Abstract MP11: Decreased Expression Of Ace2 Is Associated Urine Derived Human Renal Proximal Tubule Cells From Inverse Salt Sensitivity Participants Cultured In Low Salt Conditions

Abstract

Increased morbidity and mortality occurs in some individuals consuming low sodium diets. Inverse salt sensitivity (ISS) is the paradoxical increase in blood pressure of individuals to a low sodium diet. Our group previously reported decreased expression of dopamine type 2 receptor (D 2 R), increased expression Aminopeptidase N, and increased Ang II dependent sodium transport in human urine derived renal proximal tubule cells isolated from ISS participants. In an attempt to understand the increased Ang II sensitivity demonstrated in ISS cells, we examined angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a membrane associated enzyme involved in the metabolism of Ang II. Urine derived renal proximal tubule cells grown and immortalized from ISS participants were compared to cells from salt resistant (SR) participants cultured in iso-osmotic media with low salt (LS, 90 mM NaCl) normal salt (NS, 140 mM NaCl) and high salt (HS, 190 mM NaCl). Cells were incubated in LS, NS, and HS media with and without losartan (LOS,1 μM) overnight (18 hours) and ACE2 expression levels determined by in-cell western blot. A monoclonal antibody specific to an extracellular epitope of ACE2 was used as the primary antibody and an Alexa-647 anti-mouse secondary antibody. ACE2 expression was only reduced in ISS cells in LS condition (28.7±2.1 % reduction, ISS LS vs SR LS, N=4 per group, p<0.05). Addition of losartan completely blocked the decrease in ACE2 expression in low salt conditions in ISS in urine derived human renal proximal tubule cells. No other changes in ACE2 expression were found between ISS and SR in either NS or HS conditions and with or without losartan. In conclusion, a decreased expression of ACE2 in ISS urine proximal tubule cells could explain the previously reported increased sensitivity of ISS cells to Ang II by increasing the half-life of Ang II under low salt conditions.