The role of the rectum in osmoregulation and the potential effect of renoguanylin on SLC26a6 transport activity in the Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta)

Metabolic cost of osmoregulation by the gastro-intestinal tract in marine teleost fish

Introduction: Although dozens of studies have attempted to determine the metabolic cost of osmoregulation, mainly by comparing standard metabolic rates (SMR) in fish acclimated to different salinities, consensus is still lacking. Methods: In the present study, using the Gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta, we aimed to determine the metabolic cost of esophageal and intestinal osmoregulatory processes by estimating ATP consumption from known ion transport rates and pathways and comparing these estimates with measurements on isolated tissues. Further, we performed whole animal respirometry on fish acclimated to 9, 34 and 60 ppt. Results and Discussion: Our theoretical estimates of esophageal and intestinal osmoregulatory costs were in close agreement with direct measurements on isolated tissues and suggest that osmoregulation by these tissues amounts to ∼2.5% of SMR. This value agrees well with an earlier attempt to estimate osmoregulation cost from ion transport rates and combined with published measurements of gill osmoregulatory costs suggests that whole animal costs of osmoregulation in marine teleosts is ∼7.5% of SMR. As in many previous studies, our whole animal measurements were variable between fish and did not seem suited to determine osmoregulatory costs. While the esophagus showed constant metabolic rate regardless of acclimation salinity, the intestine of fish acclimated to higher salinities showed elevated metabolic rates. The esophagus and the intestine had 2.1 and 3.2-fold higher metabolic rates than corresponding whole animal mass specific rates, respectively. The intestinal tissue displays at least four different Cl- uptake pathways of which the Na+:Cl-:2 K+ (NKCC) pathway accounts for 95% of the Cl- uptake and is the most energy efficient. The remaining pathways are via apical anion exchange and seem to primarily serve luminal alkalinization and the formation of intestinal CaCO3 which is essential for water absorption.

Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells-5 Regulates Notochord Lumenogenesis in Chordate Larval Development

Osmoregulation is essential for organisms to adapt to the exterior environment and plays an important role in embryonic organogenesis. Tubular organ formation usually involves a hyperosmotic lumen environment. The mechanisms of how the cells respond and regulate lumen formation remain largely unknown. Here, we reported that the nuclear factor of activated T cells-5 (NFAT5), the only transcription factor in the NFAT family involved in the cellular responses to hypertonic stress, regulated notochord lumen formation in chordate Ciona. Ciona NFAT5 (Ci-NFAT5) was expressed in notochord, and its expression level increased during notochord lumen formation and expansion. Knockout and expression of the dominant negative of NFAT5 in Ciona embryos resulted in the failure of notochord lumen expansion. We further demonstrated that the Ci-NFAT5 transferred from the cytoplasm into nuclei in HeLa cells under the hyperosmotic medium, indicating Ci-NFAT5 can respond the hypertonicity. To reveal the underly mechanisms, we predicted potential downstream genes of Ci-NFAT5 and further validated Ci-NFAT5-interacted genes by the luciferase assay. The results showed that Ci-NFAT5 promoted SLC26A6 expression. Furthermore, expression of a transport inactivity mutant of SLC26A6 (L421P) in notochord led to the failure of lumen expansion, phenocopying that of Ci-NFAT5 knockout. These results suggest that Ci-NFAT5 regulates notochord lumen expansion via the SLC26A6 axis. Taken together, our results reveal that the chordate NFAT5 responds to hypertonic stress and regulates lumen osmotic pressure via an ion channel pathway on luminal organ formation.

Na+/HCO3- cotransporter 1 (nbce1) isoform gene expression during smoltification and seawater acclimation of Atlantic salmon

The life history of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) includes an initial freshwater phase (parr) that precedes a springtime migration to marine environments as smolts. The development of osmoregulatory systems that will ultimately support the survival of juveniles upon entry into marine habitats is a key aspect of smoltification. While the acquisition of seawater tolerance in all euryhaline species demands the concerted activity of specific ion pumps, transporters, and channels, the contributions of Na⁺/HCO₃^- cotransporter 1 (Nbce1) to salinity acclimation remain unresolved. Here, we investigated the branchial and intestinal expression of three Na⁺/HCO₃^- cotransporter 1 isoforms, denoted nbce1.1, -1.2a, and -1.2b. Given the proposed role of Nbce1 in supporting the absorption of environmental Na⁺ by ionocytes, we first hypothesized that expression of a branchial nbce1 transcript (nbce1.2a) would be attenuated in salmon undergoing smoltification and following seawater exposure. In two separate years, we observed spring increases in branchial Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity, Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl^- cotransporter 1, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator 1 expression characteristic of smoltification, whereas there were no attendant changes in nbce1.2a expression. Nonetheless, branchial nbce1.2a levels were reduced in parr and smolts within 2 days of seawater exposure. In the intestine, gene transcript abundance for nbce1.1 increased from spring to summer in the anterior intestine, but not in the posterior intestine or pyloric caeca, and nbce1.1 and -1.2b expression in the intestine showed season-dependent transcriptional regulation by seawater exposure. Collectively, our data indicate that tissue-specific modulation of all three nbce1 isoforms underlies adaptive responses to seawater.

Expression and Function of ABC Proteins in Fish Intestine

In fish, the intestine is fundamental for digestion, nutrient absorption, and other functions like osmoregulation, acid-base balance, and excretion of some metabolic products. These functions require a large exchange surface area, which, in turn, favors the absorption of natural and anthropogenic foreign substances (xenobiotics) either dissolved in water or contained in the food. According to their chemical nature, nutrients, ions, and water may cross the intestine epithelium cells' apical and basolateral membranes by passive diffusion or through a wide array of transport proteins and also through endocytosis and exocytosis. In the same way, xenobiotics can cross this barrier by passive diffusion or taking advantage of proteins that transport physiological substrates. The entry of toxic substances is counterbalanced by an active efflux transport mediated by diverse membrane proteins, including the ATP binding cassette (ABC) proteins. Recent advances in structure, molecular properties, and functional studies have shed light on the importance of these proteins in cellular and organismal homeostasis. There is abundant literature on mammalian ABC proteins, while the studies on ABC functions in fish have mainly focused on the liver and, to a minor degree, on the kidney and other organs. Despite their critical importance in normal physiology and as a barrier to prevent xenobiotics incorporation, fish intestine's ABC transporters have received much less attention. All the ABC subfamilies are present in the fish intestine, although their functionality is still scarcely studied. For example, there are few studies of ABC-mediated transport made with polarized intestinal preparations. Thus, only a few works discriminate apical from basolateral transport activity. We briefly describe the main functions of each ABC subfamily reported for mammals and other fish organs to help understand their roles in the fish intestine. Our study considers immunohistochemical, histological, biochemical, molecular, physiological, and toxicological aspects of fish intestinal ABC proteins. We focus on the most extensively studied fish ABC proteins (subfamilies ABCB, ABCC, and ABCG), considering their apical or basolateral location and distribution along the intestine. We also discuss the implication of fish intestinal ABC proteins in the transport of physiological substrates and aquatic pollutants, such as pesticides, cyanotoxins, metals, hydrocarbons, and pharmaceutical products.

Dietary Marginal and Excess Selenium Increased Triglycerides Deposition, Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Differentially Influenced Selenoproteins Expression in the Anterior and Middle Intestines of Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco

Selenium (Se) is an essential micro-mineral and plays important roles in antioxidant responses, and also influences lipid metabolism and selenoprotein expression in vertebrates, but the effects and mechanism remain unknown. The study was undertaken to decipher the insights into dietary Se influencing lipid metabolism and selenoprotein expression in the anterior and middle intestine (AI and MI) of yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco. Yellow catfish (weight: 8.27 ± 0.03 g) were fed a 0.03- (M-Se), 0.25- (A-Se), or 6.39- (E-Se) mg Se/kg diet for 12 wk. AI and MI were analyzed for triglycerides (TGs) and Se concentrations, histochemistry and immunofluorescence, enzyme activities, and gene and protein levelsassociated with antioxidant responses, lipid metabolism, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and selenoproteome. Compared to the A-Se group, M-Se and E-Se diets significantly decreased weight gain (WG) and increased TGs concentration in the AI and MI. In the AI, compared with A-Se group, M-Se and E-Se diets significantly increased activities of fatty acid synthase, expression of lipogenic genes, and suppressed lipolysis. In the MI, compared to the A-Se group, M-Se and E-Se diets significantly increased activities of lipogenesis and expression of lipogenic genes. Compared with A-Se group, E-Se diet significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities in the AI and MI, and M-Se diet did not significantly reduce GPX activities in the AI and MI. Compared with the A- Se group, E-Se diet significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities in the plasma and liver, and M-Se diet significantly reduced GPX activities in the plasma and liver. Compared with the A-Se group, M-Se and E-Se groups also increased glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78, ER stress marker) protein expression of the intestine. Dietary Se supplementation also differentially influenced the expression of the 28 selenoproteins in the AI and MI, many of which possessed antioxidant characteristics. Compared with the A-Se group, the M-Se group significantly decreased mRNA levels of txnrd2 and txnrd3, but made no difference on mRNA levels of these seven GPX proteins in the MI. Moreover, we characterized sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) binding sites of three ER-resident proteins (selenom, selenon, and selenos) promoters, and found that Se positively controlled selenom, selenon, and selenos expression via SREBP1c binding to the selenom, selenon, and selenos promoter. Thus, dietary marginal and excess Se increased TGs deposition of yellow catfish P. fulvidraco, which might be mediated by ER-resident selenoproteins expression and ER stress.

Emerging roles of calcium-sensing receptor in the local regulation of intestinal transport of ions and calcium

Whether the intestinal mucosal cells are capable of sensing calcium concentration in the lumen and pericellular interstitium remains enigmatic for decades. Most calcium-regulating organs, such as parathyroid gland, kidney, and bone, are capable of using calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) to detect plasma calcium and trigger appropriate feedback responses to maintain calcium homeostasis. Although both CaSR transcripts and proteins are abundantly expressed in the crypt and villous enterocytes of the small intestine as well as the surface epithelial cells of the large intestine, the studies of CaSR functions have been limited to amino acid sensing and regulation of epithelial fluid secretion. Interestingly, several lines of recent evidence have indicated that the enterocytes use CaSR to monitor luminal and extracellular calcium levels, thereby reducing the activity of transient receptor potential channel, subfamily V, member 6, and inducing paracrine and endocrine feedback responses to restrict calcium absorption. Recent investigations in zebra fish and rodents have also suggested the role of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 as an endocrine and/or paracrine factor participating in the negative control of intestinal calcium transport. In this review article, besides the CaSR-modulated ion transport, we elaborate the possible roles of CaSR and FGF-23 as well as their crosstalk as parts of a negative feedback loop for counterbalancing the seemingly unopposed calciotropic effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ on the intestinal calcium absorption.

Osmoregulatory actions of prolactin in the gastrointestinal tract of fishes

In fishes, prolactin (Prl) signaling underlies the homeostatic regulation of hydromineral balance by controlling essential solute and water transporting functions performed by the gill, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, urinary bladder, and integument. Comparative studies spanning over 60 years have firmly established that Prl promotes physiological activities that enable euryhaline and stenohaline teleosts to reside in freshwater environments; nonetheless, the specific molecular and cellular targets of Prl in ion- and water-transporting tissues are still being resolved. In this short review, we discuss how particular targets of Prl (e.g., ion cotransporters, tight-junction proteins, and ion pumps) confer adaptive functions to the esophagus and intestine. Additionally, in some instances, Prl promotes histological and functional transformations within esophageal and intestinal epithelia by regulating cell proliferation. Collectively, the demonstrated actions of Prl in the gastrointestinal tract of teleosts indicate that Prl operates to promote phenotypes supportive of freshwater acclimation and to inhibit phenotypes associated with seawater acclimation. We conclude our review by underscoring that future investigations are warranted to determine how growth hormone/Prl-family signaling evolved in basal fishes to support the gastrointestinal processes underlying hydromineral balance.

Increased intestinal carbonate precipitate abundance in the sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) in response to ocean acidification

Marine fish contribute to the carbon cycle by producing mineralized intestinal precipitates generated as by-products of their osmoregulation. Here we aimed at characterizing the control of epithelial bicarbonate secretion and intestinal precipitate presence in the gilthead sea bream in response to predicted near future increases of environmental CO₂. Our results demonstrate that hypercapnia (950 and 1800 μatm CO₂) elicits higher intestine epithelial HCO₃^- secretion ex vivo and a subsequent parallel increase of intestinal precipitate presence in vivo when compared to present values (440 μatm CO₂). Intestinal gene expression analysis in response to environmental hypercapnia revealed the up-regulation of transporters involved in the intestinal bicarbonate secretion cascade such as the basolateral sodium bicarbonate co-transporter slc4a4, and the apical anion transporters slc26a3 and slc26a6 of sea bream. In addition, other genes involved in intestinal ion uptake linked to water absorption such as the apical nkcc2 and aquaporin 1b expression, indicating that hypercapnia influences different levels of intestinal physiology. Taken together the current results are consistent with an intestinal physiological response leading to higher bicarbonate secretion in the intestine of the sea bream paralleled by increased luminal carbonate precipitate abundance and the main related transporters in response to ocean acidification.

Molecular and functional regionalization of bicarbonate secretion cascade in the intestine of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

In marine fish the intestinal HCO₃^- secretion is the key mechanism to enable luminal aggregate formation and water absorption. Using the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), the present study aimed at establishing the functional and molecular organization of different sections of the intestine concerning bicarbonate secretion and Cl^- movements. The proximal intestinal regions presented similar HCO₃^- secretion rates, while differences were detected in the molecular expression of the transporters involved and on regional HCO₃^- concentrations. The anterior region presented significantly higher Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity, Cl^- transepithelial transport and basolateral slc4a4, apical slc26a6 and slc26a3 expression levels. In the mid intestine, the total HCO₃^- content was significantly increased in the fluid as in the carbonate aggregates. In the rectum no HCO₃^- secretion was observed and was characterized by the diminished HCO₃^- total content, residual molecular expression of slc4a4, slc26a6 and slc26a3, higher H⁺-ATPase activity and expression, suggesting the existence of a different bicarbonate handling mechanism. The possible regulation of HCO₃^- secretion by extracellular HCO₃^- and increased intracellular cAMP levels were also investigated. cAMP did not affect HCO₃^- secretion, although Cl^- secretion was enhanced by cftr. HCO₃^- secretion rise due to the HCO₃^- basolateral increment showed that at resting levels slc4a4 was not a limiting step for secretion. The transcellular/intracellular dependence of apical HCO₃^- secretion differed between the proximal regions. In conclusion, intestinal HCO₃^- secretion has a functional region-dependent organization that was not reflected by the anterior-posterior regionalization on HCO₃^- secretion and expression profiles of chloride/water absorption related genes.

Renoguanylin stimulates apical CFTR translocation and decreases HCO3- secretion through PKA activity in the Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta)

The guanylin peptides - guanylin, uroguanylin and renoguanylin (RGN) - are endogenously produced hormones in teleost fish enterocytes that are activators of guanylyl cyclase-C (GC-C) and are potent modulators of intestinal physiology, particularly in seawater teleosts. Most notably, they reverse normal net ion-absorbing mechanisms that are vital to water absorption, an important process for seawater teleost survival. The role of guanylin-peptide stimulation of the intestine remains unclear, but it is hypothesized to facilitate the removal of solids from the intestine by providing fluid to enable their removal by peristalsis. The present study used one member of this group of peptides - RGN - to provide evidence for the prominent role that protein kinase A (PKA) plays in mediating the effects of guanylin-peptide stimulation in the posterior intestine of the Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta). Protein kinase G was found to not mediate the intracellular effects of RGN, despite previous evidence showing that GC-C activation leads to higher cyclic guanosine monophosphate formation. RGN reversed the absorptive short-circuit current and increased conductance in the Gulf toadfish intestine. These effects are correlated to increased trafficking of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl^- channel to the apical membrane, which is negated by PKA inhibition. Moreover, RGN decreased HCO₃^- secretion, likely by limiting apical HCO₃^-/Cl^- exchange (possibly by reducing SLC26a6 activity), a reduction that was enhanced by PKA inhibition. RGN seems to alter PKA activity in the posterior intestine to recruit CFTR to the apical membrane and reduce HCO₃^- secretion.

Dietary zinc addition influenced zinc and lipid deposition in the fore- and mid-intestine of juvenile yellow catfishPelteobagrus fulvidraco

The present study explored the mechanisms of dietary Zn influencing Zn and lipid deposition in the fore- and mid- intestine in yellow catfishPelteobagrus fulvidraco, and investigated whether the mechanism was intestinal-region dependent. For this purpose, yellow catfish were fed three diets containing Zn levels of 8·83, 19·20 and 146·65 mg Zn/kg, respectively. Growth performance, intestinal TAG and Zn contents as well as activities and mRNA expression of enzymes and genes involved in Zn transport and lipid metabolism in the fore- and mid-intestine were analysed. Dietary Zn increased Zn accumulation as well as activities of Cu-, Zn-superoxide dismutase and ATPase in the fore- and mid-intestine. In the fore-intestine, dietary Zn up-regulated mRNA levels of ZnT1, ZnT5, ZnT7, metallothionein (MT) and metal response element-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1), but down-regulated mRNA levels of ZIP4 and ZIP5. In the mid-intestine, dietary Zn up-regulated mRNA levels of ZnT1, ZnT5, ZnT7, MT and MTF-1, but down-regulated mRNA levels of ZIP4 and ZIP5. Dietary Zn reduced TAG content, down-regulated activities of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), malic enzyme (ME) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) activities, and reduced mRNA levels of 6PGD, G6PD, FAS, PPARγand sterol-regulator element-binding protein (SREBP-1), but up-regulated mRNA levels of carnitine palmitoyltransferase IA, hormone-sensitive lipase (HSLa), adipose TAG lipase (ATGL) and PPARαin the fore-intestine. In the mid-intestine, dietary Zn reduced TAG content, activities of G6PD, ME, isocitrate dehydrogenase and FAS, down-regulated mRNA levels of 6PGD, G6PD, FAS, acetyl-CoA carboxylase a, PPARγand SREBP-1, but up-regulated mRNA expression of HSLa, ATGL and PPARγ. The reduction in TAG content following Zn addition was attributable to reduced lipogenesis and increased lipolysis, and similar regulatory mechanisms were observed between the fore- and mid-intestine.