Vesicle fusion proteins in rat inner medullary collecting duct and amphibian bladder

The delivery of water channels to the apical membrane in response to antidiuretic hormone (ADH) requires the targeting of channel-containing vesicles to specific sites in the membrane, followed by fusion and exocytosis. A complex array of proteins is now believed to mediate targeting and fusion in eukaryotic cells. They include N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF), soluble NSF attachment proteins (SNAP), and cellubrevin, a vesicle-associated protein present in the nerve terminal. We asked whether these proteins are in epithelial cells of rat inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) and amphibian bladder. Immunoblots on both tissues showed the presence of NSF and α-SNAP. Cellubrevin was present in immunoblots of the IMCD, but not the bladder. Immunogold electron microscopy showed NSF, α-SNAP, and cellubrevin in rat IMCD cells, with vesicular labeling. In the bladder, NSF was seen on vesicles and aggrephores. We conclude that components of the vesicle-targeting and fusion systems are present in kidney and amphibian bladder and may mediate a wide variety of fusion events, including those initiated by ADH.