Intracellular K(+) and water content in human blood lymphocytes during transition from quiescence to proliferation

Many evidence shows that K(+) ions are required for cell proliferation, however, changes in intracellular K(+) concentration during transition of cells from quiescence to cycling are insufficiently studied. Here, we show using flame emission assay that a long-term increase in cell K(+) content per g cell protein is a mandatory factor for transition of quiescent human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to proliferation induced by phytohemagglutinin, phorbol ester with ionomycin, and anti-CD3 antibodies with interleukin-2 (IL-2). The long-term increase in K(+) content is associated with IL-2-dependent stage of PBL activation and accompanies the growth of small lymphocytes and their transformation into blasts. Inhibition of PBL proliferation with drugs specific for different steps of G0/G1/S transit prevented both blast-transformation and an increase in K(+) content per cell protein. Determination of the water content in cells by measuring the density of cells in the Percoll gradient showed that, unlike the K(+) content, the concentration of K(+) in cell water remains unchanged, since water and K(+) change in parallel. Correlation of proliferation with high cell K(+) and water content has been confirmed by the data obtained in comparative study of PBL and permanently cycling Jurkat cells. Our data suggest that K(+) is important for successful proliferation as the main intracellular ion that participates in regulation of cell water content during cell transition from quiescence to proliferation. We concluded that high K(+) content in cells and the associated high water content is a characteristic feature of proliferating cells.