Acid secretion-associated translocation of KCNJ15 in gastric parietal cells

Potassium ions are required for gastric acid secretion. Several potassium channels have been implicated in providing K ⁺ at the apical membrane of parietal cells. In examining the mRNA expression levels between gastric mucosa and liver tissue, KCNJ15 stood out as the most highly specific K ⁺ channel in the gastric mucosa. Western blot analysis confirmed that KCNJ15 is abundant in the stomach. Immunofluorescence staining of isolated gastric glands indicated that KCNJ15 was expressed in parietal cells and chief cells, but not in mucous neck cells. In resting parietal cells, KCNJ15 was mainly found in puncta throughout the cytoplasm but was distinct from H ⁺-K ⁺-ATPase. Upon stimulation, KCNJ15 and H ⁺-K ⁺-ATPase become colocalized on the apical membranes, as suggested by immunofluorescence staining. Western blot analysis of the resting and the stimulated membrane fractions confirmed this observation. From nonsecreting preparations, KCNJ15-containing vesicles sedimented after a 4-h centrifugation at 100,000 g, but not after a 30-min spin, which did sediment most of the H ⁺-K ⁺-ATPase-containing tubulovesicles. Most of the KCNJ15 containing small vesicle population was depleted upon stimulation of parietal cells, as indicated by the fact that the KCNJ15 signal was shifted to a large membrane fraction that sedimented at 4,000 g. Our results demonstrate that, in nonsecreting parietal cells, KCNJ15 is stored in vesicles distinct from the H ⁺-K ⁺-ATPase-enriched tubulovesicles. Furthermore, upon stimulation, KCNJ15 and H ⁺-K ⁺-ATPase both translocate to the apical membrane for active acid secretion. Thus KCNJ15 can be added to the family of apical K ⁺ channels in gastric parietal cells.