AJP - Renal Physiology, Vol 261, Issue 4 617-F625, Copyright © 1991 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Cytosolic acidification stimulates a calcium influx that activates Na(+)-H+ exchange in LLC-PK1

K. D. Burns, T. Homma, M. D. Breyer and R. C. Harris
Department of Medicine, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.

We have previously shown that cytosolic acidification-stimulated Na(+)-H+ exchange in LLC-PK1 cells is inhibited by calmodulin antagonists. To investigate further the role of Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent processes in intracellular pH (pHi) regulation in these cells, we studied the effects of pHi changes on cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). In fura-2/acetoxymethylester (fura-2/AM)-loaded cells maintained in isotonic Na(+)-free buffer containing 1.8 mM CaCl2, [Ca2+]i was 168 +/- 59 nM (n = 5). After NH4Cl-induced alkalinization, [Ca2+]i decreased to 83 +/- 28 nM and partially recovered to 126 +/- 42 nM. Cytosolic acidification, after NH4Cl washout, caused an increase in [Ca2+]i to 481 +/- 166 nM (P less than 0.05; n = 5) that was dependent on extracellular Ca2+. An increase in [Ca2+]i was also observed in cells acidified with KCl-nigericin, with a return of [Ca2+]i to baseline with cell alkalinization. No increase in 45Ca2+ efflux occurred in association with initial NH4Cl-induced [Ca2+]i decrease, suggesting Ca2+ flux into an intracellular store during alkalinization. Membrane depolarization did not alter [Ca2+]i. The acidification-induced [Ca2+]i increase was inhibited by preincubation with verapamil or the calmodulin antagonist N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7). Na(+)-dependent pHi recovery in 2,'7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethylester (BCECF/AM)-loaded LLC-PK1 cells and cytosolic acidification-stimulated basolateral Na(+)-H+ exchange activity in LLC-PK1/CL4 cells were both attenuated in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. The results indicate that cytosolic acidification activates an influx of extracellular Ca2+ in LLC-PK1 cells. Furthermore, in the absence of Ca2+ influx, Na(+)-H+ exchange is inhibited.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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