A simple assay for agonist-regulated Cl and K conductances in salt-secreting epithelial cells

We developed a convenient flux assay that permits simultaneous measurement of Cl and K conductance pathways in Cl-secreting epithelial cells. Monolayers of the colonic tumor cell line T84 were preloaded with 125I and 86Rb, and isotope effluxes were monitored by a sample-replace procedure. The adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-mediated agonists forskolin and prostaglandin E2 increased I efflux with little effect on Rb efflux, whereas the Ca-mediated agonists ionomycin, A23187, and carbachol increased both I and Rb effluxes. Simultaneous determinations of I and Cl or Rb and K effluxes indicated that I and Rb provide good measures of the effluxes of Cl and K, respectively. Forskolin- and ionomycin-stimulated I effluxes were inhibited by the Cl-channel blockers diphenylamine-2-dicarboxylate (DPC), 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropyl-amino)benzoic acid (NPPB), and 2-[cyclopentyl-6,7-dichloro-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-1-oxo-1H- inden-5-yl)oxy]acetic acid (IAA-94) and by high external K. The Rb efflux evoked by ionomycin was inhibited by the K-channel blockers Ba and charybdotoxin. These findings suggest that I and Rb effluxes provide qualitative estimates of agonist-stimulated Cl and K conductance pathways. Thus this method can provide a simple and relatively inexpensive screening assay for Cl and K conductances in cultured cells to assess the effects of agonist, blockers, or genetic manipulations.