Four sets of angiotensin TI (AngII) analogues with position 5 modifications, two agonist series with either Asp or Sar in position 1 and L-Phe in position 8, and two antagonist series with again Asp or Sar in position 1 and Leu in position 8 were synthesized. Modifications in positions 5 were introduced successively: Ile, Nle, Met, S-ethyl Cys, S-n-propyl-Cys, S-n-butyl Cys S-t-butyl Cys and S-benzyl Cys in all four series. The study was undertaken in order to investigate the 5-position residue of AngII by replacing the hydrophobic side-chain by another containing an electrophilic moiety. The analogues were synthesised by solid phase synthesis using the Boc/Bzl or Fmoc/But strategy. Aii analogues were evaluated by their binding properties to the ATI receptor on bovine adrenocortical membranes (bAT(1)). The results indicate that AngII analogues bind, irrespective of their agonistic or antagonistic nature or of their position 1 modification, in a similar manner and that position 5 modifications without beta-branching behave in an additive manner towards their affinity.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:Aquaporin 2 (AQP2) plays an important, VP (vasopressin)-regulated role in water reabsorption by the kidney. The amount of AQP2 expressed at the surface of principal cells results from an equilibrium between the AQP2 in intracellular vesicles and the AQP2 on the plasma membrane. VP shifts the equilibrium in favour of the plasma membrane and this allows osmotic equilibration to occur between the collecting duct lumen and the interstitial space. Membrane accumulation of AQP2 could result from a VP-induced increase in exocytosis, a decrease in endocytosis, or both. In the present study, we further investigated AQP2 accumulation at the cell surface, and compared it with V2R (VP type 2 receptor) trafficking using cells that express epitope-tagged AQP2 and V2R.RESULTS:Endocytosis of V2R and of AQP2 are independent events that can be separated temporally and spatially. The burst of endocytosis seen after VP addition to target cells, when AQP2 accumulates at the cell surface, is primarily due to internalization of the V2R. Increased endocytosis is not induced by forskolin, which also induces membrane accumulation of AQP2 by direct stimulation of adenylate cyclase. This indicates that cAMP elevation is not the primary cause of the initial, VP-induced endocytic process. After VP exposure, AQP2 is not located in endosomes with internalized V2R. Instead, it remains at the cell surface in 'endocytosis-resistant' membrane domains, visualized by confocal imaging. After VP washout, AQP2 is progressively internalized with the fluid-phase marker FITC-dextran, indicating that VP washout releases an endocytotic block that maintains AQP2 at the cell surface. Finally, polarized application of VP to filter-grown cells shows that apical VP can induce basolateral endocytosis and V2R down-regulation, and vice versa.CONCLUSIONS:After VP stimulation of renal epithelial cells, AQP2 accumulates at the cell surface, while the V2R is actively internalized. This endocytotic block may involve a reduced capacity of phosphorylated AQP2 to interact with components of the endocytotic machinery. In addition, a complex cross-talk exists between the apical and basolateral plasma-membrane domains with respect to endocytosis and V2R down-regulation. This may be of physiological significance in down-regulating the VP response in the kidney in vivo.

The primary cilium is a ubiquitous, non-motile microtubular organelle lacking the central pair of microtubules found in motile cilia. Primary cilia are surrounded by a membrane, which has a unique complement of membrane proteins, and may thus be functionally different from the plasma membrane. The function of the primary cilium remains largely unknown. However, primary cilia have important sensory transducer properties, including the response of renal epithelial cells to fluid flow or mechanical stimulation. Recently, renal cystic diseases have been associated with dysfunctional ciliary proteins. Although the sensory properties of renal epithelial primary cilia may be associated with functional channel activity in the organelle, information in this regard is still lacking. This may be related to the inherent difficulties in assessing electrical activity in this rather small and narrow organelle. In the present study, we provide the first direct electrophysiological evidence for the presence of single channel currents from isolated primary cilia of LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cells. Several channel phenotypes were observed, and addition of vasopressin increased cation channel activity, which suggests the regulation, by the cAMP pathway of ciliary conductance. Ion channel reconstitution of ciliary versus plasma membranes indicated a much higher channel density in cilia. At least three channel proteins, polycystin-2, TRPC1, and interestingly, the alpha-epithelial sodium channel, were immunodetected in this organelle. Ion channel activity in the primary cilium of renal cells may be an important component of its role as a sensory transducer.

Vasopressin (VP) increases urinary concentration by signaling through the vasopressin receptor (V2R) in collecting duct principal cells. After downregulation, V2R reappears at the cell surface via an unusually slow ( several hours) "recycling" pathway. To examine this pathway, we expressed V2R-green fluorescent protein (GFP) in LLC-PK1a cells. V2R-GFP showed characteristics similar to those of wild-type V2R, including high affinity for VP and adenylyl cyclase stimulation. V2R-GFP was located mainly in the plasma membrane in unstimulated cells, but it colocalized with the lysosomal marker Lysotracker after VP-induced internalization. Western blot analysis of V2R-GFP showed a broad 57- to 68-kDa band and a doublet at 46 and 52 kDa before VP treatment. After 4-h VP exposure, the 57- to 68-kDa band lost 50% of its intensity, whereas the lower 46-kDa band increased by 200%. The lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine abolished this VP effect, whereas lactacystin, a proteasome inhibitor, had no effect. Incubating cells at 20 degrees C to block trafficking from the trans-Golgi network reduced V2R membrane fluorescence, and a perinuclear patch developed. Cycloheximide reduced the intensity of this patch, showing that newly synthesized V2R-GFP contributed significantly to its appearance. Cycloheximide also inhibited the reappearance of cell surface V2R after downregulation. We conclude that after downregulation, V2R-GFP is delivered to lysosomes and degraded. Reappearance of V2R at the cell surface depends on new protein synthesis, partially explaining the long time lag needed to fully reestablish V2R at the cell surface after downregulation. This degradative pathway may be an adaptive response to allow receptor-ligand association in the hypertonic and acidic environment of the renal medulla.

Vasopressin-stimulated insertion of the aquaporin 2 (AQP2) water channel into the plasma membrane of kidney collecting duct principal cells is a key event in the urinary concentrating mechanism. The paradigm for vasopressin-receptor signaling involves cAMP-mediated protein kinase A activation, which results in the functionally critical phosphorylation of AQP2 on amino acid serine 256. We previously showed that a parallel cGMP-mediated signaling pathway also leads to AQP2 membrane insertion in AQP2-transfected LLC-PK1 (LLC-AQP2) cells and in outer medullary collecting duct principal cells in situ (Bouley R, Breton S, Sun T, McLaughlin M, Nsumu NN, Lin HY, Ausiello DA, and Brown D. J Clin Invest 106: 1115-1126, 2000). In the present report, we show by immunofluorescence microscopy, and Western blotting of plasma membrane fractions, that 45-min exposure of LLC-AQP2 cells to the cGMP phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors sildenafil citrate (Viagra) or 4-{[3',4'-methylene-dioxybenzyl]amino}-6-methoxyquinazoline elevates intracellular cGMP levels and results in the plasma membrane accumulation of AQP2; i.e., they mimic the vasopressin effect. Importantly, our data also show that acute exposure to PDE5 inhibitors for 60 min induces apical accumulation of AQP2 in kidney medullary collecting duct principal cells both in tissue slices incubated in vitro as well as in vivo after intravenous injection of Viagra into rats. These data suggest that AQP2 membrane insertion can be induced independently of vasopressin-receptor activation by activating a parallel cGMP-mediated signal transduction pathway with cGMP PDE inhibitors. These results provide proof-of-principle that pharmacological activation of vasopressin-independent, cGMP signaling pathways could aid in the treatment of those forms of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus that are due to vasopressin-2 receptor dysfunction.

Inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis by expression of a GTPase-deficient dynamin mutant (dynamin-2/K44A) for 16 h results in an accumulation of plasma membrane aquaporin-2 (AQP2) in epithelial cells stably transfected with wild-type AQP2. We now show a similar effect of K44A dynamin in LLC-PK1 cells transfected with an S256 phosphorylation-deficient AQP2 mutant, AQP2(S256A), and in AQP2-transfected inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells. More acute blockade of endocytosis in these cells with the cholesterol-depleting agent methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (mbetaCD; 10 mM) resulted in a rapid and extensive cell-surface accumulation of both wild-type AQP2 and AQP2 (S256A) within 15 min after treatment. This effect was similar to that induced by treatment of the cells with vasopressin. Blockade of endocytosis by mbetaCD was confirmed using quantitative analysis of FITC-dextran uptake and AQP2 membrane insertion was verified by cell-surface biotinylation. These data indicate that AQP2 recycles constitutively and rapidly between intracellular stores and the cell surface in LLC-PK1 and IMCD cells. The constitutive trafficking process is not dependent on phosphorylation of the serine-256 residue of AQP2, which is, however, an essential step for regulated vasopressin/cAMP-mediated translocation of AQP2. Our data show that rapid and extensive plasma membrane accumulation of AQP2 can occur in a vasopressin receptor (V2R)- and phosphorylation-independent manner, pointing to a potential means of bypassing the mutated V2R in X-linked nephrogenic diabetes insipidus to achieve cell surface expression of AQP2.

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels exist as heterotetramers of M1 and M23 splice variants and appear to be present in orthogonal arrays of intramembraneous particles (OAPs) visualized by freeze-fracture microscopy. We report that AQP4 forms OAPs in rat gastric parietal cells but not in parietal cells from the mouse or kangaroo rat. Furthermore, the organization of principal cell OAPs in Brattleboro rat kidney is perturbed by vasopressin (arginine vasopressin). Membranes of LLC-PK(1) cells expressing M23-AQP4 showed large, abundant OAPs, but none were detectable in cells expressing M1-AQP4. Measurements of osmotic swelling of transfected LLC-PK(1) cells using videomicroscopy, gave osmotic water permeability coefficient (P(f)) values (in cm/s) of 0.018 (M1-AQP4), 0.019 (M23-AQP4), and 0.003 (control). Quantitative immunoblot and immunofluorescence showed an eightfold greater expression of M1- over M23-AQP4 in the cell lines, suggesting that single-channel p(f) (cm(3)/s) is much greater for the M23 variant. Somatic fusion of M1- and M23-AQP4 cells (P(f) = 0.028 cm/s) yielded OAPs that were fewer and smaller than in M23 cells alone, and M1-to-M23 expression ratios ( approximately 1:4) normalized to AQP4 in M1 or M23 cells indicated a reduced single-channel p(f) for the M23 variant. Expression of an M23-AQP4-Ser(111E) mutant produced approximately 1.5-fold greater single-channel p(f) and OAPs that were up to 2.5-fold larger than wild-type M23-AQP4 OAPs, suggesting that a putative PKA phosphorylation site Ser(111) is involved in OAP formation. We conclude that the higher-order organization of AQP4 in OAPs increases single-channel osmotic water permeability by one order of magnitude and that differential cellular expression levels of the two isoforms could regulate this organization.

We conducted an open-label pilot study to assess the safety and efficacy of oxcarbazepine on the severity of sensory symptoms in patients with painful sensory neuropathy (PSN). A total of 10 patients (7 female) with idiopathic painful neuropathy of at least 3 months duration enrolled in the study. Data are reported from 9 patients; one withdrew early. The mean age was 61.3 years (range: 47-70). The study consisted of a 2-4 week screening phase, a 4-week titration phase, 12-week maintenance phase, and a 2-week dose-tapering phase. Oxcarbazepine was initiated at 150 mg BID for 1 week, increased to 300 mg BID at week 2, 450 mg BID at week 3, and 600 mg BID at week 4. Dose adjustments were allowed during the 4-week titration phase. The following assessments were performed: VAS, NSC (Neuropathy Symptom and Change), neurologic exam, vital signs, and recording of any adverse events. The mean and median changes in VAS scores were -32 mm and -48 mm, respectively (p < 0.04). The mean change from baseline to last visit in overall severity score for the 9 questions of the sensory component of the NSC was -5.7 points (p=0.02). Significant decreases of at least 1 point were noted in severity of paresthesias (p=0.031), spontaneous sharp pains (p=0.031), and spontaneous burning discomfort (p=0.016). Five patients discontinued before completion due to adverse events. One was considered unrelated to study drug and two improved with dose reduction but chose to withdraw regardless. Oxcarbazepine is effective in reducing neuropathic pain in PSN. The NSC is a useful outcome measure in trials of interventions for neuropathic pain because it allows for semi-quantitative assessment of change among characteristic neuropathic pain symptoms. A double blind study of the effect of oxcarbazepine on positive sensory symptoms in idiopathic PSN is warranted

In renal collecting ducts, vasopressin increases the expression of and redistributes aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels from intracellular vesicles to the apical membrane, leading to urine concentration. However, basolateral membrane expression of AQP2, in addition to AQP3 and AQP4, is often detected in inner medullary principal cells in vivo. Here, potential mechanisms that regulate apical versus basolateral targeting of AQP2 were examined. The lack of AQP2-4 association into heterotetramers and the complete apical expression of AQP2 when highly expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells indicated that neither heterotetramerization of AQP2 with AQP3 and/or AQP4, nor high expression levels of AQP2 explained the basolateral AQP2 localization. However, long term hypertonicity, a feature of the inner medullary interstitium, resulted in an insertion of AQP2 into the basolateral membrane of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells after acute forskolin stimulation. Similarly, a marked insertion of AQP2 into the basolateral membrane of principal cells was observed in the distal inner medulla from normal rats and Brattleboro rats after acute vasopressin treatment of tissue slices that had been chronically treated with vasopressin to increase interstitial osmolality in the medulla, but not in tissues from vasopressin-deficient Brattleboro rats. These data reveal for the first time that chronic hypertonicity can program cells in vitro and in vivo to change the insertion of a protein into the basolateral membrane instead of the apical membrane.

Interaction of the type 2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) with hormone causes desensitization and internalization. To study the role of the V2R NPxxY motif (which is involved in the clathrin-mediated endocytosis of several other receptors) in this process, we expressed FLAG-tagged wild-type V2R and a Y325F mutant V2R in LLC-PK1a epithelial cells that have low levels of endogenous V2R. Both proteins had a similar apical (35%) and basolateral (65%) membrane distribution. Substitution of Tyr325 with Phe325 prevented ligand-induced internalization of V2R determined by [3H]AVP binding and immunofluorescence but did not prevent ligand binding or signal transduction via adenylyl cyclase. Desensitization and resensitization of the V2R-Y325F mutation occurred independently of internalization. The involvement of clathrin in V2R downregulation was also shown by immunogold electron microscopy. We conclude that the NPxxY motif of the V2R is critically involved in receptor downregulation via clathrin-mediated internalization. However, this motif is not essential for the apical/basolateral sorting and polarized distribution of the V2R in LLC-PK1a cells or for adenylyl cyclase-mediated signal transduction.

Before the identification of aquaporin (AQP) proteins, vasopressin-regulated "water channels" were identified by freeze-fracture electron microscopy as aggregates or clusters of intramembraneous particles (IMPs) on hormonally stimulated target cell membranes. In the kidney collecting duct, these IMP clusters were subsequently identified as possible sites of clathrin-coated pit formation on the plasma membrane, and a clathrin-mediated mechanism for internalization of vasopressin-sensitive water channels was suggested. Using an antibody raised against the extracellular C loop of AQP2, we now provide direct evidence that AQP2 is concentrated in clathrin-coated pits on the apical surface of collecting duct principal cells. Furthermore, by using a fracture-label technique applied to LLC-PK(1) cells expressing an AQP2-c-myc construct, we show that AQP2 is located in IMP aggregates and is concentrated in shallow membrane invaginations on the surface of forskolin-stimulated cells. We also studied the functional role of clathrin-coated pits in AQP2 trafficking by using a GTPase-deficient dynamin mutation (K44A) to inhibit clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Immunofluorescence labeling and freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed that dominant-negative dynamin 1 and dynamin 2 mutants prevent the release of clathrin-coated pits from the plasma membrane and induce an accumulation of AQP2 on the plasma membrane of AQP2-transfected cells. These data provide the first direct evidence that AQP2 is located in clathrin-coated pits and show that AQP2 recycles between the plasma membrane and intracellular vesicles via a dynamin-dependent endocytotic pathway. We propose that the IMP clusters previously associated with vasopressin action represent sites of dynamin-dependent, clathrin-mediated endocytosis in which AQP2 is concentrated before internalization.

Aquaporin 2 (AQP2), the vasopressin-regulated water channel, was originally identified in renal collecting duct principal cells. However, our recent description of AQP2 in the vas deferens indicated that this water channel may have extra-renal functions, possibly related to sperm concentration in the male reproductive tract. In this study, we have examined the regulation and membrane insertion pathway of AQP2 in the vas deferens. The amino acid sequence of vas deferens AQP2 showed 100% identity to the renal protein. AQP2 was highly expressed in the distal portion (ampulla) of the vas deferens, but not in the proximal portion nearest the epididymis. It was concentrated on the apical plasma membrane of vas deferens principal cells, and very little was detected on intracellular vesicles. Protein expression levels and cellular localization patterns were similar in normal rats and vasopressin-deficient Brattleboro homozygous rats, and were not changed after 36 h of dehydration, or after 3 days of vasopressin infusion into Brattleboro rats. AQP2 was not found in apical endosomes (labeled with Texas Red-dextran) in vas deferens principal cells, indicating that it is not rapidly recycling in this tissue. Finally, vasopressin receptors were not detectable on vas deferens epithelial cell membranes using a [(3)H]vasopressin binding assay. These data indicate that AQP2 is a constitutive apical membrane protein in the vas deferens, and that it is not vasopressin-regulated in this tissue. Thus AQP2 contains targeting information that can be interpreted in a cell-type-specific fashion in vivo.