Transport and hydrolysis of glucagon in the proximal nephron

Transport and hydrolysis of glucagon in the rabbit proximal nephron were studied. Iodinated glucagon (0.34 +/- 0.02 pg/nl, mean +/- SE) was microperfused (16.0 +/- 1.1 nl/min) in vitro through proximal straight nephron segments for 30 min. Radiolabeled material, primarily 125I-tyrosine, appeared in the bathing medium in a linear fashion as a function of time (0.406 pg glucagon X mm tubule length-1 X min-1). Hydrolysis of glucagon by proximal tubule homogenates was pH dependent, with a large peak of activity observed at pH 7.0-7.4 and a smaller one at pH 3.0. Analytical cell fractionation studies of proximal tubule cells revealed glucagon-hydrolyzing activity associated with the brush border and cytosol at pH 7.4. Less than 3% of activity was found associated with the contraluminal membrane. Substantial catabolism was observed at lysosomes on lowering the pH to 5.0. Incubation of glucagon directly in the presence of isolated renal cortical microvilli confirmed the presence of a high-capacity glucagon-degrading hydrolase. In addition to glucagon-hydrolyzing activity associated with the proximal nephron, noncortical activity was observed that was not accounted for by proximal tubule hydrolases. The data suggest several mechanisms for renal extraction of glucagon, including hydrolysis by enzymes at the brush border of the proximal tubule, prior to reabsorption of metabolites there. Conversely, enzymes associated with the contraluminal membrane of the proximal nephron probably contribute little to its hydrolysis. Nonproximal extracortical degradation of glucagon may account for its previously observed peritubular hydrolysis.

Active secretion of hypoxanthine and xanthine by guinea pig jejunum in vitro

Isolated epithelium of guinea pig jejunum secretes hypoxanthine and xanthine by a transport process that is capable of uphill transport and dependent on metabolic energy supply. Unidirectional influx of hypoxanthine across both the luminal and the contraluminal cell membrane appears to be saturable; influx across the contraluminal membrane is inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). Efflux across the luminal membrane is diminished by DNP; efflux across the contraluminal membrane is increased by DNP. This evidence suggests the existence of a mediated transport system both in the luminal and the contraluminal cell membrane. Additionally, intracellular metabolism of hypoxanthine seems to regulate transepithelial permeation: increased hypoxanthine salvage by the phosphoribosyltransferase reduces the rate of secretion. However, the incorporation of hypoxanthine into the nucleotides is limited when the hypoxanthine is added to the luminal side of the epithelium, and the permeation rate in the absorptive direction is not markedly influenced by the rate of hypoxanthine salvage. These findings are a further example of the functional orientation of the jejunal epithelial cells with respect to enzymic activity and transepithelial transport properties.

Sodium-coupled chloride transport by epithelial tissues

There is compelling evidence that active Cl absorption by a variety of epithelia, widely distributed throughout the animal kingdom, is the result of an electrically neutral Na-coupled transport process at the luminal membrane and that the energy for transcellular Cl movement is derived from the Na gradient across that barrier. These co-transport processes are found predominantly in "leaky" or "moderately leaky" epithelia and permit these tissues to absorb Na and Cl with high degrees of efficacy. In addition, there is a growing body of evidence that cyclic AMP and Ca-induced electrogenic Cl secretion by a wide variety of epithelia may involve electrically neutral, Na-coupled Cl entry across the contraluminal membrane and that the energy for these secretory processes is derived from the Na-gradient across that barrier. A model for electrogenic Cl secretion that accounts for the available data is presented.