Alterations of proteins in MDCK cells during acute potassium deficiency

• 48 cellular proteins were differentially expressed among NK, LK and KD conditions.
• Changes observed by proteomic analysis were confirmed by Western blotting.
• Network analysis revealed important processes involved in acute K+ deficiency.
• Some altered proteins could explain defects in cell growth/proliferation in KD.

Chronic K+ deficiency can cause hypokalemic nephropathy associated with metabolic alkalosis, polyuria, tubular dilatation, and tubulointerstitial injury. However, effects of acute K+ deficiency on the kidney remained unclear. This study aimed to explore such effects by evaluating changes in levels of proteins in renal tubular cells during acute K+ deficiency. MDCK cells were cultivated in normal K+ (NK) (K+ = 5.3 mM), low K+ (LK) (K+ = 2.5 mM), or K+ depleted (KD) (K+ = 0 mM) medium for 24 h and then harvested. Cellular proteins were resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and visualized by SYPRO Ruby staining (5 gels per group). Spot matching and quantitative intensity analysis revealed a total 48 protein spots that had significantly differential levels among the three groups. Among these, 46 and 30 protein spots had differential levels in KD group compared to NK and LK groups, respectively. Comparison between LK and NK groups revealed only 10 protein spots that were differentially expressed. All of these differentially expressed proteins were successfully identified by Q-TOF MS and/or MS/MS analyses. The altered levels of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), ezrin, lamin A/C, tubulin, chaperonin-containing TCP1 (CCT1), and calpain 1 were confirmed by Western blot analysis. Global protein network analysis showed three main functional networks, including 1) cell growth and proliferation, 2) cell morphology, cellular assembly and organization, and 3) protein folding in which the altered proteins were involved. Further investigations on these networks may lead to better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms of low K+-induced renal injury.