查看文章

The ability of aluminum to inhibit the (Na⁺/K⁺)ATPase activity has been observed by several investigators. The (Na⁺/K⁺)ATPase is characterized by a complex molecular heterogeneity that results from the expression and differential association of multiple isoforms of both catalytic (α) and regulatory (β) subunits. For instance, three main α (α₁, α₂ and α₃) and three β (β₁, β₂ and β₃) subunit isoforms exist in vertebrate nervous tissue, whereas only α₁ and β₁ have been identified in kidney. However, no studies have focused on determining the change in (Na⁺/K⁺)ATPase isoforms caused by chronic exposure to aluminum and its relation with aluminum toxicity. In this study, adult male Wistar rats were submitted to chronic dietary AlCl₃ exposure (0.03 g/day of AlCl₃ for 4 months), and the activity and protein expression of (Na⁺/K⁺)ATPase isozymes were studied in brain cortex synaptosomes and in kidney …