Monoclonal antibodies that bind the renal Na+/glucose symport system. 2. Stabilization of an active conformation.

Conformation-dependent fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeling of the pig renal Na+/glucose symporter was investigated with specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb's). When renal brush border membranes were pretreated with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC), washed, and then treated at neutral pH with FITC in the presence of transporter substrates Na+ and glucose, most of the incorporated fluorescence was associated with a single peak after resolution by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The apparent molecular mass of the FITC-labeled species ranged from 79 to 92 kDa. Labeling of this peak was specifically reduced by 70% if Na+ and glucose were omitted. Na+ could not be replaced by K+, Rb+, or Li+. FITC labeling of this peak was also stimulated after incubation of membranes with MAb's known to influence high-affinity phlorizin binding, and stimulation was synergistically increased when MAb's were added in the presence of Na+ and glucose. Substrate-induced or MAb-induced labeling correlated with inactivation of Na+-dependent phlorizin binding. MAb's recognized an antigen of 75 kDa in the native membranes whereas substrate-induced FITC labeling was accompanied by loss of antigen recognition and protection from proteolysis. These findings are consistent with a model in which MAb's stabilize a Na+-induced active conformer of the Na+/glucose symport system.