Trans to cis proton concentration gradients accelerate ionophore A23187-mediated net fluxes of Ca2+ across the human red cell membrane.

Ionophore A23187-mediated net influx of Ca2+ in ATP-depleted human red cells was studied as a function of the pH and the proton concentration gradient across the membranes. Utilizing the Ca2+-induced increase in K+ conductance of the cell membranes, various CCCP-mediated proton gradients were raised across the membranes of cells suspended in unbuffered salt solutions with different K+ concentrations. In ionophore-mediated equilibrium the concentration ratios of ionized Ca between ATP-depleted, DIDS-treated cells and their suspension medium were equal to the concentration ratios of protons raised to the second power. With no proton concentration gradient across the membranes the net influxes of Ca2+ as a function of pH resembled a titration curve of a weak acid, with half maximal net influx at pH 7.3, at 100 microM extracellular Ca2+. With cellular pH fixed at various values, the net influx of Ca2+ was determined as a function of the proton concentration gradient. A linear relationship between the logarithm of net influx and the difference between extracellular and cellular pH was found at all cellular pH values tested, but the proton concentration gradient acceleration was a function of the cellular pH. Accelerations between 10- and 40- times per unit delta pH were found and net effluxes were correspondingly decreased. The results are discussed in relation to present models of the mechanism of ionophore A23187-mediated Ca2+ transport. The importance of the proton concentration gradient dependency is discussed in relation to the induced oscillations in K+-conductance of human red cell membranes previously reported (Vestergaard-Bogind and Bennekou (1982) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 688, 37-44).