Inhibition of cortical collecting tubule chloride transport by organic acids

Proximal tubular nephropathy in two dogs diagnosed with lead toxicity

CASE REPORT

Lead toxicity was diagnosed in two dogs presenting with vague clinical symptoms. Complete blood count, biochemical testing and imaging changes showed a metarubricytosis in dog 1, but were largely normal in dog 2. Both dogs had glucosuria and proteinuria on urinalysis consistent with damage to the proximal renal tubules. Both animals returned elevated blood lead levels. A history of ingestion of lead was reported by the owner in one dog and elucidated from the second owner once the animal had recorded elevated blood lead levels.

CONCLUSION

Lead toxicity is rarely reported in the human literature as a cause of proximal tubular dysfunction. To the author's knowledge this is the first case report specifically examining this in the dog. The clinical awareness that lead is a potential cause of proximal renal tubular dysfunction offers another tool to assist the clinician in the diagnostic process. This is particularly important given that the clinical signs and minimum database findings in animals with lead toxicosis are highly variable. Evidence of proximal tubular dysfunction should trigger the clinician to closely examine the history for a potential source of lead exposure and consider submitting samples to test blood lead levels.

A basolateral lactate/H+ co-transporter in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells

Monolayers of Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells grown on permeable filters generated lactate aerobically and accumulated it preferentially in the basolateral compartment, suggesting the presence of a lactate carrier. The mechanism of lactate transport across apical and basolateral membranes was examined by determining intracellular pH (pHi) microspectrofluorimetrically after addition of lactate to the extracellular solutions and by measuring uptake of [14C]lactate. Addition of 20 mM lactate to the apical compartment produced no change in pHi, whereas lactate added to the basolateral compartment rapidly and reversibly lowered pHi. Pyruvate produced similar results. Inhibitors of lactate/H+ co-transporters, alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (CnCN) and quercetin, partially inhibited the fall in pHi produced by basolateral lactate. In contrast, the disulphonic stilbene. DIDS (4,4'-di-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid) produced no inhibition at 0.5 mM. Kinetic analysis was performed by applying basolateral lactate at various concentrations and measuring the rate of entry (delta pHi/min) in the presence and absence of CnCN. Lactate flux was shown to occur by both non-ionic diffusion and a alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate-sensitive component (carrier). The latter has a Km of approximately 7 mM for the lactate anion. Propionate, but not formate, lowered pHi to the same degree as did equimolar lactate, but the propionate effect was not inhibited by CnCN. Influx of [14C]lactate was substantially greater across the basolateral membrane than across the apical membrane and occurred in the absence of Na+. We conclude that MDCK cells grown on permeable filters generate lactate aerobically and transport it across the basolateral membrane by way of a lactate/H+ cotransporter.

Stimulation of Cl- self exchange by intracellular HCO3- in rabbit cortical collecting duct

In rabbit cortical collecting duct, Cl- self exchange accounts for most of the transepithelial Cl- tracer rate coefficient, KCl (nm/s); a small fraction is effected by Cl--HCO3- exchange and Cl- diffusion. We previously reported that changing from a CO2-free N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) bath to a 5% CO2-25 mM HCO3- bath stimulates Cl- self exchange. Here, we examine in further detail the individual components of the CO2-HCO3- system that stimulate KCl. Addition of 0.5% CO2 to a HEPES bath (final pH = 7.24) stimulated KCl by 70 +/- 19 nm/s, a delta KCl comparable to that induced by 1% CO2 (pH 7.12), 6% CO2 (pH 6.6), or 6% CO2-25 mM HCO3- (pH 7.4). The roles of intracellular pH (pHi) and HCO3- concentration were examined by clamping pHi using high K+ and nigericin. Increasing pHi from 6.9 to 7.6 in solutions without exogenous CO2 or HCO3- increased KCl by 71 +/- 17 nm/s. These results suggest that pHi might regulate anion exchange. However, during such a pHi-shift experiment, metabolically derived CO2 produces a concomitant change in intracellular HCO3- concentration [( HCO3-]i). To determine whether an increase in [HCO3-]i could stimulate Cl- self exchange, we replaced HEPES with 6% CO2-5 mM HCO3- isohydrically (pHi clamped at 6.9). With this increase in [HCO3-]i at constant pHi, KCl increased by 51 +/- 10 nm/s. These maneuvers had negligible effects on Cl- diffusion and Cl--HCO3- exchange. These experiments demonstrate that increases in cell [HCO3-] (or perhaps CO2) can stimulate transepithelial anion exchange.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Reduction in sensitivity to Cl- channel blockers by HCO3- -CO2 in rabbit cortical collecting duct

We examined the ability of HCO3- -CO2 to modify the potency of Cl- channel blockers in the renal cortical collecting duct (CCD) for the following two reasons. 1) From a practical point of view, there is, to our knowledge, no information regarding the effect of the HCO3- -CO2 buffer system on the potency of Cl- channel blockers. 2) We showed in the companion manuscript [Am. J. Physiol. 257 (Cell Physiol. 26): C94-C101, 1989] that HCO3- -CO2 stimulates transepithelial anion exchange in the CCD. Based on precedent in the literature, we postulated that HCO3- stimulates the basolateral membrane Cl- conductance. Here, we demonstrate that several Cl- channel blockers can reduce CCD Cl- self exchange when the solutions are buffered in N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES). Concentrations of blockers producing 80% inhibition in HEPES, pH 7.4, produced only 20% inhibition in 25 mM HCO3- -CO2, pH 7.4. The ability of HCO3- -CO2 to reduce blocker potency had an IC50 of only 2 mM. We also examined interactions of HCO3- -CO2 and blockers with regard to the principal cell basolateral Cl- conductance. Blockers did not alter the Rb+ flux, a marker of K+ transport, but did reduce transepithelial conductance (GT), i.e., the blockers inhibited the principal cell basolateral Cl- conductance. As was the case with intercalated cell anion exchange, GT measurements indicated that HCO3- -CO2 impaired the ability of Cl- channel blockers to inhibit the principal cell Cl- conductance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)