Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Ammonia Metabolism

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Project Summary/Abstract The renal maintenance of acid-base homeostasis is critical for optimal health. Collecting duct intercalated cells play a central role in this process through adaptive changes in proton secretion, bicarbonate secretion, and Rh glycoproteins-mediated ammonia transport. Our current paradigm is that the primary determinant of this response involves direct effects of extracellular pH on intercalated cells. We suggest a new paradigm. Deletion of the proximal tubule-specific basolateral bicarbonate transporter, NBCe1-A, causes severe metabolic acidosis, yet inhibits intercalated cell phenotypic characteristics of acid secretion and inhibits the intercalated cell plasticity response to acid-loading. This is not an off-target effect of the TALEN gene-editing procedure; identical effects were seen with NBCe1-A/B deletion generated using Cre-lox techniques. Published work shows that the K+ disorders, hypokalemia and hyperkalemia, alter intercalated cell phenotype and plasticity in a pattern which cannot be explained by extracellular pH. The effects of NBCe1-A or NBCe1-A/B deletion, or of K+ disorders likely involve ammonia. Each alters proximal tubule- derived ammonia generation in a pattern which parallels the observed intercalated cell responses. Isolated perfused collecting duct studies show ammonia acutely and directly regulates intercalated cell H⁺ and bicarbonate transport. Thus, we propose a new paradigm, that proximal tubule-derived ammonia, which is concentrated in the renal interstitium by the TAL, is a primary determinant of intercalated cell phenotypic characteristics and plasticity response. Our proposed studies investigate this new paradigm in detail. Specific Aim 1 will determine the effect of gene deletion maneuvers which directly and specifically alter proximal tubule and thick ascending limb ammonia metabolism on intercalated cell phenotype and plasticity. We will use a combination of gene deletion approaches, including proximal tubule-specific deletion of PDG, the initial and the rate-limiting enzyme in ammoniagenesis, and TAL NHE4 deletion, which directly impacts ammonia concentration into the renal interstitium where we propose it regulates intercalated cells. We will study the effect of these gene deletion so in a variety of conditions, including basal state, acid-loading, and abnormal potassium homeostasis, both hypokalemia and hyperkalemia. Specific Aim 2 will determine the signaling mechanisms through which proximal tubule regulates intercalated cell phenotypic characteristics and plasticity. We will identify whether this is direct stimulator of pathways or acts parallel to and independent of signaling pathways known to alter intercalated cells, including GDF15, hensin, GPR4, and SDF1. These studies will substantially advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating thereby acid-base homeostasis.