J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 262, Issue 33, 15875-15885, 11, 1987
Intracellular accumulation of potent amiloride analogues by human neutrophils
L Simchowitz, OW Woltersdorf Jr and EJ Cragoe Jr
Department of Medicine, John Cochran Veterans Administration Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
The mechanism of uptake of a series of amiloride derivatives by human
neutrophils was investigated using [14C]amiloride and the 14C-labeled 5-
(1-hexahydroazepinyl)-6-bromo analogue (BrMM) which is approximately
500-fold more potent than the parent compound at inhibiting Na+/H+
exchange. At an external concentration of 2 microM, the influx of BrMM at
37 degrees C was rapid, reaching a steady state by approximately 20 min.
The rate of BrMM uptake (approximately 25 mumol/liter.min) was
approximately 90-fold faster than for the same concentration of amiloride,
a finding which correlates with differences in lipid partitioning of the
two compounds. Uptake was unrelated to specific binding to Na+/H+ exchange
transport sites: influx of either drug was nonsaturable whereas amiloride-
and BrMM-mediated inhibition of Na+/H+ countertransport obeyed
Michaelis-Menten kinetics with apparent Ki values of approximately 75 and
approximately 0.2 microM. Entry occurred exclusively via the neutral
(uncharged) forms (pK'a 8.40-8.55). Influx was markedly pH-dependent: it
was enhanced by extracellular alkalinization and reduced by acidification.
Influx was, however, insensitive to large changes in membrane voltage,
thereby implying the protonated (charged) species to be impermeant. About
75% of the total intracellular pool of amiloride, but only approximately
25% of BrMM, is contained within the lysosomes, an expected consequence of
the partitioning and subsequent trapping of a weak base within this
strongly acidic subcellular compartment. With BrMM, there was a relative
approximately 60-fold enrichment in the internal/external water
concentration ratio of the drug; the value for amiloride was much less,
approximately 4. This disparity is consistent with substantial binding of
BrMM to internal constituents, presumably to proteins and/or nucleic acids.
Thus, it is important to recognize that potentially large intracellular
accumulations of potent analogues can occur that are not directly involved
in inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange. These findings sound a cautionary note in
the interpretation of results using these drugs in all cells, especially
those of small size with high surface-to-volume ratios.