The pathophysiological nature of the common ABCG2 gout and hyperuricemia associated variant Q141K (rs2231142) remains undefined. Here, we use a human interventional cohort study (ACTRN12615001302549) to understand the physiological role of ABCG2 and find that participants with the Q141K ABCG2 variant display elevated serum urate, unaltered FEUA, and significant evidence of reduced extra-renal urate excretion. We explore mechanisms by generating a mouse model of the orthologous Q140K Abcg2 variant and find male mice have significant hyperuricemia and metabolic alterations, but only subtle alterations of renal urate excretion and ABCG2 abundance. By contrast, these mice display a severe defect in ABCG2 abundance and function in the intestinal tract. These results suggest a tissue specific pathobiology of the Q141K variant, support an important role for ABCG2 in urate excretion in both the human kidney and intestinal tract, and provide insight into the importance of intestinal urate excretion for serum urate homeostasis.

Intestinal Cl− secretion is stimulated by cyclic AMP (cAMP) and intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i). Recent studies show that protein kinase A (PKA) and the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) are downstream targets of cAMP. Therefore, we tested whether both PKA and Epac are involved in forskolin (FSK)/cAMP-stimulated Cl− secretion. Human intestinal T84 cells and mouse small intestine were used for short circuit current (Isc) measurement in response to agonist-stimulated Cl− secretion. FSK-stimulated Cl− secretion was completely inhibited by the additive effects of the PKA inhibitor, H89 (1 µM), and the [Ca2+]i chelator, 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetic acid, tetraacetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM; 25 µM). Both FSK and the Epac activator 8-pCPT-2’-O-Me-cAMP (50 µM) elevated [Ca2+]i, activated Ras-related protein 2, and induced Cl− secretion in intact or basolateral membrane–permeabilized T84 cells and mouse ileal sheets. The effects of 8-pCPT-2’-O-Me-cAMP were completely abolished by BAPTA-AM, but not by H89. In contrast, T84 cells with silenced Epac1 had a reduced Isc response to FSK, and this response was completely inhibited by H89, but not by the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 or BAPTA-AM. The stimulatory effect of 8-pCPT-2’-O-Me-cAMP on Cl− secretion was not abolished by cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance (CFTR) inhibitor 172 or glibenclamide, suggesting that CFTR channels are not involved. This was confirmed by lack of effect of 8-pCPT-2’-O-Me-cAMP on whole cell patch clamp recordings of CFTR currents in Chinese hamster ovary cells transiently expressing the human CFTR channel. Furthermore, biophysical characterization of the Epac1-dependent Cl− conductance of T84 cells mounted in Ussing chambers suggested that this conductance was hyperpolarization activated, inwardly rectifying, and displayed a Cl−>Br−>I− permeability sequence. These results led us to conclude that the Epac-Rap-PLC-[Ca2+]i signaling pathway is involved in cAMP-stimulated Cl− secretion, which is carried by a novel, previously undescribed Cl− channel.

Zn, an essential micronutrient and second most abundant trace element in cell and tissues, reduces stool output when administered to children with acute diarrhea. The mechanism by which Zn improves diarrhea is not known but could result from stimulating Na absorption and/or inhibiting anion secretion. The aim of this study was to investigate the direct effect of Zn on intestinal epithelial ion absorption and secretion. Rat ileum was partially stripped of serosal and muscle layers, and the mucosa was mounted in lucite chambers. Potential difference and short-circuit current were measured by conventional current-voltage clamp method. 86Rb efflux and uptake were assessed for serosal K channel and Na-K-2Cl cotransport activity, respectively. Efflux experiments were performed in isolated cells preloaded with 86Rb in the presence of ouabain and bumetanide, whereas uptake experiments were performed in low-Cl isotonic buffer containing Ba and ouabain. Neither mucosal nor serosal Zn affected glucose-stimulated Na absorption. In contrast, forskolin-induced Cl secretion was markedly reduced by serosal but not mucosal addition of Zn. Zn also substantially reversed the increase in Cl secretion induced by 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcAMP) with half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.43 mM. In contrast, serosal Zn did not alter Cl secretion stimulated by carbachol, a Ca-dependent agonist. Zn inhibited 8-BrcAMP-stimulated 86Rb efflux but not carbachol-stimulated 86Rb efflux. Zn had no effect on bumetanide-sensitive 86Rb uptake, Na-K-ATPase, or CFTR. We conclude from these studies that Zn inhibits cAMP-induced Cl secretion by blocking basolateral membrane K channels.

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