Taurine behaves as an osmolyte in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Protection by polarized, regulated transport of taurine.

Using a clonal growth assay, we demonstrated that taurine, a nonperturbing osmolyte accumulated in kidney medulla, brain, and some other tissues of hypertonic experimental animals can function as a nonperturbing osmolyte in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. The taurine content of hypertonic MDCK cells is twice that of isotonic MDCK cells (isotonic 160 nmol/mg protein; hypertonic 320 nmol/mg protein). Therefore we studied taurine transport in MDCK cells grown on porous supports and then studied the effect of hypertonicity which is known to elicit increased uptake of some other nonperturbing osmolytes by MDCK cells. Basal uptake exceeded apical uptake, with Km and Vmax of 56 microM and 933 pmol/min.mg protein on the basal surface and 10 microM and 50 pmol/min.mg protein on the apical surface. On both surfaces, virtually all taurine uptake was Na+ and Cl- dependent. 24 h after cells were shifted to hypertonic medium (500 mosmol/kg), taurine uptake doubled on the basolateral surface without change on the apical surface. The response to hypertonicity was the result of an increase in Vmax without change in Km. There was no change in taurine efflux when cells were shifted from isotonic to hypertonic medium. When cells adapted to hypertonic medium were shifted to isotonic medium, a large transient basolateral efflux of taurine occurred within 10 min. We conclude that taurine can function as a nonperturbing osmolyte in MDCK cells and that tonicity-regulated taurine transport is a basolateral function in MDCK cells.