Skip to main content
Log in

23Na multiple quantum filtered NMR characterisation of Na+ binding and dynamics in animal cells: a comparative study and effect of Na+/Li+ competition

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Biophysics Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Double quantum and triple quantum filtered 23Na nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used to characterise in detail the isotropic and anisotropic binding and dynamics of intra- and extracellular Na+ in different cellular systems, in the absence and presence of Li+. The kinetics of Li+ influx by different cell types was evaluated. At steady state, astrocytes accumulated more Li+ than red blood cells (RBCs), while a higher intracellular Li+ concentration was found in chromaffin than in SH-SY5Y cells. Anisotropic and isotropic motions were detected for extracellular Na+ in all cellular systems studied. Isotropic intracellular Na+ motions were observed in all types of cells, while anisotropic Na+ motions in the intracellular compartment were only detected in RBCs. 23Na triple quantum signal efficiency for intracellular Na+ was SH-SY5Y > chromaffin > RBCs, while the reverse order was observed for the extracellular ions. 23Na double quantum signal efficiency for intracellular Na+ was non-zero only in RBCs, and for extracellular Na+ the order RBCs > chromaffin > SH-SY5Y cells was observed. Li+ loading generally decreased intracellular Na+ isotropic movements in the cells, except for astrocytes incubated with a low Li+ concentration and increased anisotropic intracellular Na+ movements in RBCs. Li+ effects on the extracellular signals were more complex, reflecting Li+/Na+ competition for isotropic and anisotropic binding sites at the extracellular surface of cell membranes and also at the surface of the gel used for cell immobilisation. These results are relevant and contribute to the interpretation of the in vivo pharmacokinetics and sites of Li+ action.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

α :

Ratio of volume of intracellular water accessible to Li+ ions to cell volume

A :

Amplitude of the T 31 signals

(A i) t , (A e) t and (A i), (A e) :

Areas of the intra- and extracellular 7Li+ NMR signals at the different times t and when the intracellular Li+ concentration has reached a steady state, respectively

B :

Amplitude of the T 21 signals

BME:

Eagle’s basal medium

BMG:

Basement membrane gel

C T :

Cytocrit

δ :

Evolution time

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium

DMEM/F-12:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium/Ham’s nutrient mixture F-12

DQF:

Double quantum filtered

FBS:

Fetal bovine serum

HEPES:

N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid

Ht:

Hematocrit

I max :

Maximum intensity of the MQF

k i :

Li+ influx rate constant

k iapp :

Apparent Li+ influx rate constant

[Li+]eT :

Total extracellular Li+ concentration

[Li+]i :

Intracellular Li+ concentration

[Li+]if :

Free, NMR visible, intracellular Li+ concentration

[Li+]iT :

Total intracellular Li+ concentration

MQF:

Multiple quantum filtered

[Na+]i :

Intracellular Na+ concentration

o.d.:

Outer diameter

RBCs:

Red blood cells

SQ:

Single quantum

SR:

Shift reagent

τ :

Multiple quantum creation or preparation time

T 2f :

Fast components of the biexponential T 2 relaxation time

T 2s :

Slow component of the biexponential T 2 relaxation time

TQF:

Triple quantum filtered

\( \overline{\omega }_{\text{Q}} \) :

Residual quadrupolar coupling constant

References

  • Ahuja AS, Prasad KN, Hendee WR, Carson PL (1978) Thermal conductivity and diffusivity of neuroblastoma tumor. Med Phys 5:418–421

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alves PM, Flogel U, Brand A, Leibfritz D, Carrondo MJ, Santos H, Sonnewald U (1996) Immobilization of primary astrocytes and neurons for online monitoring of biochemical processes by NMR. Dev Neurosci 18:478–483

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bodenhausen G, Kogler H, Ernst RR (1984) Selection of coherence-transfer pathways in NMR pulse experiments. J Magn Reson 58:370–388

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borthakur A, Shapiro EM, Beers J, Kudchodkar S, Kneeland JB, Reddy R (2002) Effect of IL-1β-induced macromolecular depletion on residual quadrupolar interaction in articular cartilage. J Magn Reson Imaging 15:315–323

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brand A, Richter-Landsberg C, Leibfritz D (1997) Metabolism of acetate in rat brain neurons, astrocytes and cocultures: metabolic interactions between neurons and glia cells, monitored by NMR spectroscopy. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 43:645–657

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brocklehurst KW, Pollard HB, Siddle K, Hutton J (1990) Peptide hormones: a practical approach. IRL Press Oxford

  • Chung CW, Wimperis S (1990) Optimum detection of spin -3/2 biexponential relaxation using multiple-quantum filtration techniques. J Magn Reson 88:440–447

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daly PF, Lyon RC, Straka EJ, Cohen JS (1988) 31P-NMR spectroscopy of human cancer cells proliferating in a basement membrane gel. FASEB J 2:2596–2604

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dizon JM, Tauskela JS, Wise D, Burkhoff D, Cannon PJ, Katz J (1996) Evaluation of triple-quantum-filtered 23Na NMR in monitoring of intracellular Na content in the perfused rat heart: comparison of intra- and extracellular transverse relaxation and spectral amplitudes. Magn Reson Med 35:336–345

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duvvuri U, Kaufman JH, Patel SD, Bolinger L, Kneeland JB, Leigh JS, Reddy R (1998) Sodium multiple quantum spectroscopy of articular cartilage: effects of mechanical compression. Magn Reson Med 40:370–375

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duvvuri U, Leigh JS, Reddy R (1999) Detection of residual quadrupolar interaction in the human breast in vivo using sodium-23 multiple quantum spectroscopy. J Magn Reson Imaging 9:391–394

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eliav U, Navon G (1994) Analysis of double-quantum-filtered NMR spectra of 23Na in biological tissues. J Magn Reson B 103:19–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eliav U, Shinar H, Navon G (1992) The formation of a second-rank tensor in 23Na double-quantum-filtered NMR as an indicator for order in a biological tissue. J Magn Reson 98:223–229

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flogel U, Willker W, Leibfritz D (1994) Regulation of intracellular pH in neuronal and glial tumour cells, studied by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. NMR Biomed 7:157–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fonseca CP, Montezinho LP, Nabais C, Freitas H, Geraldes CFGC, Castro MMCA (2004) Effects of Li+ transport and intracellular binding on Li+/Mg2+ competition in bovine chromaffin cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 1691:79–90

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fujimoto T, Lee K, Miwa S, Ogawa K (1991) Immunocytochemical localization of fodrin and ankyrin in bovine chromaffin cells in vitro. J Histochem Cytochem 39:1485–1493

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gary-Bobo CM, Solomon AK (1968) Properties of hemoglobin solutions in red cells. J Gen Physiol 52:825–853

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grieve SM, Wickstead B, Torres AM, Styles P, Wimperis S, Kuchel PW (1998) Multiple-quantum filtered 17O and 23Na NMR analysis of mitochondrial suspensions. Biophys Chem 73:137–143

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gullapalli RP, Hawk RM, Komoroski RA (1991) A 7Li NMR study of visibility, spin relaxation, and transport in normal human erythrocytes. Magn Reson Med 20:240–252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gullapalli RP, Hawk RM, Komoroski RA (1992) Effect of lithium on the double-quantum behavior of 23Na in normal human erythrocytes. Magn Reson Med 27:1–12

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta RK, Gupta P (1982) Direct observation of resolved resonances from intra- and extracellular 23Na ions in NMR studies of intact cells and tissues using dysprosium(III)tripolyphosphate as paramagnetic shift reagent. J Magn Reson 47:344–350

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hancu I, van der Maarel C Jr, Boada FE (2002) Detection of sodium ions in anisotropic environments through spin-lock NMR. Magn Reson Med 47:68–74

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hays RM, Franki N, Simon H, Gao Y (1994) Antidiuretic hormone and exocytosis: lessons from neurosecretion. Am J Physiol 267:C1507–C1524

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbard PS (1970) Non exponential nuclear magnetic relaxation by quadrupolar interactions. J Chem Phys 53:985–987

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchison RB, Huntley JJ, Zhou HZ, Ciesla DJ, Shapiro JI (1993) Changes in double quantum filtered sodium intensity during prolonged ischemia in the isolated perfused heart. Magn Reson Med 29:391–395

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Insko EK, Kaufman JH, Leigh JS, Reddy R (1999) Sodium NMR evaluation of articular cartilage degradation. Magn Reson Med 41:30–34

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaccard G, Wimperis S, Bodenhausen G (1986) Multiple-quantum NMR spectroscopy of S = 3/2 spins in isotropic phase: A new probe for multiexponential relaxation. J Chem Phys 85:6282–6293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jelicks LA, Gupta RK (1989a) Double-quantum NMR sodium ions in cells and tissues. Paramagnetic quenching of extracellular coherence. J Magn Reson 81:586–592

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jelicks LA, Gupta RK (1989b) Observation of intracellular sodium ions by double-quantum-filtered 23Na NMR with paramagnetic quenching of extracellular coherence by gadolinium tripolyphosphate. J Magn Reson 83:146–151

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jelicks LA, Gupta RK (1993) On the extracellular contribution to multiple quantum filtered 23Na NMR of perfused rat heart. Magn Reson Med 29:130–133

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kalyanapuram R, Seshan V, Bansal N (1998) Three-dimensional triple-quantum-filtered 23Na imaging of the dog head in vivo. J Magn Reson Imaging 8:1182–1189

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kemp-Harper R, Brown SP, Hughes CE, Styles P, Wimperis S (1997) 23Na NMR methods for selective observation of sodium ions in ordered environments. Prog Nucl Magn Reson Spectrosc 30:157–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kemp-Harper R, Brown SP, Styles P, Wimperis S (1994) In vivo NMR of sodium ions in ordered environments. J Magn Reson B 105:199–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk K, Kuchel PW, Labotka RJ (1988) Hypophosphite ion as a 31P nuclear magnetic resonance probe of membrane potential in erythrocyte suspensions. Biophys J 54:241–247

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knubovets T, Shinar H, Eliav U, Navon G (1996) A 23Na multiple-quantum-filtered NMR study of the effect of the cytoskeleton conformation on the anisotropic motion of sodium ions in red blood cells. J Magn Reson B 110:16–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knubovets T, Shinar H, Navon G (1998) Quantification of the contribution of extracellular sodium to 23Na multiple-quantum-filtered NMR spectra of suspensions of human red blood cells. J Magn Reson 131:92–96

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kushnir T, Knubovets T, Itzchak Y, Eliav U, Sadeh M, Rapoport L, Kott E, Navon G (1997) In vivo 23Na NMR studies of myotonic dystrophy. Magn Reson Med 37:192–196

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Langley OK, Perrin D, Aunis D (1986) α-Fodrin in the adrenal gland: localization by immunoelectron microscopy. J Histochem Cytochem 34:517–525

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LaVerde G, Nemoto E, Jungreis CA, Tanase C, Boada FE (2007) Serial triple quantum sodium MRI during non-human primate focal brain ischemia. Magn Reson Med 57:201–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Layden BT, Abukhdeir AM, Williams N, Fonseca CP, Carroll L, Castro MMCA, Geraldes CFGC, Bryant FB, Mota de Freitas D (2003) Effects of Li+ transport and Li+ immobilisation on Li+/Mg2+ competition in cells: implications for bipolar disorder. Biochem Pharmacol 66:1915–1924

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ling W, Jerschow A (2007) Relaxation-allowed nuclear magnetic resonance transitions by interference between the quadrupolar coupling and the paramagnetic interaction. J Chem Phys 126:064502

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lyon RC, McLaughlin AC (1994) Double-quantum-filtered 23Na NMR study of intracellular sodium in the perfused liver. Biophys J 67:369–376

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyon RC, Pekar J, Moonen CT, McLaughlin AC (1991) Double-quantum surface-coil NMR studies of sodium and potassium in the rat brain. Magn Reson Med 18:80–92

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy KD, de Vellis J (1980) Preparation of separate astroglial and oligodendroglial cell cultures from rat cerebral tissue. J Cell Biol 85:890–902

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montezinho LP, Fonseca CP, Geraldes CFGC, Castro MMCA (2002) Quantification and localization of intracellular free Mg2+ in bovine chromaffin cells. Metal Based Drugs 9:69–80

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mota de Freitas D, Rong Q, Geraldes CFGC (1992) Effect of hematocrit on the rate of lithium uptake in human erythrocyte suspensions. Lithium 3:281–285

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Navon G, Shinar H, Eliav U, Seo Y (2001) Multiquantum filters and order in tissues. NMR Biomed 14:112–132

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Navon G, Werrmann JG, Maron R, Cohen SM (1994) 31P NMR and triple quantum filtered 23Na NMR studies of the effects of inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange on intracellular sodium and pH in working and ischemic hearts. Magn Reson Med 32:556–564

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nikolakopoulos J, Zachariah C, Mota de Freitas D, Geraldes CFGC (1996) Comparison of the use of gel threads and microcarrier beads in Li+ transport studies of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Inorg Chim Acta 251:201–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nikolakopoulos J, Zachariah C, Mota de Freitas D, Stubbs EB, Ramasamy R, Castro MMCA, Geraldes CFGC (1998) 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance study for the determination of Li+ properties in neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. J Neurochem 71:1676–1684

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ooms KJ, Cannella M, Vega AJ, Marcolongo M, Polenova T (2008a) 23Na TQF NMR imaging for the study of spinal disc tissue. J Magn Reson 195:112–115

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ooms KJ, Cannella M, Vega AJ, Marcolongo M, Polenova T (2008b) The application of 23Na double-quantum-filter (DQF) NMR spectroscopy for the study of spinal disc degeneration. Magn Reson Med 60:246–252

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Payne GS, Seymour AM, Styles P, Radda GK (1990) Multiple quantum filtered 23Na NMR spectroscopy in the perfused heart. NMR Biomed 3:139–146

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pekar J, Leigh JS Jr (1986) Detection of biexponential relaxation in sodium-23 facilitated by double-quantum filtering. J Magn Reson 69:582–584

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramasamy R, Castro MMCA, Mota de Freitas D, Geraldes CFGC (1992) Lanthanide complexes of aminophosphonates as shift reagents for 7Li and 23Na NMR studies in biological systems. Biochimie 74:777–783

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy R, Bolinger L, Shinnar M, Noyszewski E, Leigh JS (1995) Detection of residual quadrupolar interaction in human skeletal muscle and brain in vivo via multiple quantum filtered sodium NMR spectra. Magn Reson Med 33:134–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reddy R, Li S, Noyszewski EA, Kneeland JB, Leigh JS (1997) In vivo sodium multiple quantum spectroscopy of human articular cartilage. Magn Reson Med 38:207–214

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richter-Landsberg C (1988) Nerve growth factor-inducible, large external (NILE) glycoprotein in developing rat cerebral cells in culture. Cell Tissue Res 252:181–190

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richter-Landsberg C, Besser A (1994) Effects of organotins on rat brain astrocytes in culture. J Neurochem 63:2202–2209

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Savitz D, Sidel VW, Solomon AK (1964) Osmotic properties of human red cells. J Gen Physiol 48:79–94

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schepkin VD, Choy IO, Budinger TF, Obayashi DY, Taylor SE, DeCampli WM, Amartur SC, Young JN (1998) Sodium TQF NMR and intracellular sodium in isolated crystalloid perfused rat heart. Magn Reson Med 39:557–563

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seo Y, Murakami M, Suzuki E, Kuki S, Nagayama K, Watari H (1990) NMR characteristics of intracellular K in the rat salivary gland: a 39K NMR study using double-quantum filtering. Biochemistry 29:599–603

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seshan V, Sherry AD, Bansal N (1997) Evaluation of triple quantum-filtered 23Na NMR spectroscopy in the in situ rat liver. Magn Reson Med 38:821–827

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shinar H, Eliav U, Knubovets T, Sharf Y, Navon G (1995) Measurement of order in connective tissues by multiple quantum filtered NMR spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei. Q Magn Reson Biol Med 2:73–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Shinar H, Knubovets T, Eliav U, Navon G (1993) Sodium interaction with ordered structures in mammalian red blood cells detected by 23Na double quantum NMR. Biophys J 64:1273–1279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Springer CS Jr (1987) Measurement of metal cation compartmentalization in tissue by high-resolution metal cation NMR. Annu Rev Biophys Biophys Chem 16:375–399

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan C, Minadeo N, Toon J, Graham D, Mota de Freitas D, Geraldes CFGC (1999) Competition between Na+ and Li+ for unsealed and cytoskeleton-depleted human red blood cell membrane: a 23Na multiple quantum filtered and 7Li NMR relaxation study. J Magn Reson 140:206–217

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tauskela JS, Dizon JM, Cannon PJ, Katz J (1995) Detection of an extracellular contribution from a second-rank tensor to the double-quantum-filtered 23Na NMR spectrum in the isolated perfused rat heart. J Magn Reson B 108:165–169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tauskela JS, Shoubridge EA (1993) Response of the 23Na NMR double-quantum filtered signal to changes in Na+ ion concentration in model biological solutions and human erythrocytes. Biochim Biophys Acta 1158:155–165

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winter PM, Bansal N (2001) Triple-quantum-filtered 23Na NMR spectroscopy of subcutaneously implanted 9L gliosarcoma in the rat in the presence of TmDOTP5−. J Magn Reson 152:70–78

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Winter PM, Poptani H, Bansal N (2001) Effects of chemotherapy by 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea on single-quantum- and triple-quantum-filtered 23Na and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance of the subcutaneously implanted 9L glioma. Cancer Res 61:2002–2007

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal (Projects POCTI/2000/BCI/36160, PRAXIS/2/2.1/BIO/1117/95) and FEDER. Carla P. Fonseca, Liliana P. Montezinho, Luís L. Fonseca and Paula M. Alves were supported by FCT grants, Praxis XXI/BD/21462/99, SFRH/BD/3286/2000, PRAXIS XXI/BD/21532/99 and PRAXIS XXI/BD/2721/94, respectively. The assistance of Dr. Antonio Maretzek in setting up some of the NMR experiments is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlos F. G. C. Geraldes.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOC 57 kb)

Supplementary material 2 (DOC 413 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fonseca, C.P., Fonseca, L.L., Montezinho, L.P. et al. 23Na multiple quantum filtered NMR characterisation of Na+ binding and dynamics in animal cells: a comparative study and effect of Na+/Li+ competition. Eur Biophys J 42, 503–519 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-013-0899-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-013-0899-8

Keywords

Navigation