Sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation of sodium transporters and water channels in rat submandibular gland

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed to explore the role of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves in the regulation of sodium transporters and water channels in the salivary gland. Rats were denervated of their sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves to the submandibular gland, and the glandular expression of sodium transporters and water channels was determined by Western blot analysis. The expression of either alpha1 or beta1 subunit of Na, K-ATPase was not significantly affected either by the sympathetic or by the parasympathetic denervation. The expression of subunits of epithelial sodium channels was significantly increased both in the denervated and contralateral glands either by the sympathetic or by the parasympathetic denervation. Neither the sympathetic nor the parasympathetic denervation significantly altered the expression of aquaporin-1 (AQP1). Nor was the expression of AQP4 affected significantly by the parasympathetic or the sympathetic denervation. On the contrary, the expression of AQP5 was significantly increased not only by the parasympathetic but also by the sympathetic denervation. These results suggest that sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves have tonic regulatory effects on the regulation of certain sodium transporters and AQP water channels in the salivary gland.