title: Potassium channels related to primary aldosteronism: Expression similarities and differences between human and rat adrenals.
abstract: Three potassium channels have been associated with primary aldosteronism (PA) in rodents and humans: KCNK3 (TASK-1), KCNK9 (TASK-3), and KCNJ5 (Kir3.4). Mice with deficiency in Kcnk3 and Kcnk9 have elevated aldosterone production and blood pressure. In humans, adrenal tumors with somatic mutations in KCNJ5 cause PA. However, there are very few reports on the expression patterns of these genes in humans versus rodents. Herein, we compared human and rat mRNA expression (by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and protein levels (by immunohistochemistry) across three tissues (adrenal, brain, heart) and two laser-captured adrenal zones (zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata). Our findings show that expression patterns of KCNK3, KCNK9, and KCNJ5 are inconsistent between rats and humans across both tissues and adrenal zones. Thus, species variation in the expression of PA-related potassium channels indicates an evolutionary divergence in their role in regulating adrenal aldosterone production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew X
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Koshiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nanba
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Electronic address: wer@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Rainey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D015383:Zona Fasciculata / Q000378:metabolism*; D015384:Zona Glomerulosa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain; C420132:potassium channel subfamily K member 3
keywords: Aldosterone; Potassium (K(+)); Primary aldosteronism; Zona fasciculata; Zona glomerulosa