured cells grew as a monolayer and retained the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the original tubule. Cyclic AMP production of the cultured cells was increased by human calcitonin (x13) and parathyroid hormone (x2). The cultured epithelial developed a transepithelial potential of 4.1 +/- 1.3 mV that was orientated positively towards the apical compartment. The basolateral membrane of the cells exhibited a chloride conductance sensitive to diphenylamine 2-carboxylate (DPC) and the apical membrane a barium-sensitive K+ permeability. Patch clamp analysis conducted on the apical membrane of the cells revealed the presence of three types of ionic channel. The first is a large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel (95 pS). The second K+ channel has a much smaller conductance (18.3 pS) and is insensitive to Ca2+. It may represent the conductive pathway for K+ recycling into the lumen in the original tubule. The last channel is cation selective, does not discriminate between Na+ and K+ and was found to have a conductance of 20.5 pS. Channel activity required a high cytoplasmic calcium concentration (1 mM), and was blocked by ATP (10 microM) applied on its cytoplasmic face.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Impaired cyclic AMP generation in outer medullary tubules of gentamicin-treated rats.

We have examined the effects of chronic gentamicin treatment on arginine8-vasopressin (AVP)-dependent cyclic AMP (cAMP) metabolism in rat medullary collecting tubules (oMCT) and medullary thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop (mTALH). Gentamicin attenuated AVP-stimulated cAMP accumulation to a greater extent in the mTALH (delta -51%) than in the oMCT (delta -25%). The mechanism of attenuation differed between segments, and could not be attributed to either direct inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity nor direct potentiation of cAMP-phosphodiesterase activity. These data suggest that the gentamicin-induced decrease in renal concentrating ability may be due at least in part to reduced AVP-dependent cAMP accumulation in the oMCT and mTALH.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Maintenance of expression of differentiated function of kidney cells following transformation by SV40 early region DNA.

This study describes the isolation and characterization of epithelial cell lines that maintain their differentiated phenotype following the stable integration of SV40 genes. Epithelial cells were derived from a defined location of rabbit kidney, the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop, and were co-transfected with genes from the early region of SV40 together with pSV2-neo DNA (which confers resistance to the antibiotic G418). These cells were shown to be resistant to G418, express SV40 large T-antigen and continued to express differentiated characteristics typical of cells of their origin. Such characteristics include the expression of high levels of activity of both Na,K-ATPase and the functionally important Na,K,Cl-co-transport system, the synthesis of Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein and the presence of a barium-sensitive K+ channel on the apical membrane surface.

Animals↗

Distributed solute and water reabsorption in a central core model of the renal medulla.

In this model study we investigate the dependence of urine concentrating capability on the spatial distribution of solute and water reabsorption from Henle's loops. Within the context of model assumptions, urine concentrating capability is increased by exponential decline in loop population as a function of medullary depth and by solute efflux localized near loop bends, in accordance with earlier, but less comprehensive, studies. Further, we find that water-impermeable prebend enlargements of the descending limb may release urine concentrating capacity that would otherwise be needed to concentrate the fluid flowing in the prebend enlargements. Calculations reported here suggest that without some distributed features, even vigorous net active transport of solute from the ascending limbs of the inner medulla would not be sufficient to explain the large concentration gradients generated by some mammals. We consider the significance of distributed reabsorption for the operation of the concentrating mechanisms of the mammalian inner medulla, the mammalian outer medulla, and the avian medullary cone.

Absorption↗

No influence of an aldose reductase inhibitor on glycogen deposition in tubules from streptozotocin diabetic rats.

Streptozotocin diabetic rats were divided into two groups. One diabetic group was given an aldose reductase inhibitor (Statil) throughout the study and the other group was left untreated. An additional group of nondiabetic rats was included in the study. After 7 months, the kidneys were perfusion fixed and blocks of tissue were sampled systematically and uniformly throughout the kidney cortex. Plastic embedded blocks were sectioned and used to determine the volume fraction of tubular glycogen by light microscopy. No difference was found between the two diabetic groups in glycogen deposits in the cortical thick ascending limb of Henle's loop, expressed as volume fraction per cortex. Tubules from control animals contained no visible glycogen, as opposed to a content of about 1% in both diabetic groups. We concluded that an aldose reductase inhibitor does not aggravate this tubular lesion (i.e., the Armanni-Ebstein lesion) in rats with experimental diabetes.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

Fluoride ion toxicity in rabbit kidney thick ascending limb cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Some halogenated agents, especially methoxyflurane, because of a higher level of fluoride production, induce a renal concentrating defect that could be related to an ascending limb impairment. We investigated the mechanisms of fluoride toxicity on an immortalized cell line. METHODS: Cells were cultured for 2, 6 or 24 h in the presence of fluoride. Toxicity evaluation was based on: cell numbers, protein content, leucine-incorporation, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) releases, Na-K-ATPase and Na-K-2Cl activities, electron microscope studies. Infrared analysis and fluoride microdetermination allowed crystal components. RESULTS: At 5 mmol after 24 h, fluoride decreased cell numbers (-14%, *P < 0.05), protein content (-16%*), leucine incorporation (-54%*), Na-K-2Cl activity (-84%*), increased LDH (+145%*) and NAG release (+190%*). Na-K-ATPase was more sensitive and impaired from 1 mmol for 24h and after 2 h at 5 mmol. Crystal formation in mitochondria occurred after 6 h at 5 mmol. Infra-red analysis and fluoride microdetermination established that crystals contained sodium, phosphate and fluoride. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the Na-K-ATPase pump is a major target for fluoride toxicity in Henle's loop.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Overt nephrogenic diabetes insipidus in mice lacking the CLC-K1 chloride channel.

CLC-K1 is a kidney-specific chloride channel that mediates transepithelial chloride transport in the thin ascending limb of Henle's loop (tAL) in the inner medulla. Transport of NaCl in the tAL is thought to be a component of urinary concentration in a passive model of the countercurrent multiplication system, but there has been no direct evidence that CLC-K1 is involved in urine concentration. To analyse the physiological function of CLC-K1 in vivo, we generated mice lacking CLC-K1 by targeted gene disruption. Clcnk1-/- mice were physically normal appearance, but produced approximately five times more urine than Clcnk1+/- and Clcnk1+/+ mice. After 24 hours of water deprivation, Clcnk1-/- mice were severely dehydrated and lethargic, with a decrease of approximately 27% in body weight. Intraperitoneal injection of the V2 agonist 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) induced a threefold increase in urine osmolarity in Clcnk1+/- and Clcnk1+/+ mice, whereas only a minimal increase was seen in Clcnk1-/- mice, indicating nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. After in vitro perfusion of the tAL, the lumen-to-bath chloride gradient did not produce a diffusion potential in Clcnk1-/- mice in contrast to Clcnk1+/+ and Clcnk1+/- mice. These results establish that CLC-K1 has a role in urine concentration, and that the countercurrent system in the inner medulla is involved in the generation and maintenance of hypertonic medullary interstitium.

Animals↗

Urea and renal concentrating ability in the rabbit.

The hypotheses of passive salt accumulation predict an enhancement of renal concentrating ability by urea. We tested this prediction in rabbits, a species whose nephons when studied in vitro show tansport properties that support these hypotheses. We used calm, unanesthetized, hydropenic, vasopressin-treated rabbits with intact kidneys fed a 16% protein diet, and we observed the effect of urea administration at two rates of solute excretion (60 and 190 microOsm/min . kg body wt; N = 10 and 5, respectively). After an i.v. mannitol infusion, when urea was infused, the i.v. solute excretion rate was unchanged, the changes in urine urea concentration were large (a change of 767 and 408 mumoles/ml), but only small and variable changes in urine osmolality occured (a change of 78 +/- 146, and 36 +/- 50 microOsm/g H20). In additional experiments, we removed the kidneys from antidiuretic, or urea- or mannitol-infused rabbits and measured the intrarenal distribution of sodium, potassium, urea, and chloride. When the urine urea level was greater than 400 mmoles, the urine-to-papilla ratios for urea were 1.6 to 3.6. This suggested that a low collecting duct permeability to urea could explain the absence of a marked enhancement of concentrating ability during urea administration. Further analysis, based on a model of inner medullary solute compartments, indicated that sodium chloride was the major (86%) osmotically active solute in the medullary central core of these rabbits and that it was not influenced by changes in urinary urea concentration. The results of tissue analysis were consonant with either active or passive sodium chloride reabsorption from the thin ascending limb of Henle's loop in these rabbits.

Absorption↗

Adenylate cyclase and cell cyclic AMP of rat cortical thick ascending limb of Henle.

Effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin (CT), vasopressin (VP), and glucagon (GL) on adenylate cyclase activity and cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels in isolated cortical thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop (CTAL) of the rat kidney were examined. PTH, CT, and VP each stimulated adenylate cyclase of this nephron segment in a dose-dependent manner. Stimulation of the enzyme activity was greatest with a maximal dose of PTH and least with VP. With maximal doses, the effects of PTH and CT were not additive; whether or not the effects of maximal doses of VP and PTH or CT were additive was not clear. All three hormones increase cAMP in intact CTAL ina dose-dependent manner. Maximal doses of PTH, CT, VP, and GL resulted in comparable rises in cell cAMP, and there was no additive effect. These data suggest that PTH and CT may stimulate the same adenylate cyclase moieties, whereas VP may stimulate distinct enzyme moieties, and that these three peptide hormones as well as GL definitely act on the same cell group in rat CTAL. Thus, it is possible that these hormones may induce qualitatively similar effects on CTAL functions if such effects are mediated by cAMP.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Carbonic anhydrase in the human kidney: a histochemical and immunocytochemical study.

The intracellular distribution of carbonic anhydrase was studied in nine human donor kidneys by the histochemical method of Hansson and by an immunofluorescence technique using antisera specific against the cytoplasmic isoenzymes HCA B and HCA C. Only HCA C was found in the renal tubules. Convoluted proximal tubules showed enzyme staining at the brush border and the basolateral membranes, and in the cytoplasm. No staining was observed in straight proximal tubules. The initial part of the thin limb of Henle's loop displayed cytoplasmic staining, whereas the distal part was unstained in most nephrons. In the medullary ascending thick limb enzyme was present at apical and basolateral cell membranes as well as in the cytoplasm, whereas in the apical cell region of the cortical ascending thick limb there was no distinct staining. The cells of the macula densa showed staining only at the cell membranes. The distal convoluted tubule exhibited heavy staining in the cytoplasm and at the cell membranes. In the initial collecting tubule and the collecting duct very intensely stained intercalated cells were found among less strongly stained chief cells. In the inner medullary segment of the collecting duct, the staining for carbonic anhydrase gradually disappeared. Many peritubular capillaries showed enzyme staining, while glomerular capillaries and larger vessels were negative. Specific fluorescence for HCA B was observed in the capillary walls.

Adolescent↗

Transport activity modifies thick ascending limb damage in the isolated perfused kidney.

The thick ascending limb of Henle's loop ( TAL ) develops a specific and consistent structural lesion during perfusion of the isolated rat kidney that progresses from mitochondrial swelling at 15 min to complete cellular disruption at 90 min. Because it seemed possible that damage localized to this metabolically active portion of the nephron might be correlated with cellular transport, the histology of perfused kidneys was examined when transport activity in the TAL was varied. The fraction of TAL tubules showing severe damage (44 +/- 2% in kidneys perfused with glucose) was dramatically reduced by furosemide (7 +/- 2%; P less than 0.001). The lesion was eliminated by perfusion with ouabain or by preventing glomerular filtration. On the other hand, protection of TAL cells was not obtained with the proximal diuretic acetazolamide. These results suggest that the lesion of TAL cells that develops during perfusion of the isolated kidney is influenced by the work of cellular transport.

Acetazolamide↗

Parathyroid hormone-stimulated calcium absorption in cTAL from vitamin D-deficient rabbits.

Cortical thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop were dissected from the kidneys of chronically vitamin D-deficient or -replete rabbits and perfused in vitro. Unidirectional transepithelial calcium fluxes from lumen to bath were measured with 45Ca. The tubules were bathed in a solution containing 150 mM sodium and perfused with a solution containing 60 mM sodium to simulate conditions in the cortical thick ascending limb in vivo. Transepithelial voltages were equal across tubules from vitamin D-deficient and -replete rabbits. Likewise, baseline and parathyroid hormone-stimulated calcium fluxes were the same in tubules from the two groups. Because calcidiol and calcitriol were undetectable in the serum of the vitamin D-deficient rabbits, we suggest that neither of these endogenous vitamin D metabolites is essential in the regulation of calcium absorption in this portion of the rabbit nephron.

Absorption↗

Purification and characterization of epithelial Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels.

Reabsorption of NaCl in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop in the kidney and in the surface cells in the distal colon involves the integrated function of several membrane transport systems including ion channels, the Na,K,Cl-cotransport system and the Na,K-pump. To determine if their properties are consistent with a role in regulation of transepithelial transport, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels from the luminal membrane of the TAL cells and from the basolateral membrane of the distal colon cells have been characterized by flux studies in plasma membrane vesicle preparations and by single channel measurements in lipid bilayers. The channels are found to be activated by Ca2+ in the physiological range of concentration with a strong dependence on intracellular pH and the membrane potential. The Ca(2+)-sensitivity of the K+ channels is modulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation and the K+ channel protein must be in a phosphorylated state to respond to intracellular concentrations of Ca2+. As a step towards purification of the K+ channel proteins, procedures for solubilization and reconstitution of the K+ channels have been developed. The observation that the epithelial Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels bind calmodulin in the presence of Ca2+ have allowed for partial purification of the K+ channel proteins by calmodulin affinity chromatography. In the sequences for the two cloned Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels, the mSlo channel and the slowpoke channel, putative calmodulin binding regions can be identified.

Amino Acid Sequence↗