title: Complex effects of sulfhydryl reagents on ligand interactions with nucleoside transporters: evidence for multiple populations of ENT1 transporters with differential sensitivities to N-ethylmaleimide.
abstract: Functional studies have implicated cysteines in the interaction of ligands with the ENT1 nucleoside transporter. To better define these interactions, N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and p-chloromercuribenzylsulfonate (pCMBS) were tested for their effects on ligand interactions with the [(3)H] nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR) binding site of the ENT1 transporters of mouse Ehrlich ascites cells and human erythrocytes. NEM had biphasic, concentration-dependent effects on NBMPR binding to intact Ehrlich cells, plasma membranes, and detergent-solubilized membranes, with about 35% of the binding activity being relatively insensitive to NEM inhibition. NBMPR binding to human erythrocyte membranes also displayed heterogeneity in that about 33% of the NBMPR binding sites remained, albeit with lower affinity for NBMPR, even after treatment with NEM at concentrations in excess of 1 mM. However, unlike that seen for Ehrlich cells, no "reversal" in NBMPR binding to human erythrocyte membranes was observed at the higher concentrations of NEM. pCMBS inhibited 100% of the NBMPR binding to both Ehrlich cell and human erythrocyte membranes, but had no effect on the binding of NBMPR to intact cells. The effects of NEM on NBMPR binding could be prevented by coincubation of membranes with nonradiolabeled NBMPR, adenosine, or uridine. Treatment with NEM and pCMBS also decreased the affinity of other nucleoside transport inhibitors for the NBMPR binding site, but enhanced the affinities of nucleoside substrates. These data support the existence of at least two populations of ENT1 in both erythrocyte and Ehrlich cell membranes with differential sensitivities to NEM. The interaction of NEM with the mouse ENT1 protein may also involve additional sulphydryl groups not present in the human ENT1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, M275 Medical Sciences Building, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont., Canada N6A 5C1.
authors.forename: Satyen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: Badri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hammond
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D001692:Biological Transport; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003902:Detergents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D033721:Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter 1; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005033:Ethylmaleimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D033703:Nucleoside Transport Proteins; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D021381:Protein Transport; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013868:Thioinosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014529:Uridine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003902:Detergents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D033721:Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter 1; D008024:Ligands; D033703:Nucleoside Transport Proteins; C498476:SLC29A1 protein, mouse; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents; D013868:Thioinosine; C001789:4-nitrobenzylthioinosine; D000241:Adenosine; D005033:Ethylmaleimide; D004229:Dithiothreitol; D014529:Uridine