JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 15, 6032-6039, Aug, 1975
The Na+ gradient-dependent transport of D-glucose in renal brush border membranes
P. S. Aronson and B. Sacktor
The Na+-dependent transport of D-glucose was studied in brush border
membrane vesicles isolated from the rabbit renal cortex. The presence of a
Na+ gradient between the external incubation medium and the intravesicular
medium induced a marked stimulation of D-glucose uptake. Accumulation of
the sugar in the vesicles reached a maximum and then decreased, indicating
efflux. The final level of uptake of the sugar in the presence of the Na+
gradient was identical with that attained in the absence of the gradient,
suggesting that equilibrium was established. At the peak of the overshoot
the uptake of D-glucose was more than 10-fold the equilibrium value. These
results suggest that the imposition of a large extravesicular to
intravesicular gradient of Na+ effects the transient movement of D-glucose
into renal brush border membranes against its concentration gradient. The
stimulation of D-glucose uptake into the membranes was specific for Na+.
The rate of uptake was enhanced with increased concentration of Na+.
Increasing Na+ in the external medium lowered the apparent Km for
D-glucose. The Na+ gradient effect on D-glucose transport was dissected
into a stimulatory effect when Na+ and sugar were on the same side of the
membrane (cis stimulation) and an inhibitory effect when Na+ and sugar were
on opposite sides of the membrane (trans inhibition). The uptake of
D-glucose, at a given concentration of sugar, reflected the sum of the
contributions from a Na+-dependent transport system and a Na+-independent
system. The relative stimulation of D-glucose uptake by Na+ decreased as
the sugar concentration increased. It is suggested, however, that at
physiological concentrations of D-glucose the asymmetry of Na+ across the
brush border membrane might fully account for uphill D-glucose transport.
The physiological significance of the findings is enhanced additionally by
observations that the Na+-dependent D-glucose transport system in the
membranes in vitro possessed the sugar specificities and higg phlorizin
sensitivity characteristic of more intact preparations. These results
provide strong experimental evidence for the role of Na+ in transporting
D-glucose across the renal proximal tubule luminal membrane.