Expression and localization of rat NBC4c in liver and renal uroepithelium

Previous studies provided functional evidence for electrogenic Na+-HCO3- cotransport in hepatocytes and in intrahepatic bile duct cholangiocytes. The molecular identity of the transporters mediating electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransport in the liver is currently unknown. Of the known electrogenic Na+-HCO3- cotransporters (NBC1 and NBC4), we previously showed that NBC4 mRNA is highly expressed in the liver. In the present study, we performed RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry to characterize the expression pattern of NBC4 in rat liver and kidney. For immunodetection, a polyclonal antibody against rat NBC4 was generated and affinity purified. Of the known human NBC4 variants, only the rat NBC4c ortholog was detected by RT-PCR in rat liver, and the molecular mass of the NBC4c protein was similar to145 kDa. NBC4c protein was expressed in hepatocytes and in the cholangiocytes lining the intrahepatic bile ducts. In hepatocytes, NBC4c was localized to the basolateral plasma membrane, whereas intrahepatic cholangiocytes stained apically. The NBC1 electrogenic sodium cotransporter variants kNBC1 and pNBC1 were not detected by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry in rat liver. The pattern of localization of NBC4c in the liver suggests that the cotransporter plays a role in mediating Na+-HCO3- cotransport in hepatocytes and intrahepatic cholangiocytes. Unlike the liver, the rat kidney expressed electrogenic sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter proteins kNBC1 and NBC4c. In kidney, NBC4c also had a molecular mass of similar to 145 kDa and was immunolocalized to uroepithelial cells lining the renal pelvis, where the cotransporter may play an important role in protecting the renal parenchyma from alterations in urine pH.