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We have isolated and cloned a novel epithelial Cl ؊ channel protein from a bovine tracheal cDNA expression library using an antibody probe. The antibody (␣p38) was raised against a 38-kDa component of a homopolymeric protein that behaves as a Ca 2؉ /calmodulin kinase II-, DIDS-, and dithiothreitol (DTT)-sensitive, anion-selective channel when incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. The full-length cDNA is 3001 base pairs long and codes for a 903-amino acid protein. The clone does not show any significant homology to any other previously reported Cl ؊ channel sequence. Northern analysis of bovine tracheal mRNA with a cDNA probe corresponding to the cloned sequence revealed a band at 3.1 kilobases, suggesting that close to the full-length sequence has been cloned. The full-length open reading frame (2712 base pairs) has been expressed in Xenopus oocytes and in mammalian COS-7 cells. In oocytes, expression of the clone was associated with the appearance of a novel DIDS-, and DTT-sensitive, anion-selective conductance that was outwardly rectified and exhibited a reversal potential close to 0 mV. Whole-cell patch clamp studies in COS-7 cells transfected with the clone identified an ionomycin-, and DTT-sensitive chloride conductance that was not apparent in mock-transfected or control cells. In vitro translation studies have shown that the primary transcript codes for a protein migrating at 140 kDa under reduced conditions, significantly larger than the polypeptide recognized by ␣p38. We therefore suggest that either the 140-kDa translated product is a prepro form of the 38-kDa subunit of the previously identified bovine tracheal anion channel and that the primary transcript is post-translationally cleaved to yield the final product, or that the cloned channel and the previously identified bovine tracheal anion channel protein share an epitope that is recognized by the ␣p38 antibody.

A protein (mCLCA1) has been cloned from a mouse lung cDNA library that bears strong sequence homology with the recently described bovine tracheal, Ca 2؉ -sensitive chloride channel protein (bCLCA1), bovine lung endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (Lu-ECAM-1), and the human intestinal Ca 2؉ -sensitive chloride channel protein (hCLCA1). In vitro, its 3.1-kilobase message translates into a 100-kDa protein that can be glycosylated

The CLCA family of Ca2+-activated Cl− channels has recently been discovered, with an increasing number of closely related members isolated from different species. Here we report the cloning of the second human homolog, hCLCA2, from a human lung cDNA library. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed additional expression in trachea and mammary gland. A primary translation product of 120 kDa was cleaved into two cell surface-associated glycoproteins of 86 and 34 kDa in transfected HEK-293 cells. hCLCA2 is the first CLCA homolog for which the transmembrane structure has been systematically studied. Glycosylation site scanning and protease protection assays revealed five transmembrane domains with a large, cysteine-rich, amino-terminal extracellular domain. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of hCLCA2-transfected HEK-293 cells detected a slightly outwardly rectifying anion conductance that was increased in the presence of the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin and inhibited by DIDS, dithiothreitol, niflumic acid, and tamoxifen. Expression in human trachea and lung suggests that hCLCA2 may play a role in the complex pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis.

Gene expression profiling of three human temporal lobe brain tissue samples (normal) and four primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors using oligonucleotide microarrays was done. Moreover, confirmation of altered expression was performed by whole cell patch clamp, immunohistochemical staining, and RT-PCR. Our results identified several ion and solute transport-related genes, such as N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA)-2 receptors, GABA(A) receptor subunits alpha3, beta1, beta2, and beta3, the glutamate transporter, the glutamate/aspartate transporter II, the potassium channel K(V)2.1, hK(V)beta3, and the sodium/proton exchanger 1 (NHE-1), that are all downregulated in the tumors compared with the normal tissues. In contrast, aquaporin-1, possibly aquaporins-3 and -5, and GLUT-3 message appeared upregulated in the tumors. Our results also confirmed previous work showing that osteopontin, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase, murine double minute 2 (MDM2), and epithelin (granulin) are upregulated in GBMs. We also demonstrate for the first time that the cytokine and p53 binding protein, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), appears upregulated in GBMs. These results indicate that the modulation of ion and solute transport genes and heretofore unsuspected cytokines (i.e., MIF) may have profound implications for brain tumor cell biology and thus may identify potential useful therapeutic targets in GBMs.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal genetic disease primarily affecting Caucasians, although cases have been reported from other ethnic groups. CF has a complex etiology, but it is chiefly a disease of electrolyte transport and is characterized by defects in fluid secretion by several epithelia, including the sweat duct, exocrine pancreas, and the pulmonary airways. The link between CF and a defect in cAMP-mediated Cl- transport in secretory epithelia was established in the early 1980s. Since then, numerous electrophysiological studies have focused on the characterization and regulation of individual Cl- channels underlying the macroscopic Cl- currents of secretory epithelia in the airways, sweat ducts, and gut. In this review the results of these studies in the light of current knowledge of the function of the CF gene product, the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, will be analyzed. The CFTR protein is a member of a family of ATP-binding proteins that act as unidirectional solute pumps. These proteins are membrane spanning, are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and have two ATP-binding domains. The family includes the p-glycoproteins that are involved with the expression of multidrug resistance in certain tumor cells. The majority of CF chromosomes (70%) have a single codon deletion that translates to a missing phenylalanine residue at position 508 (delta F508) of the protein. Unique for this family of proteins, the CFTR protein possesses an additional highly charged domain (the R domain) containing several consensus polypeptide sequences for kinase phosphorylation. Although CFTR bears structural resemblance to this family of ATP-dependent pumps, overexpression of the protein in a variety of different cell types is associated with the appearence of a cAMP-sensitive Cl- channel. We critically examine current information concerning the structure-function relationships of the CFTR protein obtained from both electrophysiological and biochemical approaches. We also summarize recent evidence suggesting that the CFTR protein may act as a pump and a channel, a hypothesis in keeping with the multifaceted nature of the disease.

High grade glioma cells derived from patient biopsies express an amiloride-sensitive sodium conductance that has properties attributed to the human brain sodium channel family, also known as acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs). This amiloride-sensitive conductance was not detected in cells obtained from normal brain tissue or low grade or benign tumors. Differential gene profiling data showed that ASIC1 and ASIC2 mRNA were present in normal and low grade tumor cells. Although ASIC1 was present in all of the high grade glial cells examined, ASIC2 mRNA was detected in less than half. The main purpose of our work was to examine the molecular mechanisms that may underlie the constitutively activated sodium currents present in high grade glioma cells. Our results show that 1) gain-of-function mutations of ASIC1 were not present in a number of freshly resected and cultured high grade gliomas, 2) syntaxin 1A inhibited ASIC currents only when ASIC1 and ASIC2 were co-expressed, and 3) the inhibition of ASIC currents by syntaxin 1A had an absolute requirement for either ␥-or ␦-hENaC. Transfection of cultured cells originally derived from high grade gliomas (U87-MG and SK-MG1) with ASIC2 abolished basal amiloride-sensitive sodium conductance; this inhibition was reversed by dialysis of the cell interior with Munc-18, a syntaxinbinding protein that typically blocks the interaction of syntaxin with other proteins. Thus, syntaxin 1A cannot inhibit Na ؉ permeability in the absence of adequate plasma membrane ASIC2 expression, accounting for the observed functional expression of amiloride-sensitive currents in high grade glioma cells.

A cloned rat epithelial Na ؉ channel (rENaC) was studied in planar lipid bilayers. Two forms of the channel were examined: channels produced by the ␣ subunit alone and those formed by ␣, ␤, and ␥ subunits. The protein was derived from two sources: either from in vitro translation reaction followed by Sephadex column purification or from heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes and isolation of plasma membranes. We found that either ␣-rENaC alone or ␣-in combination with ␤-and ␥-rENaC, produced highly Na ؉ -selective (P Na /P K ‫؍‬ 10), amiloride-sensitive (K i amil ‫؍‬ 170 nM), and mechanosensitive cation channels in planar bilayers. ␣-rENaC displayed a complicated gating mechanism: there was a nearly constitutively open 13-picosiemens (pS) state and a second 40-pS level that was achieved from the 13-pS level by a 26-pS transition. ␣-, ␤-, ␥-rENaC showed primarily the 13-pS level. ␣-rENaC and ␣,␤,␥-rENaC channels studied by patch clamp displayed the same gating pattern, albeit with >2-fold lowered conductance levels, i.e. 6 and 18 pS, respectively. Upon treatment of either channel with the sulfhydryl reducing agent dithiothreitol, both channels fluctuated among three independent 13-pS sublevels. Bathing each channel with a high salt solution (1.5 M NaCl) produced stochastic openings of 19 and 38 pS in magnitude between all three conductance levels. Different combinations of ␣-, ␤-, and ␥-rENaC in the reconstitution mixture did not produce channels of intermediate conductance levels. These findings suggest that functional ENaC is composed of three identical conducting elements and that their gating is concerted.