Cellular effects of beta-adrenergic and of cAMP stimulation on potassium transport in rat alveolar epithelium.

Alveolar fluid absorption is greatly enhanced by cAMP and by beta-adrenergic agonists via an increase in Na+ transport. Little is known about K+ homeostasis under these circumstances. We studied K+ transport across alveolar epithelium in isolated perfused rat lungs stimulated either by dibutyryl-cAMP or isoproterenol. K+ fluxes and the apparent permeability of 86Rb across the epithelium (alveoli to plasma) were interpreted according to a model involving two types of cells, B and L, distinguished by the location of Na+-K+-ATPases (basal and luminal). Water is considered to be absorbed by B cells in a solute-coupled process energized by a basolateral Na+-K+-ATPase that is stimulated by isoproterenol and cAMP. K+ transport out of the alveoli is due to the activity of a Na+-K+-ATPase located in the apical membrane of L cells. In the present study net transport rate of K+ was -0.5 +/- 0.15 nmol/s, n = 20 (out of alveoli) in control conditions. When the epithelium was stimulated by dibutyryl-cAMP (10(-4) mol/l) net absorption of K+ reversed to net 'secretion' into alveoli (3.2 +/- 0.31 nmol/s), fluid absorption was not stimulated. K+ 'secretion' was abolished by apical Ba2+, indicating it was due to opening of apical K+ channels. Basolateral ouabain reversed net K+ 'secretion' to net absorption indicating that K+ entry into alveoli was dependent on activity of B cell basolateral Na+-K+-ATPase (masking simultaneous K+ removal by apical L cell Na+-K+-pump). When larger concentrations of dibutyryl-cAMP (10(-3) mol/l) or when isoproterenol were used to stimulate the epithelium there was a tripling of fluid absorption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)