Effects of ethacrynic acid and furosemide on the hormone-mediated adenylate cyclase activation of the hamster kidney

Induction of mitochondrial fusion by cysteine-alkylators ethacrynic acid and N-ethylmaleimide

Mitochondrial fusion and fission are important aspects of eukaryotic cell function that permit the adoption of varied mitochondrial morphologies depending upon cellular physiology. We previously observed that ethacrynic acid (EA) induced mitochondrial fusion in cultured BSC-1 and CHO/wt cells. However, the mechanism responsible for it was not clear since EA has a number of known cellular effects including glutathione (GSH) depletion and alkylation of cysteine residues. To gain insight, we have tested the effects of a variety of compounds on EA induced cellular toxicity and mitochondrial fusion. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a GSH precursor, was found to abrogate both the toxic and fusion-inductive effects, whereas diethylmaleate (dEM), a GSH depletor, potentiated both these effects in a dose-dependent manner. However, treatment with dEM alone, which depleted GSH to the same degree as EA, did not induce mitochondrial fusion. These results indicate that although detoxification of EA via formation of GSH conjugates is dependant upon GSH levels, the depletion of GSH by EA is not responsible for its effect on mitochondrial fusion. Dihydro-EA (DH-EA), a saturated EA analogue, lacked EA's toxicity and effect on fusion, indicating that the alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone is central to its observed effects. N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), another well-known cysteine-alkylator, also induced mitochondrial fusion at near toxic concentrations. These data suggests that cysteine-alkylation is the causative factor for fusion and toxicity. In live BSC-1 cells, EA induced fusion of mitochondria occurred very rapidly (<20 min), which suggests that it is inducing fusion by modifying certain critical cysteine residue(s) in proteins involved in the process.

Effects of guanine nucleotides on vasopressin-induced water flow and sodium transport of the frog bladder

In the present study, we examined the effects of guanine nucleotides on vasopressin-induced osmotic water flow and sodium transport in the 14-h preincubated frog bladder. We also examined the effects of the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase system in the bladder's epithelial cells. Gpp(NH)p significantly enhanced vasopressin-induced water flow while it did not affect cyclic AMP-induced water flow. However, Gpp(NH)p did not enhance the vasopressin-induced increment of sodium transport across the frog bladder. The adenylate cyclase activity of the crude homogenate was enhanced by vasopressin, Gpp(NH)p and NaF. The effects of Gpp(NH)p and vasopressin, at their maximum doses, on the enzyme activities were additive, while other combinations were not. Specific Gpp(NH)p binding sites were found in the pellet fraction after 2,400 X g centrifugation. No direct effect on the protein kinase activity was observed in the presence of 10(-6) M nucleotides, such as GTP, GDP, GMP, CTP, UTP, ITP and Gpp(NH)p. Cyclic AMP stimulated the phosphorylation of discrete protein bands, however, Gpp(NH)p did not influence cyclic AMP-dependent protein phosphorylation of crude homogenate of the bladder's epithelial cells. These results suggest the guanine nucleotides stimulate the vasopressin-induced osmotic water flow in frog bladder by enhancing the vasopressin-mediated adenylate cyclase activity, so that accumulated cyclic AMP might activate cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

Effect of furosemide on parathyroid hormone stimulated guinea pig renal adenylate cyclase and thyrotrophin and fluoride stimulated human thyroid adenylate cyclase

The effect of furosemide 8 X 10(-4) mol/l an 8 X 10(-5) mol/l on parathyroid hormone stimulated adenylate cyclase was studied in renal tissue slices from guinea pigs. Furosemide caused a dose-dependent inhibition of the effect of parathyroid hormone on production of cyclic AMP, without having any significant effect on the basal cyclic AMP production. Furosemide in similar concentrations did not inhibit the stimulatory effect of thyrotrophin and fluoride in human thyroid homogenates suggesting that furosemide is not an universal inhibitor of adenylate cyclase and that the inhibition is not caused by a direct action of furosemide on the adenylate cyclase enzyme. Furosemide did not interfere with binding of cyclic AMP to cyclic AMP binding protein kinase from rabbit muscle. The results indicate that furosemide exerts an inhibitory influence either upon binding of parathyroid hormone to renal receptors or upon transmission of impulse from receptor to adenylate cyclase. The inhibitory influence of furosemide on parathyroid hormone action in kidney could explain the value of furosemide in the acute treatment of hypercalcaemia, but also suggest that chronic treatment with furosemide might interfere with normal calcium metabolism.