Adaptive redistribution of NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B in rat kidney proximal tubule and striated ducts of salivary glands during acid-base disturbances

1 Center for Anatomy, Department of Neuroanatomy, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; and 2 Institute for Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Witten-Herdecke, Witten, Germany Submitted 24 March 2007 ; accepted in final form 11 September 2007 The cellular distribution of the NH 2 -terminal electrogenic Na + -HCO 3 – cotransporter (NBCe1) variants NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B has been investigated in rat kidney and submandibular gland (SMG) under physiological conditions and after systemic acid-base perturbations. Moreover, the in vivo data were complemented in vitro by using an immortalized cell line derived from the S1 segment of the proximal tubule (PT) of normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKPT-0293 Cl.2). NBCe1-A was basolaterally localized in PT cells, whereas NBCe1-B exhibited intracellular and basolateral distribution. SMG showed transcript and protein expression for NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B. NBCe1-B was basolaterally localized in duct cells; NBCe1-A was found intracellularly in salivary striated ducts and apically in main duct cells. Acute metabolic acidosis significantly increased cells that showed basolateral NBCe1-A in the PT, indicating increased HCO 3 – reabsorption, and significantly decreased cells that exhibited basolateral NBCe1-B in the salivary ducts, suggesting decreased HCO 3 – secretion. Chronic acidosis had no effect on NBCe1 distribution in PT but significantly increased the percentage of cells with basolateral NBCe1-A in salivary striated duct cells, suggesting increased HCO 3 – reabsorption. In contrast, chronic alkalosis caused adaptive redistribution of NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B in renal PT, favoring decreased HCO 3 – reabsorption. In vitro, WKPT-0293 Cl.2 cells expressed key acid-base transporters. Extracellular alkalosis downregulated NBCe1-A protein. WKPT-0293 Cl.2 cells are therefore a useful model to study renal acid-base regulation in vitro. The results propose redistribution of the transporters as a potential posttranslational regulation modus during acid-base disturbances. Moreover, the data demonstrate that renal PT and salivary duct epithelia respond to acid-base disturbances by an opposite redistribution pattern for NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B, reflecting specialized functions as the HCO 3 – -reabsorbing and HCO 3 – -secreting epithelium, respectively. acid-base homeostasis; bicarbonate transport Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: E. Roussa, Center for Anatomy, Dept. of Neuroanatomy, Univ. of Goetti