WNK4

WNK4
Available structures
PDBOrtholog search: PDBe RCSB
Identifiers
Aliases WNK4, PHA2B, PRKWNK lysine deficient protein kinase 4
External IDs MGI: 1917097 HomoloGene: 13020 GeneCards: WNK4
Orthologs
Species Human Mouse
Entrez

65266

69847

Ensembl

ENSG00000126562

ENSMUSG00000035112

UniProt

Q96J92

Q80UE6

RefSeq (mRNA)

NM_032387
NM_001321299

NM_175638

RefSeq (protein)

NP_115763.2

NP_783569.1

Location (UCSC) Chr 17: 42.78 – 42.8 Mb Chr 11: 101.26 – 101.28 Mb
PubMed search [1] [2]
Wikidata
View/Edit HumanView/Edit Mouse

Serine/threonine-protein kinase WNK4 also known as WNK lysine deficient protein kinase 4 or WNK4, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the WNK4 gene.[3]

Function

The WNK4 gene encodes a serine-threonine kinase expressed in distal nephron.[3] Its primary role in renal physiology is as a molecular switch between the angiontensin IIaldosterone mediated volume retention and the aldosterone mediated potassium wasting. This is achieved by regulating the sodium-chloride symporter (NCC), that is uniquely expressed in the distal nephron and is sensitive to thiazide type diuretics.[4]

Under basal conditions (low circulating Ang II and low Aldosterone), WNK4 will inhibit NCC function. It has been proposed that in the event of hyperkalemia and an increased secretion of aldosterone (which will upregulate both ENac and ROMK), this inhibition of NCC, will allow an increase in the arrival of sodium to the distal nephron (rich in ENaC and ROMK) which will allow the exchange of sodium for potassium ions, thereby reducing plasma potassium levels, without increasing sodium chloride retention (which is always accompanied by volume expansion). Furthermore, it has been proposed that in the presence of AngII the WNK4 mediated NCC inhibition will be suppressed thereby increasing sodium-chloride reabsorption in the distal convoluted tubule. This along with the concomitant increase in passive water reabsortion due to the increased salt load in the distal convluted tubule cells will ultimately increase circulating volume.[5]

References

  1. "Human PubMed Reference:".
  2. "Mouse PubMed Reference:".
  3. 1 2 "Entrez Gene: WNK4 WNK lysine deficient protein kinase 4".
  4. San-Cristobal P, de los Heros P, Ponce-Coria J, Moreno E, Gamba G (2008). "WNK kinases, renal ion transport and hypertension". Am. J. Nephrol. 28 (5): 860–70. doi:10.1159/000139639. PMC 2820349Freely accessible. PMID 18547946.
  5. San-Cristobal P, Pacheco-Alvarez D, Richardson C, Ring AM, Vazquez N, Rafiqi FH, Chari D, Kahle KT, Leng Q, Bobadilla NA, Hebert SC, Alessi DR, Lifton RP, Gamba G (March 2009). "Angiotensin II signaling increases activity of the renal Na-Cl cotransporter through a WNK4-SPAK-dependent pathway". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106 (11): 4384–9. doi:10.1073/pnas.0813238106. PMC 2647339Freely accessible. PMID 19240212.

Further reading


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