claudin-10 isoform expression and cation selectivity change with salinity in salt-secreting epithelia of Fundulus heteroclitus

ABSTRACT To provide insight into claudin (Cldn) tight junction (TJ) protein contributions to branchial salt secretion in marine teleost fishes, this study examined cldn-10 TJ protein isoforms of a euryhaline teleost (mummichog; Fundulus heteroclitus ) in association with salinity change and measurements of transepithelial cation selectivity. Mummichogs were transferred from freshwater (FW) to seawater (SW, 35‰) and from SW to hypersaline SW (2SW, 60‰) in a time course with transfer control groups (FW to FW, and SW to SW). FW to SW transfer increased mRNA abundance of cldn-10d and cldn -10e twofold, whilst cldn-10c and cldn -10f transcripts were unchanged. Transfer from SW to 2SW did not alter cldn-10d , and transiently altered cldn-10e abundance, but increased cldn-10c and cldn-10f fourfold. This was coincident with an increased number of single-stranded junctions (observed by transmission electron microscopy). For both salinity transfers, (1) cldn-10e mRNA was acutely responsive (i.e. after 24 h), (2) other responsive cldn-10 isoforms increased later (3–7 days), and (3) cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator ( cftr ) mRNA was elevated in accordance with established changes in transcellular Cl − movement. Changes in mRNA encoding cldn-10c and -10f appeared linked, consistent with the tandem repeat locus in the Fundulus genome, whereas mRNA for tandem cldn-10d and cldn -10e seemed independent of each other. Cation selectivity sequence measured by voltage and conductance responses to artificial SW revealed Eisenman sequence VII: Na + >K + >Rb + ∼Cs + >Li + . Collectively, these data support the idea that Cldn-10 TJ proteins create and maintain cation-selective pore junctions in salt-secreting tissues of teleost fishes.