The kidney anion exchanger 1 affects tight junction properties via claudin-4

In the renal collecting duct, intercalated cells regulate acid-base balance by effluxing protons through the v-H+-ATPase, and bicarbonate via apical pendrin or the basolateral kidney anion exchanger 1 (kAE1). Additionally, collecting duct cells play an essential role in transepithelial absorption of sodium and chloride. Expression of kAE1 in polarized MDCK I cells was previously shown to decrease trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER), suggesting a novel role for kAE1 in paracellular permeability. In our study, we not only confirmed that inducible expression of kAE1 in mIMCD3 cells decreased TEER but we also observed (i) increased epithelial absolute permeability to both sodium and chloride, and (ii) that this effect was dependent on kAE1 activity. Further, kAE1 regulated tight junction properties through the tight junction protein claudin-4, a protein with which it physically interacts and colocalizes. These findings unveil a novel interaction between the junctional protein claudin-4 and the kidney anion exchanger, which may be relevant to ion and/or pH homeostasis.