NHE3-dependent cytoplasmic alkalinization is triggered by Na(+)-glucose cotransport in intestinal epithelia.

Cytoplasmic pH (pH(i)) was evaluated during Na(+)-glucose cotransport in Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cell monolayers. The pH(i) increased by 0.069 +/- 0.002 within 150 s after initiation of Na(+)-glucose cotransport. This increase occurred in parallel with glucose uptake and required expression of the intestinal Na(+)-glucose cotransporter SGLT1. S-3226, a preferential inhibitor of Na(+)/H(+) exchanger (NHE) isoform 3 (NHE3), prevented cytoplasmic alkalinization after initiation of Na(+)-glucose cotransport with an ED(50) of 0.35 microM, consistent with inhibition of NHE3, but not NHE1 or NHE2. In contrast, HOE-694, a poor NHE3 inhibitor, failed to significantly inhibit pH(i) increases at <500 microM. Na(+)-glucose cotransport was also associated with activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and the p38 MAP kinase inhibitors PD-169316 and SB-202190 prevented pH(i) increases by 100 +/- 0.1 and 86 +/- 0.1%, respectively. Conversely, activation of p38 MAP kinase with anisomycin induced NHE3-dependent cytoplasmic alkalinization in the absence of Na(+)-glucose cotransport. These data show that NHE3-dependent cytoplasmic alkalinization occurs after initiation of SGLT1-mediated Na(+)-glucose cotransport and that the mechanism of this NHE3 activation requires p38 MAP kinase activity. This coordinated regulation of glucose (SGLT1) and Na(+) (NHE3) absorptive processes may represent a functional activation of absorptive enterocytes by luminal nutrients.