Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Chloride Channels”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,171 records · Page 65Linked to original sources

Fatty acids inhibit apical membrane chloride channels in airway epithelia.

Apical membrane Cl- channels control the rate of transepithelial Cl- secretion in airway epithelia. cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C regulate Cl- channels by phosphorylation; in cystic fibrosis cells, phosphorylation-dependent activation of Cl- channels is defective. Another important signaling system involves arachidonic acid, which is released from cell membranes during receptor-mediated stimulation. Here we report that arachidonic acid reversibly inhibited apical membrane Cl- channels in cell-free patches of membrane. Arachidonic acid itself inhibited the channel and not a cyclooxygenase or lipoxygenase metabolite because (i) inhibitors of these enzymes did not block the response, (ii) fatty acids that are not substrates for the enzymes had the same effect as arachidonic acid, and (iii) metabolites of arachidonic acid did not inhibit the channel. Inhibition occurred only when fatty acids were added to the cytosolic surface of the membrane patch. Unsaturated fatty acids were more potent than saturated fatty acids. Arachidonic acid inhibited Cl- channels from both normal and cystic fibrosis cells. These results suggest that fatty acids directly inhibit apical membrane Cl- channels in airway epithelial cells.

Animals↗

Two highly homologous members of the ClC chloride channel family in both rat and human kidney.

We have cloned two closely related putative Cl- channels from both rat kidney (designated rClC-K1 and rClC-K2) and human kidney (hClC-Ka and hClC-Kb) by sequence homology to the ClC family of voltage-gated Cl- channels. While rClC-K1 is nearly identical to ClC-K1, a channel recently isolated by a similar strategy, rClC-K2 is 80% identical to rClC-K1 and is encoded by a different gene. hClC-Ka and hClC-Kb show approximately 90% identity, while being approximately 80% identical to the rat proteins. All ClC-K gene products are expressed predominantly in the kidney. While rClC-K1 is expressed strongly in the cortical thick ascending limb and the distal convoluted tubule, with minor expression in the S3 segment of the proximal tubule and the cortical collecting tubule, rClC-K2 is expressed in all segments of the nephron examined, including the glomerulus. Since they are related more closely to each other than to the rat proteins, hClC-Ka and hClC-Kb cannot be regarded as strict homologs of rClC-K1 or rClC-K2. After injection of ClC-K cRNAs into oocytes, corresponding proteins were made and glycosylated, though no additional Cl- currents were detectable. Glycosylation occurs between domains D8 and D9, leading to a revision of the transmembrane topology model for ClC channels.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Contribution of proline residues in the membrane-spanning domains of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator to chloride channel function.

Proline residues located in membrane-spanning domains of transport proteins are thought to play an important structural role. In the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), the predicted transmembrane segments contain four prolines: Pro99, Pro205, Pro324, and Pro1021. These residues are conserved across species, and mutations of two (P99L and P205S) are associated with cystic fibrosis. To evaluate the contribution of these prolines to CFTR Cl- channel function, we mutated each residue individually to either alanine or glycine or mutated all four simultaneously to alanine (P-Quad-A). We also constructed the two cystic fibrosis-associated mutations. cAMP agonists stimulated whole cell Cl- currents in HeLa cells expressing the individual constructs that resembled those produced by wild-type CFTR. However, the amount of current was decreased in the rank order: wild-type CFTR = Pro324 > Pro1021 > Pro99 >/= Pro205 mutants. The anion selectivity sequence of the mutants (Br- >/= Cl- > I-) resembled wild-type except for P99L (Br- >/= Cl- = I-). Although the Pro99, Pro324, and Pro1021 mutants produced mature protein, the amount of mature protein was much reduced with the Pro205 mutants, and the P-Quad-A made none. Because the Pro99 constructs produced mature protein but had altered whole cell currents, we investigated their single-channel properties. Mutant channels were regulated like wild-type CFTR; however, single-channel conductance was decreased in the rank order: wild-type CFTR >/= P99G > P99L >/= P99A. These results suggest that proline residues in the transmembrane segments are important for CFTR function, Pro205 is critical for correct protein processing, and Pro99 may contribute either directly or indirectly to the Cl- channel pore.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

A chloride channel at the basolateral membrane of the distal-convoluted tubule: a candidate ClC-K channel.

The distal-convoluted tubule (DCT) of the kidney absorbs NaCl mainly via an Na+-Cl- cotransporter located at the apical membrane, and Na+, K+ ATPase at the basolateral side. Cl- transport across the basolateral membrane is thought to be conductive, but the corresponding channels have not yet been characterized. In the present study, we investigated Cl- channels on microdissected mouse DCTs using the patch-clamp technique. A channel of approximately 9 pS was found in 50% of cell-attached patches showing anionic selectivity. The NPo in cell-attached patches was not modified when tubules were preincubated in the presence of 10-5 M forskolin, but the channel was inhibited by phorbol ester (10-6 M). In addition, NPo was significantly elevated when the calcium in the pipette was increased from 0 to 5 mM (NPo increased threefold), or pH increased from 6.4 to 8.0 (NPo increased 15-fold). Selectivity experiments conducted on inside-out patches showed that the Na+ to Cl- relative permeability was 0.09, and the anion selectivity sequence Cl(-)--I(-) > Br(-)--NO3(-) > F(-). Intracellular NPPB (10-4 M) and DPC (10-3 M) blocked the channel by 65% and 80%, respectively. The channel was inhibited at acid intracellular pH, but intracellular ATP and PKA had no effect. ClC-K Cl- channels are characterized by their sensitivity to the external calcium and to pH. Since immunohistochemical data indicates that ClC-K2, and perhaps ClC-K1, are present on the DCT basolateral membrane, we suggest that the channel detected in this study may belong to this subfamily of the ClC channel family.

Animals↗

D2-like dopamine receptors promote interactions between calcium and chloride channels that diminish rod synaptic transfer in the salamander retina.

Activation of D2-like dopamine receptors in rods with quinpirole stimulates L-type calcium currents (ICa). This result appears inconsistent with studies showing that D2-like dopamine receptor activation diminishes rod signals in second-order retinal neurons. Since small reductions in [Cl-] can inhibit photoreceptor ICa, we tested the hypothesis that enhancement of ICa with the D2/D4 receptor agonist, quinpirole, increases calcium-activated chloride currents (ICl(Ca)) causing an efflux of Cl- from rods that would provide a negative feedback inhibition of ICa. In agreement with studies from Xenopus, quinpirole reduced rod input to second-order neurons of tiger salamander retina without significantly altering rod voltage responses. Quinpirole also diminished the amplitude of depolarization-evoked increases in [Ca2+]i measured with Fura-2 in rods, a finding consistent with inhibition of synaptic transmission from rods. Electrophysiological and Cl(-)-imaging experiments indicated ECl in rods is approximately -20 mV. Quinpirole enhanced ICl(Ca) and elicited an efflux of Cl- at the resting potential. A similar Cl- efflux was produced by extracellular replacement of 24 mM Cl- with CH3SO4- and this low Cl- solution inhibited Ca2+ responses to a similar degree as quinpirole did. When ICl(Ca) was inhibited with niflumic acid, quinpirole enhanced both ICa and depolarization-evoked increases in [Ca2+]i. Furthermore, with niflumic acid, quinpirole no longer inhibited rod inputs into horizontal and bipolar cells. These results suggest an initial enhancement of ICa by quinpirole is followed by a stimulation of Cl- currents, including ICl(Ca). The net result is a Cl- efflux that inhibits depolarization-evoked increases in [Ca2+]i and synaptic transmission from rods.

Ambystoma↗

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channels in planar lipid bilayers.

Membrane vesicles, prepared from mouse NIH-3T3 fibroblasts and Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing high levels of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), were fused with Mueller-Rudin planar lipid bilayers. Upon addition of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and ATP, low conductance Cl(-)-selective ion channels were observed in 10 of 16 experiments. The channels had a linear current-voltage relationship and a unitary conductance of approximately 6.5 pS. The channels were more permeable to Cl- than to I- and showed no appreciable time-dependent voltage activation. In contrast, addition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and ATP to lipid bilayers fused with vesicles prepared from mock transfected (n = 14) cells failed to activate Cl- channels. These data support the conclusion that CFTR is a Cl- channel. They indicate that it can be reconstituted in a planar lipid bilayer and that the biophysical and regulatory properties are very similar to those observed in the native cell membrane. These data also argue against the requirement for loosely associated factors for regulation or function of the channel.

3T3 Cells↗

Phosphorylation of the R domain by cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulates the CFTR chloride channel.

CFTR, the protein associated with cystic fibrosis, is phosphorylated on serine residues in response to cAMP agonists. Serines 660, 737, 795, and 813 were identified as in vivo targets for phosphorylation by protein kinase A. The SPQ fluorescence assay revealed that mutagenesis of any one of these sites did not affect Cl- channel activity. Indeed, concomitant mutagenesis of three of the four sites still resulted in cAMP-responsive Cl- channel activity. However, mutagenesis of all four sites abolished the response. One interpretation of these results is that the CFTR Cl- channel is blocked by the R domain and that phosphorylation on serines by protein kinase A electrostatically repels the domain, allowing passage of Cl-. The four phosphorylation events appear to be degenerate: no one site is essential for channel activity, and, at least in the case of serine 660, phosphorylation at one site alone is sufficient for regulation of Cl- channel activity.

Chloride Channels↗

Cell swelling activates ATP-dependent voltage-gated chloride channels in M-1 mouse cortical collecting duct cells.

In the present study we used whole-cell patch clamp recordings to investigate swelling-activated Cl-currents (ICl-swell) in M-1 mouse cortical collecting duct (CCD) cells. Hypotonic cell swelling reversibly increased the whole-cell Cl- conductance by about 30-fold. The I-V relationship was outwardly-rectifying and ICl-swell displayed a characteristic voltage-dependence with relatively fast inactivation upon large depolarizing and slow activation upon hyperpolarizing voltage steps. Reversal potential measurements revealed a selectivity sequence SCN- > I- > Br- > Cl- > > gluconate. ICl-swell was inhibited by tamoxifen, NPPB (5-nitro-2(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate), DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid), flufenamic acid, niflumic acid, and glibenclamide, in descending order of potency. Extracellular cAMP had no significant effect. ICl-swell was Ca2+ independent, but current activation depended on the presence of a high-energy gamma-phosphate group from intracellular ATP or ATP gamma S. Moreover, it depended on the presence of intracellular Mg2+ and was inhibited by staurosporine, which indicates that a phosphorylation step is involved in channel activation. Increasing the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration by using ionomycin stimulated Cl- currents with a voltage dependence different from that of ICl-swell. Analysis of whole-cell current records during early onset of ICl-swell and during final recovery revealed discontinuous step-like changes of the whole-cell current level which were not observed under nonswelling conditions. A single-channel I-V curve constructed using the smallest resolvable current transitions detected at various holding potentials and revealed a slope conductance of 55, 15, and 8 pS at +120, 0, and -120 mV, respectively. The larger current steps observed in these recordings had about 2, 3, or 4 times the size of the putative single-channel current amplitude, suggesting a coordinated gating of several individual channels or channel subunits. In conclusion we have functionally characterized ICl-swell in M-1 CCD cells and have identified the underlying single channels in whole-cell current recordings.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Patch-clamp studies of chloride channels activated by gamma-aminobutyric acid in cultured hippocampal neurones of the rat.

The properties of the GABA-activated ion channel in hippocampal neurones prepared from 17- to 19-day-old fetal rats in dispersed cell cultures were studied with the patch-clamp techniques. These neurones had chemosensitivity to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the absence of synaptic inputs. GABA activated chloride ion channels selectively in these neurones. The GABA-induced Cl- current was detectable with greater than 1 microM GABA. The amplitude of the current increased with higher concentrations of GABA and apparently saturated at 100 microM. The effective single-channel conductance (gamma) was estimated to be 19 pS from the mean and variance of the steady-state GABA-induced current fluctuation in the whole-cell recordings. The power density spectra for GABA-induced current fluctuations in the whole-cell as well as cell-free outside-out membrane patch recordings had more than a single Lorentzian component. The application of GABA induced discrete pulse-like current flows through the cell-free outside-out membrane patch, after the number of channels activated by GABA had decreased due to the rundown. The single-channel conductance estimated from the amplitude of the current pulse was 29 pS when the intra- and extracellular Cl- concentrations were 150 and 120 mM, respectively. In addition to the above conducting state, the GABA channel had several open states with lower conductances. The apparent discrepancy between the effective single-channel conductance estimated from noise analysis and the single-channel conductances directly measured with individual channels may be due, at least in part, to the presence of multiple conducting states.

Animals↗

Ontogeny of CLCN3 chloride channel gene expression in human pulmonary epithelium.

Human fetal bronchopulmonary epithelia secrete liquid, and this chloride (Cl)-dependent process is important for normal lung growth. At the time of birth there is a maturational transition from a secretory to an absorptive phenotype. The pathways for Cl exit from the apical membrane which are required for fetal lung liquid secretion are unknown but are thought to be independent of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. We determined the ontogeny of expression of the CLCN family of voltage-dependent Cl channel genes (CLCN2 through 6, K(a) and K(b)) in the human lung to identify potential pathways for pulmonary liquid secretion. Only CLCN3 and CLCN6 messenger RNA were detected by Northern analysis of fetal whole lung tissue. Ribonuclease protection assays confirmed the expression of CLCN3 and also revealed expression of CLCN2. The ontogeny of expression of these two channels was similar, peaking in midgestation and declining postnatally. In situ hybridization localized the CLCN2 and CLCN3 messages to airway and distal pulmonary epithelia and to pulmonary blood vessels. We conclude that CLCN3 is expressed in human airway epithelia and expression is developmentally regulated. The contribution of these channels to pulmonary epithelial liquid transport and lung development remains to be determined.

Blotting, Northern↗

Brownian dynamic model of the glycine receptor chloride channel: effect of the position of charged amino acids on ion membrane currents.

Glycine is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brainstem and spinal cord, where it participates in a variety of motor and sensory functions. It activates a special type of ligand-gated membrane receptor, which provides for Cl- ion conductance of the neuronal membrane. Computer simulations of a single-channel current through this receptor have been carried out on the basis of Brownian (Langevin) dynamics. The dependence of the currents on pore diameter and the location of the charged amino acid residues have been obtained. It has been shown that the presence and the symmetry of the filter-forming residues determined not only the ion-selectivity of the channel but also increased transmembrane anion current.

Amino Acids↗

5'-Adenylylimidodiphosphate does not activate CFTR chloride channels in cell-free patches of membrane.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel requires both phosphorylation of its R domain and the presence of nucleoside triphosphates for activation. Our previous work suggested that hydrolysis of nucleoside triphosphates may be required to support channel activity. However, recent studies have suggested that the nonhydrolyzable adenosine triphosphate analogue, 5'-adenylylimidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), may support some Cl- channel activity in sweat gland duct epithelia in the presence of low ATP concentration and in Cl- channels associated with expression of the P-glycoprotein multidrug resistance transporter. To examine the effect of AMP-PNP, we applied it to the cytosolic surface of phosphorylated CFTR Cl- channels contained in excised, cell-free patches of membrane. We found that preparations of 10 mM AMP-PNP opened phosphorylated CFTR Cl- channels. However, this effect was due to contaminating ATP: high-pressure liquid chromatography analysis of AMP-PNP demonstrated that 10 mM AMP-PNP could contain up to 50 microM ATP, which could account for the observed stimulation of CFTR Cl- channel activity. When contaminating ATP was hydrolyzed with hexokinase, AMP-PNP was unable to support CFTR channel activity. AMP-PNP (10 mM) also failed to attenuate or potentiate the current induced by 0.3 mM ATP. These results suggest that AMP-PNP has no direct effect on CFTR Cl- channels.

3T3 Cells↗

Chloride channels in the kidney: lessons learned from knockout animals.

Cl- channels are involved in a range of functions, including regulation of cell volume and/or intracellular pH, acidification of intracellular vesicles, and vectorial transport of NaCl across many epithelia. Numerous Cl- channels have been identified in the kidney, based on single-channel properties such as conductance, anion selectivity, gating, and response to inhibitors. The molecular counterpart of many of these Cl- channels is still not known. This review will focus on gene-targeted mouse models disrupting two structural classes of Cl- channels that are relevant for the kidney: the CLC family of voltage-gated Cl- channels and the CFTR. Disruption of several members of the CLC family in the mouse provided useful models for various inherited diseases of the kidney, including Dent's disease and diabetes insipidus. Mice with disrupted CFTR are valuable models for cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common autosomal recessive, lethal disease in Caucasians. Although CFTR is expressed in various nephron segments, there is no overt renal phenotype in CF. Analysis of CF mice has been useful to identify the role and potential interactions of CFTR in the kidney. Furthermore, observations made in CF mice are potentially relevant to all other models of Cl- channel knockouts because they emphasize the importance of alternative Cl- pathways in such models.

Animals↗