Activities and subcellular localizations of enzymes implicated in gastroduodenal bicarbonate secretion

Abstract

Analytical subcellular fractionation of tissue whole homogenates and microanalysis of organelle marker enzymes were used to study the activity and subcellular localization of enzymes implicated in HCO3 secretion in rat duodenal and gastric antral mucosae. The following organelles, characterized by their marker enzymes, were located in the density gradients: cytosol (lactate dehydrogenase), plasma membrane (5'-nucleotidase), peroxisomes (catalase), mitochondria (succinate dehydrogenase), endoplasmic reticulum (Tris-resistant alpha-glucosidase), lysosomes (N-beta-acetylglucosaminidase), and brush-border membrane (Zn2+-resistant alpha-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase). Compared with gastric antrum, rat duodenal mucosa contained over twice the activity of HCO3-ATPase and of Na+-K+-ATPase but less than one-tenth the activity of carbonic anhydrase. Duodenal HCO3-ATPase activity was observed in both mitochondrial and brush-border membrane fractions, whereas antral HCO3-ATPase activity was confined to mitochondria. Na+-K+-ATPase activity was found largely in the basolateral membrane (duodenum) and plasma membrane (antrum). In both tissues carbonic anhydrase activity was localized to the cytosolic fraction. These observations offer further evidence that differing biochemical mechanisms underlie HCO3 secretion by gastric and duodenal epithelia.