VOLUME-ACTIVATED CL- CURRENTS IN DIFFERENT MAMMALIAN NONEXCITABLE CELL-TYPES

The existence and properties of volume-activated Cl- currents were studied in 15 different cell types (endothelium: human umbilical vein, human aorta, bovine pulmonary artery; fibroblasts: Swiss 3T3, L, C3H 10T1/2, and COS-1; epithelium: KB3, HeLa and A6; blood cells: RBL-2H3 and Jurkat; endothelioma cells derived from both subcutaneous and thymic hemangiomas; skin: IGR1 melanoma). Volume-activated Cl- currents with common characteristics, i.e. small conductance, outward rectification, higher permeability for iodide than for chloride and sensitivity to block by 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB) could be elicited in all cells. The block of this current by tamoxifen and dideoxyforskolin is different for the various cell types, as well as the time course and the amplitude of the responses induced by repetitive applications of hypotonicity. Volume-activated Cl- channels with similar biophysical properties are therefore widespread among mammalian cells. This may reflect either a single Cl- channel that is ubiquitously expressed or a family of functionally related Cl- channels with cell specific expression patterns.