Role of organic anions in renal response to dietary acid and base loads.

Bicarbonate is formed when organic anions are oxidized systemically. Therefore, changes in organic anion excretion can affect systemic acid-base balance. To assess the role of organic anions in urinary acid-base excretion, we measured urinary excretion in control rats, NaHCO3-loaded rats, and NH4Cl-loaded rats. Total organic anions were measured by the titration method of Van Slyke. As expected, NaHCO3 loading increased urine pH and decreased net acid excretion (NH4+ + titratable acid - HCO3-), whereas NH4Cl loading had the opposite effect. Organic anion excretion was increased in response to NaHCO3 loading and decreased in response to NH4Cl loading. We quantified the overall effect of organic ion plus inorganic buffer ion excretion on acid-base balance. The amounts of organic anions excreted by all animals in this study were greater than the amounts of NH4+, HCO3-, or titratable acidity excreted. In addition, in response to acid and alkali loading, changes in urinary organic anion excretion were 40-50% as large as changes in net acid excretion. We conclude that, in rats, regulation of organic anion excretion can contribute importantly to the overall renal response to acid-base disturbances.