Pk. Dudeja et al., INTESTINAL DISTRIBUTION OF HUMAN NA+ H+ EXCHANGER ISOFORMS NHE-1, NHE-2, AND NHE-3 MESSENGER-RNA/, American journal of physiology: Gastrointestinal and liver physiology, 34(3), 1996, pp. 483-493
The identity of Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) isoforms in the human small int
estine and colon and their role in vectorial Na+ absorption are not kn
own. The present studies were undertaken to examine the regional and v
ertical axis distribution of NHE-1, NHE-2, and NHE-3 mRNA in the human
intestine. Ribonuclease protection assays were used to quantitate the
levels of mRNA of these isoforms in various regions of the human inte
stine. In situ hybridization technique was used to localize NHE-2 and
NHE-3 mRNA in the colon. The NHE-1 isoform message was present uniform
ly throughout the length of the human intestine. In contrast, mRNA lev
els for human NHE-2 and NHE-3 isoforms demonstrated significant region
al differences. The NHE-3 abundance was found in decreasing order: ile
um > jejunum > proximal colon = distal colon. The NHE-2 message level
in the distal colon was significantly higher than in the proximal colo
n but was evenly distributed in the small intestine. In addition, NHE-
2 mRNA was present in surface epithelial cells as well as in cells of
the crypt region, suggesting the presence of NHE-2 message throughout
the vertical axis of the colonic crypts. In contrast, NHE-3 mRNA was l
ocalized to surface colonocytes in the proximal colon. On the basis of
this tissue-specific localization of NHE-2 and NHE-3 mRNA, it can be
speculated that the relative contribution of NHE-2 and NHE-3 isoforms
in Na+ absorption in the human intestine may be region specific, and t
hese putative apical isoforms may be differentially regulated.