Human kidney anion exchanger 1 (kAE1) mediates Cl-/HCO3- exchanges at the basolateral membrane of the acid-secreting alpha-intercalated cells. Mutations in SLC4A1 gene encoding kAE1 are associated with distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA). Several studies have shown that impaired trafficking of the mutant kAE1 is an important molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of dRTA. Proteins involved in kAE1 trafficking were identified but the mechanism resulting in dRTA remained unclear. Thus, this study attempted to search for additional proteins interacting with C-terminal of kAE1 (Ct-kAE1) and involved in kAE1 trafficking to cell membrane. Transmembrane protein 139 (TMEM139) was identified as a protein interacting with Ct-kAE1 by yeast two-hybrid screening. The interaction between kAE1 and TMEM139 was confirmed by affinity co-purification, co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-based protein fragment complementation assay (PCA). In addition, flow cytometry results showed that suppression of endogenous TMEM139 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and over-expression of TMEM139 in HEK293T cells could reduce and increase membrane localization of kAE1 respectively. The presented data demonstrate that TMEM139 interacts with kAE1 and promotes its intracellular trafficking. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.