title: Importance of pH homeostasis in metabolic health and diseases: crucial role of membrane proton transport.
abstract: Protons dissociated from organic acids in cells are partly buffered. If not, they are transported to the extracellular fluid through the plasma membrane and buffered in circulation or excreted in urine and expiration gas. Several transporters including monocarboxylate transporters and Na(+)/H(+) exchanger play an important role in uptake and output of protons across plasma membranes in cells of metabolic tissues including skeletal muscle and the liver. They also contribute to maintenance of the physiological pH of body fluid. Therefore, impairment of these transporters causes dysfunction of cells, diseases, and a decrease in physical performance associated with abnormal pH. Additionally, it is known that fluid pH in the interstitial space of metabolic tissues is easily changed due to little pH buffering capacitance in interstitial fluids and a reduction in the interstitial fluid pH may mediate the onset of insulin resistance unlike blood containing pH buffers such as Hb (hemoglobin) and albumin. In contrast, habitual exercise and dietary intervention regulate expression/activity of transporters and maintain body fluid pH, which could partly explain the positive effect of healthy lifestyle on disease prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Health Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, Kyoto 606-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8383-4590
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aoi
authors.affiliation: Departments of Molecular Cell Physiology and Bio-Ionomics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan ; Japan Institute for Food Education and Health, St. Agnes' University, Kyoto 602-8013, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3846-0937
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Marunaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D017494:Proton Pumps / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017494:Proton Pumps