Hydrogen sulfide contributes to hypoxic inhibition of airway transepithelial sodium absorption.

In lung epithelial cells, hypoxia decreases the expression and activity of sodium-transporting molecules, thereby reducing the rate of transepithelial sodium absorption. The mechanisms underlying the sensing of hypoxia and subsequent coupling to sodium-transporting molecules remain unclear. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has recently been recognized as a cellular signaling molecule whose intracellular concentrations critically depend on oxygen levels. Therefore, it was questioned whether endogenously produced H2S contributes to hypoxic inhibition of sodium transport. In electrophysiological Ussing chamber experiments, hypoxia was established by decreasing oxygen concentrations in the chambers. Hypoxia concentration dependently and reversibly decreased amiloride-sensitive sodium absorption by cultured H441 monolayers and freshly dissected porcine tracheal epithelia due to inhibition of basolateral Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Exogenous application of H2S by the sulfur salt Na2S mimicked the effect of hypoxia and inhibited amiloride-sensitive sodium absorption by both tissues in an oxygen-dependent manner. Hypoxia increased intracellular concentrations of H2S and decreased the concentration of polysulfides. Pretreatment with the cystathionine-γ-lyase inhibitor d/l-propargylglycine (PAG) decreased hypoxic inhibition of sodium transport by H441 monolayers, whereas inhibition of cystathionine-ß-synthase (with aminooxy-acetic acid; AOAA) or 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (with aspartate) had no effect. Inhibition of all of these H2S-generating enzymes with a combination of AOAA, PAG, and aspartate decreased the hypoxic inhibition of sodium transport by H441 cells and pig tracheae and decreased H2S production by tracheae. These data suggest that airway epithelial cells endogenously produce H2S during hypoxia, and this contributes to hypoxic inhibition of transepithelial sodium absorption.

Luminal acetylcholine does not affect the activity of the CFTR in tracheal epithelia of pigs.

Fluid homeostasis mediated by the airway epithelium is required for proper lung function, and the CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) Cl(-) channel is crucial for these processes. Luminal acetylcholine (ACh) acts as an auto-/paracrine mediator to activate Cl(-) channels in airway epithelia and evidence exists showing that nicotinic ACh receptors activate CFTR in murine airway epithelia. The present study investigated whether or not luminal ACh regulates CFTR activity in airway epithelia of pigs, an emerging model for investigations of human airway disease and cystic fibrosis (CF) in particular. Transepithelial ion currents of freshly dissected pig tracheal preparations were measured with Ussing chambers. Application of luminal ACh (100 µM) induced an increase of the short-circuit current (I(SC)). The ACh effect was mimicked by muscarine and pilocarpine (100 µM each) and was sensitive to muscarinic receptor antagonists (atropine, 4-DAMP, pirenzepine). No changes of the I(SC) were observed by nicotine (100 µM) and ACh responses were not affected by nicotine or mecamylamine (25 µM). Luminal application of IBMX (I, 100 µM) and forskolin (F, 10 µM), increase the I(SC) and the I/F-induced current were decreased by the CFTR inhibitor GlyH-101 (GlyH, 50 µM) indicating increased CFTR activity by I/F. In contrast, GlyH did not affect the ACh-induced current, indicating that the ACh response does not involve the activation of the CFTR. Results from this study suggest that luminal ACh does not regulate the activity of the CFTR in tracheal epithelia of pigs which opposes observation from studies using mice airway epithelium.