Basolateral transport of lactate in dog thick ascending limbs

Basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV) isolated from both red outer medulla or from thick ascending limb segments isolated from the dog kidney were used to examine the process of lactate transport in this nephron segment. The BLMV preparation was enriched in Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase) that represented 96% of the total ATPase activity of this preparation and the vesicles were largely under the right side-out orientation. On application of a OH- or HCO3- gradient (inside greater than outside), a secondary active lactate accumulation was observed, with characteristic transient overshoot. This phenomenon was shown to occur irrespective of the presence or absence of Na+, K+, or Cl-. The pH, but not the bicarbonate-driven, overshoot was abolished by nigericin (in presence of K+). Studies with valinomycin and K+ demonstrated that the generation of a membrane potential was not responsible for the acceleration of lactate transport, even if the amplitude of lactate accumulation was reduced in the presence of a bicarbonate gradient and valinomycin. A significant trans-stimulation of [14C]lactate transport by cold lactate was observed (under voltage-clamp condition). The transport was 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid insensitive but sensitive to furosemide (IC50 = 0.1 mM) and alpha-hydroxycyanocinnamate (IC50 = 1 mM). The kinetic parameters of the transporter revealed a single carrier with an apparent Michaelis constant of 1.7 mM and an apparent Vmax of 9.7 nmol.mg protein-1.30 s-1. The transporter was shown to be distinct from that of proximal tubule brush-border membrane or mitochondria (pyruvate). Thus thick ascending limbs possess a carrier-mediated lactate transport that can be used for lactate uptake (aerobic condition) or for lactate release (anaerobic glycolysis) according to metabolic processes imposed by the local oxygenation condition.