SLC26A7 protein is a chloride/bicarbonate exchanger and its abundance is osmolarity- and pH-dependent in renal epithelial cells.

Acid-secreting intercalated cells of the collecting duct express the chloride/bicarbonate kidney anion exchanger 1 (kAE1) as well as SLC26A7, two proteins that colocalize in the basolateral membrane. The latter protein has been reported to function either as a chloride/bicarbonate exchanger or a chloride channel. Both kAE1 and SLC26A7 are detected in the renal medulla, an environment hyper-osmotic to plasma. Individuals with mutations in the SLC4A1 gene encoding kAE1 and mice lacking Slc26a7 develop distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA). Here, we aimed to (i) confirm that SLC26A7 can function as chloride/bicarbonate exchanger in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, and (ii) examine the behavior of SLC26A7 relative to kAE1 wild type or carrying the dRTA mutation R901X in iso- or hyper-osmotic conditions mimicking the renal medulla. Although we found that SLC26A7 abundance increases in hyper-osmotic growth medium, it is reduced in low pH growth conditions mimicking acidosis when expressed at high levels in MDCK cells. In these cells, SLC26A7 exchange activity was independent from extracellular osmolarity. When SLC26A7 protein was co-expressed with kAE1 WT or the R901X dRTA mutant, the cellular chloride/bicarbonate exchange rate was not additive compared to when proteins are expressed individually, possibly reflecting a decreased overall protein expression. Furthermore, the cellular chloride/bicarbonate exchange rate was osmolarity-independent. Together, these results show that (i) in MDCK cells, SLC26A7 is a chloride/bicarbonate exchanger whose abundance is up-regulated by high osmolarity growth medium and (ii) acidic extracellular pH decreases the abundance of SLC26A7 protein.