Inhibition of cAMP-Activated Intestinal Chloride Secretion by Diclofenac: Cellular Mechanism and Potential Application in Cholera

Cyclic AMP-activated intestinal Cl − secretion plays an important role in pathogenesis of cholera. This study aimed to investigate the effect of diclofenac on cAMP-activated Cl − secretion, its underlying mechanisms, and possible application in the treatment of cholera. Diclofenac inhibited cAMP-activated Cl − secretion in human intestinal epithelial (T84) cells with IC 50 of ∼20 µM. The effect required no cytochrome P450 enzyme-mediated metabolic activation. Interestingly, exposures of T84 cell monolayers to diclofenac, either in apical or basolateral solutions, produced similar degree of inhibitions. Analyses of the apical Cl − current showed that diclofenac reversibly inhibited CFTR Cl − channel activity (IC 50 ∼10 µM) via mechanisms not involving either changes in intracellular cAMP levels or CFTR channel inactivation by AMP-activated protein kinase and protein phosphatase. Of interest, diclofenac had no effect on Na + -K + ATPases and Na + -K + -Cl − cotransporters, but inhibited cAMP-activated basolateral K + channels with IC 50 of ∼3 µM. In addition, diclofenac suppressed Ca 2+ -activated Cl − channels, inwardly rectifying Cl − channels, and Ca 2+ -activated basolateral K + channels. Furthermore, diclofenac (up to 200 µM; 24 h of treatment) had no effect on cell viability and barrier function in T84 cells. Importantly, cholera toxin (CT)-induced Cl − secretion across T84 cell monolayers was effectively suppressed by diclofenac. Intraperitoneal administration of diclofenac (30 mg/kg) reduced both CT and Vibrio cholerae -induced intestinal fluid secretion by ∼70% without affecting intestinal fluid absorption in mice. Collectively, our results indicate that diclofenac inhibits both cAMP-activated and Ca 2+ -activated Cl − secretion by inhibiting both apical Cl − channels and basolateral K + channels in intestinal epithelial cells. Diclofenac may be useful in the treatment of cholera and other types of secretory diarrheas resulting from intestinal hypersecretion of Cl − .