TY - JOUR

T1 - Cotransport of water by Na¿-K¿-2Cl¿ cotransporters expressed in Xenopus oocytes

T2 - NKCC1 versus NKCC2

AU - Zeuthen, Thomas

AU - Macaulay, Nanna

PY - 2012/3/1

Y1 - 2012/3/1

N2 - The NKCC1 and NKCC2 isoforms of the mammalian Na¿–K¿–2Cl¿ cotransporter were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and the relation between external ion concentration and water fluxes determined.Water fluxes were determined from changes in the oocytes volume and ion fluxes from 86Rb+ uptake. Isotonic increases in external K¿ concentration elicited abrupt inward water fluxes in NKCC1; the K¿ dependence obeyed one-site kinetics with a K0.5 of 7.5 mM. The water fluxes were blocked by bumetanide, had steep temperature dependence and could proceed uphill against an osmotic gradient of 20 mosmol l¿¹. A comparison between ion and water fluxes indicates that 460 water molecules are cotransported for each turnover of the protein. In contrast, NKCC2 did not support water fluxes.Water transport in NKCC1 induced by increases in the external osmolarity had high activation energy and was blocked by bumetanide. The osmotic effects of NaCl were smaller than those of urea and mannitol. This supports the notion of interaction between ions and water in NKCC1 and allows for an estimate of around 600 water molecules transported per turnover of the protein. Osmotic gradients did not induce water transport in NKCC2. We conclude that NKCC1 plays a direct role for water balance in most cell types, while NKCC2 fulfils its role in the kidney of transporting ions but not water. The different behaviour of NKCC1 and NKCC2 is discussed on the basis of recent molecular models based on studies of structural and molecular dynamics.

AB - The NKCC1 and NKCC2 isoforms of the mammalian Na¿–K¿–2Cl¿ cotransporter were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and the relation between external ion concentration and water fluxes determined.Water fluxes were determined from changes in the oocytes volume and ion fluxes from 86Rb+ uptake. Isotonic increases in external K¿ concentration elicited abrupt inward water fluxes in NKCC1; the K¿ dependence obeyed one-site kinetics with a K0.5 of 7.5 mM. The water fluxes were blocked by bumetanide, had steep temperature dependence and could proceed uphill against an osmotic gradient of 20 mosmol l¿¹. A comparison between ion and water fluxes indicates that 460 water molecules are cotransported for each turnover of the protein. In contrast, NKCC2 did not support water fluxes.Water transport in NKCC1 induced by increases in the external osmolarity had high activation energy and was blocked by bumetanide. The osmotic effects of NaCl were smaller than those of urea and mannitol. This supports the notion of interaction between ions and water in NKCC1 and allows for an estimate of around 600 water molecules transported per turnover of the protein. Osmotic gradients did not induce water transport in NKCC2. We conclude that NKCC1 plays a direct role for water balance in most cell types, while NKCC2 fulfils its role in the kidney of transporting ions but not water. The different behaviour of NKCC1 and NKCC2 is discussed on the basis of recent molecular models based on studies of structural and molecular dynamics.

U2 - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.226316

DO - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.226316

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22250214

VL - 590

SP - 1139

EP - 1154

JO - The Journal of Physiology

JF - The Journal of Physiology

SN - 0022-3751

IS - Pt 5

ER -