Intestinal absorption and secretion of radioactive vanadium (48VO3-) in rats and effect of Al(OH)3.

Vanadium in the metavanadate form (VO3-) is a powerful inhibitor of Na+, K+-ATPase. Because of the similarity between the oxy anions of vanadium and phosphorus, it was of interest to see whether Al(OH)3 would restrict the intestinal absorption of vanadium, as it does that of phosphorus. VO3- was extensively bound to a suspension of Al(OH)3 at pH 5-8. Sprague-Dawley rats (180-300 g) were fasted overnight and gavaged with 5 mumol Na3 VO4 in 1.0 ml 0.9% NaCl containing 1 microCi 48V. Control animals (n = 12) simultaneously received 1.0 ml diluent and experimental animals (n = 12) received 1 ml Al(OH))3. Diluent and Al(OH)3 were then given daily for 4 d. Urine and feces were collected separately each day. In control animals total 48V recovery (stool and urine) over 4 d was 86.6 +/- 2.4% of the administered dose. Although Al(OH)3 insignificantly increased total 48V recovery (93.6 +/- 3.2%), it markedly increased excretion of 48V in the stool as compared to the urine (control: stool, 69.1 +/- 1.8%; urine, 12.5 +/- 1.3%; Al(OH)3: stool, 85.7 +/- 1.5%; urine, 7.9 +/- 1.8%). Animals were then sacrificed and tissue uptake of tracer measured. The pattern of unexcreted 48V in tissue of both groups was kidney greater than bone greater than liver greater than intestine greater than muscle, but the tissue levels were uniformly higher in controls than in Al(OH)3-treated animals. The ability of Al(OH)3 to remove endogenous VO3- was also examined. 48V was injected ip (n = 20). Half of the animals received diluent and half received 1.0 ml Al(OH)3 by gavage daily for 4 d. There were no differences in the pattern of 48V tissue distribution and excretion. It is concluded that Al(OH)3 may prevent tissue accumulation of VO3- from dietary sources by reducing intestinal VO3- absorption.