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Biomedical subjects

M Burg

Publications and source records attributed to M Burg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

C3a receptor on dibutyryl-cAMP-differentiated U937 cells and human neutrophils: the human C3a receptor characterized by functional responses and 125I-C3a binding.

The anaphylatoxic peptide C3a is part of a basic immunological defense mechanism, the complement system. Research on the human C3a receptor and signal transduction is hampered by the lack of a suitable human cell or cell line. We screened tumor cell lines and human blood cells for a C3a-dependent increase in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and analyzed this reaction in a fura-2/AM fluorescence assay for cells in suspension. U937 cells, when differentiated with dibutyryl-cAMP (Bt2cAMP), and purified human neutrophils reacted in a dose-dependent fashion to C3a and a C3a analogue synthetic peptide. We found complete homologous desensitization of this response and no heterologous desensitization to human C5a. Pertussis toxin totally blocked the increase in [Ca2+]i, indicating the possible involvement of a G-protein. Single-cell analysis by digital imaging fluorescence microscopy indicated that neutrophilic granulocytes responded to C3a. In binding studies with Bt2cAMP-differentiated U937 cells and human granulocytes, the 125I-C3a binding was displaced by C3a, yielding one class of C3a binding sites with dissociation constants (Kd) in the low nanomolar range. We identified myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) as the second messenger possibly causing the [Ca2+]i increase and the release of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase as one secretory cell response. By functional and binding studies we demonstrated the expression of the C3a receptor on Bt2-cAMP-differentiated U937 cells and human neutrophils and characterized parts of the C3a signal pathway. Our data support a physiological concept in which C3a might be more important than presently thought.

Acetylglucosaminidase

Do NMDA receptor antagonists protect against MPTP-toxicity? Biochemical and immunocytochemical analyses in black mice.

We investigated whether excitatory amino acids acting at the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of the L-glutamate receptor contribute to the dopaminergic neurotoxicity induced by systemic administration of the Parkinson's syndrome-inducing toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in C57Bl/6 mice. The MPTP-regimen chosen (30-40 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously) resulted a 60-70% depletion of striatal dopamine (DA) content and a 20% reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive (TH-IR) cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta 20 days after administration. Repeated systemic coadministration of the non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 or of the novel competitive NMDA receptor antagonist CGP 40116 did not protect against MPTP-induced striatal DA depletion 20 days after toxin administration. Additionally, no short-term protective effects of MK-801 on striatal DA content were observed 24, 48, and 96 h, respectively, after exposure to MPTP. A slight and non-significant attenuation (approximately 10%) of the MPTP-induced decrease in the number of nigral TH-IR cells was observed after MK-801- and CGP 40116-treatment. We conclude that neurotoxicity of systemically administered MPTP is not substantially antagonized by NMDA receptor antagonists in mice.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine

Characterization of cell-associated proteoglycans synthesized by embryonic neural retinal cells.

To begin to understand the properties of the neuronal heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) that interacts with the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), we have analyzed proteoglycans synthesized by dissociated embryonic retinal cells in culture. Because NCAM plays an integral role in cell-cell interactions, we have focused on cell-associated HSPGs. Proteoglycans were isolated from embryonic Day 10 retinal cell cultures labeled with 35SO4 and separated into fractions that either flowed through or were retained on phenyl-Sepharose. Molecules binding phenyl-Sepharose have been proposed to be capable of insertion into the plasma membrane, and thus may be involved in binding to NCAM. Proteoglycans binding to phenyl-Sepharose had an estimated molecular mass of 400-500 kDa, and contained 60% HSPG and 40% chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG). The putative membrane-associated HSPGs, with an average molecular weight of 360 kDa, were shown to contain heparan sulfate chains of 40 and 20 kDa, and multiple core proteins with the major core protein having a molecular weight of approximately 130 kDa. The membrane-associated CSPGs also exhibited multiple core proteins, with sizes ranging from 120 to 220 kDa. These data suggest that multiple membrane-associated HSPGs and CSPGs are synthesized by embryonic neural retina cells, which may explain the diversity in function of this class of proteoglycans.

Animals

Characterization of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan that copurifies with the neural cell adhesion molecule.

We have demonstrated previously that the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) interacts with a neuronal heparan sulfate proteoglycan. The binding of this proteoglycan(s) by NCAM appears to be required for NCAM-mediated cell adhesion, although the mechanism is unclear. In the present study we show that a heparan sulfate proteoglycan copurifies with NCAM, and provide an initial biochemical characterization of the proteoglycan. The copurification of a heparan sulfate proteoglycan with NCAM was demonstrated following immunopurification of NCAM from a detergent extract of cell membranes derived from Na2(35)SO4-labeled neural retinal cells. A large-molecular-weight, 35SO4-labeled molecule copurified with NCAM isolated from these neural cell cultures, and was resistant to chondroitinase ABC treatment, but degraded completely by nitrous acid treatment. These results indicate that the molecule is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Although this proteoglycan copurifies with NCAM, it is not detected when the neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule (NgCAM) is immunopurified using the 8D9 monoclonal antibody. The heparan sulfate proteoglycan may also be a membrane-associated proteoglycan since it interacts with phenyl-Sepharose. Molecular weight characterization of the proteoglycan by gel filtration chromatography indicates a molecular weight of 400-520 kDa. The heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains were shown to have an average molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa, and the polypeptide backbone was estimated to be 120 kDa by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These data therefore demonstrate that a neuronal heparan sulfate proteoglycan copurifies with NCAM.

Animals

Signal for induction of aldose reductase in renal medullary cells by high external NaCl.

GRB-PAP1 is a continuous line of epithelial cells derived from rabbit renal inner medulla. These cells accumulate large amounts of sorbitol when extracellular NaCl concentration is elevated. The accumulation involves an increase in aldose reductase, an enzyme that catalyzes production of sorbitol from glucose. The purpose of the present studies was to investigate the mechanism by which high NaCl triggers an increase in aldose reductase activity. When NaCl was added to increase medium osmolality from 300 to 500 mosmol/kg, enzyme activity began to increase after 12-24 h, was half-maximal in 2 days, and was maximal by 4 days. To test the effect of other solutes, medium osmolality was increased to 500 mosmol/kg by adding raffinose, urea, or glycerol. Raffinose increased aldose reductase activity as much as NaCl did. In contrast, neither urea nor glycerol affected the enzyme activity. NaCl and raffinose caused a sustained decrease in cell water content and an increase in cell sodium and potassium concentration, but urea did not. In some experiments, ouabain was added either with or without an increase in osmolality. Taking into account all of the experiments, with and without ouabain, we found that aldose reductase activity did not correlate with either cell sodium concentration or cell water content alone. It did correlate, however, with cell potassium concentration and even more strongly with the sum of cell sodium plus potassium concentration. We conclude that the signal by which hyperosmolality triggers an increase in aldose reductase activity most likely involves an increase in intracellular ionic strength.

Aldehyde Reductase

High NaCl induces stable changes in phenotype and karyotype of renal cells in culture.

Extracellular fluid in the renal medulla normally is hyperosmotic. To test adaptation to such an environment, a continuous line of rabbit renal inner medullary epithelial cells (GRB-PAP1), which had been established in isosmotic medium, was switched to a medium containing high NaCl. The origin of these cells is described. When the osmolality was raised from 300 to 600 mosmol/kg by adding NaCl, cells eventually survived and proliferated, but unexpectedly, they underwent major changes in phenotype and karyotype that persisted during proliferation in isosmotic or hyperosmotic medium for at least 7 months. The threshold concentration for the changes was approximately 500 mosmol/kg. Cells of a typical strain (PAP-HT25) that formed in hyperosmotic medium were much larger and more often multinucleated than were GRB-PAP1. GRB-PAP1 cells were near diploid; PAP-HT25 cells were polyploid. The changes, since they occurred in most clones, were due to adaptation of the majority of cells and not to selection of a minority of cells already having these characteristics. Cloning efficiency was higher for GRB-PAP1 than PAP-HT25 in isosmotic medium, but the reverse occurred in hyperosmotic medium. Thus exposure to the hyperosmotic medium induced greater ability to clone in it. We suggest that these changes may involve persistent alterations in gene regulation, possibly like those previously reported in chicken embryo fibroblast cells after hyperosmotic NaCl (Cell 30: 131-139, 1982).

Animals

Predominant osmotically active organic solutes in rat and rabbit renal medullas.

The mechanism that concentrates the urine to an osmolality several times that of systemic plasma results in high concentrations of solutes (particularly NaCl and urea) in extracellular fluid of renal medulla, but not in the labyrinth of the renal cortex. Intracellular and extracellular osmolality must be equal in animals, but the known intracellular levels of Na and K salts and urea in renal medullas are much too low to balance the high extracellular osmolality. The purpose of these studies was to identify the other intracellular osmolytes that must be present. Cortexes and medullas from rabbit and rat kidneys were analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and chemical assays to determine the identity and amount of organic solutes. Large amounts of glycerophosphorylcholine, betaine, sorbitol, and inositol were found in both species localized almost exclusively to the inner medulla. In rabbits during antidiuresis glycerophosphorylcholine, betaine, and sorbitol were present in the inner medulla, at concentrations of 21.1, 34.8, and 20.8 mumol/g wet weight, respectively, but were not detected in the cortex. Inositol was present in rabbit inner medulla at 10.7 mumol/g wet weight and was also present in the cortex, but at lower concentration. None of the above metabolites was present in measurable amounts in urine or peripheral plasma. The accumulation in the cells of the inner medulla of relatively large amounts of betaine, sorbitol, glycerophosphorylcholine and inositol during antidiuresis suggests that they may play a significant role in the maintenance of intracellular osmotic balance.

Animals

Differentiated lines of cells from rabbit renal medullary thick ascending limbs grown on amnion.

Previously we grew differentiated primary epithelial tissue cultures from rabbit renal medullary thick ascending limbs but were unable to subculture them into lines. Now, following the use of amnion as a support during the initial passages, two cell lines have grown from single fragments of medullary thick ascending limbs. Cells have now been in culture past 12 passages over more than 2 yr. On confluence they formed morphologically differentiated epithelial monolayers with polarization of the cells visible on electron microscopy. They had apical zonula occludens and microvilli, lateral cellular interdigitations, and basal membranes flat against the support. "Domes" often were visible when the epithelia formed on dishes, indicative of salt and water transport. Other functional differentiation in some passages of one line or the other included presence of Tamm-Horsfall protein (demonstrated by immunofluorescence) or transepithelial voltage oriented apical surface positive. Both the Tamm-Horsfall protein and the voltage are normally expressed by intact medullary thick ascending limbs and are characteristic of this particular nephron segment.

Amnion

Lactate production in isolated segments of the rat nephron.

Lactate production was measured directly in individual segments of the rat nephron. Tubules were dissected and then incubated in vitro with glucose as the only metabolic substrate. Each segment was incubated with and without antimycin A, an inhibitor of oxidative metabolism. Proximal tubules produced no lactate with or without antimycin A. The distal segments all produced lactate. The rate of lactate production without antimycin A ranged from 0.4 to 0.9 pmol X min-1 X mm-1 in all distal segments except one, the inner medullary collecting duct, which produced lactate at the significantly higher rate of 2.8 pmol X min-1 X mm-1. Antimycin A increased lactate production significantly in all of the distal segments. The increase was largest in medullary thick ascending limbs (1,400%) and cortical (798%) and outer medullary collecting ducts (357%). Increments were smaller in cortical thick ascending limbs (98%) and distal convoluted tubules (98%) and least in the inner medullary collecting ducts (28%). We conclude that lactate production occurs only in distal segments of the nephron and that under anoxic conditions significant amounts of ATP are produced by anaerobic glycolysis in these segments.

Animals

Sodium chloride coupled transport in mammalian nephrons.

A number of possible modes of coupling of sodium chloride transport have been considered, and their roles in the various parts of the renal tubule have been reviewed. Many modes of coupling have been found in various combinations in one or another of the segments. Of special interest are the observations of carrier coupling of sodium to chloride transport in some of the segments, such as the thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop.

Animals

Organization of nephron function.

Recent studies of mammalian nephron segments have revealed an unexpected diversity of renal transport functions. Most substances are transported by several segments, and the transport mechanisms differ from segment to segment. In this paper we review some of these findings in order to fit them into an integrated picture of kidney function. The main question we ask is what is the advantage of spatial separation of the various transporters along the nephron. We propose that spatial separation of transport functions allows independent and efficient control of the excretion of substances whose renal handling is interdependent. The organization of sodium and water handling along the nephron is considered in the greatest detail. Sodium and water play central roles in controlling the renal excretion of many other substances. Yet the excretion rates of sodium and water themselves are independently controlled. The intricate anatomical structure of the kidney not only provides spatial separation of transport processes along the nephron but also couples the function of different segments by juxtaposing them in specialized regions within the medulla and cortex. These anatomical arrangements provide a framework for integrating the complex array of renal functions.

Animals

Control of renal bicarbonate transport.

Single rabbit renal tubules were perfused in vitro to elucidate the factors that control bicarbonate transport. One factor studied was the preexisting acid-base status of the rabbits. Cortical collecting ducts from acidotic rabbits (given ammonium chloride) transported bicarbonate from lumen to bath. Collecting ducts from alkalotic rabbits (given sodium bicarbonate) transported bicarbonate in the opposite direction. Thus, bicarbonate transport by collecting ducts in vitro was conditioned by the preexisting state of the rabbit in vivo. In contrast, bicarbonate transport by proximal straight tubules and cortical thick ascending limbs was not affected by ammonium chloride or sodium bicarbonate given to the rabbits. Parathyroid hormone, the second factor studied, strongly inhibited bicarbonate absorption by proximal straight tubules.

Absorption

Bicarbonate transport by isolated perfused rabbit proximal convoluted tubules.

Proximal convoluted tubules were dissected from rabbit kidneys and perfused in vitro in order to investigate the relationship between the reabsorption of fluid and of bicarbonate. Bicarbonate was absorbed when it was initially present in the perfusate. At slow rates of perfusion the mean concentration of total CO2 was 9 mM in collected fluid with 25 mM bicarbonate in the bath. At faster rates of perfusion the mean rate of reabsorption was 13.6 pmol cm-1 tubule length s-1. Absorption of bicarbonate was inhibited to a large but not complete extent by elimination of sodium from the perfusate and bath or potassium from the bath, and by addition of ouabain. It was not inhibited by elimination of the organic solutes from the perfusate nor by elimination of chloride from the perfusate and bath. Considered with previous measurements of fluid absorption these results are consistent with the existence of a linked sodium-for-hydrogen ion exchange mechanism at the luminal border of the tubule cells, but there are other possibilities which are discussed. Additionally, the effect of acetazolamide was investigated. The drug virtually completely inhibited bicarbonate absorption and inhibited fluid absorption by 30-40%.

Acetazolamide

Renal tubular chloride transport and the mode of action of some diuretics.

The renal diluting segment (thick ascending limb of Henle's loop) reabsorbs sodium chloride in excess of water and is responsible for dilution of the urine as well as reabsorption of a large fraction of the salt present in the glomerular ultrafiltrate. There is active reabsorption of chloride, which causes the voltage to be positive in the tubule lumen. Most, if not all, of the sodium transport is passive, driven by the voltage. Three major diuretics (mersalyl, furosemide, and ethacrynic acid) act in the lumen of the diluting segment to inhibit active chloride transport, not sodium transport as previously believed. This specific action on chloride transport may explain how these drugs are able to inhibit salt transport in the kidney while having so little effect on the transport processes elsewhere in the body.

Adenosine Triphosphatases

Organic solutes in fluid absorption by renal proximal convoluted tubules.

Proximal convoluted tubules were dissected from rabbit kidneys and perfused with artificial solutions in vitro. The effect of various organic solutes on rate of fluid absorption and transepithelial voltage was tested by removing solutes from or adding them to perfusate and/or bath. Omission of albumin from the bath caused rate of fluid absorption to descrease 33% without any change in voltage. Omission of glucose, lactate, alanine, and citrate from the bath had no effect. In contrast, when they were removed from perfusate, rate of fluid absorption fell by 45-75% (depending on whether they were replaced by NaCl or mannitol and NaCl), and voltage (normally negative in lymen) decreased to near zero. Adding glucose or alanine individually to perfusate caused a small increase in rate of fluid absorption and a relatively large increase in voltage. alpha-Methyl-D-glucoside and cycloleucine (which are transported but not metabolized) had effects similar to glucose and alanine, except that voltage changes were not as great. Phlorizin (10(-5) M in perfusate) had the same effect as removing glucose from perfusate. When glucose and alanine were added to perfusate, epithelial cell swelled significantly. Lactate and citrate also caused rate of fluid absorption to increase when they were added to perfusate, but they did not affect transepithelial voltage nor did they cause cells to swell significantly. Possible mechanisms of these effects and the role of organic solutes in fluid absorption by proximal convoluted tubules are discussed.

Alanine