Role of bicarbonate in biliary excretion of diisothiocyanostilbene disulfonate

Abstract

Hepatic transport of 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS) was studied in isolated perfused rat livers and in isolated rat hepatocytes to determine if DIDS-induced decrease in biliary HCO3- excretion is due to a DIDS-HCO3- exchange and/or due to inhibition of Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange. In isolated perfused rat livers, DIDS reversibly decreased biliary HCO3- concentration and excretion. The changes in biliary HCO3- concentration were inversely related to biliary DIDS concentration. DIDS was concentrated in bile, indicating active hepatic transport. Replacement of perfusate HCO3- with equimolar dimethyloxazolidinedione (DMO) or tricine decreased biliary excretion, but not hepatic uptake, of DIDS. Biliary excretion of DIDS was also associated with a decrease in bile pH, and this decrease in pH was greater in the presence of HCO3-. HCO3-, but not DMO or tricine, stimulated DIDS efflux from preloaded hepatocytes. DIDS efflux was also temperature dependent and increased with increasing extracellular pH. Collectively, these results are consistent with the presence of a DIDS-HCO3- (OH-) exchange mechanism at the canalicular membrane. HCO3(-)-dependent Cl- uptake in hepatocytes was competitively inhibited by DIDS (Ki = 0.24 mM), confirming the presence of DIDS-inhibitable Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange. However, the ability of DIDS to decrease biliary HCO3- excretion persisted when perfusate Cl- was replaced by isethionate. Moreover, biliary HCO3- concentration returned to base line despite the presence of 2-6 mM DIDS in bile. Thus it seems unlikely that the inhibition of Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange by DIDS is a major mechanism of inhibition of HCO3- excretion. We, therefore, conclude that a DIDS-HCO3- (OH-) exchange at the canalicular membrane is the most likely explanation for the observed decrease in biliary HCO3- excretion.