Glucocorticoids and metabolic acidosis-induced renal transports of inorganic phosphate, calcium, and NH4.

The initial rate (5 s) of Na+-dependent inorganic phosphate (Pi) uptake in brush-border membrane vesicles isolated from rat proximal tubule was decreased in metabolic acidosis, 0.42 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.59 +/- 0.05 nmol/mg protein, in vesicles from control animals. Phosphate, ammonium, and Ca2+ excretions were increased 100, 600, and 56%, respectively. These changes in brush-border Pi transport and urinary excretion of ions were largely dependent on intact adrenal glands. After adrenalectomy there were no significant changes in brush-border Pi transport, Pi, and Ca2+ excretion, whereas ammonium excretion increased only 300% compared with controls. When the glucocorticoid dexamethasone was administered to adrenalectomized animals, it mimicked the effects of metabolic acidosis both in the presence and the absence of metabolic acidosis. The initial rate of brush-border Pi transport was decreased by dexamethasone administration to 0.37 +/- 0.04 nmol/mg protein in adrenalectomized acidotic animals and 0.39 +/- 0.03 nmol/mg protein in adrenalectomized animals. Dexamethasone administered to adrenalectomized acidotic animals increased Pi, ammonium, and Ca2+ excretion 190, 690, and 23%, respectively. Dexamethasone administered to nonacidotic adrenalectomized animals increased Pi ammonium and Ca2+ excretion 165, 240, and 31%, respectively. We conclude that changes in Pi, ammonium, and Ca2+ excretion observed during metabolic acidosis were dependent on intact adrenal glands and that glucocorticoids administered to adrenalectomized acidotic or nonacidotic animals mimicked the changes observed in acidotic animals with intact adrenal glands.