scholarly journals Testosterone modulates renal ammonia metabolism

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (4) ◽  
pp. F922-F935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Autumn N. Harris ◽  
Hyun-Wook Lee ◽  
Jill W. Verlander ◽  
I. David Weiner

There are substantial sex differences in renal structure and ammonia metabolism that correlate with differences in expression of proteins involved in ammonia generation and transport. This study determined the role of testis-derived testosterone in these differences. We studied 4-mo-old male C57BL/6 mice 4 and 8 wk after either bilateral orchiectomy (ORCH) or sham-operated control surgery and determined the effect of testosterone replacement to reverse the effects of ORCH. Finally, we determined the cellular expression of androgen receptor (AR), testosterone’s canonical target receptor. ORCH decreased kidney and proximal tubule size, and testosterone replacement reversed this effect. ORCH increased ammonia excretion in a testosterone-dependent fashion; this occurred despite similar food intake, which is the primary component of endogenous acid production. ORCH increased expression of both phospho enolpyruvate, a major ammonia-generating protein, and Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter, which mediates thick ascending limb ammonia reabsorption; these changes were reversed with testosterone replacement. Orchiectomy also decreased expression of Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 3, which mediates proximal tubule ammonia secretion, in a testosterone-dependent pattern. Finally, ARs are expressed throughout the proximal tubule in both the male and female kidney. Testosterone, possibly acting through ARs, has dramatic effects on kidney and proximal tubule size and decreases ammonia excretion through its effects on several key proteins involved in ammonia metabolism.

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (2) ◽  
pp. F402-F421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Wook Lee ◽  
Autumn N. Harris ◽  
Michael F. Romero ◽  
Paul A. Welling ◽  
Charles S. Wingo ◽  
...  

Hypokalemia increases ammonia excretion and decreases K+ excretion. The present study examined the role of the proximal tubule protein NBCe1-A in these responses. We studied mice with Na+-bicarbonate cotransporter electrogenic, isoform 1, splice variant A (NBCe1-A) deletion [knockout (KO) mice] and their wild-type (WT) littermates were provided either K+ control or K+-free diet. We also used tissue sections to determine the effect of extracellular ammonia on NaCl cotransporter (NCC) phosphorylation. The K+-free diet significantly increased proximal tubule NBCe1-A and ammonia excretion in WT mice, and NBCe1-A deletion blunted the ammonia excretion response. NBCe1-A deletion inhibited the ammoniagenic/ammonia recycling enzyme response in the cortical proximal tubule (PT), where NBCe1-A is present in WT mice. In the outer medulla, where NBCe1-A is not present, the PT ammonia metabolism response was accentuated by NBCe1-A deletion. KO mice developed more severe hypokalemia and had greater urinary K+ excretion during the K+-free diet than did WT mice. This was associated with blunting of the hypokalemia-induced change in NCC phosphorylation. NBCe1-A KO mice have systemic metabolic acidosis, but experimentally induced metabolic acidosis did not alter NCC phosphorylation. Although KO mice have impaired ammonia metabolism, experiments in tissue sections showed that lack of ammonia does impair NCC phosphorylation. Finally, urinary aldosterone was greater in KO mice than in WT mice, but neither expression of epithelial Na+ channel α-, β-, and γ-subunits nor of H+-K+-ATPase α1- or α2-subunits correlated with changes in urinary K+. We conclude that NBCe1-A is critical for the effect of diet-induced hypokalemia to increase cortical proximal tubule ammonia generation and for the expected decrease in urinary K+ excretion.


2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (11) ◽  
pp. F1229-F1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Wook Lee ◽  
Gunars Osis ◽  
Mary E. Handlogten ◽  
Wouter H. Lamers ◽  
Farrukh A. Chaudhry ◽  
...  

Glutamine synthetase (GS) catalyzes the recycling of NH4+ with glutamate to form glutamine. GS is highly expressed in the renal proximal tubule (PT), suggesting ammonia recycling via GS could decrease net ammoniagenesis and thereby limit ammonia available for net acid excretion. The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of PT GS in ammonia metabolism under basal conditions and during metabolic acidosis. We generated mice with PT-specific GS deletion (PT-GS-KO) using Cre-loxP techniques. Under basal conditions, PT-GS-KO increased urinary ammonia excretion significantly. Increased ammonia excretion occurred despite decreased expression of key proteins involved in renal ammonia generation. After the induction of metabolic acidosis, the ability to increase ammonia excretion was impaired significantly by PT-GS-KO. The blunted increase in ammonia excretion occurred despite greater expression of multiple components of ammonia generation, including SN1 (Slc38a3), phosphate-dependent glutaminase, phospho enolpyruvate carboxykinase, and Na+-coupled electrogenic bicarbonate cotransporter. We conclude that 1) GS-mediated ammonia recycling in the PT contributes to both basal and acidosis-stimulated ammonia metabolism and 2) adaptive changes in other proteins involved in ammonia metabolism occur in response to PT-GS-KO and cause an underestimation of the role of PT GS expression.


2015 ◽  
Vol 309 (7) ◽  
pp. F658-F666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary E. Handlogten ◽  
Gunars Osis ◽  
Hyun-Wook Lee ◽  
Michael F. Romero ◽  
Jill W. Verlander ◽  
...  

The mechanisms regulating proximal tubule ammonia metabolism are incompletely understood. The present study addressed the role of the proximal tubule basolateral electrogenic Na+-coupled bicarbonate cotransporter (NBCe1; Slc4a4) in renal ammonia metabolism. We used mice with heterozygous and homozygous NBCe1 gene deletion and compared these mice with their wild-type littermates. Because homozygous NBCe1 gene deletion causes 100% mortality before day 25, we studied mice at day 8 (±1 day). Both heterozygous and homozygous gene deletion caused a gene dose-related decrease in serum bicarbonate. The ability to lower urinary pH was intact, and even accentuated, with NBCe1 deletion. However, in contrast to the well-known effect of metabolic acidosis to increase urinary ammonia excretion, NBCe1 deletion caused a gene dose-related decrease in ammonia excretion. There was no identifiable change in proximal tubule structure by light microscopy. Examination of proteins involved in renal ammonia metabolism showed decreased expression of phosphate-dependent glutaminase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, key enzymes in proximal tubule ammonia generation, and increased expression of glutamine synthetase, which recycles intrarenal ammonia and regenerates glutamine. Expression of key proteins involved in ammonia transport outside of the proximal tubule (rhesus B glycoprotein and rhesus C glycoprotein) was not significantly changed by NBCe1 deletion. We conclude from these findings that NBCe1 expression is necessary for normal proximal tubule ammonia metabolism.


Author(s):  
Autumn N. Harris ◽  
Rebeca A Castro ◽  
Hyun-Wook Lee ◽  
Jill W. Verlander ◽  
I. David Weiner

Background: There are sex differences in renal ammonia metabolism and structure, many of which are mediated by testosterone. This study's goal was to determine the role of renal expression of testosterone's canonical receptor, androgen receptor (AR), in these sexual dimorphisms. Methods: We studied mice with kidney-specific AR deletion (KS-AR-KO) generated using Cre/loxP techniques; control mice were Cre-negative littermates (WT). Results: In male, but not female, mice, KS-AR-KO increased ammonia excretion, which eliminated sex differences. Although renal structural size typically parallel ammonia excretion, KS-AR-KO decreased kidney size, cortical proximal tubule volume density and cortical proximal tubule cell height in males; neither were altered in females and collecting duct volume density was unaltered in both sexes. Analysis of key protein involved in ammonia handling showed in male mice that KS-AR-KO increased both PEPCK and NKCC2 expression, and decreased NHE3 and NBCe1-A expression. In female mice, KS-AR-KO did not alter these parameters. These effects occurred even though KS-AR-KO did not alter plasma testosterone, food intake or serum Na+, K+, or HCO3- significantly in either sex. Conclusions: AR-dependent signaling pathways in male, but not female, kidney regulate PEPCK and NKCC2 expression and lead to the sexual differences in ammonia excretion. Opposing effects on NHE-3 and NBCe1-A expression likely limit the magnitude of ammonia excretion changes. Since AR is not present in the TAL, the effect of KS-AR-KO on NKCC2 expression is indirect. Finally, AR mediates the greater kidney size and PT volume density in male than in female mice.


Author(s):  
Autumn N. Harris ◽  
I. David Weiner

Sexual dimorphic variations are present in many aspects of biology and involve the structure and/or function of nearly every organ system. Acid-base homeostasis is critical for optimal health, and renal ammonia metabolism has a major role in the maintenance of acid-base homeostasis. Recent studies have shown sex-dependent differences in renal ammonia metabolism with regards to both basal ammonia excretion and the response to an exogenous acid load. These sexual dimorphisms are associated with structural changes in the proximal tubule and the collecting duct and variations in the expression of multiple proteins involved in ammonia metabolism and transport. Studies using orchiectomy (ORCH)-induced testosterone deficiency and physiological testosterone replacement show testosterone underlies much of the sex-dependent differences in the proximal tubule. This parallels the finding that the canonical testosterone target receptor, androgen receptor (AR), is present exclusively in the proximal tubule. Thus, testosterone, possibly acting through AR activation, regulates multiple coponents of renal structure and ammonia metabolism. The lack of detectable AR in the remainder of the nephron and the collecting duct suggests that some dimorphisms in renal structure and ammonia transporter expression are mediated through mechanisms other than direct testosterone-dependent AR activation. A better understanding of the mechanism and biological implications of sex's effect on renal structure and ammonia metabolism is critical for optimizing our ability to care for both men and women with acid-base disturbances.


Author(s):  
Hyun-Wook Lee ◽  
Jill W. Verlander ◽  
Gary E Shull ◽  
Autumn N. Harris ◽  
I. David Weiner

The molecular mechanisms regulating ammonia metabolism are fundamental to acid-base homeostasis. Deleting the A splice variant of the Na⁺-bicarbonate cotransporter, electrogenic, isoform 1 (NBCe1-A) partially blocks the effect of acidosis to increase urinary ammonia excretion, and this appears to involve the dysregulated expression of ammoniagenic enzymes in the proximal tubule (PT) in the cortex, but not in the outer medulla (OM). A second NBCe1 splice variant, NBCe1-B, is present throughout the PT, including the OM, where NBCe1-A is not present. The current studies determined the effects of combined renal deletion of NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B on systemic and proximal tubule ammonia metabolism. We generated NBCe1-A/B deletion using Cre-loxP techniques and used Cre-negative mice as controls. Since renal NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B expression is limited to the proximal tubule, Cre-positive mice had proximal tubule NBCe1-A/B deletion (PT-NBCe1-A/B KO). While on basal diet, PT-NBCe1-A/B KO mice had severe metabolic acidosis, yet urinary ammonia excretion was not changed significantly. PT-NBCe1-A/B KO decreased expression of phosphate-dependent glutaminase (PDG) and phospho­enol­pyruvate carboxy­kinase (PEPCK) and increased expression of glutamine synthetase (GS), an ammonia recycling enzyme, in PT in both the cortex and OM. Exogenous acid-loading increased ammonia excretion in control mice, but PT-NBCe1-A/B KO prevented any increase. PT-NBCe1-A/B KO significantly blunted acid loading-induced changes in PDG, PEPCK, and GS expression in the proximal tubule in both the cortex and OM. We conclude that NBCe1-B, at least in the presence of NBCe1-A deletion, contributes to proximal tubule ammonia metabolism in the OM and thereby to systemic acid-base regulation.


2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (6) ◽  
pp. F1496-F1506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan C. Pao ◽  
Aditi Bhargava ◽  
Francesca Di Sole ◽  
Raymond Quigley ◽  
Xinli Shao ◽  
...  

Serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 2 (sgk2) is 80% identical to the kinase domain of sgk1, an important mediator of mineralocorticoid-regulated sodium (Na+) transport in the distal nephron of the kidney. The expression pattern and role in renal function of sgk2 are virtually uncharacterized. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry of rodent kidney coupled with real-time RT-PCR of microdissected rat kidney tubules showed robust sgk2 expression in the proximal straight tubule and thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. Sgk2 expression was minimal in distal tubule cells with aquaporin-2 immunostaining but significant in proximal tubule cells with Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3) immunostaining. To ascertain whether mineralocorticoids regulate expression of sgk2 in a manner similar to sgk1, we examined sgk2 mRNA expression in the kidneys of adrenalectomized rats treated with physiological doses of aldosterone together with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486. Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization showed that, unlike sgk1, sgk2 expression in the kidney was not altered by aldosterone treatment. Based on the observation that sgk2 is expressed in proximal tubule cells that also express NHE3, we asked whether sgk2 regulates NHE3 activity. We heterologously expressed sgk2 in opossum kidney (OKP) cells and measured Na+/H+ exchange activity by Na+-dependent cell pH recovery. Constitutively active sgk2, but not sgk1, stimulated Na+/H+ exchange activity by >30%. Moreover, the sgk2-mediated increase in Na+/H+ exchange activity correlated with an increase in cell surface expression of NHE3. Together, these results suggest that the pattern of expression, regulation, and role of sgk2 within the mammalian kidney are distinct from sgk1 and that sgk2 may play a previously unrecognized role in the control of transtubular Na+ transport through NHE3 in the proximal tubule.


2016 ◽  
Vol 311 (6) ◽  
pp. R1186-R1191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. Dominguez Rieg ◽  
Samantha de la Mora Chavez ◽  
Timo Rieg

The Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 3 (NHE3) facilitates Na+ absorption and H+ secretion and is expressed in the intestine, proximal tubule, and thick ascending limb of the kidney. While the function of NHE3 for Na+ and [Formula: see text](re)absorption has been defined using conventional NHE3 knockout mice (NHE3−/−), the recent generation of conditional NHE3 knockout mice started to give critical new insight into the role of this protein by allowing for temporal and spatial control of NHE3 expression. For example, in contrast to NHE3−/− mice, knockout of NHE3 in the S1 and S2 segments of the proximal tubule or along the entire tubule/collecting duct does not cause any lethality. Nonabsorbable NHE3 inhibitors have been developed, and preclinical as well as clinical trials indicate possible pharmacological use in fluid overload, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, hyperphosphatemia, and constipation. Some of the therapeutic considerations seem to be directly related to the pharmacodynamic properties of these drugs; however, little is known about the effects of these nonabsorbable NHE3 inhibitors on intestinal phosphate transport and the mechanisms so far remain elusive. This review focuses on novel findings of NHE3 in the intestine and the kidney as well as novel drug developments targeting NHE3.


2003 ◽  
Vol 285 (1) ◽  
pp. F152-F165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae-Hwan Kwon ◽  
Jakob Nielsen ◽  
Young-Hee Kim ◽  
Mark A. Knepper ◽  
Jørgen Frøkiær ◽  
...  

The effect of ANG II treatment of rats for 7 days was examined with respect to the abundance and subcellular localization of key thick ascending limb (TAL) Na+ transporters. Rats were on a fixed intake of Na+ and water and treated with 0, 12.5, 25, 50 (ANG II-50), 100 (ANG II-100), and 200 (ANG II-200) ng·min-1·kg-1 ANG II (sc). Semiquantitative immunoblotting revealed that Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3) abundance in the inner stripe of the outer medulla (ISOM) of ANG II-treated rats was significantly increased: 179 ± 28 (ANG II-50, n = 5), 166 ± 23 (ANG II-100, n = 7), and 167 ± 19% (ANG II-200, n = 4) of control levels ( n = 6, P < 0.05), whereas lower doses of ANG II were ineffective. The abundance of the bumetanide-sensitive Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter (BSC-1) in the ISOM was also increased to 187 ± 28 (ANG II-50), 162 ± 23 (ANG II-100), and 166 ± 19% (ANG II-200) of control levels ( P < 0.05), but there were no changes in the abundance of Na+-K+-ATPase and the electroneutral Na+-HCO3 cotransporter NBCn1. Immunocytochemistry confirmed the increase in NHE3 and BSC-1 labeling in medullary TAL (mTAL). In the cortex and the outer strip of the outer medulla, NHE3 abundance was unchanged, whereas immunocytochemistry revealed markedly increased NHE3 labeling of the proximal tubule brush border, suggesting subcellular redistribution of NHE3 or differential protein-protein interaction. Despite this, ANG II-treated rats (50 ng·min-1·kg-1 for 5 days, n = 6) had a higher urinary pH compared with controls. NH4Cl loading completely blocked all effects of ANG II infusion on NHE3 and BSC-1, suggesting a potential role of pH as a mediator of these effects. In conclusion, increased abundance of NHE3 and BSC-1 in mTAL cells as well as increased NHE3 in the proximal tubule brush border may contribute to enhanced renal Na+ and HCO3 reabsorption in response to ANG II.


1980 ◽  
Vol 239 (5) ◽  
pp. F393-F401 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Quamme ◽  
J. H. Dirks

Magnesium is filtered at the glomerulus to the extent of 70-80%, of which about 80-95% is reabsorbed by the various nephron segments. Recent evidence from micropuncture and microperfusion experiments has characterized the tubular handling of magnesium. The proximal convoluted tubule reclaims 20-30% of the filtered magnesium, considerably less than the fractional reabsorption of sodium and calcium. The proximal tubule is poorly permeable to magnesium but overall reabsorption is dependent on the filtered load and net water reabsorption. Specific knowledge of magnesium handling in the straight portion of the proximal tubule is lacking. Definitive evidence has been presented to indicate the important role of the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. The loop reabsorbs approximately 50-60% of the filtered magnesium or about 80% of that delivered to this segment. In vivo microperfusion studies have shown that elevation of luminal magnesium results in enhanced reabsorption proportional to delivery, whereas elevation of contraluminal magnesium leads to a fall in magnesium transport dependent on the absolute plasma concentration. This suggests a unique magnesium transport interaction on the contraluminal side of the ascending limb membrane that may also involve calcium. Parathyroid hormone increases magnesium reabsorption in the loop; however, its physiological role remains undefined. The distal convoluted tubule reabsorbs only 1-5% of filtered magnesium. Although it is now clear that successive segments of the nephron transport magnesium in different ways, the nature of the cellular mechanisms are unknown. The search for a specific physiological regulator of renal magnesium reabsorption remains unsuccessful. However, recent evidence suggests that overall renal magnesium homeostasis is determined to a large extent by transport in the ascending limb of Henle's loop.


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