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Recurrent high anion gap metabolic acidosis secondary to 5-oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid).

High anion gap metabolic acidosis in adults is a severe metabolic disorder for which the primary organic acid usually is apparent by clinical history and standard laboratory testing. We report a case of recurrent high anion gap metabolic acidosis in a 48-year-old man who initially presented with anorexia and malaise. Physical examination was unrevealing. Arterial pH was 6.98, P co 2 was 5 mm Hg, and chemistry tests showed a bicarbonate level of 3 mEq/L (3 mmol/L), anion gap of 32 mEq/L (32 mmol/L), and a negative toxicology screen result, except for an acetaminophen (paracetamol) level of 7.5 mug/mL. Metabolic acidosis resolved with administration of intravenous fluids. Subsequently, he experienced 5 more episodes of high anion gap metabolic acidosis during an 8-month span. Methanol, ethylene glycol, acetone, ethanol, d -lactate, and hippuric acid screens were negative. Lactate levels were modestly elevated, and acetaminophen levels were elevated for 5 of 6 admissions. These episodes defied explanation until 3 urinary organic acid screens, obtained on separate admissions, showed striking elevations of 5-oxoproline levels. Inborn errors of metabolism in the gamma-glutamyl cycle causing recurrent 5-oxoprolinuria and high anion gap metabolic acidosis are rare, but well described in children. Recently, there have been several reports of apparent acquired 5-oxoprolinuria and high anion gap metabolic acidosis in adults in association with acetaminophen use. Acetaminophen may, in susceptible individuals, disrupt regulation of the gamma-glutamyl cycle and result in excessive 5-oxoproline production. Suspicion for 5-oxoproline-associated high anion gap metabolic acidosis should be entertained when the cause of high anion gap metabolic acidosis remains poorly defined, the anion gap cannot be explained reasonably by measured organic acids, and there is concomitant acetaminophen use.

Acetaminophen↗

Correction of metabolic acidosis increases serum albumin concentrations and decreases kinetically evaluated protein intake in haemodialysis patients: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic acidosis in haemodialysis (HD) patients increases whole body protein degradation while the correction of acidosis reduces it. However, the effects of the correction of acidosis on nutrition have not been clearly demonstrated. STUDY DESIGN: In this study we have evaluated the effects of 3 months of correction of metabolic acidosis by oral sodium bicarbonate supplementation on protein catabolic rate (PCRn) and serum albumin concentrations in 12 uraemic patients on maintenance HD for at least 6 months (median 49 months; range 6-243 months). Pre-dialysis serum bicarbonate, arterial pH, serum albumin, total serum proteins, serum creatinine, plasma sodium, haemoglobin, PCRn, Kt/V, and TACurea, were evaluated before and after correction. RESULTS: Serum bicarbonate levels and arterial pH increased respectively from 19.3 +/- 0.6 mmol/l to 24.4 +/- 1.2 mmol/l (P < 0.0001) and 7.34 +/- 0.03 to 7.40 +/- 0.02 (P < 0.0001). Serum albumin increased from 34.9 +/- 2.1 g/l to 37.9 +/- 2.9 g/l (P < 0.01), while PCRn decreased from 1.11 +/- 0.17 g/kg/day to 1.03 +/- 0.17 g/kg/day (P < 0.001). No changes in Kt/V, total serum proteins, serum creatinine, plasma sodium, haemoglobin, body weight, pre dialysis systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and intradialytic weight loss were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that correction of metabolic acidosis improves serum albumin concentrations in HD patients. The correction of acidosis induces a decrease in PCRn values, as evaluated by kinetic criteria, suggesting that in the presence of moderate to severe acidosis this parameter does not reflect the real dietary protein intake of the patients probably as a result of increased catabolism of endogenous proteins. The correction of metabolic acidosis should be considered of paramount importance in HD patients.

Acidosis↗

Growth hormone stimulation tests in chronic renal failure with metabolic acidosis.

Metabolic acidosis is one of the possible causes of growth retardation in chronic renal failure (CRF). Data about the effect of metabolic acidosis on growth hormone (GH) secretion in CRF are limited. A study was carried out on eight CRF patients, hospitalized because of severe metabolic acidosis, and eight age-matched prepubertal healthy short children. Growth hormone stimulation tests were done with L-dopa and clonidine before or during acidosis therapy and after the correction of metabolic acidosis. The levels of GH were measured by radio-immunoassay. The mean of the peaks of both tests were used for each patient and statistical significance was tested by Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests. No difference was found between the GH peaks of the two groups during acidosis and after the correction of acidosis (Wilcoxon test, P > 0.05). In view of this data it was concluded that metabolic acidosis has little effect on GH stimulation tests.

Acidosis↗

Metabolic acidosis in hemodialysis patients: a study of prevalence and factors affecting intradialytic bicarbonate gain.

The correction of uremic acidosis is one of the goals of hemodialysis; however, despite acceptable hemodialysis protocols, metabolic acidosis remains a common problem. The prevalence of acidosis and significance of factors affecting bicarbonate flux during hemodialysis were studied. A cohort of 70 stable patients receiving high-efficiency hemodialysis for at least 4 months was studied prospectively over a 1-year period. Twenty patients (28%) had a mean predialysis serum bicarbonate of less than 21 mEq/L. The patients with or without metabolic acidosis had similar mean net ultrafiltration and percent ultrafiltration, but acidotic patients had a higher percent increase in bicarbonate during hemodialysis (35 +/- 12 versus 27 +/- 10 [p = 0.008]). The latter suggests an increased net daily acid gain in patients with metabolic acidosis (1.19 +/- 0.32 mEq/kg versus 1.05 +/- 0.35 mEq/kg [p = 0.04]). A review of factors affecting intradialytic bicarbonate gain showed that predialysis serum bicarbonate (diffusive gradient) was the most significant with a demonstrated linear relationship between these two variables (R2 0.51). The role of dialysance and blood flow, assessed together using percent urea reduction, was minor as was the effect of ultrafiltration. At our level of dialysis delivery, prevalence of metabolic acidosis is low, and dialysis-related factors do not contribute to the persistence of metabolic acidosis. Net daily acid gain was higher in acidotic patients and accounts for the long-term maintenance of metabolic acidosis. For individual dialysis treatments, the diffusive gradient is the most important determinant of bicarbonate gain, with only a minor role being demonstrated for percent urea reduction and ultrafiltration rate.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗

Serum ionized calcium in dogs with chronic renal failure and metabolic acidosis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a common disease in dogs, and many metabolic disorders can be observed, including metabolic acidosis and calcium and phosphorus disturbances. Acidosis may change the ionized calcium (i-Ca) fraction, usually increasing its concentration. OBJECTIVE: In this study we evaluated the influence of acidosis on the serum concentration of i-Ca in dogs with CRF and metabolic acidosis. METHODS: Dogs were studied in 2 groups: group I (control group = 40 clinically normal dogs) and group II (25 dogs with CRF and metabolic acidosis). Serum i-Ca was measured by an ion-selective electrode method; other biochemical analytes were measured using routine methods. RESULTS: The i-Ca concentration was significantly lower in dogs in group II than in group I; 56% of the dogs in group II were hypocalcemic. Hypocalcemia was observed in only 8% of dogs in group II when based on total calcium (t-Ca) concentration. No correlation between pH and i-Ca concentration was observed. A slight but significant correlation was detected between i-Ca and serum phosphorus concentration (r = -.284; P = .022), as well as between serum t-Ca and i-Ca concentration (r = .497; P < .0001). CONCLUSION: The i-Ca concentration in dogs with CRF and metabolic acidosis varied widely from that of t-Ca, showing the importance of determining the biologically active form of calcium. Metabolic acidosis did not influence the increase in i-Ca concentration, so other factors besides acidosis in CRF might alter the i-Ca fraction, such as hyperphosphatemia and other compounds that may form complexes with calcium.

Acidosis, Lactic↗

Distal renal tubular acidosis with severe hypokalaemia, probably caused by colonic H(+)-K(+)-ATPase deficiency.

We describe a 21 month old male infant who presented with failure to thrive associated with severe hypokalaemia and metabolic acidosis, together with hypomagnesaemia. Evaluation revealed marked renal and probable faecal potassium wasting, distal renal tubular acidosis, mild urinary magnesium wasting, and a normal gastric pH (gastric H(+)-K(+)-ATPase). Hypokalaemic forms of metabolic acidosis, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and proximal renal tubular acidosis were ruled out from the clinical picture. The hypokalaemia of distal renal tubular acidosis usually improves with alkali therapy, but this was not observed: despite correction of acidosis with 5 mmol/kg potassium citrate per day, an additional 5 mmol/kg potassium chloride was required to bring serum potassium to 3.5 mmol/l. At 3 years of age potassium was provided in the absence of potential alkali and acidosis ensued; serum bicarbonate fell to 10 mmol/l. Although a specific genetic analysis is not yet possible, the abnormalities are consistent with a novel form of distal renal tubular acidosis. The pathophysiology probably does not stem from defects in the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase but more likely from deficient activity of the colonic isoform of H(+)-K(+)-ATPase that is resident in the medullary collecting duct and mediates potassium absorption and proton secretion.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗

Influence of acidosis on AMP deaminase activity in contracting fast-twitch muscle.

The rate of AMP deamination to IMP and NH4, by the action of AMP deaminase, is increased in vitro by acidosis and elevations in [AMP] and [ADP]. We evaluated the influence of acidosis on the activity of AMP deaminase in contracting muscle (5 Hz) by relating the time course of IMP and NH4 production to lactate-induced acidosis in low-oxidative, fast-twitch white (FTW) and high-oxidative, fast-twitch red (FTR) muscle of the rat. Cellular acidosis was modified by controlling lactic acid accumulation by regulating muscle blood flow and using trained animals. A significant activation of AMP deaminase occurred in both muscle types, but only at times when the estimated pH was 6.6 and below (lactate content 20 mu mol/g and above). Cellular acidosis, however, is not absolutely essential, since iodoacetic acid-blocked muscle lost 85-90% of its ATP to IMP during contractions. Thus cellular acidosis seems to be an important, but not the sole, factor activating AMP deaminase during contractions. Further, the influence of acidosis is probably different between fiber types, since the estimated free AMP and ADP contents, calculated from the creatine kinase and myokinase reactions, were different in the two fiber types. Most of the activation of AMP deaminase in FTR muscle could be attributed to a substrate effect of the increased free AMP content. In contrast, most of the activation of AMP deaminase in the FTW muscle was due to factors other than a substrate effect. These results suggest that cellular acidosis during intense contraction conditions is a major factor activating AMP deaminase, especially in the low-oxidative FTW muscle fiber type.

AMP Deaminase↗

Effects of acidosis on phosphorylation of phospholamban and troponin I in rat cardiac muscle.

Acidosis inhibits Ca2+ transport by the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac muscle and decreases the Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile proteins, although the mechanisms underlying these changes are unclear. We have investigated the hypothesis that changes in the phosphorylation of the regulatory proteins phospholamban and troponin I might play a role in the acidosis-induced changes in the function of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the myofilaments, respectively. Langendorff-perfused rat hearts were labeled with 32P and then perfused with either control (pH 7.4) or acid (pH 6.8) physiological salt solution, in both the absence and presence of isoproterenol. The incorporation of 32P into phospholamban and troponin I was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of sarcoplasmic reticulum and myofibrillar proteins, followed by autoradiography and liquid scintillation counting. The data show that acidosis has no effect on the phosphorylation of phospholamban in the absence of isoproterenol but that, in the presence of isoproterenol, acidosis increased the phosphorylation of phospholamban. However, acidosis increased the phosphorylation of troponin I, in both the absence and the presence of isoproterenol. Acidosis did not alter the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate content of the hearts but did inhibit type 1 phosphatase. These data show that acidosis can alter the phosphorylation of these two proteins and suggest that these changes underlie, in part the changes observed in cardiac muscle during acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Acidosis antagonizes intracellular calcium response to kappa-opioid receptor stimulation in the rat heart.

To study the effects of kappa-opioid receptor stimulation on intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) homeostasis during extracellular acidosis, we determined the effects of kappa-opioid receptor stimulation on [Ca2+]i responses during extracellular acidosis in isolated single rat ventricular myocytes, by a spectrofluorometric method. U-50488H (10-30 microM), a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist, dose dependently decreased the electrically induced [Ca2+]i transient, which results from the influx of Ca2+ and the subsequent mobilization of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). U-50488H (30 microM) also increased the resting [Ca2+]i and inhibited the [Ca2+]i transient induced by caffeine, which mobilizes Ca2+ from the SR, indicating that the effects of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist involved mobilization of Ca2+ from its intracellular pool into the cytoplasm. The Ca2+ responses to 30 microM U-50488H were abolished by 5 microM nor-binaltorphimine, a selective kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, indicating that the event was mediated by the kappa-opioid receptor. The effects of the agonist on [Ca2+]i and the electrically induced [Ca2+]i transient were significantly attenuated when the extracellular pH (pHe) was lowered to 6.8, which itself reduced intracellular pH (pHi) and increased [Ca2+]i. The inhibitory effects of U-50488H were restored during extracellular acidosis in the presence of 10 microM ethylisopropyl amiloride, a potent Na+/H+ exchange blocker, or 0.2 mM Ni2+, a putative Na+/Ca2+ exchange blocker. The observations indicate that acidosis may antagonize the effects of kappa-opioid receptor stimulation via Na+/H+ and Na+/Ca2+ exchanges. When glucose at 50 mM, known to activate the Na+/H+ exchange, was added, both the resting [Ca2+]i and pHi increased. Interestingly, the effects of U-50488H on [Ca2+]i and the electrically induced [Ca2+]i transient during superfusion with glucose were significantly attenuated; this mimicked the responses during extracellular acidosis. When a high-Ca2+ (3 mM) solution was superfused, the resting [Ca2+]i increased; the increase was abolished by 0.2 mM Ni2+, but the pHi remained unchanged. Like the responses to superfusion with high-concentration glucose and extracellular acidosis, the responses of the [Ca2+]i and electrically induced [Ca2+]i transients to 30 microM U-50488H were also significantly attenuated. Results from the present study demonstrated for the first time that extracellular acidosis antagonizes the effects of kappa-opioid receptor stimulation on the mobilization of Ca2+ from SR. Activation of both Na+/H+ and Na+/Ca2+ exchanges, leading to an elevation of [Ca2+]i, may be responsible for the antagonistic action of extracellular acidosis against kappa-opioid receptor stimulation.

3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cycloh↗

Ovine fetal leucine kinetics and protein metabolism during acute metabolic acidosis.

Fetal acidosis is associated with poor fetal growth. Because protein accretion is an important component of fetal growth, we used seven chronically prepared fetal lambs (10-16 days postoperation) to find whether fetal metabolic acidosis affected fetal protein accretion, and, if so, whether such effects were due to decreased synthesis or increased breakdown of proteins. Fetal leucine kinetics were measured during infusion of [1-(14)C]leucine by the reciprocal pool method. After control measurements, metabolic acidosis was induced by fetal infusion of 0.5 N HCl, and the measurements were repeated. Although fetal leucine concentration rose (164 +/- 11 vs. 216 +/- 15 microM; P < 0.001), fetal leucine uptake fell during acidosis (3.33 +/- 0.30 vs. 1.43 +/- 0.35 micromol x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.05). However, the influx of leucine from protein breakdown increased (12.6 +/- 2.6 vs. 14.7 +/- 2.6 micromol x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.02). The incorporation of leucine into fetal protein was unaffected by acidosis, so that fetal protein accretion fell (0.48 +/- 1.04 vs. -2.32 +/- 1.53 micromol x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.001). Fetal leucine decarboxylation increased during acidosis (2.85 +/- 0.33 vs. 3.75 +/- 0.61 micromol x kg(-1) x min(-1); P < 0.05). We conclude that fetal metabolic acidosis stimulates pathways to degrade both protein and at least one of the subsequently derived amino acids, leucine. The consequence of such changes induced by acidosis is decreased protein accretion, a finding incompatible with normal fetal growth.

Acidosis↗

pH dependence of bone resorption: mouse calvarial osteoclasts are activated by acidosis.

We examined the effects of HCO(3)(-) and CO(2) acidosis on osteoclast-mediated Ca(2+) release from 3-day cultures of neonatal mouse calvaria. Ca(2+) release was minimal above pH 7.2 in control cultures but was stimulated strongly by the addition of small amounts of H(+) to culture medium (HCO(3)(-) acidosis). For example, addition of 4 meq/l H(+) reduced pH from 7.12 to 7.03 and increased Ca(2+) release 3.8-fold. The largest stimulatory effects (8- to 11-fold), observed with 15-16 meq/l added H(+), were comparable to the maximal Ca(2+) release elicited by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1, 25(OH)(2)D(3); 10 nM], parathyroid hormone (10 nM), or prostaglandin E(2) (1 microM); the action of these osteolytic agents was attenuated strongly when ambient pH was increased from approximately 7.1 to approximately 7.3. CO(2) acidosis was a less effective stimulator of Ca(2+) release than HCO(3)(-) acidosis over a similar pH range. Ca(2+) release stimulated by HCO(3)(-) acidosis was almost completely blocked by salmon calcitonin (20 ng/ml), implying osteoclast involvement. In whole mount preparations of control half-calvaria, approximately 400 inactive osteoclast-like multinucleate cells were present; in calvaria exposed to HCO(3)(-) acidosis and to the other osteolytic agents studied, extensive osteoclastic resorption, with perforation of bones, was visible. HCO(3)(-) acidosis, however, reduced numbers of osteoclast-like cells by approximately 50%, whereas 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) treatment caused increases of approximately 75%. The results suggest that HCO(3)(-) acidosis stimulates resorption by activating mature osteoclasts already present in calvarial bones, rather than by inducing formation of new osteoclasts, and provide further support for the critical role of acid-base balance in controlling osteoclast function.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Contractile dysfunction during metabolic acidosis: role of impaired energy metabolism.

To investigate the mechanisms by which acidosis depresses cardiac function, a Langendorff isolated perfused rat heart preparation was studied using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Isolated hearts were subjected to normal perfusion conditions or experimental manipulations simulating severe metabolic acidosis, substrate depletion, impairment of oxidative metabolism, or low perfusate calcium concentrations. All maneuvers resulted in marked reductions in oxygen consumption and the force of myocardial contraction (dP/dt). Metabolic acidosis had bioenergetic changes suggestive of impaired energy production, specifically, increases in Pi and decreases in phosphocreatine concentrations, which did not occur in hearts subjected to low perfusate calcium concentrations. In acidotic perfusions as well as substrate depletion and impairment of oxidative metabolism, the change in dP/dt correlated best with the change in the intracellular concentration of monovalent Pi (P(im)) (r = 0.70, P less than 0.01), whereas in hearts subjected to a low perfusate calcium concentration, there was no relationship between dP/dt and the change in Pim concentrations. More detailed analysis of the time course of the metabolic and physiological changes with metabolic acidosis revealed a discordance between changes in Pim and the decreases in dP/dt during the first 20 min of the induction of acidosis and the first 10 min of recovery from acidosis. These data suggest that metabolic acidosis has a major direct effect on energy metabolism in this model. Moreover, impairment of oxidative metabolism in concert with decreases in intracellular pH may be important in the contractile failure associated with prolonged metabolic acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Hypercapnic acidosis increases oxygen cost of contractility in the dog left ventricle.

The effect of acidosis on left ventricular (LV) mechanoenergetics was assessed in seven excised, cross-circulated dog hearts with the use of the frameworks of the contractility index (Emax) and the relationship between myocardial oxygen consumption (VO2) and pressure-volume area (PVA; a measure of the LV total mechanical energy). Acidosis was stably maintained without hypoxia by appropriately mixing CO2 and air in a membrane oxygenator in the coronary arterial perfusion circuit. Acidosis [pH: 6.98 +/- 0.09 (SD), PCO2: 91 +/- 25 mmHg in the coronary arterial blood] decreased Emax by 45 +/- 12% (P < 0.01) and PVA by 47 +/- 12% (P < 0.01) at a fixed LV volume. When the preacidosis Emax level was restored by Ca2+ infusion during acidosis, unloaded VO2 (the VO2 intercept of the VO2-PVA relation) exceeded the control value by 19 +/- 17% (P < 0.05), indicating that acidosis required higher VO2 for nonmechanical activities at a matched Emax. Moreover, the oxygen cost of enhanced contractility (the incremental ratio of unloaded VO2 to Emax) was 1.53 +/- 0.40 times higher (P < 0.01) during acidosis than preacidosis. We conclude that acidosis results in LV contractile dysfunction accompanied by an increased oxygen cost of contractility. This increased energy cost of the excitation-contraction coupling can be accounted for by a decreased Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile proteins during acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Force and acid-base state of turtle cardiac tissue exposed to combined anoxia and acidosis.

We measured contractile force of ventricular strips form the turtle Chrysemys picta bellii exposed to 1 h of combined anoxia and acidosis (pH 7.0) at 20 degrees C. Strips either beat spontaneously (self-paced) or in response to electrical stimulation (paced at 12, 24, or 36 beats/min). Tissue [lactate] and intracellular pH (pHi) were measured in control strips and at the end of anoxia-acidosis. In self-paced strips, at normal extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) (1 mM), both rate and force fell significantly after 1 h of anoxia-acidosis to 54 and 17.1%, respectively, of control values. Increased [Ca2+]o to 10 mM at 30 min had a small but significant positive effect on both rate and force. Contractile force of paced strips also fell progressively during anoxia-acidosis, but the decrease varied directly with pacing frequency. Under all cases of anoxia-acidosis, pHi fell significantly from the control value of 7.53; in paced strips, acidosis was most severe at 36 beats/min (pHi 6.75), and in self-paced strips, pHi (approximately 6.85) was independent of [Ca2+]o. Based on this and previous work, we conclude that combined anoxia-acidosis, similar to that observed in vivo after prolonged anoxic submergence, profoundly depresses cardiac function. Both hypercalcemia and bradycardia improve performance in this extreme state, but these effects are not as great as when anoxia and acidosis occur alone.

Acid-Base Imbalance↗

Potassium secretion is inhibited by metabolic acidosis in rabbit cortical collecting ducts in vitro.

The role of metabolic acidosis in the regulation of transepithelial potassium transport was examined in rabbit cortical collecting ducts (CCD) using in vitro isolated tubular microperfusion and conventional microelectrode techniques. Basolateral metabolic acidosis, created by reduction of bicarbonate concentration from 25 to 5 meq/l, pH 7.40 to 6.80, depolarized the transepithelial voltage significantly (-6.5 +/- 1.0 to -2.7 +/- 1.3 mV). Basolateral acidosis also suppressed net potassium secretion (-14.3 +/- 2.1 to -9.0 +/- 1.7 pmol.min-1.mm-1). Electrophysiological study in CCD cells demonstrated that basolateral metabolic acidosis depolarized transepithelial voltage and apical and basolateral membrane voltage with an increase of transepithelial and fractional apical resistance. Basolateral acidosis did not affect the 22Na efflux nor 86Rb efflux. The inhibitory action of basolateral acidosis on net potassium secretion remained in the presence of luminal barium and in the absence of bicarbonate. Ouabain could not abolish the effect of basolateral acidosis on transepithelial voltage completely. These data lead us to conclude that basolateral acidosis affects multiple transport pathways, and it inhibits mainly apical barium-sensitive potassium transport. Additionally, it inhibits apical sodium conductance, barium-insensitive potassium transport, and stimulates a ouabain-insensitive electrogenic transport pathway to some degree.

Acidosis↗

Response of hepatic amino acid consumption to chronic metabolic acidosis.

In a previous paper, we showed that an inhibition of amino acid transport across the liver plasma membrane is responsible for the decrease in urea synthesis in acute metabolic acidosis. We have now studied the mechanism responsible for the decline in urea synthesis in chronic acidosis. Chronic metabolic acidosis and alkalosis were induced by feeding three groups of rats HCl, NH4Cl, and NaHCO3 (8 mmol/day) for 7 days. Amino acids and NH4+ were measured in portal vein, hepatic vein, and aortic plasma, and arteriovenous differences were calculated. The rates of urinary urea and NH4+ excretion were also determined. Hepatic amino acid consumption was lower in both HCl and NH4Cl acidosis compared with NaHCO3-fed rats. Glutamine release was not different in the three conditions. Because intrahepatic concentrations of amino acids and intracellular protein degradation were similar under these conditions, it can be concluded that at low blood pH amino acid catabolism may be inhibited and might explain the observed decrease in urea excretion in HCl, but not NH4Cl, acidosis; urea excretion was comparable in the NH4Cl and NaHCO3 groups presumably because the increased NH4+ load in the former group was processed, uninhibited, to urea. Amino acids not used by the liver in acidosis could account for the 25-fold increase in NH4+ excretion in HCl and NH4Cl compared with alkalosis (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that urea synthesis is decreased in chronic HCl acidosis. They show that urea synthesis is controlled in chronic, as in acute, acidosis by amino acid uptake by the liver and/or intrahepatic degradation and that the ornithine cycle per se has only minor control of acid-base homeostasis.

Acidosis↗

Influence of acidosis and hypoxia on liver ischemia and reperfusion injury in an in vivo rat model.

The contribution of acidosis to the development of reperfusion injury is controversial. In this study, we examined the effects of respiratory acidosis and hypoxia in a frequently used in vivo liver ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury rat model. Rats were anesthetized with intraperitoneal anesthetics and subjected to partial liver ischemia (70%) for 60 min and subsequent reperfusion for 90 min under the following conditions: 1) no acidosis and normoxia, maintained by controlled ventilation; 2) acidosis and normoxia, maintained by passive supply with oxygen; 3) no acidosis and hypoxia, maintained by bicarbonate administration without respiratory support; and 4) acidosis and hypoxia, i.e., without respiratory support or pH correction. Changes in plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured as parameters of hepatocellular injury, and bile secretion was monitored. AST and ALT levels were lowest in the ventilated rats and highest in the bicarbonate-treated rats. No differences in bile secretion were found between groups. Our results suggest that respiratory acidosis significantly enhanced liver I/R injury under normoxic conditions, whereas respiratory acidosis significantly reduced liver I/R injury under hypoxic conditions.

Acidosis↗

Effects of intracellular acidosis on [Ca2+]i transients, transsarcolemmal Ca2+ fluxes, and contraction in ventricular myocytes.

We examined the effects of intracellular acidosis produced by washout of NH4Cl on [Ca2+]i transients (indo-1 fluorescence), cell contraction (video motion detector), and 45Ca and 24Na fluxes in cultured chick embryo ventricular myocytes. Exposure of cells to 10 mM NH4Cl produced intracellular alkalosis (pH 7.6), and subsequent washout resulted in a transient acidosis (pH 6.5). Exposure to 10 mM NH4Cl slightly decreased [Ca2+]i transients but increased the amplitude of cell contraction. Subsequent washout of NH4Cl initially increased diastolic [Ca2+]i and decreased the peak positive and negative d[Ca2+]i/dt, while the amplitude of cell contraction was markedly decreased. Subsequently, peak systolic [Ca2+]i increased with partial recovery of contraction. A similar increase in [Ca2+]i and decrease in contraction after washout of NH4Cl was observed in single paced adult guinea pig ventricular cells. Acidosis decreased 45Ca uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles isolated from chick embryo ventricle. However, the [Ca2+]i increase caused by intracellular acidosis was also observed in the presence of 10 mM caffeine, suggesting that altered sarcoplasmic reticulum handling of calcium is not the only mechanism involved. Intracellular acidosis only slightly increased total 24Na uptake under these conditions, an effect resulting from the combination of a stimulation of amiloride-sensitive sodium influx (Na(+)-H+ exchange) and inhibition of sodium influx via Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange, manifested by a significant decrease in 45Ca efflux. Further support for a lack of involvement of an increased [Na+]i in the observed increase in [Ca2+]i during acidosis was low-sodium, nominal 0-calcium extracellular solution, an experimental condition that minimizes the possible effects of Na(+)-H+ exchange and Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. We conclude that the [Ca2+]i increase caused by intracellular acidosis in cultured ventricular cells is primarily due to changes in [Ca2+]i buffering and [Ca2+]i extrusion, rather than to an increase in transsarcolemmal calcium influx. Intracellular acidosis also markedly decreases the sensitivity of the contractile elements to [Ca2+]i in cultured chick embryonic and adult guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

Acidosis↗