The effect of K+/H+ antiporter nigericin on gap junction permeability.

The K+/H+ antiporter nigericin inhibits the intercellular exchange of the fluorescent dye Lucifer Yellow between DM15-transformed fibroblasts derived from the Djungarian hamster. The efficacy of nigericin action was related to its concentration and time of incubation. The nigericin-induced uncoupling effect on gap junctions was reversible and was shown to be based on its ability to cause cystolic acidification. The effect of nigericin on dye-coupling in intact and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-pretreated cells did not differ, indicating that the uncoupling effect of H+ on gap junctions in DM15 cells was not mediated by the TPA-dependent isoform of protein kinase C.