NH3 permeation through the apical membrane of MDCK cells is via a lipid pathway

The pathway for NH3 permeation across the apical membrane of MDCK cells was determined by measuring the effect of membrane fluidizing agents, protein reactive agents, and temperature on cellular NH3 influx. The rate of NH3 influx was calculated from the time course of increase in intracellular pH (pHi), measured with 2,7-biscarboxyethyl-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, when MDCK cell monolayers were exposed to NH4Cl. The apical membrane NH3 permeability was 7.13 +/- 0.37 x 10(-3) cm/s (n = 12) at 37 degrees C and 1.23 +/- 0.07 x 10(-3) cm/s (n = 7) at 18 degrees C. In comparison, apical membrane permeability at 37 degrees C to the weak acids, valeric acid and acetic acid, were 1.39 +/- 0.11 x 10(-2) cm/s (n = 4) and 6.93 +/- 0.11 x 10(-3) cm/s (n = 4), respectively. The activation energy for NH3 permeation was 15.0 +/- 1.0 kcal/mol (17.5 degrees C-37.5 degrees C). In the presence of the membrane fluidizing agents, heptanol or chloroform, NH3 permeability increased in a dose-dependent manner. Heptanol (15 mM) significantly decreased the activation energy for NH3 permeation to 4.4 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol, P less than 0.001. The carboxyl reactive agent (1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide metho-p-toluensulfonic acid 1 mM), aminoreactive agents (4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid 50 microM; picrylsulphonic acid 1 mM), the sulphydryl reactive agent (p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid 1 mM), and the nonspecific membrane protein cleaving agent pronase (1 mg/ml) had no effect on the NH3 influx. The results suggest that NH3 permeates the plasma membrane of MDCK cells via a lipid pathway.