To characterize Cl(-)-dependent NH4+ transport mechanisms in renal medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL), intracellular pH (pHi) and membrane potential (PD) were monitored with use of 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)- 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein and 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine, respectively, in suspensions of rat MTAL tubules in CO2-free media. Exposure of MTAL cells to 4 mM NH4Br caused, after an initial cell alkalinization due to NH3 entry, an NH4(+)-induced fall in pHi that was approximately 67% less pronounced in Cl(-)-free than in Cl(-)-containing media. The following experiments were performed in the presence of 1 microM amiloride to block the MTAL NH4+ conductance. When cells were preincubated in a Cl(-)-free gluconate medium in which K+ and Cl- conductances are greatly reduced, abrupt addition of 100 mN N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG)-Cl had no effect on cell PD and pHi in the absence of ammonia, but acutely acidified the cells by approximately 0.2 pH units in the presence of 4 mM NH4Br, which thus indicated nonelectrogenic (NMDG-Cl)-dependent NH4+ influx. The latter also occurred in a Cl(-)-free thiocyanate medium in which the Cl- conductance was blocked by 0.1 mM diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC). An NMDG-Cl- dependent NH4(+)-induced fall in pHi was reduced approximately 33% by 10 mM Ba+, approximately 84% by 0.1 mM bumetanide, and 100% by 1.5 mM furosemide, whereas 1 mM hydrochlorothiazide had no effect; inhibition by Ba+ was observed even in the presence of 0.1 mM verapamil added to block both K+ channels and K+/NH4+ antiport.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Absorption of NH(4)(+) by the medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL) is a key event in the renal handling of NH(4)(+), leading to accumulation of NH(4)(+)/NH(3) in the renal medulla, which favors NH(4)(+) secretion in medullary collecting ducts and excretion in urine. The Na(+)-K(+)(NH(4)(+))-2Cl(-) cotransporter (BSC1/NKCC2) ensures approximately 50-65% of MTAL active luminal NH(4)(+) uptake under basal conditions. Apical barium- and verapamil-sensitive K(+)/NH(4)(+) antiport and amiloride-sensitive NH(4)(+) conductance account for the rest of active luminal NH(4)(+) transport. The presence of a K(+)/NH(4)(+) antiport besides BSC1 allows NH(4)(+) and NaCl absorption by MTAL to be independently regulated by vasopressin. At the basolateral step, the roles of NH(3) diffusion coupled to Na(+)/H(+) exchange or Na(+)/NH(4)(+) exchange, which favors NH(4)(+) absorption, and of Na(+)/K(+)(NH(4)(+))-ATPase, NH(4)(+)-Cl(-) cotransport, and NH(4)(+) conductance, which oppose NH(4)(+) absorption, have not been quantitatively defined. The increased ability of the MTAL to absorb NH(4)(+) during chronic metabolic acidosis involves an increase in BSC1 expression, but fine regulation of MTAL NH(4)(+) transport probably requires coordinated effects on various apical and basolateral MTAL carriers.
The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor, mediates aldosterone actions in a large variety of tissues. To explore the functional implication of MR in pathophysiology, transgenic mouse models were generated using the proximal human MR (hMR) promoter to drive expression of hMR in aldosterone target tissues. Tissue-specific analysis of transgene expression in two independent transgenic animal (TG) lines by ribonuclease protection assays revealed that hMR is expressed in all mineralocorticoid-sensitive tissues, most notably in the kidney and the heart. TG exhibit both renal and cardiac abnormalities. Enlarged kidneys were histologically associated with renal tubular dilation and cellular vacuolization whose prevalence increased with aging. Renal clearance studies also disclosed a significant decrease in urinary potassium excretion rate in TG. hMRexpressing animals had normal blood pressure but developed mild dilated cardiomyopathy (increased left ventricle diameters and decreased shortening fraction), which was accompanied by a significant increase in heart rate. Differential gene expression analysis revealed a 2-to 5-fold increase in cardiac expression of atrial natriuretic peptide, serum-and glucocorticoid-induced kinase, and early growth response gene 1 as detected by microarrays; renal serum-and glucocorticoid-induced kinase was also induced significantly. Altogether, TG exhibited specific alteration of renal and cardiac functions, thus providing useful pathophysiological models to gain new insights into the tissue-specific mineralocorticoid signaling pathways.
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