Regulation of goby intestinal ion absorption by the calcium messenger system

Ion transport in the intestine of Gobius niger in both isotonic and hypotonic conditions

Ion transport in the intestine of Gobius niger, a euryhaline teleost, was studied in both isotonic and hypotonic conditions. Isolated tissues, mounted in Ussing chambers and bilaterally perfused with isotonic Ringer solution, developed a serosa negative transepithelial voltage and a short circuit current indicating a net negative current in absorptive direction. Bilateral removal of Cl- and Na+ from the bathing solutions as well as the luminal removal of K+in the presence of Ba2+(10(-3) M) almost abolished both Vt and Isc. Similar results were obtained by adding bumetanide (10(-5)M) to the luminal bath while other inhibitors of Cl- transport mechanisms were ineffective. These observations suggest that salt absorption begins with a coupled entry of Na+, Cl-, and K+ across the apical membrane; a Ba2+inhibitable K+ conductance, demonstrated also by micropuncture experiments, recycles the ion into the lumen. Salt entry into the cell is driven by the operation of the basolateral Na+/K(+)-ATPase since serosal ouabain (10(-4)M) completely abolished both Vt and Isc; this pump also completes the Na(+) absorption. The inhibitory effect of both serosal bumetanide (10(-4)M) and SITS (5 x 10(-4)M) suggests that Cl- would leave the cell via the KCl cotransport, the Cl/HCO3- antiport and/or conductive pathways. Bilateral exposure of tissues to hypotonic media produced a reduction of both the transepithelial voltage and the short circuit current probably due to the activation of homeostatic ionic fluxes involved in cell volume regulation. The results of experiments with both isolated enterocytes and intestine exposed to hypotonic solution suggested that the recovery of cell volume, after the initial cell swelling, involves a parallel opening of K+ and Cl- channels to facilitate net solute and water effluxes from the cell. J. Exp. Zool. 301A:49-62, 2004.

NaCl and fluid secretion by the intestine of the teleostFundulus heteroclitus: involvement of CFTR

Sections of posterior intestine of the euryhaline killifish Fundulus heteroclitus adapted to sea water were stimulated by the calcium ionophore ionomycin (1 μmol l–1) in combination with agents to elevate intracellular cyclic AMP levels, 0.5 mmol l–1 dibutyryl-cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) with 0.1 mmol l–1 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Intestinal bag preparations from recently fed animals (but not from overnight unfed animals) changed from fluid absorption (+18.9±8.30 μl cm–2 h–1 , N=8) in the untreated control period to net fluid secretion after stimulation (–7.43±1.30 μl cm–2 h–1, N=8, P<0.01; means ± s.e.m.), indicative of the capacity of teleost intestine to undergo secretion. Posterior intestinal pieces mounted in vitro in Ussing-style membrane chambers showed net Cl– uptake (+2.245±0.633 μequiv cm–2 h–1, N=7) that turned to net secretion following stimulation by ionomycin + db-cAMP + IBMX (–3.809±1.22 μequiv cm–2 h–1, N=7, P<0.01). Mucosal application of the anion channel blocker 1 mmol l–1 diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC) after ionomycin + db-cAMP + IBMX treatment significantly reduced serosal-to-mucosal unidirectional Cl– flux (P<0.001), net Cl– flux (P<0.05), short-circuit current (Isc, P<0.001) and tissue conductance (Gt, P<0.001), while 0.1 mmol l–1 4,4′-diisothiocyano-2,2′-stilbene-disulphonic acid (DIDS, a blocker of anion exchange) was without effect. Stimulation by db-cAMP + IBMX (no ionomycin) significantly increased unidirectional fluxes, Isc and Gt but did not produce net Cl– secretion. Ionomycin alone produced a transient increase in Isc but had no effect on Gt and caused no significant changes in unidirectional or net Cl– fluxes. Addition of db-cAMP + IBMX after ionomycin treatment produced net secretion of Cl– and large increases in unidirectional fluxes and Gt. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was immunocytochemically localized with a monoclonal mouse antibody to the carboxy terminus and found to be present in the cytoplasm and basolateral membranes of all enterocytes and in the brush-border membrane of some cells, whereas NKCC immunofluorescence, demonstrating the presence of the Na+/K+/2Cl– cotransporter, was present in the cytoplasm and brush-border membrane. We conclude that the teleost intestine is capable of salt and fluid secretion only if intracellular Ca2+ and cyclic AMP pathways are stimulated together and that this secretion appears to involve activation of CFTR ion channels in the apical membrane of a subpopulation of enterocytes.

Inhibition of goby posterior intestinal NaCl absorption by natriuretic peptides and by cardiac extracts

Natriuretic peptides abolish active Na+ and Cl- absorption across the posterior intestine of the euryhaline goby Gillichthys mirabilis. Inhibition by eel and human natriuretic peptides is dose-dependent with the following sequence of potencies based on experimentally determined ID50 values for inhibition of short-circuit current: eel ventricular natriuretic peptide (78 nmol.l-1), eel atrial natriuretic peptide (156 nmol.l-1), human brain natriuretic peptide (326 nmol.l-1), human alpha atrial natriuretic peptide (1.05 mumol.l-1), and eel C-type natriuretic peptide (75 mumol.l-1). Natriuretic peptides also significantly increase transcellular conductance. The observed sequence of natriuretic peptide potencies is suggestive of cellular mediation by GC-A-type NP-R1 receptors in this tissue; as expected for guanylyl-cyclase-coupled NP-R1 receptors, cyclic GMP mimics the action of natriuretic peptides on the goby intestine. Crude aqueous extracts of goby atrium and ventricle inhibited short circuit current and increased tissue conductance in a dose-dependent manner. Ventricular extract was more potent than atrial extract on both a per organ and per milligram basis.

Recognition by goby intestine of a somatostatin analog, SMS 201-995

The caudal neurosecretory peptide urotensin II and its partial structural analog the hypothalamic and gastroenteropancreatic peptide somatostatin can be distinguished by the goby posterior intestine; urotensin II stimulates Na+ and Cl- absorption whereas somatostatin is without effect. Sandostatin (Sandoz compound SMS 201-995) is a partial structural analog of somatostatin, possessing the active core common to both urotensin II and somatostatin but lacking the C- and N-terminal tails which apparently confer recognition in species specificity. SMS 201-995 mimicked the effects of urotensin II, namely, increased net Cl- absorption and decreased radiochloride backflux consistent with the observed increase in transepithelial resistance and the cellular depolarization typical of transport stimulation in this tissue. Speculation on the role of the tails in species-specific recognition is supported by the nature of amino acid residue substitutions in urotensin II, somatostatin, and SMS 201-995 and suggests the existence of multiple receptor types for this group of peptides.