Cyclic stretch stimulates recruitment of active Na /K -ATPase subunits to the plasma membrane of skeletal muscle cells

Cyclic stretch increases Na /K -ATPase activity and abundance in several tissues, including skeletal muscle cells. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether Na /K -ATPase undergoes acute changes in its catalytic activity in response to cyclic stretch. Na /K -ATPase activity increased after continuously stretched for 6 h, and reached the maximum at 24 h. The inhibition of gene transcription (actinomycin D) had no effect on stretch-induced Na /K -ATPase activity. Cyclic stretch also increases the plasma membrane content of α - and α -subunit of Na /K -ATPase. Brefeldin A could completely abolished the stretch-induced recruitment of α-subunits to the plasma membrane and Na /K -ATPase activity. In conclusion, cyclic stretch directly stimulates Na /K -ATPase activity in skeletal muscle cells through post-transcriptional activation, likely by increasing translocation of Na /K -ATPase molecules to plasma membrane. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.