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J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 279, Issue 24, 25582-25589, June 11, 2004
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From the
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, ¶Genomics and Genetics, Genzyme Corp. Framingham, Massachusetts 01701, and the ||Section of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06519
Received for publication, March 12, 2004 , and in revised form, April 1, 2004.
| ABSTRACT |
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2900 amino acids of the extracellular region is targeted to the cell surface but does not produce current. Extracellular application of antibodies against the immunoglobulin-like PKD domains reduces polycystin-1-dependent current. These results support the hypothesis that polycystin-1 is a surface membrane receptor that transduces the signal via changes in ionic currents. | INTRODUCTION |
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85 and
15% of cases, respectively (2, 3). Elucidation of function of polycystin-1 and polycystin-2, encoded by PKD1 and PKD2, respectively, is critical for understanding how mutations in these genes cause cyst formation.
Polycystin-1 is a large protein consisting of 4,302 amino acids (4). The predicted structure of polycystin-1 includes a large N-terminal extracellular region (
3,109 amino acids), eleven predicted transmembrane (TM) domains (
993 amino acids), and a small C-terminal cytoplasmic tail (
200 amino acids) (4, 5). The N-terminal extracellular portion contains two leucinerich repeats, a C-type lectin domain, 16 copies of unique immunoglobulin (Ig)-like PKD domains, an LDL-A-related motif, and a region of homology with a sea urchin receptor for egg jelly (suREJ) (5). The extracellular leucine-rich repeat, C-type lectin, Ig-like PKD domains, and LDL-A-related motif are potential sites for protein-protein and protein-carbohydrate interactions (5). The area of homology of polycystin-1 with the suREJ protein extends over
1,000 amino acids from the last Ig-like PKD domain to the first TM domain (5). The suREJ protein is located on the sperm head and is involved in the influx of Ca2+ ions from the extracellular space and triggering of the acrosome reaction (6).
Polycystin-2 is a 968 amino acid protein with six predicted membrane-spanning domains. The region of six TM domains of polycystin-2 has significant sequence homology with the voltage-gated Ca2+ and Na+ channels, and transient receptor potential (TRP) channels (3, 5, 7). The TM region of polycystin-2 also share
50% sequence homology with the last 6 TM domains of polycystin-1 (3, 5). Several studies have reported that polycystin-2 may function as a Ca2+-permeable non-selective channel in the surface or intracellular membrane depending on experimental systems (811). Recent data show that polycystin-2 is expressed on the cilia of renal tubular cells, and it has been suggested that this may be a site of its surface channel activity (1214).
The function of polycystin-1 is less defined. Polycystin-1 is believed to participate in cell-cell/matrix interaction, regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cation transport, and G protein-coupled signaling (6, 7, 1519). However, the precise function of polycystin-1 in normal and cystic state remains elusive. Mutations in PKD1 and PKD2 cause virtually indistinguishable clinical presentations, suggesting that polycystin-1 and -2 function in the same pathway. The near identity of cystic phenotypes in mouse knockouts of Pkd1 (20) and Pkd2 (21) as well as studies of the Caenorhabditis elegans orthologs of both proteins (22) further support this hypothesis. The existence of recognized motifs for protein-protein and protein-carbohydrate interaction suggests that the extracellular domain of polycystin-1 may be involved in sensing the environment, a hypothesis that is again supported by studies of the C. elegans orthologs (22).
The homology between polycystin-2 and the last 6 TM domains of polycystin-1 raises the possibility that function of polycystin-1 may also involve ion channel activity. Indeed, it has been suggested that polycystin-1 and -2 interact to form channels in the cell surface (11). In the present study, we investigate whether polycystin-1 can produce channel activity independent of polycystin-2 and the role of the extracellular domain of polycystin-1 in the channel activity.
| EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES |
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-interferon (10 units/ml, Sigma) at the permissive temperature (33 °C).
Cells (at
50% confluence) were transfected with combinations (as indicated individually) of cDNA for pEGFP (0.5 µg), CD4 (0.1 µg), PKD1 (2 µg), and PKD2 (1 µg). Expression constructs for full-length PKD1 (24), Nhe-
mutant of polycystin-1 (deletion of amino acids 2902960) (25), full-length wild-type PKD2 (26) and D511V-PKD2 mutant (10) have been described. The expression construct for N-terminal GFP-tagged polycystin-2 was generated by PCR-based molecular cloning and confirmed by direct sequencing.
Electrophysiological Recording24 h after transfection, CHO or PKD2-/- cells were dissociated by limited trypsin treatment and kept in complete serum-containing medium at room temperature until recording. For each recording, an aliquot of cells were transferred to a new culture dish containing the initial bath solution (see below) and allowed to settle for 510 min. We found that only healthy cells reattached to the culture dish. Unattached cells were removed by solution changes. Whole cell currents were recorded in the ruptured whole cell configuration as previously described (27). Identical currents were recorded from undissociated cells grown on culture dish (not shown), indicating that dissociation of cells by trypsin treatment did not affect polycystin-1-dependent currents. The pipette solution contained (in mM) 135 sodium aspartate (NaAsp), 15 NaCl, 0.2 EGTA, 0.12 CaCl2, 5 glucose, and 5 HEPES (pH 7.4 adjusted by NaOH). The initial bath solution contained (in mM) 150 Na aspartate, 1 MgCl2, 1 CaCl2, 5 glucose, 5 HEPES at pH 7.4. For ion substitution studies, after establishing ruptured whole cell configuration in the initial bath solution, bath solution was changed to either (in mM) 150 NaAsp, 150 NaCl, 15 NaAsp, 15 NaCl, 50 CaCl2, or 5 CaCl2 containing 5 glucose and 5 HEPES at pH 7.4. Osmolarity was maintained by addition of mannitol. The permeability of monovalent cations relative to that of Na+, and Ca2+ relative to that of Na+ were estimated from Equation 1,
![]() | (Eq. 1) |
![]() | (Eq. 2) |
Immunofluorescent Staining and Confocal Immunofluorescent ImagingTransiently transfected cells (2430 h later) were fixed (4% formalin in PBS for 10 min), permeabilized (0.1% Triton X-100 in PBS for 10 min), blocked by 5% bovine serum albumin in PBS at 37 °C for 30 min. Specimens were incubated with rabbit anti-polycystin-1 polyclonal antibodies (anti-BD3 antibody, see Ref. 23; 1:200 dilution), goat anti-polycystin-2 polyclonal antibodies (YC513, see below; 1:100 dilution), and mouse anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies (1:400 dilution; Calbiochem) at 37 °C for 1 h, followed by Rhodamine Red-X-conjugated antirabbit, Cy2-conjugated anti-goat, and Cy5-conjugated anti-mouse (secondary polyclonal antibodies all from donkey), respectively. The goat anti-polycystin-2 antibody (YC513) was raised against a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein containing the C terminus of human polycystin-2.2 In double labeling of polycystin-2 and CD4 in Fig. 3b, rabbit polyclonal anti-polycystin-2 antibodies were used (29). Confocal fluorescent images were visualized through a Zeiss x100 objective lens using Zeiss LSM-410 laser-scanning confocal microscope. Fluorescence of Rhodamine Red, Cy2, and Cy5 were detected using excitation laser (wavelength in nm) of 568, 488, and 633 and an emission filter of 590 long-pass filter, 510560 band-pass filter, and 670810 band-pass filter, respectively. In Figs. 3, 4, and 6, the image of CD4 was assigned a pseudocolor of either blue, red, or green.
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| RESULTS |
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In cells co-transfected with PKD1, PKD2, and CD4, polycystin-1 was also present in cell surface and intracellular membranes (Fig. 3c, panels i, iv, and vii). Though it is difficult to analyze the immunostaining results quantitatively, in multiple experiments it appeared that the abundance of polycystin-1 in the surface membrane was increased by co-expression with polycystin-2 (compare images in panels i, iv, and vii of Fig. 3c with images in the middle and right panels of Fig. 3a). Localization of polycystin-1 to surface membrane was apparent by the finding of overlapping signals of polycystin-1 and CD4 reaching all the way to the outermost margin of cell surface (Fig. 3c, panels iv and vii; also see Fig. 4A, panels i and iv).
The distribution of polycystin-2 was also altered by co-expression with polycystin-1. Compared with cells without co-transfection of PKD1 (Fig. 3b, right panel), there appeared to be more polycystin-2 distribution toward surface membrane in cells co-transfected with PKD1 (Fig. 3c, panels ii, v, and viii). The extent of polycystin-2 signals reaching the margin of cell surface is much less as compared with polycystin-1 and varies considerably between multiple experiments. As shown, polycystin-2 overlapped with CD4 (Fig. 3c, panels v and viii, yellow color) to a significantly lesser extent than polycystin-1 overlapped with CD4 (panel iv). Moreover, except for a few scattered areas in occasional images, virtually all of the overlapping signals of polycystin-2 and CD4 did not include overlapping CD4 signals in the outer rim (Fig. 3c, panels v and viii; also see Fig. 4A, panel v and Fig. 6B, panel v). This may be because of the fact that CD4 was more abundantly expressed in the plasma membrane (and thus the signal could be detected over a broader window) than polycystin-2. Alternatively, the majority of polycystin-2 staining that overlaps with CD4 might not be localized to the plasma membrane, but rather was localized to structure(s) that are right underneath and closely apposed to the plasma membrane. Also shown in panels vi and ix of Fig. 3c, polycystin-1 and -2 partially co-localized. Colocalization was more abundant in the perinuclear region but was also present near surface membrane. Such partial colocalization of polycystin-1 and -2 was also reported by other investigators (33, 34).
We investigated whether expression of polycystin-1-dependent currents in our experimental system depends on functional channel activity of the endogenous polycystin-2 in CHO cells. Mutation of Asp-511 to valine (D511V) in the third putative TM domain of polycystin-2 causes type 2 polycystic kidney disease (35). In the LLC-PK1 cell culture model, D511V mutant distributes similarly as the wild-type polycystin-2 but does not confer the vasopressin-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ (10). We found that the D511V mutant showed similar distribution to wild-type polycystin-2 when co-expressed with polycystin-1 (compare Fig. 4A, panel vi with Fig. 3c, panel vi). D511V also enhanced surface expression of polycystin-1 (compare Fig. 4A, panel iv with Fig. 3a, middle panel). Similar to wild-type polycystin-2, overlap of D511V with CD4 (Fig. 4A, panel v) did not reach outermost margin of cell surface and was significantly less than overlap of polycystin-1 with CD4 (Fig. 4A, panel iv). D511V partially co-localized with polycystin-1 as well (Fig. 4A, panel vi). Together, these results indicate that D511V behaves similarly to wild-type polycystin-2.
To see whether D511V interacts with wild type polycystin-2, we carried out co-immunoprecipitation study in cells transfected with D511V and/or GFP-tagged wild-type PKD2 (GFP-PKD2). In cells co-transfected with D511V and GFP-PKD2, anti-GFP antibody co-precipitated D511V mutant with GFP-PKD2 (Fig. 4B, lane 3 from left). In the negative control, anti-GFP antibody did not co-precipitate D511V with GFP (lane 2). The identity of GFP-PKD2 (
140 kDa) was verified by immunoprecipitation with anti-GFP antibody from cells transfected with GFP-PKD2 alone (lane 4). The identity of D511V (
110 kDa) was verified by its immunoprecipitation with anti-PKD2 antibody from cells transfected with D511V alone (lane 1).
We next compared currents in cells co-transfected with either PKD1 plus pCDNA3 empty vector, PKD1 plus PKD2, or PKD1 plus D511V (Fig. 4C). I-V relationships of currents were not different among these cells (not shown). The average whole cell La3+-sensitive inward Na+ currents (at -100 mV) were 211 ± 25 pA, 351 ± 45 pA, 360 ± 50 pA, respectively. Assuming that endogenous polycystins in CHO cells interact in the same manner as the expressed human polycystins, lack of inhibition of currents by D511V (PKD1+PKD2 versus PKD1+D511V, not significant) suggests that functional channel activity of the endogenous polycystin-2 is not necessary for polycystin-1-dependent currents. Interestingly, co-expression of PKD2 (or D511V) with PKD1 increased currents (p = 0.05, PKD1 + pCDNA3 versus PKD1 + PKD2).
To confirm that polycystin-1 can produce currents independent of polycystin-2, we recorded currents from PKD2-null cells (23) transfected with PKD1. In the total 39 cells transfected with GFP, the mean whole cell current density at -100 mV was -5 ± 1 pA/pF (Fig. 5A, left column). None of the GFP-transfected cells had current density (at -100 mV) higher than -15 pA/pF, the maximal current density observed in the control, untransfected cells (not shown). Not every green fluorescence-positive cell co-transfected with GFP plus PKD1 expressed currents. Out of the total 41 green fluorescence-positive cells co-transfected with GFP plus PKD1, 10 expressed current density (at -100 mV) higher than -20 pA/pF. This frequency of expression of PKD1 in PKD2-null cells (
24%) is much lower than that in CHO cells (see legend to Fig. 1). For the 10 current-positive cells, the mean current density (at -100 mV) was -136 ± 26 pA/pF (p < 0.01 versus GFP-transfected control cells; Fig. 5A, right column). Cell surface expression of polycystin-1 in PKD1-transfected cells was confirmed by immunofluorescent staining of non-permeabilized cells using antibodies against the extracellular Ig-like PKD domains (Fig. 5A, Inset). I-V relationships (Fig. 5B) and ion selectivity (not shown) for these PKD1-mediated currents in PKD2-null cells were similar to those in CHO cells (Fig. 2).
A polycystin-1 mutant (Nhe-
) with deletion of amino acids 2902960 is localized to surface membrane of Sf-21 cells (25). We found that in CHO cells Nhe-
) protein was targeted to plasma membrane when expressed alone (Fig. 6A, middle and right panels) or with PKD2 (Fig. 6B, panel iv). Similar to wild-type polycystin-1, Nhe-
protein partially co-localized with polycystin-2 (Fig. 6B, panel vi) and increased distribution of polycystin-2 toward surface membrane (compare Fig. 6B, panel v with Fig. 3b, right panel). Thus, deletion of amino acids 2902960 of the extracellular region of polycystin-1 did not affect its ability to interact with polycystin-2.
We used the mutant to examine the role of the extracellular domain of polycystin-1 in the regulation of polycystin-1-dependent currents. Whole cell cation currents were recorded from cells transfected with Nhe-
with or without PKD2. No currents were detected in CHO cells transfected with Nhe-
alone (Fig. 6C, 0 of 57 recordings) or in cells transfected with Nhe-
+ PKD2 (Fig. 6D, 0 out of 34 recordings). As shown in Fig. 1, cells transfected with PKD1 (29 of 51 recordings; not shown here) and co-transfected with PKD1 plus PKD2 (19 of 32 recordings, not shown here) expressed currents under the same experimental conditions.
The region of polycystin-1 deleted in the Nhe-
mutant includes C-type lectin domain, LDL-A-related motif, Ig-like PKD domains, and a large part of the REJ domain (5). We further examined the role of the Ig-like PKD domains for polycystin-1-mediated currents using antibodies raised against repeats II-XVI of the Ig-like PKD domains of polycystin-1 (25). In each single experiment, CHO cells expressing polycystin-1 from the same transfection were divided into 2 groups and incubated with or without antibodies. Whole cell cation currents from 5 to 6 cells of each group were recorded and averaged. Each pair of open and closed circles connected with a solid line in Fig. 7 represents the averaged current (at -100 mV) of such 56 recordings from cells of the same transfection and treated without and with antibody, respectively. As shown, we found in each of five such experiments the averaged polycystin-1-dependent current was lower for cells incubated with the antibodies against Ig-like PKD domains than for cells without antibodies (Fig. 7; mean ± S.E. currents of five experiments: 397 ± 86 pA and 159 ± 34 pA without and with antibodies, respectively; p < 0.02, paired Student's t test). Incubation with control antibodies (anti-ROMK antibodies, Ref. 36) did not reduce polycystin-1-dependent currents (Fig. 7).
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| DISCUSSION |
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Our conclusion that polycystin-1 can regulate channel activity independent of the channel activity of polycystin-2 is based on the following findings. First, the I-V relationship of whole cell currents we detect in both PKD1-transfected and PKD1/PKD2-transfected cells is almost linear. González-Perrett et al. (8) and Koulen et al. (10) reported that the activity of polycystin-2 channels reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers is strongly voltage-dependent. The opening probability decreases sharply in positive membrane potentials. These bilayer studies predict that, if polycystin-2 solely contributes to the whole cell currents, I-V relationship of the currents would be inwardly rectifying. Alternatively, differences in lipid composition in planar lipid bilayer versus plasma membrane may give rise to different biophysical properties. Second, we found that co-expression of D511V mutant of polycystin-2 did not reduce polycystin-1-dependent currents, suggesting that functional channel activity of polycystin-2 is not necessary for the currents. Third, we found that a mutant of polycystin-1, Nhe-
, was targeted to plasma membrane and partially co-localized with polycystin-2 in a manner similar to the full-length polycystin-1. Co-expression of Nhe-
and polycystin-2, however, did not produce currents. Finally, similar PKD1-dependent currents were observed in PKD2-null cells.
Interestingly, we found that co-expression with polycystin-2 increased surface expression of polycystin-1 and polycystin-1-dependent currents. Polycystin-1 and -2 interact through their C termini (7, 37). One possibility for increase of polycystin-1-dependent currents by polycystin-2 in our experiments is that polycystin-1 and -2 both contribute to channel pore via formation of heteromultimeric channels. The lack of reduction of currents by D511V in our experiments argues against this possibility. Alternatively, polycystin-2 may increase surface expression and currents of polycystin-1 by stabilizing polycystin-1 on the cell surface or functioning as a chaperone for polycystin-1. This can occur irrespective of localization (plasma membrane versus subplasma membranous structures) and channel activity of polycystin-2. Our finding that both wild-type polycystin-2 and D511V mutant increase polycystin-1-dependent currents favors this possibility. If this is indeed the mechanism for polycystin-2 enhancing polycystin-1-dependent currents, it is possible that in some experimental systems the endogenous polycystin-2 in CHO cells was low so that surface polycystin-1-dependent channel activity could only be seen when co-expressed with polycystin-2 (11).
The identity of protein(s) responsible for the currents in PKD1-transfected cells remains elusive. Polycystin-1 may form ion channel pore by itself or activate endogenous channels with or without direct contribution to formation of the channel pore. Our attempts to examine whether polycystin-1 is a pore-forming protein were hampered by the fact that mutations of putative pore residues of polycystin-1 prevented cell surface expression (see "Results"). Vandorpe et al. (15) reported that expression of membrane-anchored C-terminal intracellular fragment of PKD1 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells activates endogenous cation currents with a single-channel conductance of
20 picosiemens in Xenopus oocytes and in HEK cells. We found that Nhe-
mutant containing the complete C-terminal fragment of polycystin-1, despite its targeting to surface membrane, did not produce currents in CHO cells. Delmas et al. (19) reported that expression of full-length mouse polycystin-1 activates endogenous voltage-activated Ca2+ channels and G protein-activated inward rectifying K+ channels in sympathetic neurons via release of 
subunits from pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi/o-type G proteins. The polycystin-1-dependent currents in our study are distinct from the above Ca2+ and K+ currents and are not sensitive to pertussis toxin (not shown). Further studies are required to identify protein(s) responsible for the PKD1-dependent currents.
Several recent findings provide strong evidence that cilia are an important site of polycystin function. The C. elegans homologs of polycystin-1 and -2 are localized to the sensory cilia of nematodes (22). Polycystin-1 and -2 have also been localized to the primary cilia of kidney epithelial cells (12, 13). Bending of the cilia in cultured epithelial cells by flow causes calcium influx (39). Nauli et al. (14) recently reported that the calcium response to bending is abolished in cells lacking cilia, in cells lacking PKD1, or in cells treated with a blocking antibody to PKD2. These experiments provide strong support that PKD1 and PKD2 are involved in calcium influx activated by flow-induced bending of the apical cilium. Defects in fluid flow sensation by cilia and Ca2+ influx likely play pivotal roles in cyst formation in kidney and other organs in polycystic kidney diseases.
What is the potential role of polycystin-1-dependent channel activity independent of polycystin-2? Polycystin-1 is also expressed in the basolateral membrane of epithelial cells and likely play important roles in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions (32). We found that the extracellular region of polycystin-1 is critical for its function of regulating ion currents across the plasma membrane. This region of polycystin-1 contains many potential domains for cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Among these are the 16 repeats of Ig-like PKD domains. Small peptides from PKD domains interfere with branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud (38). Repeats II-XVI of PKD domains of polycystin-1 are capable of forming strong homophilic interactions, possibly mediating homodimerization and/or heterodimerization between two molecules from contacting cells (25). Extracellular application of antibodies against these repeats of PKD domains of polycystin-1 perturbs cell-cell adhesion between MDCK cells (25). Our results that application of anti-PKD domain antibodies reduces polycystin-1-dependent currents support the idea that polycystin-1 is involved in cell-cell interactions and that alteration of ion currents is one of the downstream signals for cell-cell interactions. It is well accepted that polycystin-2 is present on the surface membrane of cilia and likely mediates Ca2+ entry at this site. However, whether polycystin-2 is present on the surface of the basolateral membrane remains debatable. If polycystin-2 is indeed not present on the surface of basolateral membrane, we suggest that the polycystin-2-independent channel activity associated with polycystin-1 may play an important role at this site. Thus, extracellular domain of polycystin-1 may be involved in cell interactions with neighboring cells and basement membrane. These interactions may cause alterations of intracellular ion concentration and/or currents. Changes in intracellular ion concentration and/or currents, likely acting in concert with many other signaling pathways activated by the intracellular domain of polycystin-1 (17, 18, 4043), control renal epithelial cell growth, and promote normal tubulogenesis.
| FOOTNOTES |
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These authors contributed equally to this work and are listed in alphabetic order. ![]()
** To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dept. of Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8856. Tel.: 214-648-8627; Fax: 214-648-2071; E-mail: chou-long.huang{at}UTSouthwestern.edu.
1 The abbreviations used are: PKD, polycystic kidney disease; PKD1, type-1 PKD; PKD2, type-2 PKD; TM, transmembrane; REJ, receptor for egg jelly; LDL, low density lipoprotein; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary; GFP, green fluorescent protein; Erev, reversal potential; PBS, phosphate-buffered saline; pF, picoFarad. ![]()
2 Y. Cai and S. Somlo, unpublished results. ![]()
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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| REFERENCES |
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