Effects of metabolic acidosis on expression levels of renal drug transporters.

PURPOSE

In the renal proximal tubular cells, various transporters play important roles in the secretion and reabsorption of drugs. When metabolic acidosis is induced, a number of adaptive changes occur in the kidney. The purpose of this study was to clarify the changes of drug transporters under the acidosis and the effects of these changes on urinary drug excretion.

METHODS

Wistar/ST rats were given 1.5% NH₄Cl in tap water for 48 h to induce the acidosis. Pharmacokinetics of PSP or metformin was evaluated. In addition, expression levels of drug transporters were examined by Western Blotting.

RESULTS

The renal clearance of PSP was markedly decreased, whereas the creatinine clearance and renal clearance of metformin were unchanged. Furthermore, Western blots indicated that the protein expression level of organic anion transporter (OAT) 3 was decreased. In contrast to OAT3 levels, OAT1 and organic cation transporter (OCT) 2 levels were unaffected. An immunohistochemical analysis showed that the OAT3 protein in the proximal tubules was localized in the basolateral membrane both of the normal and the acidosis rats.

CONCLUSION

The decrease of renal excretion of anionic drugs during metabolic acidosis might be partly due to a reduction in the level of OAT3 protein.