NA+, K+, CL- COTRANSPORT AND ITS REGULATION IN EHRLICH ASCITES TUMOR-CELLS - CA2+ CALMODULIN AND PROTEIN-KINASE-C DEPENDENT PATHWAYS

Net Cl- uptake as well as unidirectional Cl-36 influx during regulatory volume increase (RVI) require external K+. Half-maximal rate of bumetanide-sensitive Cl-36 uptake is attained at about 3.3 mm external K+. The bumetanide-sensitive K+ influx found during RVI is strongly dependent on both Na+ and Cl-. The bumetanide-sensitive unidirectional Na+ influx during RVI is dependent on K+ as well as on Cl-. The cotransporter activated during RVI in Ehrlich cells, therefore, seems to transport Na+, K+ and Cl-. In the presence of ouabain and Ba+ the stoichiometry of the bumetanide-sensitive net fluxes can be measured at 1.0 Na+, 0.8 K, 2.0 Cl- or approximately 1 : Na, 1 : K, 2: Cl. Under these circumstances the K+ and Cl- flux ratios (influx/efflux) for the bumetanide-sensitive component were estimated at 1.34 +/-0.08 and 1.82 +/- 0.15 which should be compared to the gradient for the Na-, K+, 2Cl- cotransport system at 1.75 +/- 0.24. Addition of sucrose to hypertonicity causes the Ehrlich cells to shrink with no signs of RVI, whereas shrinkage with hypertonic standard medium (all extracellular ion concentrations increased) results in a RVI response towards the original cell volume. Under both conditions a bumetanide-sensitive unidirectional K+ influx is activated. During hypotonic conditions a small bumetanide-sensitive K+ influx is observed, indicating that the cotransport system is already activated. The cotransport is activated 10-15 fold by bradykinin. an agonist which stimulates phospholipase C resulting in release of internal Ca2+ and activation of protein kinase C. The anti-calmodulin drug pimozide inhibits most of the bumetanide-sensitive K+ influx during RVI. The cotransporter can be activated by the phorbol ester TPA. These results indicate that the stimulation of the Na+, K+, Cl- cotransport involves both Ca2+/calmodulin and protein kinase C.