BACKGROUND: Previously we showed that corticosterone and aldosterone increased proton fluxes in proximal tubule, by micropuncture and stationary microperfusion. Since the Na+/H+ exchanger is responsible for the main proximal proton secretion, we have now evaluated the effects aldosterone on Na+/H+ exchange activity in brush border vesicles. In order to evaluate the mechanism of action of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, we studied the comparative effects of corticosterone and aldosterone on the abundance of NHE3 and NHE2 isoforms. MATERIAL/METHODS: We isolated renal brush border vesicles from rats by differential centrifugation in sham-operated, adrenalectomized, and adrenalectomized-aldosterone treated (ADX + aldosterone) animals. We measured the kinetics of H+ transport in response to increasing concentrations of Sodium Gluconate by fluorimetry using acridine orange. For Na+/H+ exchanger abundance we used Western blot analysis of brush border proteins in the above groups and in adrenalectomized-corticosterone treated rats. RESULTS: The Vmax in adrenalectomized animals was 22,162+/-1828 fluorescence units/min; in sham animals, 37,020+/-2722; and in ADX + aldosterone, 42,344+/-3044 (p

Keywords: Kidney Tubules, Proximal - cytology