An immuno- and enzyme cytochemical study of the H+-K+ ATPase in human parietal cells after administration of tetragastrin and omeprazole

The presence of subunit proteins, 1H9 for the alpha-subunit and 2B6 for the beta-subunit, of H+-K+ ATPase and its activity in tubulovesicles and intracellular canaliculi of gastric parietal cells were immunocytochemically and enzyme cytochemically examined. Specimens were taken from healthy human volunteers by endoscopic biopsy in resting, tetragastrin-stimulated and omeprazole-inhibited conditions. H+-K+ ATPase was present in both intracellular canaliculi and tubulovesicles in these three conditions. Gold particles of the alpha-subunit decreased in number, and those showing the beta-subunit increased under both gastrin-stimulating and omeprazole-inhibiting conditions compared with parietal cells in the resting state. We suggest that the administration of tetragastrin and omeprazole alter the turnover rate of each subunit of H+-K+ ATPase, resulting in the difference of the proportions of alpha- and beta-subunits. Moreover, the activity of H+-K+ ATPase was detected strongly beneath the membrane of microvilli and weakly in that of tubulovesicles under these three conditions. After 7 days of daily oral omeprazole intake, H+-K+ ATPase in parietal cells were detected in intracellular canaliculi and tubulovesicles. However, the H+-K+ ATPase activity in tubulovesicles was diminished 1 h after omeprazole intake, and the activity in intracellular canaliculi was completely inhibited even 3 h after omeprazole administration. These results show that omeprazole inhibited the H+-K+ ATPase activity in both intracellular canaliculi and tubulovesicles.