Modulation of ionic permeability in a nonpolarized cell: effect of cAMP

To evaluate whether adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) modulates ionic permeabilities of nonpolarized cells, as reported in diverse polarized epithelia, relative ionic permeabilities were determined in human red cell ghosts by means of the potential-sensitive fluorescent probe 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide. Relative ionic chloride permeability (PCl/PK), but not PNa/PK, was significantly increased in ghosts prepared from normal red blood cells (RBCs) exposed to cAMP analogues or forskolin, with the latter at a concentration that significantly increased intracellular cAMP concentration. As basal RBC cAMP concentrations of untreated uremic subjects were also increased, relative permeabilities of ghosts and unstimulated RBC cAMP concentrations were compared in normal, uremic, and dialyzed subjects, PCl/PK was significantly increased in uremic compared with normal subjects; PNa/PK was not altered. PCl/PK and RBC cAMP concentrations were indistinguishable in normal and dialyzed subjects. Neither the kinetics nor number of Cl(-)-HCO3- antiporters, assessed with the pH-sensitive probe acridine orange and the disulfonic stilbene 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, respectively, were altered in uremic cells. These studies suggest that cAMP modulates ionic chloride permeability via increased chloride conductance of each Cl(-)-HCO3- antiporter or by activation/opening of new or existing channels in RBC membranes.