Na+-H+ exchange and Na+-dependent transport systems in streptozotocin diabetic rat kidneys.

The streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat was used to test the hypothesis that Na+-H+ exchange activity in the proximal tubule luminal membrane would be increased in association with renal hypertrophy, altered glomerular hemodynamics, enhanced filtered load and tubular reabsorption of Na+, and stimulated Na+ pump activity in the basolateral membrane, previously reported characteristics of this experimental animal model. Amiloride-sensitive H+ gradient-dependent Na+ uptake and Na+ gradient-dependent H+ flux were increased in brush-border membrane vesicles from the streptozotocin-treated animals. Na+ gradient-dependent uptakes of phosphate, D-glucose, L-proline, and myoinositol were decreased in the drug-induced diabetic animals. These membrane transport alterations were not found when the streptozotocin-diabetic animals were treated with insulin.

Glucose metabolism in glucose-intolerant older people during chromium supplementation.

The effects of chromic chloride (CrCl3) administered orally for 12 weeks to five elderly subjects with glucose intolerance were assessed. Pretreatment and posttreatment, the hyperglycemic clamp technique was employed to determine glucose utilization, beta-cell sensitivity to glucose, and tissue sensitivity to insulin. In addition, erythrocyte insulin binding was studied. Urinary chromium excretion increased approximately 5 fold indicating good compliance with supplementation. The oral glucose tolerance curves following supplementation were lowered from 60 to 120 minutes but only the 60-minute values were significantly lowered. In agreement with this was significantly increased glucose utilization during the hyperglycemic clamp studies. Tissue sensitivity to insulin, receptor affinity, and total insulin binding were unchanged by supplementation while beta-cell sensitivity to glucose increased following supplementation (P less than 0.04), and explained the increased glucose utilization. HDL and LDL and total cholesterol levels were slightly lower after chromium supplementation, but no change reached statistical significance. The LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio was unchanged. This study shows small but statistically significant effects of CrCl3 on carbohydrate metabolism. The clinical relevance of these effects, that is, their prophylactic or therapeutic significance, remains to be determined.

Glucocorticoid activation of Na+/H+ exchange in renal brush border vesicles: kinetic effects.

Administration of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone to adrenalectomized rats increased Na+/H+ exchange activity in isolated renal brush border membrane vesicles. Treatment altered the initial rate of Na+ uptake by increasing Vmax (19.90 +/- 2.17 vs. 27.32 +/- 1.50 nmol.mg protein-1.5 s-1) and not the apparent affinity KNa+ (8.33 +/- 1.11 vs. 7.94 +/- 1.60 mM). Dexamethasone treatment resulted in a proportional increase in 1 mM Na+ uptake at every intravesicular pH measured. When these data were analyzed by the Hill equation, it was found that dexamethasone treatment did not change the apparent number of H+ binding sites (1.24 vs. 1.26) or the [H+]0.5 (0.33 vs. 0.32 microM) but increased the apparent Vmax (0.98 vs. 0.55 nmol.mg protein-1.2 s-1). It was also found that dexamethasone injections of 60 micrograms/100 g body wt resulted in maximum stimulation of exchange activity and that a significant increase in amiloride-sensitive Na+ uptake was detected within 12 h after a single dose of dexamethasone.

Glucocorticoids increase the Na+-H+ exchange and decrease the Na+ gradient-dependent phosphate-uptake systems in renal brush border membrane vesicles.

The glucocorticoid dexamethasone, but not the mineralocorticoid aldosterone, increased amiloride-sensitive Na+-H+ exchange activity in rat proximal tubule brush border vesicles. Na+ uptake, independent of amiloride, was not affected. The glucocorticoid decreased the Na+ gradient-dependent phosphate uptake. Uptake in the absence of a Na+ gradient was not inhibited. Dexamethasone did not affect the Na+ gradient-dependent D-glucose uptake. These findings are consistent with the effects of glucocorticoids in stimulating acid secretion and causing phosphaturia in man and animals and may identify the locus of action and suggest the mechanisms by which the hormones act.

beta-Adrenergic regulation of protein phosphorylation and its relationship to exocrine secretion in dispersed rat parotid gland acinar cells.

The possible role of cyclic AMP-mediated phosphorylation events in the regulation of exocrine secretion after beta-adrenergic stimulation was examined in vitro in dispersed acinar cell aggregates from rat parotid gland. l-Isoproterenol, a beta-adrenergic agonist, stimulated endogenous activity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, alterations in the 32P content of 3 parotid phosphoproteins (increased 32P in 2, Mr = 27,000 and 14,000; decreased 32P in the remaining, Mr = 13,600), and amylase secretion in a dose-dependent manner. All responses were half-maximal within a range of l-isoproterenol concentrations of approximately 4 X 10(-8) to 5 X 10(-7) M. Examination of the time course of these 3 processes revealed that by 30 s after addition of l-isoproterenol, significant elevations in cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity and alterations in the 32P content of the 3 parotid proteins had occurred, whereas secretion of amylase from cells was first detected 1-2 1/2 min after hormonal stimulation. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (2 mM) elicited the same changes in parotid protein 32P content as l-isoproterenol. Our results support the concept of a role for cyclic AMP-regulated protein phosphorylation in the sequence of cellular events leading to exocrine protein secretion from the rat parotid gland following beta-adrenergic stimulation.

Identification of angiotensinogenic hypertension in man using 1-sar-8-ala-angiotensin II (Saralasin, P-113).

Peripheral plasma renin activity (PRA) is not invariably elevated in patients whose ischemic renal lesion is causing hypertension. Infusions of an angiotensin II antagonist, 1-sar-8-ala-angiotensin II (P-113), have been used to determine whether the blood pressure responses might indicate angiotensin dependence in 221 consecutive hypertensive patients. In 32 patients P-113 infusion reversibly reduced blood pressure, and almost all of these "P-113 responders" had elevated renal vein and/or peripheral PRA levels, together with evidence of renal ischemia. Among the 189 "P-113 nonresponders," peripheral PRA was elevated in seven (3.8%), and renal vein PRA ratio was abnormal in two patients, who might represent exceptions to the otherwise successful record of the P-113 response in identifying "angiotensinoginic" hypertensives.

Use of an angiotensin II antagonist (saralasin) in the recognition of "angiotensinogenic" hypertension;.

The possibility has been explored of using a specific angiotensin ii antagonist, saralasin (P-113, 1-sar-8-ala-angiotensin ii) to recognize patients whose hypertension depends upon excessive angiotensin ii activity. Among 60 hypertensive patients, saralasin infusion reduced blood pressure in 16 "responders," but not in 44 "nonresponders." The "responders" had the following findings: elevated plasma renin activity in renal vein (or veins) or peripheral veins or both (16 of 16); reduced renal blood flow, shown by arteriography, isotopic studies or pyelography (15 or 16), or progressive azotemia (one of 16); and reduction in blood. These findings indicated that angiotensin ii probably caused hypertension in the "responders," One "nonresponder" had renal vein levels of plasma renin activity suggestive of angiotensinogenic hypertension. Since hypertension was invariably angiotensinogenic when it was reduced by saralasin and, with one possible exception, was never angiotensinogenic in "nonresponders," the antagonist appears to provide an efpressure to or toward normal after corrective operation (four of four) or propranolol therapy (eight of eight). fective means of recognizing angiotensinogenic hypertension.