Inhibition of Protein Phosphatase 1 prevents high potassium mediated downregulation of the thiazide‐sensitive sodium chloride cotransporter NCC

Abstract

The “aldosterone paradox” is a poorly understood physiological mechanism in which increases in the hormone aldosterone either serve to stabilize blood pressure by increasing sodium‐chloride (NaCl) reabsorption or to excrete potassium (K+). Altered NaCl transport via the NaCl cotransporter NCC in the renal distal convoluted tubule (DCT) has been suggested to play a central role in switching from one response to the other. Under low NaCl intake, NCC abundance and activity is high, whereas it is low during high K+ intake ‐ leading to increased delivery of NaCl to downstream segments and increased electrogenic K+ secretion. Despite its essential role, little is known about the molecular alterations in the DCT during the aldosterone paradox, and the proteins involved in the regulation of NCC during this response.To define the proteome of the DCT and how it is modified by increased circulating aldosterone levels subsequent to long term low dietary NaCl or high K+ intake, transgenic mice with expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) under the control of the parvalbumin promoter were used. These mice have specific eGFP‐labeling of DCT cells, allowing high purity fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) of DCT cells. Mice were maintained on low NaCl or high K+ diets for 4 days, which resulted in increased aldosterone levels and a change in NCC abundance. Following FACS, the DCT proteome was determined by liquid chromatography‐coupled tandem mass spectrometry. 3078 unique proteins were identified in the DCT. 210 proteins were significantly altered in abundance following a low NaCl diet. 625 were significantly altered in abundance following a high K+ diet. Protein Phosphatase 1α (Pp1α) abundance was only increased by high K+ diet. In freshly isolated mouse tubules from the renal cortex, a higher K+ concentration in the medium for 1–4 days resulted in a significant decrease in NCC expression and increased expression of PP1α, mimicking the in vivo situation. The K+‐induced decrease of total NCC levels could be inhibited by treating the cells with the PP1‐blocker tautomycetin, suggesting that PP1 is involved in the K+‐induced downregulation of NCC. In summary, these results suggest that PP1α is involved in the decreased NCC abundance seen during long term high potassium intake.Support or Funding InformationDanish Medical Research Council, Fondation LeDuq, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Aarhus University Research Foundation.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.