Claudin-3 acts as a sealing component of the tight junction for ions of either charge and uncharged solutes

Abstract

The paracellular barrier of epithelia and endothelia is established by several tight junction proteins including claudin-3. Although claudin-3 is present in many epithelia including skin, lung, kidney, and intestine and in endothelia, its function is unresolved as yet. We therefore characterized claudin-3 by stable transfection of MDCK II kidney tubule cells with human claudin-3 cDNA. Two clone systems were analyzed, exhibiting high or low claudin-2 expression, respectively. Expression of other claudins was unchanged. Ultrastructurally, tight junction strands were changed toward uninterrupted and rounded meshwork loops. Functionally, the paracellular resistance of claudin-3-transfected monolayers was strongly elevated, causing an increase in transepithelial resistance compared to vector controls. Permeabilities for mono- and divalent cations and for anions were decreased. In the high-claudin-2 system, claudin-3 reduced claudin-2-induced cation selectivity, while in the low-claudin-2 system no charge preference was observed, the latter thus reflecting the "intrinsic" action of claudin-3. Furthermore, the passage of the paracellular tracers fluorescein (332 Da) and FD-4 (4 kDa) was decreased, whereas the permeability to water was not affected. We demonstrate that claudin-3 alters the tight junction meshwork and seals the paracellular pathway against the passage of small ions of either charge and uncharged solutes. Thus, in a kidney model epithelium, claudin-3 acts as a general barrier-forming protein.