NHE-1: a molecular target for signalling and cell matrix interactions

Connect Tissue Res. 2008;49(3):157-61. doi: 10.1080/03008200802151581.

Abstract

The activation of sodium/hydrogen exchanger (NHE) is associated with a variety of cell functions like cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Since its discovery, 9 NHE isoforms have been identified, but the most widely spread and the most important for the cellular functions is NHE-1. This ubiquitously expressed sodium/hydrogen exchanger (NHE-1) plays a central housekeeping role in all cells regulating cell volume and internal pH (pHi). At physiological pHi, NHE-1 is essentially inactive but it is extremely sensitive to pHi changes, being rapidly activated by small intracellular hydrogen concentration increases. NHE-1 activity can be stimulated via a series of cell surface receptors, including tyrosine kinase, G-protein-coupled, and integrin receptors. These signals converge, regulating the affinity of the internal hydrogen-binding site. NHE-1 also is a plasma membrane-anchoring protein for the cytoskeleton. Cytoskeleton anchoring of NHE-1 is important for cell adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins and cell migration. Moreover, NHE-1 plays the role of a "scaffold" for the building of various intracellular signaling molecule clusters.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytoskeleton / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / chemistry
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / metabolism*

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers
  • growth factor-activatable Na-H exchanger NHE-1