cGMP transport by vesicles from human and mouse erythrocytes

cGMP secretion from cells can be mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters ABCC4, ABCC5, and ABCC11. Indirect evidence suggests that ABCC4 and ABCC5 contribute to cGMP transport by erythrocytes. We have re-investigated the issue using erythrocytes from wild-type and transporter knockout mice. Murine wild-type erythrocyte vesicles transported cGMP with an apparent Km that was 100-fold higher than their human counterparts, the apparent Vmax being similar. Whereas cGMP transport into human vesicles was efficiently inhibited by the ABCC4-specific substrate prostaglandin E1, cGMP transport into mouse vesicles was inhibited equally by Abcg2 and Abcc4 inhibitors/substrates. Similarly, cGMP transport into vesicles from Abcc4–/– and Abcg2–/– mice was 42% and 51% of that into wild-type mouse vesicles, respectively, whereas cGMP transport into vesicles from Abcc4–/–/Abcg2–/– mice was near background. The knockout mice were used to show that Abcg2-mediated cGMP transport occurred with lower affinity but higher Vmax than Abcc4-mediated transport. Involvement of Abcg2 in cGMP transport by Abcc4–/– erythrocyte vesicles was supported by higher transport at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.4, a characteristic of Abcg2-mediated transport. The relative contribution of ABCC4/Abcc4 and ABCG2/Abcg2 in cGMP transport was confirmed with a new inhibitor of ABCC4 transport, the protease inhibitor 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride.