Short-term regulation of the Cl−/HCO3− exchanger in immortalized SHR proximal tubular epithelial cells

The present study evaluated the activity of Cl−/HCO3− exchanger and the abundance of Slc26a6 in immortalized renal proximal tubular epithelial (PTE) cells from the Wistar–Kyoto rat (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and identified the signaling pathways that regulate the activity of the transporter. The affinity for HCO3− was identical in WKY and SHR PTE cells, but Vmax values (in pH units/min) in SHR PTE cells (0.4016) were significantly higher than in WKY PTE cells (0.2304). The expression of Slc26a6 in SHR PTE cells was sevenfold that in WKY PTE cells. Dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP) or forskolin, which increased endogenous cAMP, phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) and anisomycin, significantly (P < 0.05) increased the Cl−/HCO3− exchanger activity in WKY and SHR PTE cells to a similar extent. The stimulatory effects of db-cAMP and forskolin were prevented by the PKA inhibitor H89, but not by chelerythrine. The stimulatory effects of PDBu were prevented by both chelerythrine and SB 203580, but not by H89 or the MEK inhibitor PD 98059. The stimulatory effect of anisomycin was prevented by SB 203580, but not by chelerythrine. Increases in phospho-p38 MAPK by anisomycin were identical in WKY and SHR PTE cells, this being sensitive to SB 203580 but not to chelerythrine. It is concluded that SHR PTE cells, which overexpress the Slc26a6 protein, are endowed with an enhanced activity of the Cl−/HCO3− exchanger. The Cl−/HCO3− exchanger is an effector protein for PKA, PKC and p38 MAPK in both WKY and SHR PTE cells.