Pharmacological suppression of rat distal colon chloride secretion requires two blockers

Rat distal colon epithelium is frequently employed to assess the effect of natural and synthetic chemicals on chloride secretion. Inhibition of chloride secretion is often reported as the loop diuretic-sensitive portion of short-circuit current (Isc). The present work challenges the hypothesis that a loop diuretic alone is able to fully abolish chloride secretion. Isolated mucosa preparations were mounted in an Ussing chamber. The effects on short-circuit current of replacement of normal Ringer by a low (2.5 mmol/L) Cl solution and of blockers of basolateral Na, K, 2 Cl symport (bumetanide), apical Cl channels (diphenylamine-2-carboxylate, DPC), and anion exchange (4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, SITS) alone and combined were assessed. Low Cl reversibly decreased Isc by 76%. In normal Ringer, bumetanide decreased Isc by 65%. SITS also had a significant effect at the serosal side, but not at the apical side, where DPC caused a 40% decrease. Chloride replacement, bumetanide and DPC, but not SITS, increased epithelial resistivity. Combined blockade of Na, K, 2 Cl symport and apical Cl channels, of Na, K, 2 Cl symport and anion antiport, or of anion antiport and apical Cl channels was needed to achieve reduction of short circuit current to the same extent seen with chloride replacement. Present results indicate that Isc of the unstimulated epithelium is mostly due to chloride secretion, and at least two blockers are required to abolish it. This fact should be taken into account in studies of chloride secretion-stimulating agents.