Roles of Ca2+ and PKC in regulation of acid/base transport in isolated proximal tubules.

Roles of Ca2+ and protein kinase C (PKC) in the regulation of acid/base transport in isolated rabbit proximal tubules were investigated by measuring cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) and cell pH (pHi) with fluorescent probes. Ionomycin (0.2 microM) increased [Ca2+]i by approximately 200 nM but did not affect the basolateral Na(+)-HCO3- cotransporter. However, the apical Na+/H+ exchanger was inhibited by 50% by ionomycin, and this inhibition was abolished either by 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, or by KN-62, an inhibitor of calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II). On the other hand, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 0.5 microM) did not affect the apical Na+/H+ exchanger but did stimulate the basolateral Na(+)-HCO3- cotransporter by 60-80%, and this stimulation was prevented by calphostin C, an inhibitor of PKC. Consistent with the cotransporter stimulation, PMA decreased steady-state pHi in the presence of CO2/ HCO3-. These results indicate that 1) the acute increase in [Ca2+]i within physiological ranges inhibits the apical Na+/H+ exchanger, probably through mediation of CaM kinase II; and 2) the short-term PKC activation stimulates the basolateral Na(+)-HCO3- cotransporter.