Na,K-ATPase response to osmotic stress in primary dog lens epithelial cells.

PURPOSE Na,K-ATPase activity increases in lens cells exposed to hypertonic stress. To test whether the increase in activity involves stimulation of Na,K-ATPase expression, dog lens epithelial cells were subjected to hypertonic stress, and the time course of Na,K-ATPase protein and mRNA response was measured. METHODS Primary cultures of dog lens epithelial cells were maintained in isotonic or hypertonic media over the course of several days. Rubidium-86 uptake measurements, immunoreactive protein, and northern blot analysis were performed. RESULTS Dog lens epithelial cells exposed to hypertonic stress from culture medium supplemented with 150 mM NaCl or 250 mM cellobiose showed a twofold increase in Na,K-ATPase activity. The increase in activity was blocked by cycloheximide and was reversible when the cells were returned to isotonic medium. This activity was unaffected by the aldose reductase inhibitor, tolrestat. Na,K-ATPase protein and mRNA levels increased in cells exposed to medium containing 150 mM NaCl. Northern blot analysis showed that the alpha-1 and beta-1 mRNA levels increased as early as 6 hours and maximally increased 1.5-fold to twofold by 12 to 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS Elevation of Na,K-ATPase activity in dog lens epithelial cells exposed to hypertonic stress was associated with increased expression of Na,K-ATPase subunit mRNAs and was dependent on protein synthesis. These results suggest that upregulation of the enzyme activity is the result of an induction of Na,K-ATPase.