Faculty Bibliography

We examined the role of carbonic anhydrase activity in intestinal transport by measuring the effect of systemic pH and PCO2 on electrolyte transport in the presence and absence of luminal acetazolamide. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized, and ileal and colonic segments were perfused with Ringer solution that was acetazolamide-free or that contained 0.1 mM sodium acetazolamide. Consecutive states of acute respiratory alkalosis and acidosis were created by changing the inspired CO2 from 0% (room air) to 8% CO2. In the ileum, acetazolamide perfusion did not affect the increment in net sodium and chloride absorption caused by a reduction in systemic pH. Mucosal carbonic anhydrase activity in this segment was measurable, although very low. In both the ascending and descending colon, acetazolamide perfusion reduced the increment in net sodium absorption caused by an increase in systemic PCO2. In addition, acetazolamide increased the chloride absorptive response to PCO2 in the ascending colon but did not affect the chloride response at all in the descending colon. Colonic mucosal carbonic anhydrase exhibited a proximal-to-distal gradient of activity: levels in the ascending colon were severalfold greater than in the descending colon. These findings suggest a functional role for carbonic anhydrase in mediating the colonic but not the ileal absorptive response to changes in systemic acid-base balance

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 determine that relative effects of systemic pH, Pco2, and bicarbonate concentration on colonic electrolyte transport, states of acute metabolic acidosis and alkalosis were created in Sprague-Dawley rats by gavage feeding (NH4)2SO4 and NaHCO3, respectively. During in situ perfusion of the distal colon in pentobarbital-anesthetized animals, electrolyte transport was measured before and after respiratory compensation of the systemic pH. Acute respiratory acidosis and alkalosis also were studied by ventilating animals with 0, 3, or 8% Co2. When animals in all groups were considered, net sodium absorption correlated well with blood Pco2 (r=0.99) but not with blood pH. Net bicarbonate secretion correlated with the plasma (r=0.95) and luminal (r=-0.63) bicarbonate concentrations but not with blood pH or Pco2. Net chloride absorption correlated with blood Pco2 (r=0.92) and the plasma bicarbonate concentration (r=0.80). These results suggest that systemic Pco2 affects a sodium chloride absorptive process and that the plasma bicarbonate concentrations affect a chloride absorptive-bicarbonate secretory exchange process in the rat colon

The cardiovascular and renal effects of intravenous (i.v.) and intra-arterial (i.a.) infusions of isoproterenol (ISP, 0.1-0.2 micrograms/kg/min) were evaluated in 17 two-week-old swine anesthetized with pentobarbital. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of each kidney and blood flow and vascular resistance (RVR) of the left kidney were determined in all animals. In the 8 animals given ISP i.v., right ventricular pressure and dP/dtmax were also determined via a thoracotomy. In 9 animals, ISP was given i.a. after stabilization of constant-flow perfusion of the left kidney in situ. During i.v. infusion of ISP, the positive inotropic and chronotropic effects and the decrease in arterial pressure were maintained; renal blood flow and GFR increased and RVR decreased. During i.a. infusion of ISP in the constant-flow perfused kidney, similar changes in RVR and GFR were observed despite the higher effective concentrations of drug reaching the kidney. We conclude that, at this stage of postnatal renal development, the infusion of cardiotonic doses of ISP lowers RVR and produces a small increase in GFR.