Stimulation of the human leucocyte Na+/H+ antiport by D-glucose is mediated by protein kinase C.

Leucocyte Na+/H+ antiport activity is elevated in patients with essential hypertension and Type 1 diabetes with nephropathy. To examine the effects of hyperglycemia on the Na+/H+ antiport, normal leucocytes were incubated with 25 mmol l-1 D-glucose, L-glucose or glucose-6-phosphate for two days. Leucocyte Na+/H+ antiport activity was measured by a novel double ionophore fluorimetric method for controlling intracellular pH. Only incubation with D-glucose led to an increase in Na+/H+ antiport activity of about 31%. This effect was not due to non-enzymic glycation since glucose-6-phosphate, which glycates proteins faster than D-glucose, caused no significant difference in antiport activity. Also, osmotic effects could be excluded. Staurosporine (10 nmol l-1), a specific inhibitor of protein kinase C, prevented the rise in antiport activity due to incubation with D-glucose. As hyperglycaemia is known to increase protein kinase C activity, elevation of this kinase may be one mechanism for activation of the Na+/H+ antiport in Type 1 diabetes.