Oc. Farokhzad et al., Protein kinase C activation downregulates the expression and function of the basolateral Na+/K+/2Cl(-) cotransporter, J CELL PHYS, 181(3), 1999, pp. 489-498
The basolateral Na+/K+/2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC1) has been shown to be an
independent regulatory site for electrogenic Cl- secretion. The proinflamm
atory phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which activates
protein kinase C (PKC), inhibits basal and cyclic adenosine monophosphate
(cAMP)-stimulated NKCC1 activity in T84 intestinal epithelial cells and dec
reases the steady state levels of NKCC1 mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent
manner. The levels of NKCC1 protein also fall in accordance with the NKCC1
mRNA transcript and these levels are unaffected by 4 alpha-phorbol, which d
oes not activate PKC. Inhibition of maximal (cAMP-stimulated) NKCC1 functio
nal activity by PMA was first detected by 1 h, whereas decreases in the ste
ady stale levels of NKCC1 mRNA were not detectable until 4 h. NKCC1 mRNA ex
pression recovers toward control levels with extended treatment of cells wi
th PMA suggesting that the PMA effects on NKCC1 expression are mediated thr
ough activation of PKC. Although NKCC1 mRNA and protein levels return to co
ntrol values after extended PMA exposure, NKCC1 functional activity does no
t recover. Immunofluorescence imaging suggest that the absence of functiona
l recovery is due to failure of newly synthesized NKKC1 protein to reach th
e cell surface. We conclude that NKCC1 has the capacity to be regulated at
the level of de novo expression by PKC, although decreased NKCC1 expression
alone cannot account for either early or late loss of NKCC1 function. (C)
1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.