Activation of Cl-dependent K transport in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) treatment of steady-state Ehrlich cells induces a substantial net loss of cellular KCl and cell shrinkage. The majority of the initial K loss is Cl dependent. From estimates of membrane potential it is concluded that the NEM-induced KCl loss is electroneutral. The effect of NEM on H extrusion by cells in 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS)-containing medium showed that only an insignificant part of the K loss could be attributed to an activation of a K-H exchange system. Consequently, NEM appears to activate a K-Cl cotransport, which causes cell shrinkage. The anion preference of the K loss is Cl greater than Br much greater than SCN = NO3. NEM also seems to inhibit a Cl-dependent Na uptake previously described in shrunken cells. Addition of NEM to cells undergoing regulatory volume decrease after swelling in hyposmotic media results in a Cl-dependent acceleration of cell shrinkage, suggesting that a Cl-dependent component of K efflux is induced by NEM also in swollen cells. A Cl-dependent K efflux is also activated in Ca-depleted cells or at reduced extracellular pH after cell swelling. Under isotonic conditions activation of Cl-dependent K flux after Ca depletion or pH reduction could not be demonstrated. The combined results show that Ehrlich cells possess a latent K-Cl cotransport that becomes active after changes in the state of SH groups, regardless of the initial cell volume. A similar K-Cl cotransport is activated in hypotonically swollen cells after Ca depletion or after reduction of the extracellular pH.