Aquaporin 2 mutations in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Water reabsorption in the renal collecting duct is regulated by the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin (AVP). When the vasopressin V2 receptor, present on the basolateral site of the renal principal cell, becomes activated by AVP, aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels will be inserted in the apical membrane, and in this fashion, water can be reabsorbed from the pro-urine into the interstitium. The essential role of the vasopressin V2 receptor and AQP2 in the maintenance of body water homeostasis became clear when it was shown that mutations in their genes cause nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, a disorder in which the kidney is unable to concentrate urine in response to AVP. This review describes the current knowledge on AQP2 mutations in nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

A novel mechanism in recessive nephrogenic diabetes insipidus: wild-type aquaporin-2 rescues the apical membrane expression of intracellularly retained AQP2-P262L.

Vasopressin regulates water homeostasis through insertion of homotetrameric aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels in the apical plasma membrane of renal cells. AQP2 mutations cause recessive and dominant nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a disease in which the kidney is unable to concentrate urine in response to vasopressin. Until now, all AQP2 mutants in recessive NDI were shown to be misfolded, retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and unable to interact with wild-type (wt)-AQP2, whereas AQP2 mutants in dominant NDI are properly folded and interact with wt-AQP2, but, due to the mutation, cause missorting of the wt-AQP2/mutant complex. Here, patients of two families with recessive NDI appeared compound heterozygotes for AQP2-A190T or AQP2-R187C mutants, together with AQP2-P262L. As mutations in the AQP2 C-tail, where P262 resides, usually cause dominant NDI, the underlying cell-biological mechanism was investigated. Upon expression in oocytes, AQP2-P262L was a properly folded and functional aquaporin in contrast to the classical mutants, AQP2-R187C and AQP2-A190T. Expressed in polarized cells, AQP2-P262L was retained in intracellular vesicles and did not localize to the ER. Upon co-expression, however, AQP2-P262L interacted with wt-AQP2, but not with AQP2-R187C, resulting in a rescued apical membrane expression of AQP2-P262L. In conclusion, our study reveals a novel cellular phenotype in recessive NDI in that AQP2-P262L acts as a mutant in dominant NDI, except for that its missorting is overruled by apical sorting of wt-AQP2. Also, it demonstrates for the first time that the recessive inheritance of a disease involving a channel can be due to two cell-biological mechanisms.

Reversed polarized delivery of an aquaporin-2 mutant causes dominant nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Vasopressin regulates body water conservation by redistributing aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels from intracellular vesicles to the apical surface of renal collecting ducts, resulting in water reabsorption from urine. Mutations in AQP2 cause autosomal nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a disease characterized by the inability to concentrate urine. Here, we report a frame-shift mutation in AQP2 causing dominant NDI. This AQP2 mutant is a functional water channel when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. However, expressed in polarized renal cells, it is misrouted to the basolateral instead of apical plasma membrane. Additionally, this mutant forms heterotetramers with wild-type AQP2 and redirects this complex to the basolateral surface. The frame shift induces a change in the COOH terminus of AQP2, creating both a leucine- and a tyrosine-based motif, which cause the reversed sorting of AQP2. Our data reveal a novel cellular phenotype in dominant NDI and show that dominance of basolateral sorting motifs in a mutant subunit can be the molecular basis for disease.

Thiazide-induced hypocalciuria is accompanied by a decreased expression of Ca2+ transport proteins in kidney.

INTRODUCTION: Thiazide diuretics have the unique characteristic of increasing renal Na+ excretion, while decreasing Ca2+ excretion. However, the molecular mechanism responsible for this thiazide-induced hypocalciuria remains unclear. The present study investigates the effect of thiazides on the expression of the proteins involved in active Ca2+ transport as well as the role of extracellular volume (ECV) status. METHODS: Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), 12 mg/24 hours, was administered during 7 days to Wistar rats by osmotic minipumps. In addition, ECV contraction was either prevented by Na+ repletion or induced by a low-salt diet. Expression levels of the proteins involved in active Ca2+ transport [i.e., epithelial Ca2+ channel (TRPV5/ECaC1), calbindin-D28K, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1)], as well as the thiazide-sensitive Na+ Cl- cotransporter (NCC) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and semiquantitative immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: HCTZ significantly reduced urinary Ca2+ excretion (22%+/- 5% relative to controls). Hematocrit was significantly increased, confirming ECV contraction. In addition, Na+ depletion virtually abolished Ca2+ excretion (8%+/- 1%), while Na+ repletion during HCTZ treatment prevented both ECV contraction and hypocalciuria. HCTZ significantly decreased mRNA expression of TRPV5 (71%+/- 6%), calbindin-D28K (53%+/- 6%), NCX1 (51%+/- 8%) and NCC (50%+/- 11%), regardless of ECV status or calciuresis. Immunohistochemistry revealed reduced TRPV5 (43%+/- 2%), calbindin-D28K (59%+/- 1%) and NCC (56%+/- 4%) abundance. Furthermore, during HCTZ treatment, the subset of tubules coexpressing NCC and calbindin-D28K was significantly reduced (43%+/- 5%) and a disturbed cellular localization of NCC was observed. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that ECV contraction is a critical determinant of the thiazide-induced hypocalciuria, which is accompanied by a decreased expression of Ca2+ transport proteins.

Modulation of renal Ca2+ transport protein genes by dietary Ca2+ and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1alpha-hydroxylase knockout mice.

Pseudovitamin D-deficiency rickets (PDDR) is an autosomal disease characterized by hyperparathyroidism, rickets, and undetectable levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitaminD3 (1,25(OH)2D3). Mice in which the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1alpha-hydroxylase (1alpha-OHase) gene was inactivated presented the same clinical phenotype as patients with PDDR and were used to study renal expression of the epithelial Ca2+ channel (ECaC1), the calbindins, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1), and Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA1b). Serum Ca2+ (1.20+/-0.05 mM) and mRNA/protein expression of ECaC1 (41+/-3%), calbindin-D28K (31+/-2%), calbindin-D9K (58+/-7%), NCX1 (10+/-2%), PMCA1b (96+/-4%) were decreased in 1alpha-OHase-/- mice compared with 1alpha-OHase+/- littermates. Feeding these mice a Ca2+-enriched diet normalized serum Ca2+ levels and expression of Ca2+ proteins except for calbindin-D9K expression. 1,25(OH)2D3 repletion resulted in increased expression of Ca2+ transport proteins and normalization of serum Ca2+ levels. Localization of Ca2+ transport proteins was clearly polarized in which ECaC1 was localized along the apical membrane, calbindin-D28K in the cytoplasm, and calbindin-D9K along the apical and basolateral membranes, resulting in a comprehensive mechanism facilitating renal transcellular Ca2+ transport. This study demonstrated that high dietary Ca2+ intake is an important regulator of the renal Ca2+ transport proteins in 1,25(OH)2D3-deficient status and thus contributes to the normalization of blood Ca2+ levels.

Cell-biologic and functional analyses of five new Aquaporin-2 missense mutations that cause recessive nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Mutations in the Aquaporin-2 gene, which encodes a renal water channel, have been shown to cause autosomal nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a disease in which the kidney is unable to concentrate urine in response to vasopressin. Most AQP2 missense mutants in recessive NDI are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but AQP2-T125M and AQP2-G175R were reported to be nonfunctional channels unimpaired in their routing to the plasma membrane. In five families, seven novel AQP2 gene mutations were identified and their cell-biologic basis for causing recessive NDI was analyzed. The patients in four families were homozygous for mutations, encoding AQP2-L28P, AQP2-A47V, AQP2-V71M, or AQP2-P185A. Expression in oocytes revealed that all these mutants, and also AQP2-T125M and AQP2-G175R, conferred a reduced water permeability compared with wt-AQP2, which was due to ER retardation. The patient in the fifth family had a G>A nucleotide substitution in the splice donor site of one allele that results in an out-of-frame protein. The other allele has a nucleotide deletion (c652delC) and a missense mutation (V194I). The routing and function of AQP2-V194I in oocytes was not different from wt-AQP2; it was therefore concluded that c652delC, which leads to an out-of-frame protein, is the NDI-causing mutation of the second allele. This study indicates that misfolding and ER retention is the main, and possibly only, cell-biologic basis for recessive NDI caused by missense AQP2 proteins. In addition, the reduced single channel water permeability of AQP2-A47V (40%) and AQP2-T125M (25%) might become of therapeutic value when chemical chaperones can be found that restore their routing to the plasma membrane.

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)-independent stimulatory effect of estrogen on the expression of ECaC1 in the kidney.

Estrogen deficiency results in a negative Ca(2+) balance and bone loss in postmenopausal women. In addition to bone, the intestine and kidney are potential sites for estrogen action and are involved in Ca(2+) handling and regulation. The epithelial Ca(2+) channel ECaC1 (or TRPV5) is the entry channel involved in active Ca(2+) transport. Ca(2+) entry is followed by cytosolic diffusion, facilitated by calbindin-D(28K) and/or calbindin-D(9k), and active extrusion across the basolateral membrane by the Na(+)/Ca(2+)-exchanger (NCX1) and plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA1b). In this transcellular Ca(2+) transport, ECaC1 probably represents the final regulatory target for hormonal control. The aim of this study was to determine whether 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E(2)) is involved in Ca(2+) reabsorption via regulation of the expression of ECaC1. The ovariectomized rat model was used to investigate the regulation of ECaC1, at the mRNA and protein levels, by 17beta-E(2) replacement therapy. Using real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analyses, this study demonstrated that 17beta-E(2) treatment at pharmacologic doses increased renal mRNA levels of ECaC1, calbindin-D(28K), NCX1, and PMCA1b and increased the protein abundance of ECaC1. Furthermore, the involvement of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) in the effects of 17beta-E(2) was examined in 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3)-1alpha-hydroxylase-knockout mice. Renal mRNA expression of calbindin-D(9K), calbindin-D(28K), NCX1, and PMCA1b was not significantly altered after 17beta-E(2) treatment. In contrast, ECaC1 mRNA and protein levels were both significantly upregulated. Moreover, 17beta-E(2) treatment partially restored serum Ca(2+) levels, from 1.63 +/- 0.06 to 2.03 +/- 0.12 mM. In conclusion, this study suggests that 17beta-E(2) is positively involved in renal Ca(2+) reabsorption via the upregulation of ECaC1, an effect independent of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3).

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is intracellularly located as a tetramer.

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) plays an important role in Na(+) homeostasis by determining the Na(+) transport rate in so-called end-organs such as the renal collecting duct, distal colon, salivary and sweat gland ducts. ENaC is formed by heteromultimerization of three homologous subunits, termed alpha, beta, and gamma ENaC. The number of subunits and stoichiometry remain a matter of debate. In this study, sucrose gradient analysis of Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing rENaC revealed that ENaC forms heterotetramers, when the membrane fraction was solubilized in 0.1% (wt/vol) Na-deoxycholate. However, solubilization of the membrane proteins in higher concentrations of detergents dissociated the ENaC subunits of the tetramers in dimers. Co-immunoprecipitation studies with FLAG-tagged ENaC subunits suggest that during dissociation of ENaC tetramers the composition of dimers is completely random. Glycosidase digestion studies show that the ENaC subunits are retarded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and pre-Golgi, whereas only a small fraction is inserted into the plasma membrane. Immunocytochemical analysis confirmed that ENaC is primarily located intracellularly. In addition, these findings are not restricted to the oocyte expression system, since identical results were found in rabbit connecting tubule and cortical collecting duct cells in primary culture and in rabbit colon.

Heteroligomerization of an Aquaporin-2 mutant with wild-type Aquaporin-2 and their misrouting to late endosomes/lysosomes explains dominant nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

Autosomal nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a disease in which the kidney is unable to concentrate urine in response to vasopressin, is caused by mutations in the Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) gene. Analysis of a new family with dominant NDI revealed a single nucleotide deletion (727deltaG) in one AQP2 allele, which encoded an AQP2 mutant with an altered and extended C-terminal tail. When expressed in oocytes, the tetrameric AQP2-727deltaG was retained within the cell. When co-expressed, AQP2-727deltaG, but not a mutant in recessive NDI (AQP2-R187C), formed hetero-oligomers with wild-type (wt) AQP2 and reduced the water permeability of these oocytes, because of a reduced plasma membrane expression of wt-AQP2. Expressed in renal epithelial cells, AQP2-727deltaG predominantly localized to the basolateral membrane and late endosomes/lysosomes, whereas wt-AQP2 was expressed in the apical membrane. Upon co-expressing in these cells, wt-AQP2 and AQP2-727deltaG mainly co-localized to late endosomes/lysosomes. In conclusion, hetero-oligomerization of AQP2-727deltaG with wt-AQP2 and consequent mistargeting of this complex to late endosomes/lysosomes results in absence of AQP2 in the apical membrane, which can explain dominant NDI in this family. Together with other mutants in dominant NDI, our data reveal that a misrouting, instead of a lack of function, is a general mechanism for the 'loss of function' phenotype in dominant NDI and visualizes for the first time a mislocalization of a wild-type protein to late endosomes/lysosomes in polarized cells after oligomerization with a mutant protein.