Mucosal and serosal fluxes of alanine in rabbit ileum.

The four unidirectional fluxes of alanine across the mucosal and serosal borders of rabbit ileum were evaluated as functions of the alanine concentration on a single piece of tissue using a method previously described (Naftalin, R.J. and Curran, P.F. (1974) J. Membrane Biol. 16, 257-278). The effects of Na+ removal and of ouabain on these fluxes were investigated. Alanine was actively transported across the mucosal membrane under control conditions; Na+ removal or ouabain inhibited this process as a result of a decrease in flux from the mucosal solution to the cell and an increase in the flux in the opposite direction. The results concerning mucosal efflux of alanine are apparently inconsistent with the carrier model for alanine transport at this border. Alanine transfer across the serosal membrane appeared to involve a facilitated transfer mechanism. Alanine movement at the serosal side of the cell was not influenced by Na+.

Nonequilibrium thermodynamic analysis of the coupling between active sodium transport and oxygen consumption.

Sodium transport and oxygen consumption have been simultaneously studied in the short-circuited toad skin. A constant stoichiometric ratio was observed in each skin under control condition (NaCl-Ringer's solution bathing both sides of the skin) and after block of sodium transport by ouabain. During alterations of sodium transport by removal and addition of K to the internal solution the stoichiometric ratio is constant although having a value higher than that observed in other untreated skins. The coupling between active sodium transport and oxygen consumption was studied after a theoretical nonequilibrium thermodynamic model. Studies were made of the influence of Na chemical potential difference across the skin on the rates of Na transport and oxygen consumption. A linear relationship was observed between the rates of Na transport and oxygen consumption and the Na chemical potential difference. Assuming the Onsager relationship to be valid, the three phenomenological coefficients which describe the system were evaluated. Transient increases in the rate of sodium transport and oxygen consumption were observed after a transitory block of sodium transport by removal of Na from the external solution. Cyanide blocks completely the rate of oxygen consumption in less than 2 min and the short-circuit current measured after that time decays exponentially with time, suggesting a depletion of ATP from a single compartment.

Effect of pH on phosphate transport into intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles.

The effect of pH on the rate of phosphate (Pi) uptake was studied in rabbit duodenal brush-border membrane vesicles. Pi uptake was found to be sodium dependent at all pH values tested (5.7-8.1). Further, the rate of Pi uptake depended on pH; for instance, with 100 mM external sodium, reducing the pH from 8.1 to 6.8 or 5.7 doubled the rate of Pi influx. At 100 mM external sodium, experiments under initial rate conditions, carried out with varying Pi concentrations and at pH values of 6, 6.8, or 7.6, showed that sodium-dependent Pi uptake was saturable at the three pH values tested; the apparent Km expressed in function of total Pi was not dependent on pH. Vmax was not affected between pH 6 and 6.8 but was significantly reduced at pH 7.6. Lowering external sodium lowered Vmax at all pH values investigated. At acid and alkaline pH the rate of Pi uptake was a sigmoidal function of the external sodium concentration. Hill coefficients, calculated from these experiments, exceeded unity and were unaffected by pH. At saturating sodium concentrations, the rate of Pi uptake was higher at pH 6 than at pH 7.6. The [Na]0.5 was lower at pH 7.6 than at pH 6. Further, sodium-dependent Pi uptake appeared to be electrogenic at acid and alkaline pH. It is concluded that the pH dependence of intestinal Pi transport is not an expression of preferential transport of monovalent or divalent phosphate. The pH dependence appears to reflect properties of the sodium-phosphate cotransport mechanism and is in part related to changes in the affinity of the transport system for sodium.

Regulation of Na+-Pi cotransport by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in rabbit duodenal brush-border membrane.

Brush-border membrane vesicles were isolated from rabbit duodenum by a Mg2+ precipitation method, and phosphate transport was analyzed by a rapid filtration technique. Uptake of inorganic phosphate (Pi) was stimulated by an inwardly directed sodium gradient, indicating the operation of a Na-Pi cotransport system in brush-border membrane vesicles. Treatment of the animals with ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate (EHDP), which is known to decrease the circulating levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], reduced within 3 days the sodium-dependent Pi transport in the brush-border vesicles. Injections of 1,25(OH)2D3 into rabbits increased within 9 h the sodium-dependent Pi transport in membranes from EHDP-treated animals as well as in untreated ones. The Na-D-glucose cotransport system appeared to be unaffected by these maneuvers. These results suggest that the Na-Pi cotransport system is an important site of regulation of intestinal transepithelial Pi transport by 1,25(OH)2)D3.

Regulation of Na-dependent phosphate influx across the mucosal border of duodenum by 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.

Animals teated with disodium ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate (EHDP), at doses which decrease the renal production and/or the plasma levels of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25(OH)2D3], display a reduced net absorption of phosphate. In this study we investigated whether EHDP-treatment and administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 to EHDP-treated animals affected the phosphate influx across the mucosal border of rabbit duodenum. The initial rate of phosphate influx into mucosal cells was measured in isolated intestine. In control, untreated rabbits, the phosphate influx shows a saturable, Na-dependent component and a diffusional, Na-independent uptake. In tissue from rabbits treated for 3 days with EHDP, the phosphate influx was found to be strongly reduced. EHDP-treatment decreased the Na-dependent, carrier mediated phosphate influx in duodenum. Administration of 1,25(OH)2D3 to EHDP-treated animals reversed the reduced phosphate influx. These effects were mainly apparent through changes in the J(mc)(max) of the phosphate influx, which was decreased from 211 +/- 38.7 nmol/cm2h in controls to 42.1 +/- 18.1 nmole/cm2 h in the EHDP-treated group and increased to 413 +/- 43.6 nmole/cm2 h by 1,25(OH)2D3. The treatment did not appear to affect the diffusional, Na-independent phosphate influx. EHDP-treatment did not affect the influx of alanine in this segment suggesting that EHDP-treatment affects only 1,25(OH)2D3-dependent transport mechanisms. The results suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 modulates the number of carrier sites available at the mucosal membrane for Na-dependent phosphate entry.

Adaptation of phosphate transport to low phosphate diet in renal and intestinal brush border membrane vesicles: influence of sodium and pH.

The possible role of changes in the sodium (Na) affinity of the carrier for inorganic phosphate (Pi) in the adaptation of Pi transport to low Pi diet was examined in both renal and intestinal brush border membranes vesicles (BBMV) obtained from the same animal. This role was assessed by measuring the Na concentration resulting in half maximal activation of Pi transport (K0.5 Na) in renal and intestinal BBMV prepared from animals adapted to either low (LPD) or high (HPD) phosphorus diet for 7 days. The K0.5 Na was not modified by dietary Pi, in both renal and intestinal BBMV. LPD increased maximal Pi transport from 1794.8 +/- 198.0 to 2964.0 +/- 362.0 in renal and from 28.2 +/- 3.4 to 80.5 +/- 7.2 pmol/mg 10 s in intestinal BBMV. For both LPD and HPD lowering pH from 7.4 to 6 dramatically increased K0.5 Na in renal and intestinal BBMV. As compared to pH 7.4, it was enhanced by approximately 200% in both renal and intestinal membranes. This change of Na affinity with acidic pH prevented the expression of Pi transport adaptation at 100 mM Na concentration. However, at saturating Na concentrations (500 mM for renal, 300 mM for intestinal membranes), Pi transport adaptation was equally expressed at pH 6 and 7.4 in both types of membranes. Hill coefficient analysis indicates a 2:1 stoichiometry of Na to Pi in renal and intestinal membranes isolated from high or low Pi diet animals. This ratio was not modified by changes of the medium pH.

Na and Cl transport and short-circuit current in rabbit ileum.

Na and Cl fluxes and short-circuit current (Isc) in rabbit ileum have been studied as a function of ionic concentrations in HCO3-free solutions. Both net Na flux (JNanet) and Isc show similar saturation functions of [Na] at fixed [Cl]. They show no significant difference between zero and 112 mM Na but at 140 mM Na Isc is significantly greater than the JNanet. Net Cl transport, secretion, is observed only at 140 mM Na and is approximately equivalent to the difference between the Isc and JNanet. The transcellular mucosa-to-serosa Na fluxes measured at 140 and 70 mM Na do not differ significantly from the corresponding Isc. The net Cl flux varies with [Cl] at fixed [Na] while Isc is virtually not affected by [Cl]. These results suggest that the absorptive Na transport process is electrogenic and responsible for the Isc and that the secretory fluxes of Na and Cl are coupled, require high [Na], vary with [Cl], and do not contribute to Isc. K-free solution abolishes the Isc after a prolonged lag. Finally, the effect of a low resistance shunt pathway on active Na absorption is examined with a four-compartment model.

Phosphate transport adaptation in rat jejunum and plasma level of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

Intestinal absorption of inorganic phosphate (Pi) increases in response to a reduction in the dietary supply of Pi. In this work this adaptive response has been characterized in jejunal brush border membrane vesicles and studied in temporal relationship with the change in the plasma level of 1,25(OH)2D3. The results indicate that in rat jejunal brush border membrane vesicles the activity of the sodium-dependent Pi transport system is stimulated by a low Pi diet. This adaptive response was the result of an increase in the Vmax and a reduction in the Km of the cotransport system. This change in Pi transport was correlated with an increase in the circulating level of 1,25(OH)2D3 in a time-related fashion. In conclusion, these results are consistent with the notion that Pi restriction leads to an increase in Pi transport activity in the luminal membrane of the intestine. A time course study suggests that the elevation in plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 might be involved in the adaptation of the intestinal Pi transport system to Pi restriction.