Effects of protein kinase C activation on sodium, potassium, chloride, and total CO₂ transport in the rabbit cortical collecting tubule

Several hormones induce phosphatidylinositol turnover in cell membranes and thus activate protein kinase C. Activation of protein kinase C can, in turn, have effects on epithelial transport. These experiments were designed to investigate the effects of two activators of protein kinase C, phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA) and L-α-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (L-α-1,2-DOG), and two inactive analogues, 4α-phorbol and 4-O-methyl phorbol 12-myristate,13-acetate, on sodium, potassium, chloride, and total CO₂ transport in the rabbit cortical collecting tubule. Utilizing in vitro microperfusion techniques, we found that activation of protein kinase C with either PMA or L-α-1,2-DOG significantly inhibited net sodium absorption, net potassium secretion and transepithelial voltage in a dose-dependent manner. There was no effect on net chloride or total CO₂ transport. In contrast, the inactive phorbol analogues did not alter either sodium or potassium transport. These studies demonstrate that in the rabbit cortical collecting tubule sodium and potassium transport can be inhibited by compounds known to activate protein kinase C. Thus, hormones that induce phosphatidylinositol turnover in the rabbit cortical collecting tubule may lead to inhibition of sodium transport by activation of protein kinase C.