Mineralocorticoid regulation of epithelial Na+ channels is maintained in a mouse model of Liddle's syndrome

A Dahlmann, S Pradervand… - American Journal …, 2003 - journals.physiology.org
A Dahlmann, S Pradervand, E Hummler, BC Rossier, G Frindt, LG Palmer
American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology, 2003journals.physiology.org
Currents through epithelial Na channels (ENaCs) were measured in the cortical collecting
tubule (CCT) of mice expressing truncated β-subunits of ENaC, reproducing one of the
mutations found in human patients with Liddle's syndrome. Tubules were isolated from mice
homozygous for the Liddle mutation (L/L) and from wild-type (WT) littermates. Amiloride-
sensitive currents (I Na) from single cells were recorded under whole cell clamp conditions.
CCTs from mice kept under control conditions and fed a diet with normal levels of Na had …
Currents through epithelial Na channels (ENaCs) were measured in the cortical collecting tubule (CCT) of mice expressing truncated β-subunits of ENaC, reproducing one of the mutations found in human patients with Liddle's syndrome. Tubules were isolated from mice homozygous for the Liddle mutation (L/L) and from wild-type (WT) littermates. Amiloride-sensitive currents (INa) from single cells were recorded under whole cell clamp conditions. CCTs from mice kept under control conditions and fed a diet with normal levels of Na had very small INas (WT: 18 ± 13 pA; L/L: 22 ± 8 pA at Vm = –100 mV) that were not different in WT and L/L animals. However, the L/L mice had much larger currents when the animals were fed a low-Na diet (WT: 256 ± 127 pA; L/L: 1,820 ± 330 pA) or infused with aldosterone (WT: 285 ± 63 pA; L/L: 1,600 ± 280 pA). Currents from L/L mice were also larger when animals were pretreated with a high-K diet but not when the CCTs were stimulated in vitro with 8-CTP-cAMP. Noise analysis of amiloride-induced fluctuations in INa showed that single-channel currents at Vm = 0 mV were slightly smaller in L/L mice (WT: 0.33 pA; L/L: 0.24 pA). This difference could be attributed to a decrease in driving force since current-voltage analysis indicated that intracellular Na was increased in the L/L animals. Analysis of spontaneous channel noise indicated that the open probability was similar in the two genotypes(WT: 0.77; L/L: 0.80). Thus the increase in whole cell current is attributed to a difference in the density of conducting channels.
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