Faculty Bibliography

We previously reported that changes in ileal net Na absorption correlated with arterial pH, changes in net HCO3 secretion correlated with the plasma HCO3 concentration, and changes in net Cl absorption correlated with arterial CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) during the systemic acid-base disorders. To determine whether changes in intracellular pH (pHi) and HCO3 concentration [( HCO3]i) mediated these effects, we measured pHi and calculated [HCO3]i in the distal ileal mucosa of anesthetized, mechanically ventilated Sprague-Dawley rats using 5,5-[14C]dimethyloxazolidine-2,4,-dione and [3H]inulin. Rats were studied during normocapnia, acute respiratory acidosis, and alkalosis, and uncompensated and pH-compensated acute metabolic acidosis and alkalosis. When animals in all groups were considered, mucosal pHi was not altered, but there were strong correlations between mucosal [HCO3]i and both arterial PCO2 (r = 0.97) and [HCO3] (r = 0.61). When we considered the rates of ileal electrolyte transport that characterized these acid-base disorders [A. N. Charney and L.P. Haskell, Am. J. Physiol. 245 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 8): G230-G235, 1983], we found strong correlations between mucosal [HCO3]i and both net Cl absorption (r = 0.88) and net HCO3 secretion (r = 0.82). These findings suggest that the systemic acid-base disorders do not affect ileal mucosal pHi but do alter mucosal [HCO3]i as a consequence of altered arterial PCO2 and [HCO3]. The effects of these disorders on ileal net Cl absorption and HCO3 secretion may be mediated by changes in [HCO3]i. Arterial pH does not appear to alter ileal Na absorption through changes in the mucosal acid-base milieu

We have previously reported that changes in colonic net Na and Cl absorption correlate with arterial CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) and that changes in colonic net Cl absorption and HCO3 secretion correlate with the plasma HCO3 concentration during the systemic acid-base disorders. To determine whether changes in intracellular pH (pHi) and HCO3 concentration [( HCO3]i) mediate these effects, we measured pHi and calculated [HCO3] in the distal colonic mucosa of anesthetized, mechanically ventilated Sprague-Dawley rats using 5,5-[14C]dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione and [3H]inulin. Rats were studied during normocapnia, acute respiratory acidosis and alkalosis, and uncompensated and pH-compensated acute metabolic acidosis and alkalosis. When animals in all groups were considered, there were strong correlations between mucosal pHi and both arterial PCO2 (r = -0.76) and pH (r = 0.82) and between mucosal [HCO3]i and both arterial PCO2 (r = 0.98) and HCO3 concentration (r = 0.77). When we considered the rates of colonic electrolyte transport that characterized these acid-base disorders [A. N. Charney and L. P. Haskell. Am. J. Physiol. 246 (Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 9): G159-G165, 1984], we found strong correlations between mucosal pHi and net Na absorption (r = -0.86) and between mucosal [HCO3]i and both net Cl absorption (r = 0.98) and net HCO3 secretion (r = 0.83). These findings suggest that the systemic acid-base disorders cause changes in colonic mucosal pHi and [HCO3]i as a consequence of altered arterial PCO2 and HCO3 concentration. In addition, the effects of these disorders on colonic electrolyte transport may be mediated by changes in mucosal pHi and [HCO3]i

To examine the nature of the electroneutral sodium chloride absorptive process affected by arterial carbon dioxide tension (PCO2), we measured the effects of amiloride on colonic sodium absorption at concentrations (0.75 mM) known to inhibit cell membrane sodium-hydrogen ion exchange. During sequential in situ perfusions of distal colon with amiloride-free and amiloride-containing solutions, water and electrolyte transport was measured in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated rats during normocapnia, respiratory alkalosis, or respiratory acidosis. During amiloride-free perfusions, alkalosis decreased and acidosis increased net water, sodium, and chloride absorption without changing the transmural potential difference. Perfusion of amiloride (0.75 mM) caused a similar fractional decrease in net sodium absorption in alkalotic (-53.3 +/- 10.2%), normocapnic (-46.3 +/- 6.5%), and acidotic rats (-57.2 +/- 5.2%). Net water (-43%) and chloride absorption also exhibited equivalent fractional reductions in the three acid-base states during amiloride perfusion, although net chloride absorption was reduced only about 20%. These results suggest that the specific colonic sodium absorptive process affected by arterial PCO2 is an amiloride-sensitive, sodium-hydrogen ion exchange process. Arterial PCO2 probably also affects a mucosal chloride-bicarbonate exchange process that results in its overall effect on electroneutral sodium chloride absorption by the distal colon

Disorders of systemic acid-base balance have recently been shown to markedly alter intestinal electrolyte transport. These studies were based on earlier acid balance studies in humans and animals, data suggesting the presence of intestinal mucosal Na+-H+ and Cl-HCO-3 exchange processes and the reported effects of acid-base variables on other epithelia. In vivo studies have shown that intestinal net sodium and chloride absorption is markedly affected by systemic pH and carbon dioxide tension (Pco2). Specifically, systemic acidemia (in the rat ileum) and hypercapnia (in the rat colon) increase sodium and chloride absorption, while alkalemia and hypocapnia decrease absorption. In addition, net bicarbonate secretion (in both segments) varies directly with the plasma HCO3 concentration. The rabbit ileum has been studied both in vivo and in vitro and is affected in a similar way. The rat jejunum and rabbit distal colon and gallbladder do not respond to changes in blood pH and Pco2, consistent with the apparent absence of a mucosal Na+-H+ exchange process in these segments. Evidence suggests important roles for cellular carbonic anhydrase activity and the intracellular concentrations of hydrogen, bicarbonate, and calcium ions and calcium-calmodulin in mediating or modulating the effects of the systemic acid-base disorders. In addition, systemic pH may alter the effects of the neural and humoral mediators of intestinal transport

Acute respiratory alkalosis and acidosis alter rat ileal and colonic but not jejunal electrolyte transport. To examine the role of altered intracellular pH, pHi, and HCO3 concentration, (HCO3)i, we measured pHi in mucosa scraped from the jejunum, ileum, and colon of anesthetized, mechanically ventilated Sprague-Dawley rats. During states of respiratory alkalosis (Pco2 24.9 +/- 0.8 mmHg, pH 7.586 +/- 0.014), respiratory acidosis (Pco2 67.8 +/- 1.2 mmHg, pH 7.228 +/- 0.007), and normocapnia (Pco2 41.1 +/- 0.7 mmHg, pH 7.401 +/- 0.006), pHi was measured by determining the distribution of 5,5-dimethyl[2-14C]oxazolidine-2,4-dione, using [3H]inulin as a marker of extracellular space. (HCO3)i was calculated using portal vein Pco2. In the ileum, the pHi of 6.901 +/- 0.029 was similar in alkalosis [(HCO3)i 5.4 +/- 0.3 mM], acidosis [(HCO3)i 12.4 +/- 0.6 mM], and normocapnia [(HCO3)i 8.6 +/- 0.8 mM). In both the jejunum and colon, pHi was increased in alkalosis [pHi 6.998 +/- 0.038, (HCO3)i 6.7 +/- 0.6 mM] and decreased in acidosis [pHi 6.789 +/- 0.024, (HCO3)i 10.4 +/- 0.6 mM] as compared with normocapnia [pHi 6.915 +/- 0.026, (HCO3)i 8.9 +/- 0.7 mM] (colon data given). Net electrolyte transport measured by in vivo perfusion revealed that ileal and colonic, but not jejunal, net Na and Cl absorption was decreased during alkalosis and increased during acidosis. These data suggest that, during respiratory acidosis and alkalosis, pHi is maintained in a qualitatively similar way in the jejunum, ileum, and colon with quantitatively greater or lesser changes in (HCO3)i.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)