Effect of PCMBS on water transfer across biological membranes

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Abstract
P‐chloromercuriphenylsulfonate, PCMBS, and 5, 5′ dithiobis‐(2‐nitrobenzoic acid), DTNB at a concentration of 1 mM are found to inhibit the rate of water transport across human red cell membrane. In addition PCMBS inhibits the rates of transport of small hydrophilic but not hydrophobic nonelectrolytes. Other sulfhydryl reagents such as N‐ethylmaleimide and iodoacetamide have no significant effect on the rate of water transfer in these cells. The results suggest that there are at least two populations of membrane bound SH‐groups which differ in their topical location which participate in the control of water transfer. One is located closer to the outer surface of the membrane, and thus is readily accessible to PCMBS while the other component is probably located in the membrane interior. These two populations can be dissociated by pH. The effect of PCMBS on water transfer can be greatly influenced by pH and temperature. The main effect of temperature and pH is on the permeability of the membrane to the drug. The same concentration of PCMBS is also found to inhibit to a lesser degree water transfer across other biological membranes.

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