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Amiloride-sensitive NaCl taste responses are associated with genetic variation of ENaC alpha-subunit in mice.

ABSTRACT: An epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) is expressed in taste cells and may be involved in the salt taste transduction. ENaC activity is blocked by amiloride, which in several mammalian species also inhibits taste responses to NaCl. In mice, lingual application of amiloride inhibits NaCl responses in the chorda tympani (CT) gustatory nerve much stronger in the C57BL/6 (B6) strain than in the 129P3/J (129) strain. We examined whether this strain difference is related to gene sequence variation or mRNA expression of three ENaC subunits (alpha, beta, gamma). Real-time RT-PCR and in situ hybridization detected no significant strain differences in expression of all three ENaC subunits in fungiform papillae. Sequences of the beta- and gammaENaC subunit genes were also similar in the B6 and 129 strains, but alphaENaC gene had three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). One of these SNPs resulted in a substitution of arginine in the B6 strain to tryptophan in the 129 strain (R616W) in the alphaENaC protein. To examine association of this SNP with amiloride sensitivity of CT responses to NaCl, we produced F(2) hybrids between B6 and 129 strains. Amiloride inhibited CT responses to NaCl in F(2) hybrids with B6/129 and B6/B6 alphaENaC R616W genotypes stronger than in F(2) hybrids with 129/129 genotype. This suggests that the R616W variation in the alphaENaC subunit affects amiloride sensitivity of the ENaC channel and provides evidence that ENaC is involved in amiloride-sensitive salt taste responses in mice.

SUBMITTER: Shigemura N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2262045 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Amiloride-sensitive NaCl taste responses are associated with genetic variation of ENaC alpha-subunit in mice.

Shigemura Noriatsu N Ohkuri Tadahiro T Sadamitsu Chiharu C Yasumatsu Keiko K Yoshida Ryusuke R Beauchamp Gary K GK Bachmanov Alexander A AA Ninomiya Yuzo Y

American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology 20071031 1

An epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC) is expressed in taste cells and may be involved in the salt taste transduction. ENaC activity is blocked by amiloride, which in several mammalian species also inhibits taste responses to NaCl. In mice, lingual application of amiloride inhibits NaCl responses in the chorda tympani (CT) gustatory nerve much stronger in the C57BL/6 (B6) strain than in the 129P3/J (129) strain. We examined whether this strain difference is related to gene sequence variation or mRNA ...[more]

PMID: 17977920

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Project description:The effects of small molecule ENaC activators N,N,N-trimethyl-2-((4-methyl-2-((4-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)thio)pentanoyl)oxy)ethanaminium iodide (Compound 1) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-2-((4-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)thio)pentanamide (Compound 2), were tested on the benzamil (Bz)-sensitive NaCl chorda tympani (CT) taste nerve response under open-circuit conditions and under ±60 mV applied lingual voltage-clamp, and compared with the effects of known physiological activators (8-CPT-cAMP, BAPTA-AM, and alkaline pH), and an inhibitor (ionomycin+Ca2+) of ENaC. The NaCl CT response was enhanced at -60 mV and suppressed at +60 mV. In every case the CT response (r) versus voltage (V) curve was linear. All ENaC activators increased the open-circuit response (ro) and the voltage sensitivity (?, negative of the slope of the r versus V curve) and ionomycin+Ca2+ decreased ro and ? to zero. Compound 1 and Compound 2 expressed a sigmoidal-saturating function of concentration (0.25-1 mM) with a half-maximal response concentration (k) of 0.49 and 1.05 mM, respectively. Following treatment with 1 mM Compound 1, 8-CPT-cAMP, BAPTA-AM and pH 10.3, the Bz-sensitive NaCl CT response to 100 mM NaCl was enhanced and was equivalent to the Bz-sensitive CT response to 300 mM NaCl. Plots of ? versus ro in the absence and presence of the activators or the inhibitor were linear, suggesting that changes in the affinity of Na+ for ENaC under different conditions are fully compensated by changes in the apical membrane potential difference, and that the observed changes in the Bz-sensitive NaCl CT response arise exclusively from changes in the maximum CT response (rm). The results further suggest that the agonists enhance and ionomycin+Ca2+ decreases ENaC function by increasing or decreasing the rate of release of Na+ from its ENaC binding site to the receptor cell cytosol, respectively. Irrespective of agonist type, the Bz-sensitive NaCl CT response demonstrated a maximum response enhancement limit of about 75% over control value.

Project description:BackgroundThe amiloride-sensitive Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) is critical in maintaining Na+ balance, extracellular fluid volume and long term blood pressure control. ENaC is composed of three main subunits alpha, beta, & gamma. While alpha ENaC is critical for channel functionality, beta & gamma ENaC maximize channel function. To date, there are four alternatively spliced forms of the alpha subunit of ENaC (alpha ENaC-a, -b, -c, & -d) that have been published in rats, in addition to the major alpha ENaC transcript. While alpha ENaC-a, -c & -d transcripts are low abundance transcripts compared to full-length alpha ENaC, alpha ENaC-b is a higher abundance and salt-sensitive transcript compared to full-length alpha ENaC.Presentation of the hypothesisalpha ENaC-b protein, which is preferentially produced in Dahl R rats, to a greater extent on high salt diet, exerts a dominant negative effect on full-length alpha ENaC subunit by physically binding to and trapping full-length alpha ENaC subunit in the endoplasmic reticulum, and finally accelerating full-length alpha ENaC proteolytic degradation in a dose-dependent manner.Testing the hypothesis1) To examine the mRNA and protein abundance of alpha ENaC-b relative to alpha ENaC full-length in kidney, lung, and taste tissues of Dahl rats. 2) To compare the expression (mRNA and protein) of alpha ENaC-b in kidneys of Dahl S and R rats on regular and high salt diet. 3) To examine the putative binding of alpha ENaC-b proteins to full-length alpha ENaC in vitro and to determine the impact of such binding on full-length alpha ENaC expression in vitro.Implications of the hypothesisOur studies will be the first to demonstrate the over-expression of salt-sensitive alpha ENaC-b spliced form in kidney tissues of Dahl R rats at the expense of full-length alpha ENaC. The current proposal will provide highly novel insights into the putative mechanisms leading to ENaC hypoactivity in high-salt-fed Dahl R rats. Finally, findings from the present proposal will uncover a new mechanism by which alternative splicing may control the regulation of ENaC expression/function.

Dataset Information

Amiloride-sensitive NaCl taste responses are associated with genetic variation of ENaC alpha-subunit in mice.

Publications

Amiloride-sensitive NaCl taste responses are associated with genetic variation of ENaC alpha-subunit in mice.

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