Mechanism of activation of ERK and H-K-ATPase by isoproterenol in rat cortical collecting duct.

Isoproterenol stimulates H-K-ATPase activity in rat cortical collecting duct beta-intercalated cells through a PKA-dependent pathway. This study aimed at determining the signaling pathway underlying this effect. H-K-ATPase activity was determined in microdissected collecting ducts preincubated with or without specific inhibitors or antibodies against intracellular signaling proteins. Transient cell membrane permeabilization with streptolysin-O allowed intracellular access to antibodies. Isoproterenol increased phosphorylation of ERK in a PKA-dependent manner, and inhibition of the ERK phosphorylation prevented the stimulation of H-K-ATPase. Antibodies against the monomeric G protein Ras or the kinase Raf-1 curtailed the stimulation of H-K-ATPase by isoproterenol, whereas antibodies against the related proteins Rap-1 and B-Raf had no effect. Pertussis toxin and inhibition of tyrosine kinases with genistein also curtailed isoproterenol-induced stimulation of H-K-ATPase. It is proposed that activation of PKA by isoproterenol induces the phosphorylation of beta-adrenergic receptors and the switch from G(s) to G(i) coupling. In turn, betagamma-subunits released from G(i) would activate a tyrosine kinase-Ras-Raf-1 pathway, leading to the activation of ERK1/2 and of H-K-ATPase.