Prostaglandin E(2)-activated housekeeping Cl(-) channels in the basolateral membrane of rat gastric parietal cells.

Cl(-) channels in the basolateral membrane of parietal cells within isolated rat gastric glands were studied by the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The membrane potential (E(m)) of non-stimulated parietal cells changed as a function of the basolateral extracellular Cl(-) concentration (46 mV per decade), but E(m) did not change significantly as a function of the K(+) concentration. The extracellular addition of prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2); 10 microM) increased the whole-cell Cl(-) current. A bifunctional prostaglandin EP3 agonist/EP1 antagonist, 5(Z)-7-[(1S, 2S,3S,5R)-3-(trans-beta-styren)sulfonamido-6,6-dimethylbi cyclo-(3.1. 1)hept-2-yl]-5-heptenoic acid (ONO-NT-012; 10 microM), also increased the Cl(-) current. Basal Cl(-) currents and the PGE(2)- and ONO-NT-012-increased Cl(-) currents were voltage-independent and inhibited by a Cl(-) channel blocker, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), at 500 microM. The single Cl(-) channel conductance was estimated to be 0.29 picosiemens (pS) by variance noise analysis. Both PGE(2) and ONO-NT-012 increased intracellular free Ca(2+) concentration in the fura-2-loaded parietal cell transiently. The present study has shown that housekeeping sub-pS Cl(-) channels are present in the basolateral membrane of rat parietal cell, and that the channels are regulated positively by PGE(2) via the EP3 receptor.