Proposed mechanism in the change of cellular composition in the outer medullary collecting duct during potassium homeostasis.

Potassium depletion (K⁺-D) induces hypertrophy and hyperplasia of collecting duct cells, and potassium repletion (K⁺-R) induces regression of these changes. The purpose of this study was to examine the time courses of the changes in cellular composition, the origin of intercalated cells (ICs) and the mechanism responsible for these changes. SD rats received K⁺-depleted diets for 1, 7, or 14 days. After K⁺-D for 14 days some of the rats received normal diets for 1, 3, 5, or 7 days. In the inner stripe of the outer medulla, K⁺-D increased significantly the number and proportion of H⁺-ATPase-positive ICs, but decreased the proportion of H⁺-ATPase-negative principal cells (PCs). However, proliferation was limited to H⁺-ATPase-negative PCs. During K⁺-R, the cellular composition was recovered to control level. Apoptosis increased during K⁺-R and exclusively limited in H⁺-ATPase-negative PCs. Double immunolabeling with antibodies to PC and IC markers identified both cells negative or positive for all markers during both K⁺-D and K⁺-R. Electron microscopic observation showed that ultrastructure of AE1-positive some cells were similar to AE1-negative some cells during K⁺-R. LC3 protein expression increased significantly and autophagic vacuoles appeared particularly in PCs on days 14 of K⁺-D and in ICs on days 3 of K⁺-R. These results suggest that PCs and ICs may interconvert in response to changes in dietary K+ availability and that autophagic pathways may be involved in the interconversion.

Expression of the non-erythroid Rh glycoproteins in mammalian tissues.

A novel family of proteins, the Mep/AMT/Rh glycoprotein family may mediate important roles in transmembrane ammonia transport in a wide variety of single-celled and multicellular organisms. Results from our laboratory have examined the expression of the non-erythroid proteins, Rh B Glycoprotein (Rhbg) and Rh C glycoprotein (Rhcg), in a wide variety of mammalian tissues. In the kidney, Rhbg and Rhcg are present in distal nephron sites responsible for ammonia secretion. In the mouse kidney, Rhbg immunoreactivity is exclusively basolateral and Rhcg immunoreactivity is exclusively apical, whereas in the rat kidney Rhcg exhibits both apical and basolateral expression. Chronic metabolic acidosis increases Rhcg expression in the outer and inner medulla of the rat kidney; these changes, at least in the outer medullary collecting duct, involve changes in total cellular protein expression in both principal and intercalated cell and changes in its subcellular localization. In the liver, Rhbg is present in the basolateral plasma membrane of the perivenous hepatocyte and Rhcg is present in bile duct epithelia. In the gastrointestinal tract, Rhbg and Rhcg exhibit cell-specific, axially heterogeneous, and polarized expression. These patterns of expression are consistent with Rhbg and Rhcg mediating important roles in mammalian ammonia biology. The lack of the effect of chronic metabolic acidosis on Rhbg expression raises the possibility that Rhbg may function either as ammonia sensing-protein or that it may mediate roles other than ammonia transport.

Apical proton secretion by the inner stripe of the outer medullary collecting duct.

The inner stripe of outer medullary collecting duct (OMCDis) is unique among collecting duct segments because both intercalated cells and principal cells secrete protons and reabsorb luminal bicarbonate. The current study characterized the mechanisms of OMCDis proton secretion. We used in vitro microperfusion, and we separately studied the principal cell and intercalated cell using differential uptake of the fluorescent, pH-sensitive dye, 2', 7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF). Both the principal cell and intercalated cell secreted protons, as identified as Na+/H+ exchange-independent intracellular pH (pHi) recovery from an intracellular acid load. Two proton transport activities were identified in the principal cell; one was luminal potassium dependent and Sch-28080 sensitive and the other was luminal potassium independent and luminal bafilomycin A1 sensitive. Thus the OMCDis principal cell expresses both apical H+-K+-ATPase and H+-ATPase activity. Intercalated cell Na+/H+ exchange-independent pHi recovery was approximately twice that of the principal cell and was mediated by pharmacologically similar mechanisms. We conclude 1) the OMCDis principal cell may contribute to both luminal potassium reabsorption and urinary acidification, roles fundamentally different from those of the principal cell in the cortical collecting duct; and 2) the OMCDis intercalated cell proton transporters are functionally similar to those in the principal cell, raising the possibility that an H+-K+-ATPase similar to the one present in the principal cell may contribute to intercalated cell proton secretion.

H-K-ATPase in the RCCT-28A rabbit cortical collecting duct cell line.

In the present study, we demonstrate that the rabbit cortical collecting duct cell line RCCT-28A possesses three distinct H-K-ATPase catalytic subunits (HKalpha). Intracellular measurements of RCCT-28A cells using the pH-sensitive dye 2', 7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) indicated that the mechanism accounting for recovery from an acid load exhibited both K+ dependence and sensitivity to Sch-28080 characteristic of H-K-ATPases. Recovery rates were 0.022 +/- 0.005 pH units/min in the presence of K+, 0.004 +/- 0.002 in the absence of K+, and 0.002 +/- 0.002 in the presence of Sch-28080. The mRNAs encoding the HKalpha1 subunit and the H-K-ATPase beta-subunit (HKbeta) were detected by RT-PCR. In addition, two HKalpha2 species were found by RT-PCR and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE) in the rabbit renal cortex. One was homologous to HKalpha2 cDNAs generated from other species, and the second was novel. The latter, referred to as HKalpha2c, encoded an apparent 61-residue amino-terminal extension that bore no homology to reported sequences. Antipeptide antibodies were designed on the basis of this extension, and these antibodies recognized a protein of the appropriate mass in both rabbit renal tissue samples and RCCT-28A cells. Such findings constitute very strong evidence for expression of the HKalpha2c subunit in vivo. The results suggest that the rabbit kidney and RCCT-28A cells express at least three distinct H-K-ATPases.

Intracellular pH regulation in the rabbit cortical collecting duct A-type intercalated cell.

The A cell may possess multiple H+ transporters, including H(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase (H(+)-ATPase) and H(+)-K(+)-ATPase. The current study examines the relative roles of proton transporters in the A cell by observing their contribution to both basal intracellular pH (pHi) regulation and pHi recovery from an intracellular acid load. CCD were studied using in vitro microperfusion, and pHi was measured in the individual A cell using the fluorescent, pH-sensitive dye, 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxy-fluorescein (BCECF). Inhibiting H(+)-ATPase with luminal bafilomycin A1 decreased basal pHi, whereas inhibiting apical H(+)-K(+)-ATPase with either luminal Sch-28080 or luminal potassium removal did not. The predominant mechanism of pHi, recovery from an intracellular acid load was peritubular sodium dependent and peritubular ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA) sensitive, identifying basolateral Na+/H+ exchange activity. In the absence of peritubular sodium, pHi recovery was inhibited by luminal bafilomycin A1 but not by luminal Sch-28080 addition or by luminal potassium removal. However, when Na+/H+ exchange was inhibited with EIPA, both bafilomycin A1 sensitive and potassium dependent, Sch-28080-sensitive components of pHi recovery were present. Quantitatively, the rate of H(+)-ATPase proton secretion was greater than the rate of H(+)-K(+)-ATPase proton secretion. We conclude that basolateral Na+/H+ exchange is the predominant mechanism of A cell pHi recovery from an intracellular acid load. An apical H(+)-ATPase is the primary apical transporter contributing to A cell pHi regulation. An apical H(+)-K(+)-ATPase, while present, plays a more limited role under the conditions tested.

H(+)-K(+)-ATPase in rabbit cortical collecting duct B-type intercalated cell.

The role of H(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase (H(+)-K(+)-ATPase) in the cortical collecting duct (CCD) B-type intercalated cell (B cell) is unclear. This study examined whether H(+)-K(+)-ATPase contributes to B cell intracellular pH (pHi) regulation and, if so, whether it is present at the apical or basolateral membrane. B cell Na(+)-independent pHi recovery from an acid load was only partially inhibited by peritubular N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Complete inhibition required combining peritubular NEM either with luminal Sch-28080 or with luminal K+ removal. In contrast, neither peritubular Sch-28080 nor peritubular K+ removal altered pHi regulation. Tomato lectin, which binds to the gastric H(+)-K(+)-ATPase beta-subunit, labeled the B cell apical membrane. We conclude that the rabbit CCD B cell possesses an apical H(+)-K(+)-ATPase that plays an important role in pHi recovery from an in vitro acid load.

Leprosy and glomerulonephritis: case report and review of the literature.

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) is a common form of glomerulonephritis and frequently is associated with chronic infections. Leprosy, one of the most common infections worldwide, was found in conjunction with MPGN, type I, in a patient. Serological abnormalities typical of MPGN, improvement in renal function with therapy of acute complications of leprosy, and long-term renal improvement with antileprosy therapy all occurred in this patient. Others have found that MPGN is found in 11% to 43% of leprosy patients undergoing renal biopsy. Serological abnormalities typical of MPGN frequently are found in patients with lepromatous leprosy. The associations of MPGN and leprosy, and the susceptibility of the glomerulonephritis to therapy, should be emphasized.