Effect of arginine modification on kidney brush-border-membrane transport activity

The effect of phenylglyoxylation on brush-border-membrane functions was studied with membrane vesicles from rat kidney cortex. Na+-gradient-dependent uptake of phosphate, glucose and alanine was inhibited by 65, 88 and 70% by pre-incubation of vesicles with 50 mM-phenylglyoxal for 2 min. The inhibition showed a dependency for alkaline pH. Borate co-operativity in butanedione inactivation was used to prove that inhibition was caused by arginine modification. Intravesicular volumes, alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase M and Na+-H+ exchange were not affected by phenylglyoxal treatment. Inhibition of phosphate uptake was studied in more detail and showed that the chemical modification introduced by phenylglyoxal inhibited the overshoot of phosphate uptake caused by the Na+ gradient, and decreased the apparent maximal velocity of the phosphate-transport system in its interaction with Na+. Phosphate uptake measured in the absence of Na+ was not affected by phenylglyoxal. Shunting of the transmembrane electrical potential with K+ and valinomycin had no effect on phenylglyoxal inhibition, proving that the alteration of transmembrane electrical potential could not be responsible for this effect. Phenylglyoxal had no ionophoric effect on the Na+ gradients studied (1-100 mM). Na+ efflux was also unaffected by phenylglyoxal treatment. Na+, harmaline and amiloride were ineffective in protecting against phenylglyoxal inhibition, suggesting that the site modified was not an Na+-binding site. These results indicate the involvement of highly reactive arginine residues in phosphate, glucose and alanine uptake.