AUTHOR=Alzamora Rodrigo , O'Mahony Fiona , Ko Wing-Hung , Yip Tiffany W., Carter Derek , Irnaten Mustapha , Harvey Brian J.

TITLE=Berberine Reduces cAMP-Induced Chloride Secretion in T84 Human Colonic Carcinoma Cells through Inhibition of Basolateral KCNQ1 Channels

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=volume 2 - 2011

YEAR=2011

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2011.00033

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2011.00033

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=Berberine is a plant alkaloid with multiple pharmacological actions, including antidiarrhoeal activity and has been shown to inhibit Cl- secretion in distal colon. The aims of this study were to determine the molecular signalling mechanisms of action of berberine on Cl- secretion and the ion transporter targets. Monolayers of T84 human colonic carcinoma cells grown in permeable supports were placed in Ussing chambers and short-circuit current measured in response to secretagogues and berberine. Whole-cell current recordings were performed in T84 cells using the patch-clamp technique. Berberine decreased forskolin-induced short-circuit current in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 80  8 M). In apically permeabilized monolayers and whole-cell current recordings, berberine inhibited a cAMP-dependent and chromanol 293B-sensitive basolateral membrane K+ current by 88%, suggesting inhibition of KCNQ1 K+ channels. Berberine did not affect either apical Cl- conductance or basolateral Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Berberine stimulated p38 MAPK, PKC and PKA, but had no effect on p42/p44 MAPK and PKC. However, berberine pre-treatment prevented stimulation of p42/p44 MAPK by epidermal growth factor. The inhibitory effect of berberine on Cl- secretion was partially blocked by HBDDE (65 %), an inhibitor of PKC and to a smaller extent by inhibition of p38 MAPK with SB202190 (15 %). Berberine treatment induced an increase in association between PKC and PKA with KCNQ1 and produced phosphorylation of the channel. We conclude that berberine exerts its inhibitory effect on colonic Cl- secretion through inhibition of basolateral KCNQ1 channels responsible for K+ recycling via a PKC-dependent pathway.