High salt intake down-regulates colonic mineralocorticoid receptors, epithelial sodium channels and 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2.

Besides the kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract is the principal organ responsible for sodium homeostasis. For sodium transport across the cell membranes the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is of pivotal relevance. The ENaC is mainly regulated by mineralocorticoid receptor mediated actions. The MR activation by endogenous 11ß-hydroxy-glucocorticoids is modulated by the 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11ß-HSD2). Here we present evidence for intestinal segment specific 11ß-HSD2 expression and hypothesize that a high salt intake and/or uninephrectomy (UNX) affects colonic 11ß-HSD2, MR and ENaC expression. The 11ß-HSD2 activity was measured by means of 3H-corticosterone conversion into 3H-11-dehydrocorticosterone in Sprague Dawley rats on a normal and high salt diet. The activity increased steadily from the ileum to the distal colon by a factor of about 3, an observation in line with the relevance of the distal colon for sodium handling. High salt intake diminished mRNA and protein of 11ß-HSD2 by about 50% (p<0.001) and reduced the expression of the MR (p<0.01). The functionally relevant ENaC-ß and ENaC-γ expression, a measure of mineralocorticoid action, diminished by more than 50% by high salt intake (p<0.001). The observed changes were present in rats with and without UNX. Thus, colonic epithelial cells appear to contribute to the protective armamentarium of the mammalian body against salt overload, a mechanism not modulated by UNX.