title: Low Ca(2+) pump activity in diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: Elevated cell Na(+)-H(+) exchange (NHE) activity characterizes diabetic nephropathy (DN), but the mechanisms of this abnormality are unclear. Recent evidence suggests that NHE and the Ca(2+) pump share similar regulatory pathways, but whether abnormalities in Ca(2+) metabolism characterize DN is not known. We investigated Ca(2+) efflux rates, NHE activity, cytosolic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) concentrations, and intracellular pH (pH(i)) in human skin fibroblasts from 20 patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes and nephropathy; 20 patients with diabetes with normoalbuminuria matched for age, sex, and duration of diabetes; and 10 individuals without diabetes. Ca(2+) pump-mediated Ca(2+) efflux was significantly lower in patients with nephropathy than in patients with normoalbuminuria and individuals without diabetes (0.074 +/- 0.01 versus 0.115 +/- 0.01 versus 0.131 +/- 0.02 nmol.mg(protein)(-1).min(-1); analysis of variance [ANOVA], P = 0.015). Elevated maximal velocity of the Na(+)-H(+) exchanger was confirmed in fibroblasts from patients with nephropathy (14.4 +/- 1.2 versus 7.1 +/- 0.7 versus 8.0 +/- 1.2 mmol H(+).l cell(-1).min(-1); ANOVA, P < 0.0001). A reverse correlation between Ca(2+) pump activity and NHE rates could be shown. Adjustment for glycated hemoglobin and plasma lipid levels did not affect these findings. Finally, [Ca(2+)](i) concentrations and pH(i) were normal in all patients. Low Ca(2+) pump activity is a concomitant event of elevated NHE rates in DN; the molecular dysfunction(s) underlying these abnormalities remains to be established.
authors.affiliation: Renal Pathophysiology Laboratory, Division of Medicine, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Podestá
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meregalli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghelardi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Del Giudice
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Asnaghi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maestroni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zerbini
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D009584:Nitrogen; D002118:Calcium