Developmental regulation of Na+/H+ exchanger expression in fetal and neonatal mice

We examined the hypothesis that Na+/H+ exchanger expression is regulated during fetal and neonatal development and differentiation. To examine transcriptional regulation of the NHE1 isoform of the Na+/H+ exchanger, transgenic mice were created that contained the mouse NHE1 promoter driving expression of green fluorescent protein. The level of NHE1 transcription varied between tissues and with the stage of embryonic development. The highest expression was in the heart and liver of 12- to 15-day-old mice, and this declined with age. To examine Na+/H+ exchanger protein levels, we immunoblotted mouse tissues from 18-day-old embryos, neonates, and adults. Protein levels increased after embryonic day 18 and peaked at 14 days of age in the heart, lung, liver, kidney, and brain. The greatest rise in NHE1 protein expression occurred in the heart, whereas the smallest increase was in the brain. The results suggest that Na+/H+ exchanger transcription and protein levels are controlled in a tissue-specific and time-dependent manner during development.