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Biomedical subjects

M A Venkatachalam

Publications and source records attributed to M A Venkatachalam.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Differential effects of calorie restriction on glomeruli and tubules of the remnant kidney.

We have previously shown that 40% calorie restriction (CR) prevents renal injury 21 weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx) in rats, regardless of whether protein intake was concurrently restricted or not. Growth retardation appeared to be a necessary prerequisite for the protective effects of CR. To further study these mechanisms, we performed 5/6 Nx in male F344 rats and pair-fed them with a control diet (ad lib group) or a high protein diet restricted by 40% so that protein intake was similar, but calorie consumption was reduced (CR group). Four weeks after 5/6 Nx, when glomerulosclerosis had not yet developed, we compared various parameters as follows in both dietary groups and sham operated rats: urinary protein excretion (uPr), GFR (14C inulin clearance), mean nephron GFR (MNGFR; GFR divided by total number of glomeruli), glomerular volume (VG), tubulointerstitial index (TII), a measure of tubular damage kidney weight (kidney wt), kidney IGF-I content by RIA, and IGF-I immunohistochemistry. CR ameliorated the increase of MNGFR, but not glomerular hypertrophy. TII, kidney wt and kidney IGF-I content were increased in the ad lib Nx group; these changes were alleviated by CR. Two weeks after 5/6 Nx, immunohistochemistry for IGF-I showed increased staining in superficial distal nephrons in the ad lib group, and this was also suppressed by CR. The occurrence of tubulointerstitial pathology prior to glomerulosclerosis, and the beneficial effects of CR on all parameters except Vg indicate a dissociation of mechanisms which result in tubular versus glomerular hypertrophy and damage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Relationships between oxidant and non-oxidant mechanisms in the pathogenesis of acute renal failure.

During the past several years studies using freshly isolated proximal tubules in suspension have contributed to understanding several of the major cellular processes underlying ischemic and related forms of acute renal failure. Tubules have a large capacity to augment their intracellular ATP content when supplemented with exogenous purines. This process has been shown to be mostly explained by adenosine uptake. Reductions of cell pH such as occur prominently during ischemia strongly protect tubules against a variety of insults. Increases of cytosolic free calcium to micromolar levels are highly damaging to tubules and do occur prior to lethal cell injury induced by ATP-depleting metabolic inhibitors, but do not critically determine the outcome in the latter setting. Given their ubiquitous occurrence and well-documented importance in a variety of systems, reactive oxygen metabolites play a surprisingly small role in oxygen deprivation-induced injury to isolated tubules. Several small neutral amino acids, glycine being the prototype and most potent, have a critical, constitutive effect to maintain tubule cell structural integrity during a variety of acute insults.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1992

Protection of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by glycine and structurally similar amino acids against calcium and hydrogen peroxide-induced lethal cell injury.

Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with either the calcium ionophore, ionomycin, or ionomycin plus cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone had immediate severe depletion of adenosine triphosphate, (ATP) and increases of cytosolic free calcium (Caf) and then sustained lethal cell injury as manifested by release of lactate dehydrogenase and failure to exclude vital dyes within 15 minutes. Inclusion of glycine in the experimental medium prevented the enzyme leakage for at least 60 minutes without altering the ATP depletion or increases of Caf. The physiologic glycine concentration of 0.25 mmol/l gave 50% protection, and protection was complete at 1 mmol/l. Several other small neutral amino acids, L- and D-alanine, beta-alanine, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, alpha-aminoisobutyrate, and L-serine, had effects similar to glycine, but other amino acids and metabolic substrates did not. The endothelial cells were relatively resistant to damage from hydrogen peroxide, but sensitivity could be increased by preloading with Fe2+. In both non-loaded and Fe(2+)-loaded cells, hydrogen-peroxide-induced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release developing over 180 minutes was prevented by glycine in a fashion analogous to that seen with ionomycin damage. Mn2+ also partially protected against hydrogen peroxide injury but was not required for glycine's effects. These data demonstrate that striking modulatory effects of glycine and structurally similar amino acids that have previously been characterized in most detail using kidney tubule cells are strongly expressed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and are involved in their response to Ca2+ and oxidant-mediated damage. These amino acid effects must be considered in the design of in vitro studies of endothelial cell injury and may contribute to endothelial cell pathophysiology in vivo.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1991

Colocalization of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein with insulin-like growth factor I.

We report the localization of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and a 25-kDa form of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGF-BP-1) in adult rat kidney. The antigens were localized using a rabbit anti-human IGF-I antibody, and a rabbit anti-human IGF-BP-1 antibody raised against human 25-kDa IGF-BP-1 purified from amniotic fluid. Immunohistochemistry by the avidin-biotin peroxidase conjugate technique showed that both peptides are located in the same nephron segments, in the same cell types. The most intense staining was in papillary collecting ducts. There was moderate staining also in cortical collecting ducts and medullary thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop. In collecting ducts the antigens were shown to be present in principal cells but not in intercalated cells. In distal convoluted tubules, cortical thick ascending limbs, and in structures presumptively identified as thin limbs of Henle's loops there was only modest staining. The macula densa, however, lacked immunoreactivity. Colocalization of IGF-I and IGF-BP-1 in the same cells supports the notion, derived from studies on cultured cells, that the actions of IGF-I may be modified by IGF-BPs that are present in the same location.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Role of increased cytosolic free calcium in the pathogenesis of rabbit proximal tubule cell injury and protection by glycine or acidosis.

To assess the role of increased cytosolic free calcium (Caf) in the pathogenesis of acute proximal tubule cell injury and the protection afforded by exposure to reduced medium pH or treatment with glycine, fura-2-loaded tubules were studied in suspension and singly in a superfusion system. The Ca2+ ionophore, ionomycin, increased Caf to micromolar levels and rapidly produced lethal cell injury as indicated by loss of lactate dehydrogenase to the medium by suspended tubules and accelerated leak of fura and failure to exclude Trypan blue by superfused tubules. Decreasing medium Ca2+ to 100 nM prevented the ionomycin-induced increases of Caf and the injury. Reducing medium pH from 7.4 to 6.9 or adding 2 mM glycine to the medium also prevented the cell death, but did not prevent the increase of Caf to micromolar levels. Cells treated with 1799, an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation which produced severe adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, did not develop increases of Caf until just before loss of viability. Preventing these increases of Caf with 100 nM Ca2+ medium did not protect 1799-treated cells. Reduced pH and glycine protected 1799-treated cells without ameliorating the increases of Caf. These data demonstrate the toxic potential of increased Caf in the proximal tubule and show that Caf does sharply increase prior to loss of viability in an ATP depletion model of injury, but this increase does not necessarily contribute to the outcome. The potent protective actions of decreased pH and glycine allow the cells to sustain increases of Caf to micromolar levels in spite of severe, accompanying cellular ATP depletion without developing lethal cell injury.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1991

Amino acid protection of cultured kidney tubule cells against calcium ionophore-induced lethal cell injury.

Treatment of two cultured renal tubule epithelial cell lines, MDCK and LLC-PK1, with ionomycin produced rapidly evolving models of lethal cell injury characterized by increases of cytosolic free calcium to the microM level within 15 minutes followed by lactate dehydrogenase release and failure to exclude vital dyes that began between 30 and 60 minutes and became extensive after 60 minutes. The pattern of injury was similar when the mitochondrial uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, was added to ionomycin. Carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone alone produced severe ATP depletion but not lactate dehydrogenase release. Inclusion of glycine in the experimental medium at concentrations ranging from 0.25 mM to 5 mM did not affect the increases of cytosolic free calcium or ATP depletion but was protective against enzyme release and failure to exclude vital dyes for 180 minutes. Maximal protection was achieved at glycine concentrations between 1 and 5 mM. Several other small neutral amino acids including alanine, beta-alanine, L-serine, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid also had protective effects but, glucose, pyruvate, glutamate, glutamine, leucine, valine, and taurine did not. These data indicate that potent protective effects of glycine and other small neutral amino acids previously shown in fresh tubule preparations are fully expressed in cultured tubule cells of diverse origin when appropriate acute injury models are used and the protective effects are sustained for long durations. The suitability of cultured cell lines for prolonged exposure studies will provide a powerful way of further exploring mechanisms of these effects.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1990

Structural requirements for protection by small amino acids against hypoxic injury in kidney proximal tubules.

Kidney proximal tubules are resistant to hypoxic injury if glycine or L-alanine is present in their incubation medium. Protection does not depend on the concentration or turnover of ATP in cells. We have investigated structure-function relationships that govern this protective activity. Among more than 45 amino acids and analogs examined, only glycine, L-alanine, D-alanine, beta-alanine, and the neuronal glycine binding site agonist, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, were active. The protective effect could not be explained by amino acid metabolism. Ultrastructural features in protected cells were preserved to a degree which suggested that processes responsible for degradation during hypoxia were retarded. These results are consistent with stringent requirements of amino acid molecular structure for protection against hypoxia, and suggest the involvement of highly specific, acceptor-ligand effects on a process critical for maintaining cellular integrity.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1990

Alanine protects rabbit proximal tubules against anoxic injury in vitro.

Rabbit proximal tubules were incubated aerobically or subjected to anoxia for 30 min followed by 60 min of reoxygenation. The medium contained (in mM) 5 glucose, 10 butyrate, 4 lactate or alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG), and 1 alanine. Anoxic tubules in this medium were severely injured and recovered poorly. If the incubation medium was supplemented with additional alanine (up to 2.5 or 5 mM), then anoxic injury was prevented almost completely. Tubules in high-alanine medium showed modest elevations of ATP during anoxia. Comparable elevations of ATP were induced in anoxic tubules incubated with 4 mM alpha-KG and 5 mM aspartate without alanine. These substrates are metabolized anaerobically in the mitochondria to yield ATP. Surprisingly, anoxic tubules with alpha-KG and aspartate showed severe injury despite elevated ATP. If 5 mM alanine was also present, then additional increments of ATP did not occur, but injury was prevented. Examination of glucose metabolism failed to provide evidence for stimulation of anaerobic fermentations by alanine. These results suggest that alanine-induced cytoprotection during anoxia occurs by mechanisms not related to ATP synthesis, and that elevated ATP in alanine-supplemented tubules may be a result and not the cause of protection. Cytoprotection by alanine was shown to last for less than or equal to 90 min of anoxia. Glycine, a structurally related amino acid, also protects anoxic proximal tubules (J. Clin. Invest. 80: 1446, 1987). The mechanisms that underlie the cytoprotective effects of alanine and glycine remain to be determined.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1990

Glomerular localization of platelet cationic proteins after immune complex-induced platelet activation.

Synthetic polycations bind to glomerular polyanions (GPA) and increase permeability to macromolecules and immune complexes. Platelet factor 4 and other platelet cationic proteins also bind to GPA and may play a role in immune complex deposition. Here we examine the potential of locally released cationic proteins to bind to GPA after immune complex-induced platelet activation within the renal microvasculature. Rabbits were immunized against bovine serum albumin (BSA), and BSA (2 or 4 mg/ml in buffered saline) was infused into the left renal artery to deliver 8 or 16 mg of BSA over 20 minutes. Thirty minutes later, kidneys were removed and tissue processed for light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy for the assessment of glomerular alterations and the localization of immune complexes (IgG and BSA), platelet factor 4, and platelet cationic proteins. GPA was measured by quantitative ultrastructural assessment of polyethyleneimine binding sites. Glomerular capillaries contained large intraluminal immune complexes and platelet aggregates. Also, numerous deposits were observed within subendothelial and subepithelial aspects of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). Immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry revealed prominent localization of platelet factor 4, platelet cationic proteins, IgG and BSA within peripheral capillary walls of glomeruli concomitant with a reduction in GPA. Glomeruli of controls or contralateral kidneys did not show GBM localization of immune complexes or platelet proteins. Thus, nascent formation of immune complexes in capillaries was associated with platelet activation and deposition of endogenous cationic proteins in the GBM. This mechanism may be involved in neutralization of GPA and mediation of increased permeability, which leads to GBM deposition of immune complexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Food restriction retards body growth and prevents end-stage renal pathology in remnant kidneys of rats regardless of protein intake.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of food restriction (without protein or phosphorus restriction) and protein restriction (without the restriction of other nutrients or calories) on the outcome of the remnant kidney model of chronic renal failure in rats. After 5/6 nephrectomy, rats were assigned to one of the following dietary groups: group I (control-ad libitum) consumed a 21% casein diet ad libitum; group II (food restriction with protein restriction) consumed 36% less calories, protein and minerals than group I; group III (food restriction without protein restriction) consumed 36% less calories and minerals than group I, but equivalent amounts of protein; group IV (protein restriction) consumed 38% less protein than group I, but equivalent amounts of calories and minerals; group V (NaCl restriction) consumed 40% less sodium chloride than group I, but equivalent amounts of all other nutrients. All groups consumed equivalent amounts of calcium, phosphorus and vitamins. Groups II and III experienced retardation of growth in comparison to groups I, IV and V. The food-restricted groups II and III, but not groups IV and V, had less proteinuria than group I 20 weeks postablation. By 21 weeks postablation, the kidneys from group I showed severe parenchymal damage, characteristic of end-stage renal pathology. These changes were prevented in the food-restricted groups II and III, but not in groups IV and V. The percentage of glomeruli with severe structural damage was less in groups II (27.3 +/- 8.8) and III (26.9 +/- 7.5) compared with group I (72.4 +/- 7.8). In contrast, the corresponding values in groups IV and V were not significantly different from group I. Interstitial volume (the percentage of tubulointerstitium which is interstitium) which was proportional to the severity of tubular damage was significantly lower in groups II (25.1 +/- 4.5) and III (20.4 +/- 2.8) when compared with groups I (48.1 +/- 3.0), IV (44.4 +/- 6.6), or V (41.9 +/- 4.2). An interstitial volume less than 30 correlated with well preserved renal histology, whereas a value greater than 40 was indicative of end-stage renal pathology. These results indicate that the restriction of carbohydrate, fat, and minerals (except for calcium and phosphorus) retarded growth and prevented the development of end-stage renal pathology in the remnant kidney model of chronic renal failure in rats, regardless of whether protein was restricted or not.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1988

Anionization of an antigen promotes glomerular binding and immune complex formation.

Bovine serum albumin (BSA, pI 4.9) was maleylated to yield highly anionic MBSA (pI 3.0). Maleylation of BSA lead to an expansion of molecular size of native BSA from an effective molecular radius (EMR) of 37 A to 57 A for MBSA as assessed by gel filtration chromatography. MBSA, but not BSA, bound to the peripheral capillary wall (PCW) and mesangium in vitro in frozen sections, and in vivo following i.v. injection (0.006 mg/g body wt), examined by immunofluorescence. When similarly injected rats or controls were given antibodies to either MBSA or BSA following injection of antigen, immune complexes were observed in glomeruli by immunofluorescence and EM only in MBSA injected rats. Deposits occurred in the mesangium and subendothelium in the PCW. In frozen sections, bound MBSA could be partially removed from tissue sections by high ionic strength buffer. Also, binding of MBSA was diminished by prior treatment of sections with synthetic polyanions. Maleylated bovine gamma-globulin and succinylated BSA showed identical binding patterns as described for MBSA, indicating that binding was not unique to the modified BSA molecule nor to the form of anionization. These results indicate that charge interactions between circulating highly anionic macromolecules and cationic domains within glomerular structures are responsible, in part, for MBSA binding and subsequent localization of immune complexes. Furthermore, it is inferred that the selective binding of MBSA to glomeruli and formation of immune complexes occurred by a mechanism not related to difference in size between MBSA and BSA. These findings are different from conventionally understood charge interactions in glomerular immune complex formation.

Albumins↗
PubMed1988

Energy thresholds that determine membrane integrity and injury in a renal epithelial cell line (LLC-PK1). Relationships to phospholipid degradation and unesterified fatty acid accumulation.

This study related ATP levels with membrane damage, lipid abnormalities, and cell death in energy-depleted LLC-PK1 cells. Oxidative phosphorylation was inhibited by antimycin A, and glycolysis was regulated by graded glucose deprivation to achieve stepwise ATP depletion. Over a range of ATP levels down to approximately equal to 5% of normal, over 5 h, cells were altered only minimally, or injured reversibly. Such cells maintained mitochondrial potential, and retained more K+ than cells without an energy source. Over the same duration, cells without an energy source were lethally injured. Treatment with antimycin induced increments of triglycerides and decreases of phospholipids. With severe ATP depletion (approximately equal to 5-10% of normal after 5 h), decrease of phospholipids was marked. Cells in which ATP was not measurable (or was less than 5% of normal) showed comparable phospholipid declines but, in addition, showed massive and progressive increase of unesterified fatty acids. The results identified a low threshold of ATP, at best 5-10% of normal, which preserved viability in LLC-PK1 cells despite major loss of membrane phospholipids. This threshold also determined the ability of cells to maintain their normally low levels of unesterified fatty acids. Failure of energy-dependent mechanisms that normally metabolize unesterified fatty acids may be a correlate of the extent of energy depletion that determines lethal injury.

Acetates↗
PubMed1987

Elevation of cAMP in cultured mesangial cells diminishes vasopressin-stimulated increases of phosphate uptake and 32P-specific activity in ATP but has no effect on phosphoinositide metabolism.

Agents known to elevate intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) in cultured mesangial cells (e.g., isoproterenol with and without isobutylmethylxanthine (MIX] inhibit vasopressin-induced contraction. Since contraction of these cells in response to vasopressin is accompanied by release of inositol trisphosphate and increased intracellular ionized calcium, we wanted to determine whether cAMP is exerting its relaxing effect by altering phosphoinositide metabolism. Isoproterenol and MIX did not diminish the release of inositol trisphosphate in response to vasopressin. However, the stimulated 32P incorporation into phospholipids seen with vasopressin treatment was diminished by prior treatment with isoproterenol-MIX. Since incorporation of 32P into phospholipids is not only dependent on phospholipid synthesis but also on the amount of label in the gamma-phosphate of ATP, we determined the specific activity of 32P in ATP. We found that suppression of 32P incorporation into phospholipids in cells treated with isoproterenol-MIX was paralleled by a decline of specific activity of 32P in ATP. Furthermore, the changes in ATP specific activity were paralleled by similar changes in phosphate uptake into the cells. Thus, diminished phosphate uptake (transport) could account for the decline of 32P content in phospholipids and ATP following treatment of mesangial cells with isoproterenol-MIX.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1987

Alterations in renal structure and function in a rat model of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity.

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats maintained on a low sodium diet were administered 100 mg of cyclosporine per kg b.wt. per day s.c. for 4 to 10 days. Serum urea nitrogen was significantly elevated by day 4 and continued to rise, whereas serum creatinine was not elevated above control until day 10. Morphologic examination of perfusion-fixed kidneys from cyclosporine-treated rats revealed focal areas of tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis in the outer cortex and a generalized increase in interstitial cells in the outer medulla. No areas of acute tubular necrosis were identified. The effect of this dose of cyclosporine on renal hemodynamics was examined in conscious restrained rats. Renal blood flow, measured by microsphere injection, was 70% of control after four daily doses and remained near this level after eight daily doses. The glomerular filtration rate, measured by iodothalamate clearance, was 70% of control after four doses but fell to 34% of control after eight doses. [3H]Thymidine incorporation into renal DNA was used as a sensitive index of renal cell proliferation after cyclosporine administration (100 mg/kg/day). [3H]Thymidine incorporation was increased over control 3-fold in the outer cortex, 7-fold in the inner cortex and 11-fold in the medullary-papillary regions of the kidney after eight daily doses of cyclosporine. Histoautoradiographic examination of renal sections revealed an increase in the number of labeled nuclei in all three regions of the kidney from rats treated with cyclosporine. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that the majority of proliferating cells were located in the interstitium and not in renal tubules.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Elevations of intracellular cAMP result in a change in cell shape that resembles dome formation in cultured rat glomerular epithelial cells.

Cultured glomerular epithelial cells form a continuous monolayer of polyhedral-shaped cells. PGE2 (1 microgram/ml) in the presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine (MIX) markedly raises intracellular and medium cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels at 20 min (intracellular: MIX alone, 112 +/- 6.6 pmol cAMP/mg protein, MIX plus PGE2, 2252 +/- 63 pmol cAMP/mg protein; medium: MIX, 20.6 +/- 2.1 pmol cAMP/mg protein; MIX plus PGE2, 117 +/- 3.8 pmol cAMP/mg protein). By 2 h, when cellular and medium cAMP levels were still elevated, the cells underwent a change in shape that was similar to dome formation (15 to 20% of the monolayer changing shape). Derivatives of cAMP [i.e. dibutyryl and 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP], when added to the incubation medium also caused shape change in glomerular epithelial cells at 2 h; cAMP itself did not. The formation of domes has been used as a morphological indicator of the vectorial transport of salt and water in other cultured epithelial cells.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1986

Lipid alterations in LLC-PK1 cells exposed to mercuric chloride.

We have studied the effects of HgCl2 on the lipids of LLC-PK1 (pig kidney) epithelial cells. Our results show that treatment of cells with HgCl2 caused a rapid accumulation of unesterified fatty acids (particularly arachidonic acid) and lysophospholipids. A 27-fold increase in unesterified arachidonic acid and a 17-fold increase in lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) was accompanied by a 26% decline in the mass of phosphatidylethanolamine as determined by gas chromatography and lipid phosphorus assay. Similar changes were seen following HgCl2 treatment of cells whose lipids were labelled with 14C stearic acid, 3H arachidonic acid, or 14C acetate, but the radiolabelling techniques also identified an increased content of label in lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and a corresponding decrease in phosphatidylcholine. These alterations were accompanied by the formation of blebs on the plasma membrane and irreversible injury as indicated by electron microscopy. The possible role of unesterified fatty acids in the pathogenesis of injury was studied by adding fatty acids to the cells. The addition of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, or arachidonic acids) to the cells caused plasma membrane blebbing and loss of viability. Similarly, the addition of LPC or LPE to the cells resulted in cell death; however, plasma membrane blebbing did not result.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Inositol phospholipid metabolism in the kidney.

The unique features of renal phosphoinositide metabolism include an increase in tissue phosphoinositide levels induced by PTH. The significance of this finding remains unclear. Another unusual finding is the localization of phospholipase C activity in a BBMV preparation. As suggested in the review, the transducing mechanism involving cleavage of phosphoinositides by a phospholipase C would be expected to include a close association between phospholipase C and the plasma membrane. However, few attempts to localize phospholipase C activity in the plasma membrane have succeeded. The kidney also plays an unusual role in inositol metabolism in that it is the only organ that significantly catabolizes inositol. The kidneys also synthesize inositol. There is an enormous concentration of inositol in the outer medulla. This coexistence of significant inositol synthesis, breakdown, and the presence of extremely high amounts of free inositol is an intriguing but unexplained phenomenon. The substantial rate of endogenous renal inositol synthesis does not, however, preclude inositol deficiency states. There is a deficiency of inositol in diabetic peripheral nerve and in glomeruli isolated from diabetic rats. Such deficiencies may arise from a disturbance in the balance of synthesis, breakdown, and excretion of inositol, and particularly from the competition of glucose with the inositol transporter in the proximal tubule. Future studies of renal phosphoinositide metabolism need to address both basic cell biological questions and broader physiological or functional questions. The more basic issues include the question of which phosphoinositide is being attacked by agonist-stimulated phospholipase C. That is, are all the events explained by hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2, or are the other phosphoinositides hydrolyzed as well? Also, it would appear that stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism occurs quite early following receptor occupation, but there is still no way of selectively blocking stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism to see if it is a necessary first step in a cascade of events leading to cell response. Thus, the relationship of stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism to cell functions remains incompletely understood. At least two cellular functional or biochemical changes associated with stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in the kidney have been identified, prostaglandin production and mesangial cell contraction. The regulation of prostaglandin production and its relationship to stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism are subjects of continuing study. The topic was recently reviewed by Hassid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗