Are there several isoforms of Na,K-ATPase alpha subunit in the rabbit kidney?

Previous pharmacologic and kinetic studies have demonstrated the axial heterogeneity of the rabbit kidney tubule with regard to Na,K-ATPase. To evaluate whether this heterogeneity might reflect the presence of distinct isoforms of the alpha subunit of Na,K-ATPase, we used two monoclonal antibodies, IIC9 and IIE2 (G8), specific for the alpha 1 and alpha 3 isoforms, respectively, as probes for changes in the specific activity of Na,K-ATPase at the level of successive segments of the rabbit nephron. Single, well defined nephron segments were obtained by microdissection of collagenase-treated kidney. Results indicate that IIC9 antibody inhibited Na,K-ATPase activity by > 90% in all the segments of the nephron except the collecting duct. Conversely, IIE2 (G8) antibody abolished Na,K-ATPase activity in the collecting duct, whereas it had no effect in other nephron segments. These findings suggest that the rabbit collecting duct preferentially expresses a distinct isoform of Na,K-ATPase catalytic subunit, which is presumably alpha 3-like, in agreement with previous pharmacologic and kinetic observations, whereas other nephron segments would express the alpha 1 isoform.