Ej. Mcmurchie et Rj. Head, HUMAN BUCCAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS AS A POTENTIAL BIOCHEMICAL PREDICTOR OFESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION - IDENTIFICATION OF KEY CELLULAR PROCESSES, Clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology, 22(10), 1995, pp. 772-774
1. Human cheek cell Na+/H+ antiporter activity (measured as the rate o
f proton-dependent Na-22(+) uptake) was determined in seven normotensi
ve (NT) and four hypertensive (HT) subjects following preincubation of
cheek cells with a low molecular weight fraction isolated from NT sal
iva together with the ionophore, nigericin. 2. Cheek cells preincubate
d in this manner exhibited greater Na+/H+ antiporter activity with the
mean values being 4.2 nmol Na+. mg protein 5 min for the NT group and
1.7 for the HT group. 3. It is possible that stimulation of Na+ trans
port is due to cellular accumulation of K+ ions during preincubation w
hich, in the presence of the K+/H+ selective ionophore, nigericin, can
cause cellular reacidification promoting further Na-22(+) uptake via
the Na+/H+ antiporter.