Activation of Na+/H+ exchange and the expression of cellular proto-oncogenes in mitogen- and phorbol ester-treated lymphocytes.

It has been suggested that an intracellular alkalinization, resulting from stimulation of Na+/H+ exchange, is a necessary step and perhaps the signal leading to cellular proliferation in cells stimulated by mitogens. This hypothesis was tested by measuring the early stages of the proliferative cascade in cells where antiport activity was precluded by omission of Na+ or by the addition of potent amiloride analogs. To circumvent possible nonspecific effects due to long incubations under these conditions, an early response to mitogens, the increased level of c-fos mRNA, was monitored. In rat thymic lymphocytes, the increase in the level of c-fos RNA induced by the combination of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and ionomycin was unaffected by inhibition of the antiport with 5-(N-ethyl-N-propyl)amiloride. Increased c-fos RNA was also observed in the absence of Na+ and when alkalinization was prevented by means of nigericin. Similar results were obtained with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human T lymphocytes. Moreover, although the lectin stimulated the antiport in these cells, an alkalinization was not observed, due to the concomitant occurrence of an acidifying process. It was concluded that the stimulation of the Na+/H+ antiport that accompanies the addition of mitogens is neither sufficient nor necessary for the initiation of cellular proliferation.