The Epithelial Sodium Channel alpha subunit (alpha ENaC) alternatively spliced form "b" in Dahl rats: What's next?

Hypoxia Aggravates Inhibition of Alveolar Epithelial Na-Transport by Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulation of Alveolar Macrophages

Inflammation and hypoxia impair alveolar barrier tightness, inhibit Na- and fluid reabsorption, and cause edema. We tested whether stimulated alveolar macrophages affect alveolar Na-transport and whether hypoxia aggravates the effects of inflammation, and tested for involved signaling pathways. Primary rat alveolar type II cells (rA2) were co-cultured with rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383) or treated with NR8383-conditioned media after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 µg/mL) and exposed to normoxia and hypoxia (1.5% O2). LPS caused a fast, transient increase in TNFα and IL-6 mRNA in macrophages and a sustained increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) mRNA in macrophages and in rA2 cells resulting in elevated nitrite levels and secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 into culture media. In normoxia, 24 h of LPS treated NR8383 decreased the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of co-cultures, of amiloride-sensitive short circuit current (ISCΔamil); whereas Na/K-ATPase activity was not affected. Inhibition was also seen with conditioned media from LPS-stimulated NR8383 on rA2, but was less pronounced after dialysis to remove small molecules and nitrite. The effect of LPS-stimulated macrophages on TEER and Na-transport was fully prevented by the iNOS-inhibitor L-NMMA applied to co-cultures and to rA2 mono-cultures. Hypoxia in combination with LPS-stimulated NR8383 totally abolished TEER and ISCΔamil. These results indicate that the LPS-stimulation of alveolar macrophages impairs alveolar epithelial Na-transport by NO-dependent mechanisms, where part of the NO is produced by rA2 induced by signals from LPS stimulated alveolar macrophages.

Timeline of Changes in Biomarkers Associated with Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Polyuria

Deficits in upper and lower urinary tract function, which include detrusor overactivity, urinary incontinence, detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, and polyuria, are among the leading issues that arise after spinal cord injury (SCI) affecting quality of life. Given that overproduction of urine (polyuria) has been shown to be associated with an imbalance in key regulators of body fluid homeostasis, the current study examined the timing of changes in levels of various relevant hormones, peptides, receptors, and channels post-contusion injury in adult male Wistar rats. The results show significant up- or downregulation at various time points, beginning at 7 days post-injury, in levels of urinary atrial natriuretic peptide, serum arginine vasopressin (AVP), kidney natriuretic peptide receptor-A, kidney vasopressin-2 receptor, kidney aquaporin-2 channels, and kidney epithelial sodium channels (β- and γ-, but not α-, subunits). The number of AVP-labeled neurons in the hypothalamus (supraoptic and -chiasmatic, but not paraventricular, nuclei) was also significantly altered at one or more time points. These data show significant fluctuations in key biomarkers involved in body fluid homeostasis during the post-SCI secondary injury phase, suggesting that therapeutic interventions (e.g., desmopressin, a synthetic analogue of AVP) should be considered early post-SCI.

(Pro)Renin receptor mediates obesity-induced antinatriuresis and elevated blood pressure via upregulation of the renal epithelial sodium channel

Recent studies have demonstrated that the renal (pro)renin receptor (PRR) regulates expression of the alpha subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (α-ENaC). In this study we hypothesized that the renal PRR mediates high fat diet (HFD)-induced sodium retention and elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) by enhancing expression of the epithelial sodium channel (α-ENaC). In our study we used a recently developed inducible nephron specific PRR knockout mouse. Mice (n = 6 each group) were allocated to receive regular diet (RD, 12 kcal% fat) or a high-fat diet (HFD, 45 kcal% fat) for 10 weeks. Body weight (BW), SBP, urine volume (UV) and urine sodium (U_NaV), as well as renal interstitial Angiotensin II (Ang II), and renal medullary expression of PRR, p-SGK-1, α-ENaC were monitored in RD and HFD mice with or without PRR knockout. At baseline, there were no significant differences in BW, BP, UV or U_NaV between different animal groups. At the end of the study, HFD mice had significant increases in SBP, BW, and significant reductions in UV and U_NaV. Compared to RD, HFD significantly increased mRNA and protein expression of PRR, α-ENaC, p-SGK-1, and Ang II. Compared to HFD alone, PRR knockout mice on HFD had reduced mRNA and protein expression of PRR, p-SGK-1, and α-ENaC, as well as increased UV, U_NaV and significantly reduced SBP. RIF Ang II was significantly increased by HFD and did not change in response to PRR knockout. We conclude that obesity induced sodium retention and elevated SBP are mediated by the PRR-SGK-1- α-ENaC pathway independent of Ang II.

(Pro)renin receptor contributes to regulation of renal epithelial sodium channel

BACKGROUND

Recent studies reported increased (Pro)renin receptor (PRR) expression during low-salt intake. We hypothesized that PRR plays a role in regulation of renal epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) through serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase isoform 1 (SGK-1)-neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 4-2 (Nedd4-2) signaling pathway.

METHOD

Male Sprague-Dawley rats on normal-sodium diet and mouse renal inner medullary collecting duct cells treated with NaCl at 130  mmol/l (normal salt), or 63  mmol/l (low salt) were studied. PRR and α-ENaC expressions were evaluated 1 week after right uninephrectomy and left renal interstitial administration of 5% dextrose, scramble shRNA, or PRR shRNA (n = 6 each treatment).

RESULTS

In-vivo PRR shRNA significantly reduced expressions of PRR throughout the kidney and α-ENaC subunits in the renal medulla. In inner medullary collecting duct cells, low salt or angiotensin II (Ang II) augmented the mRNA and protein expressions of PRR (P < 0.05), SGK-1 (P < 0.05), and α-ENaC (P < 0.05). Low salt or Ang II increased the phosphorylation of Nedd4-2. In cells treated with low salt or Ang II, PRR siRNA significantly downregulated the mRNA and protein expressions of PRR (P < 0.05), SGK-1 (P < 0.05), and α-ENaC expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that PRR contributes to the regulation of α-ENaC via SGK-1-Nedd4-2 signaling pathway.

Connecting tubule glomerular feedback in hypertension

In Dahl salt-sensitive rats (Dahl SS), glomerular capillary pressure increases in response to high salt intake and this is accompanied by significant glomerular injury compared with spontaneously hypertensive rats with similar blood pressure. Glomerular capillary pressure is controlled mainly by afferent arteriolar resistance, which is regulated by the vasoconstrictor tubule glomerular feedback (TGF) and the vasodilator connecting TGF (CTGF). We hypothesized that Dahl SS have a decreased TGF response and enhanced TGF resetting compared with spontaneously hypertensive rats, and that these differences are attributable in part to an increase in CTGF. In vivo, using micropuncture we measured stop-flow pressure (a surrogate of glomerular capillary pressure). TGF was calculated as the maximal decrease in stop-flow pressure caused by increasing nephron perfusion, TGF resetting as the attenuation in TGF induced by high salt diet, and CTGF as the difference in TGF response before and during CTGF inhibition with benzamil. Compared with spontaneously hypertensive rats, Dahl SS had (1) lower TGF responses in normal (6.6±0.1 versus 11.0±0.2 mm Hg; P<0.001) and high-salt diets (3.3±0.1 versus 10.1±0.3 mm Hg; P<0.001), (2) greater TGF resetting (3.3±0.1 versus 1.0±0.3 mm Hg; P<0.001), and (3) greater CTGF (3.4±0.4 versus 1.2±0.1 mm Hg; P<0.001). We conclude that Dahl SS have lower TGF and greater CTGF than spontaneously hypertensive rats, and that CTGF antagonizes TGF. Furthermore, CTGF is enhanced by a high-salt diet and contributes significantly to TGF resetting. Our findings may explain in part the increase in vasodilatation, glomerular capillary pressure, and glomerular damage in SS hypertension during high salt intake.

Insulin up-regulates epithelial sodium channel in LPS-induced acute lung injury model in rats by SGK1 activation

Activity of the epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs) in the lung tissue plays a critical role on sodium/fluid homeostasis and the lung fluid clearance. The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-1 (SGK1), one of the critical regulation proteins of ENaC, is activated by insulin and growth factors possibly through 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase PDK1 or/and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). However, it is uncertain whether insulin shows its stimulatory action on ENaC by activation of SGK1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) condition. In our study, Wistar rats were injected with LPS to induce ALI. Evans blue dye albumin (EBA) concentration was used to measure pulmonary oedema. For detecting the ratio of phospho-SGK1/SGK1 and α-ENaC protein, Western blot was performed. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to assess α-ENaC messenger RNA (mRNA). Immunohistochemistry was used to locate and quantitate α-ENaC expression. The EBA concentration was markedly increased by LPS alone but significantly reduced in rats that also received insulin injection. The ratio of phospho-SGK1/SGK1 was raised significantly in the insulin group and insulin+LPS group, compared with the control group and the LPS group, respectively. Furthermore, α-ENaC was up-regulated by insulin treatment. Simultaneously, injection with LPS significantly reduced α-ENaC expression. These findings demonstrated that insulin up-regulates ENaC in vivo possibly resulting from activation of SGK1.

Article Commentary: The Alternatively Spliced Form “b” of the Epithelial Sodium Channel α subunit (α ENaC): Any Prior Evidence of its Existence?

The epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is critical in maintaining sodium balance across aldosterone-responsive epithelia. ENaC is a combined channel formed of three subunits (αβγ) with α ENaC subunit being the most critical for channel functionality. In a previous report, we have demonstrated the existence and mRNA expression levels of four alternatively spliced forms of the α ENaC subunit denoted by -a, -b, -c and -d in kidney cortex of Dahl S and R rats. Of the four alternatively spliced forms presently identified, α ENaC-b is considered the most interesting for the following reasons: Aside from being a salt-sensitive transcript, α ENaC-b mRNA expression is ∼32 fold higher than α ENaC wildtype in kidney cortex of Dahl rats. Additionally, the splice site used to generate α ENaC-b is conserved across species. Finally, α ENaC-b mRNA expression is significantly higher in salt-resistant Dahl R rats versus salt-sensitive Dahl S rats. As such, this commentary aims to highlight some of the previously published research articles that described the existence of an additional protein band on α ENaC western blots that could account for α ENaC-b in other rat species.