Self-inhibition of chloride transport in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Previous studies have shown that mediated Cl- transport which occurs by at least two processes (Cl- -dependent cation cotransport and Cl- self-exchange) becomes progressively inhibited when extracellular Cl- exceeds about 60 mM (Hoffmann et al., 1979). To account for this type of kinetic behavior, that is, self-inhibition, an anion transport system possessing two sites, a high affinity transport site and a lower affinity modifier site is suggested (Dalmark, 1976). In the present experiments we have attempted to determine which of the mediated transport pathways is susceptible to self-inhibition by studying the dependence of the steady state Cl- flux on the extracellular Cl- concentration and how DIDS, an inhibitor of Cl- self-exchange, and H + affect this relationship. Addition of DIDS to Ehrlich cells results in inhibition of Cl- transport at every Cl- concentration tested (40-150 mM). Moreover, the Cl- flux/Cl- concentration relationship no longer exhibits self-inhibition, suggesting that this phenomenon is a characteristic of the Cl- self-exchanger rather than of the Cl- -dependent cation cotransport system. Lowering the extracellular pH (pHo) from 7.35 to 5.30 stimulates Cl- transport by a process that saturates with respect to [H +]. Half-maximal stimulation occurs at pHo 6.34. A comparison of the kinetic parameters, Ks and Jmax, calculated from the ascending limb of the Cl- flux/Cl- concentration curve at pHo 7.30 to those at pHo 5.50 show that the values for Ks are almost identical (23.6 mM and 21.3 mM, respectively), while the values for Jmax [22.2 mEq/Kg dry wt) X min] differ by only 15%. This finding along with the observation that DIDS completely blocks H + stimulation of Cl- transport is compatible with the suggestion that H + interact at the modifer site of the Cl- self-exchanger and thereby prevents self-inhibition.