Metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia differentially regulate cation HCN3 channel in the rat nephron

The kidney controls body fluids, electrolyte and acid–base balance. Previously, we demonstrated that hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) cation channels participate in ammonium excretion in the rat kidney. Since acid–base balance is closely linked to potassium metabolism, in the present work we aim to determine the effect of chronic metabolic acidosis (CMA) and hyperkalemia (HK) on protein abundance and localization of HCN3 in the rat kidney. CMA increased HCN3 protein level only in the outer medulla (2.74 ± 0.31) according to immunoblot analysis. However, immunofluorescence assays showed that HCN3 augmented in cortical proximal tubules (1.45 ± 0.11) and medullary thick ascending limb of Henle’s loop (4.48 ± 0.45) from the inner stripe of outer medulla. HCN3 was detected in brush border membranes (BBM) and mitochondria of the proximal tubule by immunogold electron and confocal microscopy in control conditions. Acidosis did not alter HCN3 levels in BBM and mitochondria but augmented them in lysosomes. HCN3 was also immuno-detected in mitoautophagosomes. In the distal nephron, HCN3 was expressed in principal and intercalated cells from cortical to medullary collecting ducts. CMA did not change HCN3 abundance in these nephron segments. In contrast, HK doubled HCN3 level in cortical collecting ducts and favored its basolateral localization in principal cells from the inner medullary collecting ducts. These findings further support HCN channels contribution to renal acid–base and potassium balance.