Sodium bicarbonate cotransporter NBCn1/Slc4a7 affects locomotor activity and hearing in mice.

Despite a widespread expression pattern in the central nervous system, the role of the sodium bicarbonate cotransporter NBCn1/Slc4a7 has not been investigated for locomotor activity, emotion and cognition. Here, we addressed the behavioral consequences of NBCn1 knockout and evaluated hearing and vision that are reportedly impaired in an earlier line of NBCn1 knockout mice and may contribute to behavioral changes. In a circular open field, the knockout mice traveled a shorter distance, especially in the periphery of the chamber, than wildtype littermates. The knockout mice also traveled a shorter total distance in a home cage-like open field. Rearing and grooming behaviors were reduced. The knockout and control mice displayed similar time spent and number of open and closed arms in the elevated plus maze test, indicating negligible change in anxiety. In the Morris water maze test, both groups of mice learned the location of an escape platform within comparable time on the training trials and showed similar platform identification on the probe trial. The knockout mice maintained normal visual responses in the optokinetic drum and produced evoked potentials in response to light stimuli. However, these mice failed to produce auditory evoked potentials. qPCR revealed a robust expression of an alternatively transcribed NBCn1 variant in the knockout mouse retina. These results indicate that NBCn1 deletion leads to reduced locomotor activity in mice by affecting their exploratory behaviors or emotionality. The deletion also causes hearing loss, but its effect on vision varies between different lines of knockout mice.

Early Hearing Loss upon Disruption of Slc4a10 in C57BL/6 Mice.

The unique composition of the endolymph with a high extracellular K+ concentration is essential for sensory transduction in the inner ear. It is secreted by a specialized epithelium, the stria vascularis, that is connected to the fibrocyte meshwork of the spiral ligament in the lateral wall of the cochlea via gap junctions. In this study, we show that in mice the expression of the bicarbonate transporter Slc4a10/Ncbe/Nbcn2 in spiral ligament fibrocytes starts shortly before hearing onset. Its disruption in a C57BL/6 background results in early onset progressive hearing loss. This hearing loss is characterized by a reduced endocochlear potential from hearing onset onward and progressive degeneration of outer hair cells. Notably, the expression of a related bicarbonate transporter, i.e., Slc4a7/Nbcn1, is also lost in spiral ligament fibrocytes of Slc4a10 knockout mice. The histological analysis of the spiral ligament of Slc4a10 knockout mice does not reveal overt fibrocyte loss as reported for Slc4a7 knockout mice. The ultrastructural analysis, however, shows mitochondrial alterations in fibrocytes of Slc4a10 knockout mice. Our data suggest that Slc4a10 and Slc4a7 are functionally related and essential for inner ear homeostasis.

Expression, Localization, and Regulation of the Sodium Bicarbonate Cotransporter NBCe1 in the Thyroid.

BACKGROUND: The intrafollicular space of thyroid follicles is the storage compartment for thyroid hormones. Its pH has been established at around 7.6 at least after thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation. This alkaline intrafollicular pH is thought to be critical for iodide coupling to thyroglobulin and internalization of iodinated thyroglobulin. At least in mice, this alkalinization requires the expression of pendrin (Slc26a4) within the apical membrane, and a lack of pendrin results in acidic follicular lumen pH. Yet, the mechanism importing HCO3- into the cytoplasm is unknown. This study investigated whether the rather ubiquitous sodium bicarbonate cotransporter NBCe1 (SLC4A4) might play this role. It also examined which variant was expressed and where it was localized in both rat and human thyroid tissue. Lastly, the dependence of its expression on TSH was studied. METHODS: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting were used to test whether TSH stimulated NBCe1 protein expression in vivo. Subcellular localization of NBCe1 was performed using immunofluorescence in both rat and human thyroid. Cultured thyroid cells were also used to attempt to define how TSH affects NBCe1 expression. RESULTS: Only transcripts of the NBCe1-B variant were detected in both rat and human thyroid. Of interest, NBCe1-C was not detected in human tissues, not even in the brain. On immunofluorescence microscopy, the immunostaining of NBCe1 mainly appeared in the basolateral membrane upon stimulation with TSH. This TSH induction of basolateral membrane expression of NBCe1 protein was confirmed in vivo in rat thyroid and in vitro on human thyroid slices. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the expression of the sodium bicarbonate cotransporter NBCe1-B in rat and human thyroid. Additionally, the data suggest that TSH blocks the degradation of NBCe1 protein by trafficking it to the basolateral membrane. Hence, TSH increases NBCe1 half-life without increasing its synthesis.

The choroid plexus sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter NBCe2 regulates mouse cerebrospinal fluid pH.

KEY POINTS: Normal pH is crucial for proper functioning of the brain, and disorders increasing the level of CO2 in the blood lead to a decrease in brain pH. CO2 can easily cross the barriers of the brain and will activate chemoreceptors leading to an increased exhalation of CO2 . The low pH, however, is harmful and bases such as HCO3- are imported across the brain barriers in order to normalize brain pH. We show that the HCO3- transporter NBCe2 in the choroid plexus of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier is absolutely necessary for normalizing CSF pH during high levels of CO2 . This discovery represents a significant step in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind regulation of CSF pH during acid-base disturbances, such as chronic lung disease. ABSTRACT: The choroid plexus epithelium (CPE) is located in the brain ventricles where it produces the majority of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The hypothesis that normal brain function is sustained by CPE-mediated CSF pH regulation by extrusion of acid-base equivalents was tested by determining the contribution of the electrogenic Na+ -HCO3- cotransporter NBCe2 to CSF pH regulation. A novel strain of NBCe2 (Slc4a5) knockout (KO) mice was generated and validated. The base extrusion rate after intracellular alkalization was reduced by 77% in NBCe2 KO mouse CPE cells compared to control mice. NBCe2 KO mice and mice with CPE-targeted NBCe2 siRNA knockdown displayed a reduction in CSF pH recovery during hypercapnia-induced acidosis of approximately 85% and 90%, respectively, compared to control mice. NBCe2 KO did not affect baseline respiration rate or tidal volume, and the NBCe2 KO and wild-type (WT) mice displayed similar ventilatory responses to 5% CO2 exposure. NBCe2 KO mice were not protected against pharmacological or heating-induced seizure development. In conclusion, we establish the concept that the CPE is involved in the regulation of CSF pH by demonstrating that NBCe2 is necessary for proper CSF pH recovery after hypercapnia-induced acidosis.

The Bicarbonate Transporter SLC4A7 Plays a Key Role in Macrophage Phagosome Acidification.

Macrophages represent the first line of immune defense against pathogens, and phagosome acidification is a necessary step in pathogen clearance. Here, we identified the bicarbonate transporter SLC4A7, which is strongly induced upon macrophage differentiation, as critical for phagosome acidification. Loss of SLC4A7 reduced acidification of phagocytosed beads or bacteria and impaired the intracellular microbicidal capacity in human macrophage cell lines. The phenotype was rescued by wild-type SLC4A7, but not by SLC4A7 mutants, affecting transport capacity or cell surface localization. Loss of SLC4A7 resulted in increased cytoplasmic acidification during phagocytosis, suggesting that SLC4A7-mediated, bicarbonate-driven maintenance of cytoplasmic pH is necessary for phagosome acidification. Altogether, we identify SLC4A7 and bicarbonate-driven cytoplasmic pH homeostasis as an important element of phagocytosis and the associated microbicidal functions in macrophages.

NBCe1-A Regulates Proximal Tubule Ammonia Metabolism under Basal Conditions and in Response to Metabolic Acidosis.

Renal ammonia metabolism is the primary mechanism through which the kidneys maintain acid-base homeostasis, but the molecular mechanisms regulating renal ammonia generation are unclear. In these studies, we evaluated the role of the proximal tubule basolateral plasma membrane electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 1 variant A (NBCe1-A) in this process. Deletion of the NBCe1-A gene caused severe spontaneous metabolic acidosis in mice. Despite this metabolic acidosis, which normally causes a dramatic increase in ammonia excretion, absolute urinary ammonia concentration was unaltered. Additionally, NBCe1-A deletion almost completely blocked the ability to increase ammonia excretion after exogenous acid loading. Under basal conditions and during acid loading, urine pH was more acidic in mice with NBCe1-A deletion than in wild-type controls, indicating that the abnormal ammonia excretion was not caused by a primary failure of urine acidification. Instead, NBCe1-A deletion altered the expression levels of multiple enzymes involved in proximal tubule ammonia generation, including phosphate-dependent glutaminase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and glutamine synthetase, under basal conditions and after exogenous acid loading. Deletion of NBCe1-A did not impair expression of key proteins involved in collecting duct ammonia secretion. These studies demonstrate that the integral membrane protein NBCe1-A has a critical role in basal and acidosis-stimulated ammonia metabolism through the regulation of proximal tubule ammonia-metabolizing enzymes.

Neuronal control of astrocytic respiration through a variant of the Crabtree effect.

Aerobic glycolysis is a phenomenon that in the long term contributes to synaptic formation and growth, is reduced by normal aging, and correlates with amyloid beta deposition. Aerobic glycolysis starts within seconds of neural activity and it is not obvious why energetic efficiency should be compromised precisely when energy demand is highest. Using genetically encoded FRET nanosensors and real-time oxygen measurements in culture and in hippocampal slices, we show here that astrocytes respond to physiological extracellular K+ with an acute rise in cytosolic ATP and a parallel inhibition of oxygen consumption, explained by glycolytic stimulation via the Na+-bicarbonate cotransporter NBCe1. This control of mitochondrial respiration via glycolysis modulation is reminiscent of a phenomenon previously described in proliferating cells, known as the Crabtree effect. Fast brain aerobic glycolysis may be interpreted as a strategy whereby neurons manipulate neighboring astrocytes to obtain oxygen, thus maximizing information processing.

Na+/HCO3- Cotransporter NBCn2 Mediates HCO3- Reclamation in the Apical Membrane of Renal Proximal Tubules.

The kidney maintains systemic acid-base balance by reclaiming from the renal tubule lumen virtually all HCO3- filtered in glomeruli and by secreting additional H+ to titrate luminal buffers. For proximal tubules, which are responsible for about 80% of this activity, it is believed that HCO3- reclamation depends solely on H+ secretion, mediated by the apical Na+/H+ exchanger NHE3 and the vacuolar proton pump. However, NHE3 and the proton pump cannot account for all HCO3- reclamation. Here, we investigated the potential contribution of two variants of the electroneutral Na+/HCO3- cotransporter NBCn2, the amino termini of which start with the amino acids MCDL (MCDL-NBCn2) and MEIK (MEIK-NBCn2). Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry revealed that MEIK-NBCn2 predominantly localizes at the basolateral membrane of medullary thick ascending limbs in the rat kidney, whereas MCDL-NBCn2 localizes at the apical membrane of proximal tubules. Notably, NH4Cl-induced systemic metabolic acidosis or hypokalemic alkalosis downregulated the abundance of MCDL-NBCn2 and reciprocally upregulated NHE3 Conversely, NaHCO3-induced metabolic alkalosis upregulated MCDL-NBCn2 and reciprocally downregulated NHE3 We propose that the apical membrane of the proximal tubules has two distinct strategies for HCO3- reclamation: the conventional indirect pathway, in which NHE3 and the proton pump secrete H+ to titrate luminal HCO3-, and the novel direct pathway, in which NBCn2 removes HCO3- from the lumen. The reciprocal regulation of NBCn2 and NHE3 under different physiologic conditions is consistent with our mathematical simulations, which suggest that HCO3- uptake and H+ secretion have reciprocal efficiencies for HCO3- reclamation versus titration of luminal buffers.

The cardiac electrogenic sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter (NBCe1) is activated by aldosterone through the G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR 30).

The sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter (NBC) transports extracellular Na+ and HCO3- into the cytoplasm upon intracellular acidosis, restoring the acidic pHi to near neutral values. Two different NBC isoforms have been described in the heart, the electroneutral NBCn1 (1Na+:1HCO3-) and the electrogenic NBCe1 (1Na+:2HCO3-). Certain non-genomic effects of aldosterone (Ald) were due to an orphan G protein-couple receptor 30 (GPR30). We have recently demonstrated that Ald activates GPR30 in adult rat ventricular myocytes, which transactivates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and in turn triggers a reactive oxygen species (ROS)- and PI3K/AKT-dependent pathway, leading to the stimulation of NBC. The aim of this study was to investigate the NBC isoform involved in the Ald/GPR30-induced NBC activation. Using specific NBCe1 inhibitory antibodies (a-L3) we demonstrated that Ald does not affect NBCn1 activity. Ald was able to increase NBCe1 activity recorded in isolation. Using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy analysis we showed in this work that both NBCe1 and GPR30 are localized in t-tubules. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that NBCe1 is the NBC isoform activated by Ald in the heart.

Deficient acid handling with distal RTA in the NBCe2 knockout mouse.

In many circumstances, the pathogenesis of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) is not understood. In the present study, we report that a mouse model lacking the electrogenic Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter [NBCe2/Slc4a5; NBCe2 knockout (KO) mice] developed dRTA after an oral acid challenge. NBCe2 expression was identified in the connecting tubule (CNT) of wild-type mice, and its expression was significantly increased after acid loading. NBCe2 KO mice did not have dRTA when on a standard mouse diet. However, after acid loading, NBCe2 KO mice exhibited complete features of dRTA, characterized by insufficient urinary acidification, hyperchloremic hypokalemic metabolic acidosis, and hypercalciuria. Additional experiments showed that NBCe2 KO mice had decreased luminal transepithelial potential in the CNT, as revealed by micropuncture. Further immunofluorescence and Western blot experiments found that NBCe2 KO mice had increased expression of H(+)-ATPase B1 in the plasma membrane. These results showed that NBCe2 KO mice with acid loading developed increased urinary K(+) and Ca(2+) wasting due to decreased luminal transepithelial potential in the CNT. NBCe2 KO mice compensated to maintain systemic pH by increasing H(+)-ATPase in the plasma membrane. Therefore, defects in NBCe2 can cause dRTA, and NBCe2 has an important role to regulate urinary acidification and the transport of K(+) and Ca(2+) in the distal nephron.

Reversed electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 1 is the major acid loader during recovery from cytosolic alkalosis in mouse cortical astrocytes.

KEY POINTS: The regulation of H(+) i from cytosolic alkalosis has generally been attributed to the activity of Cl(-) -coupled acid loaders/base extruders in most cell types, including brain cells. The present study demonstrates that outwardly-directed sodium bicarbonate cotransport via electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 1 (NBCe1) mediates the major fraction of H(+) i regulation from cytosolic alkalosis in mouse cortical astrocytes. Cl(-) -coupled acid-loading transporters play only a minor role in the regulation of H(+) i from alkalosis in mouse cortical astrocytes. NBCe1-mediated H(+) i regulation from alkalosis was dominant, with the support of intracellular carbonic anhydrase II, even when the intra- and extracellular [HCO3 (-) ] was very low (<1mM), as in nominally CO2 /HCO3 (-) free condition. A reversed NBCe1 in astrocytes may also be significant for stabilizing extracellular pH in brain tissue. ABSTRACT: Recovery of intracellular pH from cytosolic alkalosis has been attributed primarily to Cl(-) coupled acid loaders/base extruders such as Cl(-) /HCO3 (-) or Cl(-) /OH(-) exchangers. We have studied this process in cortical astrocytes from wild-type and transgenic mouse models with gene deletion for the electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 1 (NBCe1) and for carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoform II. An acute cytosolic alkalosis was induced by the removal of either CO2 /HCO3 (-) or butyric acid, and the subsequent acid loading was analysed by monitoring changes in cytosolic H(+) or Na(+) using ion-sensitive fluorescent dyes. We have identified that NBCe1 reverses during alkalosis and contributes more than 70% to the rate of recovery from alkalosis by extruding Na(+) and HCO3 (-) . After CA inhibition or in CAII-knockout (KO) cells, the rate of recovery was reduced by 40%, and even by 70% in the nominal absence of CO2 /HCO3 (-) . Increasing the extracellular K(+) concentration modulated the rate of acid loading in wild-type cells, but not in NBCe1-KO cells. Removing chloride had only a minor effect on the recovery from alkalosis. Reversal of NBCe1 by reducing pH/[HCO3 (-) ] was demonstrated in astrocytes and in Xenopus oocytes, in which human NBCe1 was heterologously expressed. The results obtained suggest that reversed NBCe1, supported by CAII activity, plays a major role in acid-loading cortical astrocytes to support recovery from cytosolic alkalosis.

Increased Epithelial Sodium Channel Activity Contributes to Hypertension Caused by Na+-HCO3- Cotransporter Electrogenic 2 Deficiency.

The gene SLC4A5 encodes the Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter electrogenic 2, which is located in the distal nephron. Genetically deleting Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter electrogenic 2 (knockout) causes Na(+)-retention and hypertension, a phenotype that is diminished with alkali loading. We performed experiments with acid-loaded mice and determined whether overactive epithelial Na(+) channels (ENaC) or the Na(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter causes the Na(+) retention and hypertension in knockout. In untreated mice, the mean arterial pressure was higher in knockout, compared with wild-type (WT); however, treatment with amiloride, a blocker of ENaC, abolished this difference. In contrast, hydrochlorothiazide, an inhibitor of Na(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter, decreased mean arterial pressure in WT, but not knockout. Western blots showed that quantity of plasmalemmal full-length ENaC-α was significantly higher in knockout than in WT. Amiloride treatment caused a 2-fold greater increase in Na(+) excretion in knockout, compared with WT. In knockout, but not WT, amiloride treatment decreased plasma [Na(+)] and urinary K(+) excretion, but increased hematocrit and plasma [K(+)] significantly. Micropuncture with microelectrodes showed that the [K(+)] was significantly higher and the transepithelial potential (Vte) was significantly lower in the late distal tubule of the knockout compared with WT. The reduced Vte in knockout was amiloride sensitive and therefore revealed an upregulation of electrogenic ENaC-mediated Na(+) reabsorption in this segment. These results show that, in the absence of Na(+)-HCO3 (-) cotransporter electrogenic 2 in the late distal tubule, acid-loaded mice exhibit disinhibition of ENaC-mediated Na(+) reabsorption, which results in Na(+) retention, K(+) wasting, and hypertension.

NBCe1 as a model carrier for understanding the structure-function properties of Na⁺ -coupled SLC4 transporters in health and disease.

SLC4 transporters are membrane proteins that in general mediate the coupled transport of bicarbonate (carbonate) and share amino acid sequence homology. These proteins differ as to whether they also transport Na(+) and/or Cl(-), in addition to their charge transport stoichiometry, membrane targeting, substrate affinities, developmental expression, regulatory motifs, and protein-protein interactions. These differences account in part for the fact that functionally, SLC4 transporters have various physiological roles in mammals including transepithelial bicarbonate transport, intracellular pH regulation, transport of Na(+) and/or Cl(-), and possibly water. Bicarbonate transport is not unique to the SLC4 family since the structurally unrelated SLC26 family has at least three proteins that mediate anion exchange. The present review focuses on the first of the sodium-dependent SLC4 transporters that was identified whose structure has been most extensively studied: the electrogenic Na(+)-base cotransporter NBCe1. Mutations in NBCe1 cause proximal renal tubular acidosis (pRTA) with neurologic and ophthalmologic extrarenal manifestations. Recent studies have characterized the important structure-function properties of the transporter and how they are perturbed as a result of mutations that cause pRTA. It has become increasingly apparent that the structure of NBCe1 differs in several key features from the SLC4 Cl(-)-HCO3 (-) exchanger AE1 whose structural properties have been well-studied. In this review, the structure-function properties and regulation of NBCe1 will be highlighted, and its role in health and disease will be reviewed in detail.

Modulation of sodium-bicarbonate co-transporter (SLC4A4/NBCe1) protein and mRNA expression in rat's uteri by sex-steroids and at different phases of the oestrous cycle.

UNLABELLED: Oestrogen-induced uterine fluid sodium (Na(+)) and bicarbonate (HCO3(-)) secretion may involve SLC4A4. We hypothesized that uterine SLC4A4 expression changes under different sex-steroid influence, therefore may account for the fluctuation in uterine fluid Na(+) and HCO3(-) content throughout the oestrous cycle. The aim of this study is to investigate the differential effects of sex-steroids and oestrous cycle phases on uterine SLC4A4 expression. METHODS: Adult female WKY rats were ovariectomised and treated with different doses of 17ß-oestradiol (E2) (0.2, 2, 20 and 50 µg/ml/day) or progesterone (P4) (4 mg/ml/day) for three consecutive days and 3 days treatment with 0.2 µg/ml/day E2 followed by another 3 days with P4 to mimic the hormonal changes in early pregnancy. Oestrous cycle phases in intact, non-ovariectomised rats were determined by vaginal smear. The animals were then sacrificed and uteri were removed for protein and mRNA expression analyses by Western blotting and Real Time PCR, respectively. SLC4A4 distribution was observed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Treatment with increasing E2 doses resulted in a dose-dependent increase in SLC4A4 protein expression. High SLC4A4 protein and mRNA expression can be seen at estrus. SLC4A4 is distributed mainly at the apical as well as basolateral membranes of the luminal and glandular epithelia following E2 treatment and at Es. Meanwhile, SLC4A4 expression was reduced following P4 treatment and was low at diestrus. CONCLUSION: High SLC4A4 expression under estrogen dominance may contribute to the increase in uterine fluid Na(+) and HCO3(-) content, while its low expression under P4 dominance may result in vice versa.

Intracellular acidification alters myogenic responsiveness and vasomotion of mouse middle cerebral arteries.

Intracellular pH (pHi) in the vascular wall modulates agonist-induced vasocontractile and vasorelaxant responses in mesenteric arteries, whereas effects on myogenic tone have been unsettled. We studied the role of Na(+),HCO3(-) cotransporter NBCn1 in mouse isolated middle cerebral arteries and the influence of pHi disturbances on myogenic tone. Na(+),HCO3(-) cotransport was abolished in arteries from NBCn1 knockout mice and steady-state pHi ∼0.3 units reduced compared with wild-type mice. Myogenic tone development was low under control conditions but increased on treatment with the NO-synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). This effect of L-NAME was smaller in arteries from NBCn1 knockout than wild-type mice. Myogenic tone with L-NAME present was significantly lower in arteries from NBCn1 knockout than wild-type mice and was abolished by rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632. The arteries displayed vasomotion, and this rhythmic contractile pattern was also attenuated in arteries from NBCn1 knockout mice. No differences in membrane potential or intracellular [Ca(2+)] were seen between arteries from NBCn1 knockout and wild-type mice. We propose that NO production and rho-kinase-dependent Ca(2+) sensitivity are reduced at low pHi in pressurized mouse middle cerebral arteries. This likely impedes the ability to adjust to changes in perfusion pressure and regulate cerebral blood flow.

The SLC4 family of bicarbonate (HCO3⁻) transporters.

The SLC4 family consists of 10 genes (SLC4A1-5; SLC4A7-11). All encode integral membrane proteins with very similar hydropathy plots-consistent with 10-14 transmembrane segments. Nine SLC4 members encode proteins that transport HCO3(-) (or a related species, such as CO3(2-)) across the plasma membrane. Functionally, eight of these proteins fall into two major groups: three Cl-HCO3 exchangers (AE1-3) and five Na(+)-coupled HCO3(-) transporters (NBCe1, NBCe2, NBCn1, NBCn2, NDCBE). Two of the Na(+)-coupled transporters (NBCe1, NBCe2) are electrogenic; the other three Na(+)-coupled HCO3(-) transporters and all three AEs are electroneutral. In addition, two other SLC4 members (AE4, SLC4A9 and BTR1, SLC4A11) do not yet have a firmly established function. Most, though not all, SLC4 members are functionally inhibited by 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS). SLC4 proteins play important roles many modes of acid-base homeostasis: the carriage of CO2 by erythrocytes, the transport of H(+) or HCO3(-) by several epithelia, as well as the regulation of cell volume and intracellular pH.

Essential role of the electroneutral Na+-HCO3- cotransporter NBCn1 in murine duodenal acid-base balance and colonic mucus layer build-up in vivo.

Duodenal epithelial cells need efficient defence strategies during gastric acidification of the lumen, while colonic mucosa counteracts damage by pathogens by building up a bacteria-free adherent mucus layer. Transport of HCO3(-) is considered crucial for duodenal defence against acid as well as for mucus release and expansion, but the transport pathways involved are incompletely understood. This study investigated the significance of the electroneutral Na(+)-HCO3(-) cotransporter NBCn1 for duodenal defence against acid and colonic mucus release. NBCn1 was localized to the basolateral membrane of duodenal villous enterocytes and of colonic crypt cells, with predominant expression in goblet cells. Duodenal villous enterocyte intracellular pH was studied before and during a luminal acid load by two-photon microscopy in exteriorized, vascularly perfused, indicator (SNARF-1 AM)-loaded duodenum of isoflurane-anaesthetized, systemic acid-base-controlled mice. Acid-induced HCO3(-) secretion was measured in vivo by single-pass perfusion and pH-stat titration. After a luminal acid load, NBCn1-deficient duodenocytes were unable to recover rapidly from intracellular acidification and could not respond adequately with protective HCO3(-) secretion. In the colon, build-up of the mucus layer was delayed, and a decreased thickness of the adherent mucus layer was observed, suggesting that basolateral HCO3(-) uptake is essential for optimal release of mucus. The electroneutral Na(+)-HCO3(-) cotransporter NBCn1 displays a differential cellular distribution in the murine intestine and is essential for HCO3(-)-dependent mucosal protective functions, such as recovery of intracellular pH and HCO3(-) secretion in the duodenum and secretion of mucus in the colon.

Contribution of Na+,HCO3(-)-cotransport to cellular pH control in human breast cancer: a role for the breast cancer susceptibility locus NBCn1 (SLC4A7).

Genome-wide association studies recently linked the locus for Na(+),HCO(3)(-)-cotransporter NBCn1 (SLC4A7) to breast cancer susceptibility, yet functional insights have been lacking. To determine whether NBCn1, by transporting HCO(3)(-) into cells, may dispose of acid produced during high metabolic activity, we studied the expression of NBCn1 and the functional impact of Na(+),HCO(3)(-)-cotransport in human breast cancer. We found that the plasmalemmal density of NBCn1 was 20-30% higher in primary breast carcinomas and metastases compared to matched normal breast tissue. The increase in NBCn1 density was similar in magnitude to that observed for Na(+)/H(+)-exchanger NHE1 (SLC9A1), a transporter previously implicated in cell migration, proliferation and malignancy. In primary breast carcinomas, the apparent molecular weight for NBCn1 was increased compared to normal tissue. Using pH-sensitive fluorophores, we showed that Na(+),HCO(3)(-)-cotransport is the predominant mechanism of acid extrusion and is inhibited 34 ± 9% by 200 µM 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid in human primary breast carcinomas. At intracellular pH (pH(i) ) levels >6.6, CO(2)/HCO(3)(-)-dependent mechanisms accounted for >90% of total net acid extrusion. Na(+)/H(+)-exchange activity was prominent only at lower pH(i) -values. Furthermore, steady-state pH(i) was 0.35 ± 0.06 units lower in the absence than in the presence of CO(2)/HCO(3)(-). In conclusion, expression of NBCn1 is upregulated in human primary breast carcinomas and metastases compared to normal breast tissue. Na(+),HCO(3)(-)-cotransport is a major determinant of pH(i) in breast cancer and the modest DIDS-sensitivity is consistent with NBCn1 being predominantly responsible. Hence, our results suggest a major pathophysiological role for NBCn1 that may be clinically relevant.

[Physiology and pathophysiology of Na⁺/HCO3⁻ cotransporter NBCe1].

Na⁺/HCO3⁻ cotransporter NBCe1 is an electrogenic member of the solute carrier 4 (SLC4) family and plays important roles in intracellular pH regulation as well as transepithelial HCO3⁻ movement. The physiological and pathological significance of NBCe1 has been well established by genetic studies with humans as well as knock-out study with mouse. NBCe1 is expressed in diverse tissues in mammals. The transporter plays an essential role in the maintenance of acid-base homeostasis in our body, being responsible for more ~80% of HCO3⁻ reabsorption in the proximal renal tubule. In humans, a number of SLC4A4 mutations have been associated with proximal renal tubule acidosis that is often accompanied with short stature, ocular abnormalities (including cataract, glaucoma, and band keratopathy), migraine, and/or defects in dental enamel development. In the present article, we review the molecular physiology, the structure/function relationship, the mechanisms underlying the functional regulation of NBCe1, as well as the physiological and pathological roles of the transporter.

Lack of the sodium-driven chloride bicarbonate exchanger NCBE impairs visual function in the mouse retina.

Regulation of ion and pH homeostasis is essential for normal neuronal function. The sodium-driven chloride bicarbonate exchanger NCBE (Slc4a10), a member of the SLC4 family of bicarbonate transporters, uses the transmembrane gradient of sodium to drive cellular net uptake of bicarbonate and to extrude chloride, thereby modulating both intracellular pH (pH(i)) and chloride concentration ([Cl(-)](i)) in neurons. Here we show that NCBE is strongly expressed in the retina. As GABA(A) receptors conduct both chloride and bicarbonate, we hypothesized that NCBE may be relevant for GABAergic transmission in the retina. Importantly, we found a differential expression of NCBE in bipolar cells: whereas NCBE was expressed on ON and OFF bipolar cell axon terminals, it only localized to dendrites of OFF bipolar cells. On these compartments, NCBE colocalized with the main neuronal chloride extruder KCC2, which renders GABA hyperpolarizing. NCBE was also expressed in starburst amacrine cells, but was absent from neurons known to depolarize in response to GABA, like horizontal cells. Mice lacking NCBE showed decreased visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in behavioral experiments and smaller b-wave amplitudes and longer latencies in electroretinograms. Ganglion cells from NCBE-deficient mice also showed altered temporal response properties. In summary, our data suggest that NCBE may serve to maintain intracellular chloride and bicarbonate concentration in retinal neurons. Consequently, lack of NCBE in the retina may result in changes in pH(i) regulation and chloride-dependent inhibition, leading to altered signal transmission and impaired visual function.