title: Immunolocalization of electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransporters pNBC1 and kNBC1 in the rat eye.
abstract: The human NBC1 gene encodes two electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransport proteins, pNBC1 and kNBC1, which are candidate proteins for mediating electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransport in ocular cells. Mutations in the coding region of the human NBC1 gene in exons common to both pNBC1 and kNBC1 result in a syndrome with a severe ocular and renal phenotype (blindness, band keratopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and proximal renal tubular acidosis). In the present study, we determined the pattern of electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter protein expression in rat eye. For this purpose, pNBC1- and kNBC1-specific antibodies were generated and used to detect these NBC1 protein variants by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. pNBC1 is expressed in cornea, conjunctiva, lens, ciliary body, and retina, whereas the expression of kNBC1 is restricted to the conjunctiva. These results provide the first evidence for extrarenal kNBC1 protein expression. The data in this study will serve as a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for abnormalities in ocular electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransport in patients with mutations in the NBC1 gene.
authors.affiliation: Jules Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, 90095-1689, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bok
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schibler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pushkin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sassani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abuladze
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Naser
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurtz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000737:chemistry; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000737:chemistry; D003315:Cornea / Q000737:chemistry; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D005123:Eye / Q000737:chemistry*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000737:chemistry; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010179:Pancreas / Q000737:chemistry; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000737:chemistry; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012160:Retina / Q000737:chemistry; D027982:Sodium-Bicarbonate Symporters / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; C498898:SLC4A4 protein, human; C422004:Slc4a4 protein, rat; D027982:Sodium-Bicarbonate Symporters