Increased accumulation of the lipophilic cation tetraphenylphosphonium+ by cyclopiazonic acid-treated renal epithelial cells.

Pig kidney renal epithelial cells (LLC-PK1) in culture were used to determine the effects of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) on the uptake of the transmembrane potential probe, [3H]tetraphenylphosphonium bromide (TPP+). CPA had a significant stimulatory effect on TPP+ accumulation, which occurred in a dose-related manner. TPP+ accumulation in the presence of CPA was significantly reduced by high-potassium media (HK) and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), but neither HK nor the protonophore CCCP, could completely abolish the stimulatory effect of CPA. The apparent transmembrane potential difference (delta psi), calculated based on the difference in accumulation of TPP+ in low-potassium and HK media, ranged from -55.9 to -85.7 mV for control cells and -89.4 to -109.0 mV for CPA-treated cells (20 mg CPA/I). The mechanism of CPA stimulation of TPP+ accumulation was not known. However, it was hypothesized that the effect could be a result of alterations in ion pumps or altered membrane permeability. The fact that the stimulatory effect could not be completely abolished by high potassium or CCCP suggested that there was some interaction between CPA and TPP+ or there were sites of TPP+ accumulation that were insensitive to K+ and H+ permeability.