[Cadmium stimulation of Na-independent organic acid transport in the kidney tubules].

The influence of Cd++ (as well as of Hg++ and Cu++) on the uptake of an organic acid (fluorescein) in superficial proximal tubules of the surviving rat kidney was studied at 20 degrees C, when the active transport of fluorescein does not depend on the external Na. In contrast to mercury and copper, cadmium stimulated the uptake of fluorescein from the beginning of incubation. The minimal effective concentration of Cd++ was 5 X 10(-6)M, the relative effect of Cd++ on the uptake being the same within the concentration range from 5 X 10(-6) to 10(-3) M. A 60 minutes pre-incubation with Cd++ at 20 degrees C resulted in a significant increase in the stimulatory effect of acetate on the fluorescein transport. The stimulation of the fluorescein transport by cadmium was prevented by ouabain or by omissing Na from the incubating medium, although neither ouabain nor the absence of Na affected the transport of fluorescein under these conditions. It is supposed that the stimulation by Cd++ of the fluorescein transport may result from the activated oxidation of NAD-linked substrates due to acceleration of the active transepithelial transport of Na ions.