Regulation of the ROMK potassium channel in the kidney.
ROMK is a gene encoding inwardly rectifying adenosine triphosphate regulated K+ channels. Alternative splicing of ROMK exons yields several different transcripts, ROMK 1-3, that are differentially expressed along the nephron. Cloned ROMK channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes exhibit properties similar to those of the native low-conductance K+ secretory channels in cortical collecting duct and medullary thick ascending limb, as manifested by use of the patch-clamp technique. These similarities between the cloned and native channels suggest that ROMK represents the low-conductance secretory K+ channels in the kidney. We studied the role of dietary K+ and aldosterone in the regulation of ROMK mRNA expression in the rat kidney. K+ deficiency downregulated ROMK mRNA in cortex and medulla. Adrenalectomy markedly downregulated cortical ROMK, while it increased it in the medulla. In adrenalectomized rats K+ deficiency decreased ROMK mRNA in cortex and medulla similarly to intact rats. Na-K-ATPase subunits alpha1 and beta1 were regulated in parallel to the regulation of ROMK. In the medulla ROMK mRNA correlated highly with serum K+ and with the alpha1 and beta1 subunits of Na-K-ATPase. These results show that cortical ROMK expression is regulated by aldosterone and K+, while the medullary ROMK mRNA is regulated by serum K+, irrespective of aldosterone.
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Nephrology and Hypertension Services, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
D000450:Aldosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D017419:Potassium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014981:Xenopus
C510692:Kcnj1 protein, rat; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D017419:Potassium, Dietary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000450:Aldosterone