Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) and the 5-ethyl-isopropyl-6-bromo-derivative of amiloride (Br-EIPA) have been used as affinity and photoaffinity labels of the Na+/H+ exchanger in rat renal brush-border membranes. Intravesicular acidification by the Na+/H+ exchanger was irreversibly inhibited after incubation of vesicles for 30 min with DCCD. The substrate of the antiporter, Na+, and the competitive inhibitor, amiloride, protected from irreversible inhibition. The Na+-dependent transport systems for sulfate, dicarboxylates, and neutral, acidic, and basic amino acids were inhibited by DCCD, but not protected by amiloride. An irreversible inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange was also observed when brush-border membrane vesicles were irradiated in the presence of Br-EIPA. Na+ and Li+ protected. [14C]-DCCD was mostly incorporated into three brush-border membrane polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 88,000, 65,000 and 51,000. Na+ did not protect but rather enhanced labeling. In contrast, amiloride effectively decreased the labeling of the 65,000 molecular weight polypeptide. In basolateral membrane vesicles one band was highly labeled by [14C]DCCD that was identified as the alpha-subunit of the Na+,K+-ATPase. [14C]-Br-EIPA was mainly incorporated into a brush-border membrane polypeptide with apparent molecular weight of 65,000. Na+ decreased the labeling of this protein. Similar to the Na+/H+ exchanger this Na+-protectable band was absent in basolateral membrane vesicles. We conclude that a membrane protein with an apparent molecular weight of 65,000 is involved in rat renal Na+/H+ exchange.

No abstract

No abstract

Proteins with apparent molecular masses between 15 kDa and 17 kDa were enriched from rat renal brush-border membranes by preparative gel electrophoresis and used for immunization of rabbits. The serum of one of the rabbits reacted in Western blots of separated renal brush-border proteins with a single 15-kDa band. A comparably strong reaction is seen with a 15-kDa band of renal endosomal proteins. Basolateral membranes show a much weaker reaction. In light- and electron-microscopic studies the serum stains brush-border membranes and endosomes in rat proximal tubule cells, but not mitochondria and basolateral membranes. In cortical collecting ducts, principal cells are not stained with the antiserum. alpha-type (H(+)-secreting) intercalated cells bind the antibodies at apical tubulovesicles. The luminal membrane is scarcely labelled. Conversely, beta-type (HCO3(-)-secreting) intercalated cells exhibit antibody binding to their basolateral membrane. Thus, the antiserum detects 15-kDa proteins differently sorted in alpha- and beta-intercalated cells. After induction of an acute (6 h) metabolic acidosis, the antibody-binding pattern changes only in intercalated cells, type alpha, and occurs at the markedly enlarged luminal plasma membrane. The amount of alpha-type intercalated cells with enlarged luminal membrane ("secreting cell") increases at the expense of alpha cells with apical tubulovesicles ("resting cell"). Taken together, the antiserum detects 15-kDa proteins, the localization and adaptive changes to metabolic acidosis of which are similar to H(+)-ATPases. The functional role of the 15-kDa proteins needs to be established in further studies.