Sensitivity to vanadate and isoforms of subunits A and B distinguish the osteoclast proton pump from other vacuolar H+ ATPases.

Analysis of proton (H+) transport by inside-out vesicles derived from highly purified chicken osteoclast (OC) membranes has revealed the presence of a newly discovered type of vacuolar H+ ATPase (V-ATPase). Unlike vesicles derived from any other cell type or organelle, H+ transport in OC-derived vesicles is sensitive to V-ATPase inhibitors (N-ethylmaleimide and Bafilomycin A1) and vanadate (IC50, 100 microM), an inhibitor previously found to affect only P-type ATPases. The OC H+ ATPase contains several V-like subunits (115, 39, and 16 kDa) but subunits A and B of the catalytic domain of the enzyme differ from that of other V-ATPases. In OCs, subunit A has a mass of 63 kDa instead of the 67-70 kDa expressed in monocytes, macrophages, and kidney microsomes, which contain a vanadate-insensitive H+ ATPase. Moreover, two types of 57- to 60-kDa B subunits are also found: one is expressed predominantly in OCs and the other is expressed in kidney microsomes. The OC H+ pump may therefore constitute a class of H+ ATPase with a unique pharmacology and specific isoforms of two subunits in the catalytic portion of the enzyme. This H+ ATPase is involved in resorption of bone and may be expressed in a cell-specific manner, thereby opening possibilities for therapeutic intervention.