Cl−/HCO3−anion exchanger 2 (AE2) participates in intracellular pH homeostasis and secretin-stimulated biliary bicarbonate secretion. AE2/SLC4A2 gene expression is reduced in liver and blood mononuclear cells from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Our previous findings of hepatic and immunological features mimicking PBC in Ae2-deficient mice strongly suggest that decreased AE2 expression might be involved in the pathogenesis of PBC. Here we tested the potential role of hsa-microRNA 506 (miR-506) – predicted as candidate to target AE2 mRNA – for the decreased expression of AE2 in PBC. Real-time qPCR showed that miR-506 expression is increased in PBC livers versus normal liver specimens. In situ hybridization in liver sections confirmed that miR-506 is upregulated in the intrahepatic bile ducts of PBC livers compared with normal and primary-sclerosing-cholangitis livers. Precursor-mediated overexpression of miR-506 in SV40-immortalized normal human cholangiocytes (H69 cells) led to decreased AE2 protein expression and activity, as indicated by immunoblotting and microfluorimetry, respectively. Moreover, miR-506 overexpression in 3D-cultured H69 cholangiocytes blocked the secretin-stimulated expansion of cystic structures developed under the three-dimensional conditions. Luciferase assays and site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that miR-506 specifically may bind the 3’UTR region of AE2 mRNA and prevent protein translation. Finally, cultured PBC cholangiocytes showed decreased AE2 activity together with miR-506 overexpression compared to normal human cholangiocytes, and, transfection of PBC cholangiocytes with anti-miR-506 was able to improve their AE2 activity. Conclusion miR-506 is upregulated in cholangiocytes from PBC patients, binds the 3’UTR region of AE2 mRNA and prevents protein translation, leading to diminished AE2 activity and impaired biliary secretory functions. In view of the putative pathogenic role of decreased AE2 in PBC, miR-506 may constitute a potential therapeutic target for this disease.

Canalicular bile is modified along bile ducts through reabsorptive and secretory processes regulated by nerves, bile salts, and hormones such as secretin. Secretin stimulates ductular cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-dependent Cl ؊ efflux and subsequent biliary HCO 3 ؊ secretion, possibly via Cl ؊ /HCO 3 ؊ anion exchange (AE). However, the contribution of secretin to bile regulation in the normal rat, the significance of choleretic bile salts in secretin effects, and the role of Cl ؊ /HCO 3 ؊ exchange in secretin-stimulated HCO 3 ؊ secretion all remain unclear. Here, secretin was administered to normal rats with maintained bile acid pool via continuous taurocholate infusion. Bile flow and biliary HCO 3 ؊ and Cl ؊ excretion were monitored following intrabiliary retrograde fluxes of saline solutions with and without the Cl ؊ channel inhibitor 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB) or the Cl ؊ /HCO 3 ؊ exchange inhibitor 4,4 -diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2 -disulfonic acid (DIDS). Secretin increased bile flow and biliary excretion of HCO 3 ؊ and Cl ؊ . Interestingly, secretin effects were not observed in the absence of taurocholate. Whereas secretin effects were all blocked by intrabiliary NPPB, DIDS only inhibited secretin-induced increases in bile flow and HCO 3 ؊ excretion but not the increased Cl ؊ excretion, revealing a role of biliary Cl ؊ /HCO 3 ؊ exchange in secretininduced, bicarbonate-rich choleresis in normal rats. Finally, small hairpin RNA adenoviral constructs were used to demonstrate the involvement of the Na ؉ -independent anion exchanger 2 (AE2) through gene silencing in normal rat cholangiocytes. AE2 gene silencing caused a marked inhibition of unstimulated and secretin-stimulated Cl ؊ /HCO 3 ؊ exchange. In conclusion, maintenance of the bile acid pool is crucial for secretin to induce bicarbonate-rich choleresis in the normal rat and that this occurs via a chloride-bicarbonate exchange process consistent with AE2 function. (HEPATOLOGY 2006;43:266-275.) S ecretin is known to induce bicarbonate-rich hydrocholeresis in many animal species. 1-7 Its interaction with a G-protein-coupled receptor selectively localized to the epithelial bile duct cells 8 results in increased intracellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) [cAMP] i 7,9,10 and protein kinase A activation. 11,12 Phosphorylation and opening of a cAMP-dependent Cl Ϫ channel, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), 13 causes Cl Ϫ efflux to the ductular lumen. This appears to stimulate an apical Na ϩ -independent Cl Ϫ /HCO 3 Ϫ anion exchange (AE), 14 with HCO 3 Ϫ efflux and Cl Ϫ influx, that is facilitated by the outside to inside transmembrane gradient of Cl Ϫ at relatively high intracellular HCO 3 Ϫ concentration. [10][11][12]15,16 Several bicarbonate transporters, most of them encoded by the SLC4 and SLC26 gene families, 17 have been described to exert AE activity. A decade ago, we localized one of those polypeptides, the SLC4A2 or AE2, 18 to the apical membrane in...

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Simultaneous inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) has recently been validated as a potentially novel therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease (AD). To further extend this concept, we designed and synthesized the first chemical series of dual acting PDE5 and HDAC inhibitors, and we validated this systems therapeutics approach. Following the implementation of structure- and knowledge-based approaches, initial hits were designed and were shown to validate our hypothesis of dual in vitro inhibition. Then, an optimization strategy was pursued to obtain a proper tool compound for in vivo testing in AD models. Initial hits were translated into molecules with adequate cellular functional responses (histone acetylation and cAMP/cGMP response element-binding (CREB) phosphorylation in the nanomolar range), an acceptable therapeutic window (>1 log unit), and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to the identification of 7 as a candidate for in vivo proof-of-concept testing ( Cuadrado-Tejedor, M.; Garcia-Barroso, C.; Sánchez-Arias, J. A.; Rabal, O.; Mederos, S.; Ugarte, A.; Franco, R.; Segura, V.; Perea, G.; Oyarzabal, J.; Garcia-Osta, A. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016 , in press, doi: 10.1038/npp.2016.163 ).