Na+,K+-ATPase trafficking in skeletal muscle: insulin stimulates translocation of both alpha 1- and alpha 2-subunit isoforms

We determined insulin-stimulated Na(+),K(+)-ATPase isoform-specific translocation to the skeletal muscle plasma membrane. When rat muscle plasma membrane fractions were isolated by discontinuous sucrose gradients, insulin-stimulated translocation of alpha(2)- but not alpha(1)-subunits was detected. However, using cell surface biotinylation techniques, an insulin-induced membrane translocation of both alpha(1) and alpha(2)-subunits in rat epitrochlearis muscle and cultured human skeletal muscle cells was noted. Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit translocation was abolished by the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin, as well as by the protein kinase C inhibitor GF109203X. Thus, insulin mediates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-subunit translocation to the skeletal muscle plasma membrane via a PI 3-kinase-dependent mechanism.     

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of Na+,K+-ATPase in response to parathyroid hormone requires ERK-dependent phosphorylation of Ser-11 within the alpha1-subunit

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) inhibits Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity through protein kinase C- (PKC) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase- (ERK) dependent pathways and increases serine phosphorylation of the alpha(1)-subunit. To determine whether specific serine phosphorylation sites within the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit are involved in the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase responses to PTH, we examined the effect of PTH in opossum kidney cells stably transfected with wild type rat Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit (WT), serine 11 to alanine mutant alpha(1)-subunit (S11A), or serine 18 to alanine mutant alpha(1)-subunit (S18A). PTH increased phosphorylation and endocytosis of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit into clathrin-coated vesicles in cells transfected with WT and S18A rat Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunits. PTH did not increase the level of phosphorylation or stimulate translocation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunits into clathrin-coated vesicles in cells transfected with the S11A mutant. PTH inhibited ouabain-sensitive (86)Rb uptake and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity (ouabain-sensitive ATP hydrolysis) in WT- and S18A-transfected opossum kidney cells but not in S11A-transfected cells. Pretreatment of the cells with the PKC inhibitors and ERK inhibitor blocked PTH inhibition of (86)Rb uptake, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, alpha(1)-subunit phosphorylation, and endocytosis in WT and S18A cells. Consistent with the notion that ERK phosphorylates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit, ERK was shown to be capable of causing phosphorylation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit immunoprecipitated from WT and S18A but not from S11A-transfected cells. These results suggest that PTH regulates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase by PKC and ERK-dependent alpha(1)-subunit phosphorylation and that the phosphorylation requires the expression of a serine at the 11 position of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit.     

Cardiotonic steroids stimulate glycogen synthesis in human skeletal muscle cells via a Src- and ERK1/2-dependent mechanism

The cardiotonic steroid, ouabain, a specific inhibitor of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, initiates protein-protein interactions that lead to an increase in growth and proliferation in different cell types. We explored the effects of ouabain on glucose metabolism in human skeletal muscle cells (HSMC) and clarified the mechanisms of ouabain signal transduction. In HSMC, ouabain increased glycogen synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner reaching the maximum at 100 nM. The effect of ouabain was additive to the effect of insulin and was independent of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 but was abolished in the presence of a MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059) or a Src inhibitor (PP2). Ouabain increased Src-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-subunits of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and promoted interaction of alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-subunits with Src, as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation with Src. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and GSK3alpha/beta, as well as p90rsk activity, was increased in response to ouabain in HSMC, and these responses were prevented in the presence of PD98059 and PP2. Incubation of HSMC with 100 nM ouabain increased phosphorylation of the alpha-subunits of the Na-pump at a MAPK-specific Thr-Pro motif. Ouabain treatment decreased the surface abundance of alpha(2)-subunit, whereas abundance of the alpha(1)-subunit was unchanged. Marinobufagenin, an endogenous vertebrate bufadienolide cardiotonic steroid, increased glycogen synthesis in HSMC at 10 nM concentration, similarly to 100 nM ouabain. In conclusion, ouabain and marinobufagenin stimulate glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscle. This effect is mediated by activation of a Src-, ERK1/2-, p90rsk-, and GSK3-dependent signaling pathway.     

Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase stimulates Na+,K+-ATPase activity in skeletal muscle cells

Contraction stimulates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity in skeletal muscle. Whether AMPK activation affects Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in skeletal muscle remains to be determined. Short term stimulation of rat L6 myotubes with the AMPK activator 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR), activates AMPK and promotes translocation of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase α(1)-subunit to the plasma membrane and increases Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity as assessed by ouabain-sensitive (86)Rb(+) uptake. Cyanide-induced artificial anoxia, as well as a direct AMPK activator (A-769662) also increase AMPK phosphorylation and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. Thus, different stimuli that target AMPK concomitantly increase Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. The effect of AICAR on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in L6 myotubes was attenuated by Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, as well as siRNA-mediated AMPK silencing. The effects of AICAR on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase were completely abolished in cultured primary mouse muscle cells lacking AMPK α-subunits. AMPK stimulation leads to Na(+),K(+)-ATPase α(1)-subunit dephosphorylation at Ser(18), which may prevent endocytosis of the sodium pump. AICAR stimulation leads to methylation and dephosphorylation of the catalytic subunit of the protein phosphatase (PP) 2A in L6 myotubes. Moreover, AICAR-triggered dephosphorylation of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was prevented in L6 myotubes deficient in PP2A-specific protein phosphatase methylesterase-1 (PME-1), indicating a role for the PP2A·PME-1 complex in AMPK-mediated regulation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. Thus contrary to the common paradigm, we report AMPK-dependent activation of an energy-consuming ion pumping process. This activation may be a potential mechanism by which exercise and metabolic stress activate the sodium pump in skeletal muscle.     

Long-term regulation of Na+,K+-ATPase in opossum kidney cells by ouabain

Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, a basolateral transporter responsible for tubular reabsorption of Na(+) and for providing the driving force for vectorial transport of various solutes and ions, can also act as a signal transducer in response to the interaction with steroid hormones. At nanomolar concentrations ouabain binding to Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activates a signaling cascade that ultimately regulates several membrane transporters including Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. The present study evaluated the long-term effect of ouabain on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity (Na(+) transepithelial flux) and expression in opossum kidney (OK) cells with low (40) and high (80) number of passages in culture, which are known to overexpress Na(+),K(+)-ATPase (Silva et al., 2006, J Membr Biol 212, 163-175). Activation of a signal cascade was evaluated by quantification of ERK1/2 phosphorylation by Western blot. Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was determined by electrophysiological techniques and expression by Western blot. Incubation of cells with ouabain induced activation of ERK1/2. Long-term incubation with ouabain induced an increase in Na(+) transepithelial flux and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase expression only in OK cells with 80 passages in culture. This increase was prevented by incubation with inhibitors of MEK1/2 and PI-3K. In conclusion, ouabain-activated signaling cascade mediated by both MEK1/2 and PI-3K is responsible for long-term regulation of Na(+) transepithelial flux in epithelial renal cells. OK cell line with high number of passages is suggested to constitute a particular useful model for the understanding of ouabain-mediated regulation of Na(+) transport.     

Simultaneous phosphorylation of Ser11 and Ser18 in the alpha-subunit promotes the recruitment of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules to the plasma membrane

Renal sodium homeostasis is a major determinant of blood pressure and is regulated by several natriuretic and antinatriuretic hormones. These hormones, acting through intracellular second messengers, either activate or inhibit proximal tubule Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. We have shown previously that phorbol ester (PMA) stimulation of endogenous PKC leads to activation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in cultured proximal tubule cells (OK cells) expressing the rodent Na(+), K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit. We have now demonstrated that the treatment with PMA leads to an increased amount of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules in the plasmalemma, which is proportional to the increased enzyme activity. Colchicine, dinitrophenol, and potassium cyanide prevented the PMA-dependent stimulation of activity without affecting the increased level of phosphorylation of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit. This suggests that phosphorylation does not directly stimulate Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity; instead, phosphorylation may be the triggering mechanism for recruitment of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules to the plasma membrane. Transfected cells expressing either an S11A or S18A mutant had the same basal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity as cells expressing the wild-type rodent alpha-subunit, but PMA stimulation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was completely abolished in either mutant. PMA treatment led to phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit by stimulation of PKC-beta, and the extent of this phosphorylation was greatly reduced in the S11A and S18A mutants. These results indicate that both Ser11 and Ser18 of the alpha-subunit are essential for PMA stimulation of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity, and that these amino acids are phosphorylated during this process. The results presented here support the hypothesis that PMA regulation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is the result of an increased number of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules in the plasma membrane.     

Analysis of Na+,K+-ATPase motion and incorporation into the plasma membrane in response to G protein-coupled receptor signals in living cells

Dopamine (DA) increases Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in lung alveolar epithelial cells. This effect is associated with an increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules within the plasma membrane (). Analysis of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase motion was performed in real-time in alveolar cells stably expressing Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules carrying a fluorescent tag (green fluorescent protein) in the alpha-subunit. The data demonstrate a distinct (random walk) pattern of basal movement of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase-containing vesicles in nontreated cells. DA increased the directional movement (by 3.5 fold) of the vesicles and an increase in their velocity (by 25%) that consequently promoted the incorporation of vesicles into the plasma membrane. The movement of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase-containing vesicles and incorporation into the plasma membrane were microtubule dependent, and disruption of this network perturbed vesicle motion toward the plasma membrane and prevented the increase in the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity induced by DA. Thus, recruitment of new Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules into the plasma membrane appears to be a major mechanism by which dopamine increases total cell Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.     

Tyrosine 537 within the Na+,K+-ATPase alpha-subunit is essential for AP-2 binding and clathrin-dependent endocytosis

In renal epithelial cells endocytosis of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules is initiated by phosphorylation of its alpha(1)-subunit, leading to activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and adaptor protein-2 (AP-2)/clathrin recruitment. The present study was performed to establish the identity of the AP-2 recognition domain(s) within the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit. We identified a conserved sequence (Y(537)LEL) within the alpha(1)-subunit that represents an AP-2 binding site. Binding of AP-2 to the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha(1)-subunit in response to dopamine (DA) was increased in OK cells stably expressing the wild type rodent alpha-subunit (OK-WT), but not in cells expressing the Y537A mutant (OK-Y537A). DA treatment was associated with increased alpha(1)-subunit abundance in clathrin vesicles from OK-WT but not from OK-Y537A cells. In addition, this mutation also impaired the ability of DA to inhibit Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. Because phorbol esters increase Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in OK cells, and this effect was not affected by the Y537A mutation, the present results suggest that the identified motif is specifically required for DA-induced AP-2 binding and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase endocytosis.     

Long-term regulation of Na+, K+-ATPase pump in human lymphocytes: the role of JAK/STAT- and MAPK-signaling pathways

In interleukin-2 (IL-2)-induced human blood lymphocytes, the Na+/K+ pump function (assessed by ouabain-sensitive Rb+ influx), the abundance of Na+, K+-ATPase alpha1-subunit (determined by Western blotting) and the alpha1- and beta1-subunits mRNA of Na+, K+-ATPase (RT-PCR), as well as the phosphorylation of STAT5 and STAT3 family proteins and ERK1/2 kinase have been examined. A 3.5-4.0-fold increase in the expression of alpha1- and beta1-subunits mRNA of Na+, K+-ATPase was found at 24 h of IL-2 stimulation. The inhibitors of JAK3 kinase (B-42, WHI-P431) was shown to decrease both the phosphorylation of STATs and the rise in the oubain-sensitive rubidium influx as well as the increased abundance of Na+, K+-ATPase alpha1-subunit. The inhibition of the protein kinases ERK1/2 by PD98059 (20 microM) suppressed the alpha1-subunit accumulation. All the kinase inhibitors tested did not alter the intracellular content ofmonovalent cations in resting and IL-2-stimulated lymphocytes. It is concluded that MAPK and JAK/STAT signaling pathways mediate the IL-2-dependent regulation of the Na+, K+-ATPase expression during the lymphocyte transition from resting stage to proliferation.     

Failure to up-regulate gill Na+,K+-ATPase alpha-subunit isoform alpha1b may limit seawater tolerance of land-locked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus)

Many populations of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) are land-locked, physically separated from the ocean by natural barriers and unable to migrate to sea like anadromous populations. Previous studies which experimentally transferred land-locked Arctic char to seawater report high mortality rates due to osmoregulatory failure and an inability to up-regulate gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. This study examined the mRNA expression of two recently discovered alpha-subunit isoforms of gill Na(+)K(+)-ATPase (alpha1a and alpha1b) during seawater exposure of land-locked Arctic char. mRNA levels of these gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPasealpha-subunit isoforms were compared to Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and protein levels and related to osmoregulatory performance. Land-locked Arctic char were unable to regulate plasma osmolality following seawater exposure. Seawater exposure did not induce an increase in gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity or protein levels. Na(+),K(+)-ATPase isoform alpha1a mRNA quickly decreased upon exposure to seawater, while isoform alpha1b levels were unchanged. These results suggest the inability of land-locked Arctic char to acclimate to seawater is due a failure to up-regulate gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity which may be due to their inability to increase Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha1b mRNA expression.     

Formation of new high density glycogen-microtubule structures is induced by cardiac steroids

Cardiac steroids (CS), an important class of naturally occurring compounds, are synthesized in plants and animals. The only established receptor for CS is the ubiquitous Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, a major plasma membrane transporter. The binding of CS to Na(+),K(+)-ATPase causes the inhibition of Na(+) and K(+) transport and elicits cell-specific activation of several intracellular signaling mechanisms. It is well documented that the interaction of CS with Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is responsible for numerous changes in basic cellular physiological properties, such as electrical plasma membrane potential, cell volume, intracellular [Ca(2+)] and pH, endocytosed membrane traffic, and the transport of other solutes. In the present study we show that CS induces the formation of dark structures adjacent to the nucleus in human NT2 and ACHN cells. These structures, which are not surrounded by membranes, are clusters of glycogen and a distorted microtubule network. Formation of these clusters results from a relocation of glycogen and microtubules in the cells, two processes that are independent of one another. The molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of the clusters are mediated by the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and an additional unknown factor. Similar glycogen clusters are induced by hypoxia, suggesting that the CS-induced structural change, described in this study, may be part of a new type of cellular stress response.     

Diet deficient in alpha-linolenic acid alters fatty acid composition and enzymatic properties of Na+, K+-ATPase isoenzymes of brain membranes in the adult rat

The effects of dietary (n-6)/(n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid balance on fatty acid composition, ouabain inhibition, and Na(+) dependence of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase isoenzymes of whole brain membranes were studied in 60-day-old rats fed over two generations a diet either devoid of alpha-linolenic acid [18:3(n-3)] (sunflower oil diet) or rich in 18:3(n-3) (soybean oil diet). In the brain membranes, the sunflower oil diet led to a dramatic decrease in docosahexaenoic acid [22:6(n-3)] membrane content. The activities of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase isoenzymes were discriminated on the basis of their differential affinities for ouabain and their sensitivity to sodium concentration. The ouabain titration curve of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity displayed three inhibitory processes with markedly different affinity [i.e., low (alpha1), high (alpha2), and very high (alpha3)] for brain membranes of rats fed the sunflower oil diet, whereas the brain membranes of rats fed the soybean oil diet exhibited only two inhibitory processes, low (alpha1) and high (alpha2' = alpha2 + alpha3). Regardless of the diet, on the basis of the Na(+) dependence of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity, three isoenzymes were found: alpha1 form displaying an affinity 1.5- to 2-fold higher that of than alpha2 and 3-fold higher that of alpha3. In rats fed the sunflower oil diet, alpha2 isoenzyme exhibited higher affinity for sodium (Ka = 8.8 mmol/L) than that of rats fed the soybean oil diet (Ka = 11.7 mmol/L). These results suggest that the membrane lipid environment modulates the functional properties of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase isoenzymes of high ouabain affinity (alpha2).     

Wild Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) upregulate gill Na+,K+-ATPase during freshwater migration

The successful acclimation of eurhyhaline fishes from seawater to freshwater requires the gills to stop actively secreting ions and start actively absorbing ions. Gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is known to be an integral part of the active ion secretion model of marine fishes, but its importance in the active ion uptake model of freshwater fishes is less clear. This study, conducted in the high Arctic, examines gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase regulation in wild anadromous arctic char returning to freshwater from the ocean. Gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, protein expression, and mRNA expression of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase isoforms alpha 1a and alpha 1b were monitored in arctic char at three points along their migration route to and from Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada: out at sea (Whaler's Point), in seawater near the river mouth (Nat's Camp), and after entering the Union River. Arctic char collected from the Union River had more than twofold greater gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. This was associated with a significant increase (threefold) in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase isoform alpha 1a mRNA expression and a significant increase in plasma sodium and osmolality levels compared with seawater char. Compared with char sampled from Whaler's Point, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase isoform alpha 1b mRNA expression was decreased by approximately 50% in char sampled at Nat's Camp and the Union River. These results suggest that the upregulation of gill Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity is involved in freshwater acclimation of arctic char and implicate a role for Na(+),K(+)-ATPase isoform alpha 1a in this process. In addition, we discuss evidence that arctic char go through a preparatory phase, or "reverse smoltification," before entering freshwater.     

Parathyroid hormone-mediated regulation of Na+-K+-ATPase requires ERK-dependent translocation of protein kinase Calpha

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) inhibits Na+-K+-ATPase activity by serine phosphorylation of the alpha1 subunit through protein kinase C (PKC)- and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent pathways. Based on previous studies we postulated that PTH regulates sodium pump activity through isoform-specific PKC-dependent activation of ERK. In the present work utilizing opossum kidney cells, a model of renal proximal tubule, PTH stimulated membrane translocation of PKCalpha by 102 +/- 16% and PKCbetaI by 41 +/- 7% but had no effect on PKCbetaII and PKCzeta. Both PKCalpha and PKCbetaI phosphorylated the Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit in vitro. PTH increased the activity of PKCalpha but not PKCbetaI. Coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that treatment with PTH enhanced the association between Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit and PKCalpha, whereas the association between Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit and PKCbetaI remained unchanged. A PKCalpha inhibitory peptide blocked PTH-stimulated serine phosphorylation of the Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit and inhibition of Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Pharmacologic inhibition of MEK-1 blocked PTH-stimulated translocation of PKCalpha, whereas transfection of constitutively active MEK-1 cDNA induced translocation of PKCalpha and increased phosphorylation of the Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit. In contrast, PTH-stimulated ERK activation was not inhibited by pretreatment with the PKCalpha inhibitory peptide. Inhibition of PKCalpha expression by siRNA did not inhibit PTH-mediated ERK activation but significantly reduced PTH-mediated phosphorylation of the Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit. Pharmacologic inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase blocked PTH-stimulated ERK activation, translocation of PKCalpha, and phosphorylation of the Na+-K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit. We conclude that PTH stimulates Na+-K+-ATPase phosphorylation and decreases the activity of Na+-K+-ATPase by ERK-dependent activation of PKCalpha.     

Relevance of dopamine signals anchoring dynamin-2 to the plasma membrane during Na+,K+-ATPase endocytosis

Clathrin-dependent endocytosis of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in response to dopamine regulates its catalytic activity in intact cells. Because fission of clathrin-coated pits requires dynamin, we examined the mechanisms by which dopamine receptor signals promote dynamin-2 recruitment and assembly at the site of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase endocytosis. Western blotting revealed that dopamine increased the association of dynamin-2 with the plasma membrane and with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Dopamine inhibited Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in OK cells and in those overexpressing wild type dynamin-2 but not in cells expressing a dominant-negative mutant. Dephosphorylation of dynamin is important for its assembly. Dopamine increased protein phosphatase 2A activity and dephosphorylated dynamin-2. In cells expressing a dominant-negative mutant of protein phosphatase 2A, dopamine failed to dephosphorylate dynamin-2 and to reduce Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. Dynamin-2 is phosphorylated at Ser(848), and expression of the S848A mutant significantly blocked the inhibitory effect of dopamine. These results demonstrate a distinct signaling network originating from the dopamine receptor that regulates the state of dynamin-2 phosphorylation and that promotes its location (by interaction with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) at the site of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase endocytosis.     

The 14-3-3 protein translates the NA+,K+-ATPase {alpha}1-subunit phosphorylation signal into binding and activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase during endocytosis

Clathrin-dependent endocytosis of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase molecules in response to G protein-coupled receptor signals is triggered by phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit and the binding of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. In this study, we describe a molecular mechanism linking phosphorylation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit to binding and activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Co-immunoprecipitation studies, as well as experiments using confocal microscopy, revealed that dopamine favored the association of 14-3-3 protein with the basolateral plasma membrane and its co-localization with the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit. The functional relevance of this interaction was established in opossum kidney cells expressing a 14-3-3 dominant negative mutant, where dopamine failed to decrease Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and to promote its endocytosis. The phosphorylated Ser-18 residue within the alpha-subunit N terminus is critical for 14-3-3 binding. Activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase by dopamine during Na(+),K(+)-ATPase endocytosis requires the binding of the kinase to a proline-rich domain within the alpha-subunit, and this effect was blocked by the presence of a 14-3-3 dominant negative mutant. Thus, the 14-3-3 protein represents a critical linking mechanism for recruiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase to the site of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase endocytosis.     

Leptin decreases renal medullary Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity through phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase dependent mechanism.

We examined the effect of leptin on renal function and renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase activities in the rat. Leptin was infused under general anaesthesia into the abdominal aorta proximally to the renal arteries. Leptin infused at doses of 1 and 10 microg/kg/min increased urine output by 40% and 140%, respectively. Urinary Na(+) excretion increased in rats receiving leptin at doses of 0.1, 1, and 10 microg/kg/min by 57.6%, 124.2% and 163.6%, respectively. Leptin had no effect on creatinine clearance, potassium excretion and phosphate excretion. Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in the renal medulla of rats treated with 1 and 10 microg/kg/min leptin was lower than in control animals by 25.5% and 33.2%, respectively. In contrast, cortical Na(+),K(+)-ATPase as well as either cortical or medullary ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase activities did not differ between leptin-treated and control animals. The effect of leptin on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was abolished by actin depolymerizing agents, cytochalazin D and latrunculin B, and by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002. These results indicate that: 1). natriuretic effect of leptin is mediated, at least in part, by decrease in renal medullary Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, 2). inhibition of medullary Na(+),K(+)-ATPase by leptin is mediated by PI3K and requires integrity of actin cytoskeleton.     

Translocation of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is induced by Rho small GTPase in renal epithelial cells

The distribution of transmembrane proteins is considered to be crucial for their activities because these proteins mediate the information coming from outside of cells. A small GTPase Rho participates in many cellular functions through its downstream effectors. In this study, we examined the effects of RhoA on the distribution of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, one of the transmembrane proteins. In polarized renal epithelium, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is known to be localized at the basolateral membrane. By microinjection of the constitutively active mutant of RhoA (RhoA(Val14)) into cultured renal epithelial cells, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was translocated to the spike-like protrusions over the apical surfaces. Microinjection of the constitutively active mutant of other Rho family GTPases, Rac1 or Cdcd42, did not induce the translocation. The translocation induced by RhoA(Val14) was inhibited by treatment with Y-27632, a Rho-kinase specific inhibitor, or by coinjection of the dominant negative mutant of Rho-kinase. These results indicate that Rho and Rho-kinase are involved in the regulation of the localization of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. We also found that Na(+),K(+)-ATPase seemed to be colocalized with ERM proteins phosphorylated at T567 (ezrin), T564 (radixin), and T558 (moesin) in cells microinjected with RhoA(Val14).     

Regulation of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase by the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A signal transduction pathway

We investigated the effect of the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A (PKA) signalling pathway on renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase. Male Wistar rats were anaesthetized and catheter was inserted through the femoral artery into the abdominal aorta proximally to the renal arteries for infusion of the investigated substances. Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was measured in the presence of Sch 28080 to block ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase and improve specificity of the assay. Dibutyryl-cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) administered at a dose of 10(-7) mol/kg per min and 10(-6) mol/kg per min increased Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity in the renal cortex by 34% and 42%, respectively, and decreased it in the renal medulla by 30% and 44%, respectively. db-cAMP infused at 10(-6) mol/kg per min increased the activity of cortical ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase by 33%, and medullary ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase by 30%. All the effects of db-cAMP were abolished by a specific inhibitor of protein kinase A, KT 5720. The stimulatory effect on ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase and on cortical Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was also abolished by brefeldin A which inhibits the insertion of proteins into the plasma membranes, whereas the inhibitory effect on medullary Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was partially attenuated by 17-octadecynoic acid, an inhibitor of cytochrome p450-dependent arachidonate metabolism. We conclude that the cAMP-PKA pathway stimulates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in the renal cortex as well as ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase in the cortex and medulla by a mechanism requiring insertion of proteins into the plasma membrane. In contrast, medullary Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is inhibited by cAMP through a mechanism involving cytochrome p450-dependent arachidonate metabolites.