Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “ACIDOSIS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Response of LLC-PK1-F+ cells to metabolic acidosis.

The role of extracellular glutamate formation as opposed to cellular glutamate removal in regulating monolayer glutamate content in response to metabolic acidosis was studied in LLC-PK1-F+ cells. Exposure to metabolic acidosis (14 mM bicarbonate; pH 7.1) for 18 h resulted in 24% fall in monolayer glutamate content. Of this, approximately one-half could be attributed to enhanced glutamate removal via glutamate dehydrogenase, consistent with a rise in ammonium production. The remainder appears due to reduced extracellular glutamate formation as a consequence of diminished gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-Gt) activity. Metabolic acidosis, but not respiratory acidosis, resulted in a 33% fall in gamma-Gt activity and a proportional fall in extracellular glutamate formation; glutamate transport into these cells was not rate limiting in acidosis. Overall glutamine utilization decreased 36%, reflecting the fall in gamma-Gt activity as well as a decrease in a pH-sensitive glutamine uptake, whereas glutamine transport coupled to the phosphate-dependent glutaminase flux increased. It is noteworthy that the increased ammonium produced in metabolic acidosis was preferentially secreted into the apical compartment; acid secretion, but not production, was similarly increased. Thus reduced cellular glutamate appears to coordinate activation of intracellular glutaminase to the apical membrane exchanger, consistent with the functioning kidney response to metabolic acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Actively phosphorylating mitochondria are more resistant to lactic acidosis than inactive mitochondria.

Oxidative phosphorylation of isolated rat skeletal muscle mitochondria after exposure to lactic acidosis in either phosphorylating or nonphosphorylating states has been evaluated. Mitochondrial respiration and transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) were measured with pyruvate and malate as the substrates. The addition of lactic acid decreased the pH of the reaction medium from 7.5 to 6.4. When lactic acid was added to nonphosphorylating mitochondria, the subsequent maximal ADP-stimulated respiration decreased by 27% compared with that under control conditions (P < 0.05), and the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)) for ADP decreased to 10 microM vs. 20 microM (P < 0.05) in controls. In contrast, maximal respiration and ADP sensitivity were not affected when mitochondria were exposed to acidosis during active phosphorylation in state 3. Acidosis significantly increased mitochondrial oxygen consumption in state 4 (post-state 3), irrespective of when acidosis was induced. This effect of acidosis was attenuated in the presence of oligomycin. The addition of lactic acid during state 4 respiration decreased DeltaPsi(m) by 19%. The ratio between added ADP and consumed oxygen (P/O) was close to the theoretical value of 3 in all conditions. The addition of potassium lactate during state 3 (i.e., medium pH unchanged) had no effect on the parameters measured. It is concluded that lactic acidosis has different effects when induced on nonphosphorylating vs. actively phosphorylating mitochondria. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the influence of lactic acidosis on muscle aerobic energy production depends on the physiological conditions at the onset of acidity.

Acidosis, Lactic↗

Acute metabolic acidosis inhibits muscle protein synthesis in rats.

In this study, we investigated the effect of acute metabolic acidosis on tissue protein synthesis. Groups of rats were made acidotic with intragastric administration of NH(4)Cl (20 mmol/kg body wt every 12 h for 24 h) or given equimolar amounts of NaCl (controls). Protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and a variety of different tissues, including lymphocytes, was measured after 24 h by injection of l-[(2)H(5)]phenylalanine (150 micromol/100 g body wt, 40 moles percent). Results show that acute acidosis inhibits protein synthesis in skeletal muscle (-29% in gastrocnemius, -23% in plantaris, and -17% in soleus muscles, P < 0.01) but does not affect protein synthesis in heart, liver, gut, kidney, and spleen. Protein synthesis in lymphocytes is also reduced by acidosis (-8%, P < 0.05). In a separate experiment, protein synthesis was also measured in acidotic and control rats by a constant infusion of l-[(2)H(5)]phenylalanine (1 micromol.100 g body wt(-1).h(-1)). The results confirm the earlier findings showing an inhibition of protein synthesis in gastrocnemius (-28%, P < 0.01) and plantaris (-19%, P < 0.01) muscles but no effect on heart and liver by acidosis. Similar results were also observed using a different model of acute metabolic acidosis, in which rats were given a cation exchange resin in the H(+) (acidotic) or the Na(+) (controls) form. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that acute metabolic acidosis for 24 h depresses protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and lymphocytes but does not alter protein synthesis in visceral tissues. Inhibition of muscle protein synthesis might be another mechanism contributing to the loss of muscle tissue observed in acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Metabolic acidosis reverses the increase in serum 1,25(OH)2D in phosphorus-restricted normal men.

We tested the hypothesis that in humans, metabolic acidosis can disorder the metabolism of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] by impairing the capacity for a sustained physiological stimulus to increase renal production of this hormone. Specifically, in seven healthy men in whom restriction of dietary phosphorus had doubled their serum concentration of 1,25(OH)2D, we induced metabolic acidosis of moderate severity with oral NH4Cl, administered for 7 days. With induction of acidosis, the serum concentration of 1,25(OH)2D decreased sharply and remained decreased and near constant throughout the period of acidosis, the decrease amounting to one-half of the increment induced by phosphorus restriction alone. The serum concentration of free 1,25(OH)2D also decreased, since the measured free fraction of 1,25(OH)2D was unaffected by NH4Cl. The decrease in serum 1,25(OH)2D was accounted for by a 16% increase in its metabolic clearance rate and by a 19% decrease in its production rate. Metabolic acidosis induced a modest increase in the concentrations of blood ionized calcium and serum phosphorus. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that serum levels of 1,25(OH)2D varied inversely and significantly with those of plasma hydrogen ion (R = -0.77, P < 0.001), but not with those of blood ionized calcium or serum phosphorus. These data demonstrate in humans that metabolic acidosis can substantially reverse the increase in serum concentration of 1,25(OH)2D induced by phosphorus restriction. The data provide evidence that acidosis can restrict the increase in renal production and serum concentration of 1,25(OH)2D effected by a sustained physiological stimulus.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Chronic metabolic acidosis stimulated transcellular and solvent drag-induced calcium transport in the duodenum of female rats.

Chronic metabolic acidosis results in a negative calcium balance as a result of bone resorption and renal calcium loss. However, reports on the changes in intestinal calcium transport have been controversial. The present investigation therefore aimed to study the effects of chronic metabolic acidosis induced by 1.5% NH(4)Cl administration on the three components of duodenal calcium transport, namely, solvent drag-induced, transcellular active, and passive paracellular components, in rats using an in vitro Ussing chamber technique. The relative mRNA expression of genes related to duodenal calcium transport was also determined. We found that 21-day chronic metabolic acidosis stimulated solvent drag-induced and transcellular active duodenal calcium transport but not passive paracellular calcium transport. Our results further demonstrated that an acute direct exposure to serosal acidic pH, in contrast, decreased solvent drag-induced calcium transport in a pH-dependent fashion but had no effect on transcellular active calcium transport. Neither the transepithelial resistance nor duodenal permeability to Na(+), Cl(-), and Ca(2+) via the passive paracellular pathway were altered by chronic metabolic acidosis, suggesting that widening of the tight junction and changes in the charge-selective property of the tight junction did not occur. Thus the enhanced duodenal calcium transport observed in chronic metabolic acidosis could have resulted from a long-term adaptation, possibly at the molecular level. RT-PCR study revealed that chronic metabolic acidosis significantly increased the relative mRNA expression of duodenal genes associated with solvent drag-induced transport, i.e., the beta(1)-subunit of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, zonula occludens-1, occludin, and claudin-3, and with transcellular active transport, i.e., transient receptor potential vanilloid family Ca(2+) channels 5 and 6 and plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase isoform 1b. Total plasma calcium and free ionized calcium and magnesium concentrations were also increased, whereas serum parathyroid hormone and 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) levels were not changed. The results indicated that 21-day chronic metabolic acidosis affected the calcium metabolism in rats partly through enhancing the mRNA expression of crucial duodenal genes involved in calcium absorption, thereby stimulating solvent drag-induced and transcellular active calcium transport in the duodenum.

Acidosis↗

Functional and metabolic responses of isolated hearts to acidosis: effects of sodium bicarbonate and Carbicarb.

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 moderate or severe metabolic acidosis. Acidosis resulted in dose-dependent decreases in O2 consumption (VO2), rate of developed ventricular pressure (dP/dt), intracellular pH (pHi), and the tissue concentration of creatine phosphate (PCr) after 30 min. Acidosis did not affect ATP concentration but resulted in significant increases in the concentrations of total and monovalent inorganic phosphate (Pi and Pim). When metabolic determinants of the change in dP/dt with acidosis were examined, changes in pHi, extracellular pH, and tissue concentrations of Pi and Pim all correlated significantly with the change in dP/dt. In a second set of experiments using the severe acidosis model, normal saline, 1 M sodium bicarbonate, and the experimental buffer Carbicarb (1 ml/kg body wt) were infused in a crossover manner at 20-min intervals. None had significant effects on tissue concentrations of ATP, PCr, Pi, or PCr/Pi. Administration of bicarbonate resulted in an increase in VO2 without significant effects on pHi or dP/dt. In contrast, Carbicarb effected little change in VO2 but resulted in sustained increases in pHi and decreases in Pim and marked increases in dP/dt. These data suggest that the decrease in cardiac function that occurs during acidosis may be related to the metabolic consequences of reductions in pHi and that a buffer that causes intracellular alkalinization may cause functional improvement in this model.

Acidosis↗

Mechanism of impaired energy metabolism during acidosis: role of oxidative metabolism.

Isolated perfused rat hearts were used to study the effects of metabolic acidosis on energy metabolism. Hearts perfused with different substrates (glucose, pyruvate, and succinate) were subjected to metabolic acidosis. With all substrates, there were comparable decrements in oxygen consumption (approximately 35%), cardiac function (decrease in first derivative of pressure of 65%), and similar changes in high-energy phosphates (approximately 150% increases in inorganic phosphate and 25% decreases in phosphocreatine concentrations) with metabolic acidosis. To further investigate the metabolic effects of acidosis, isolated cardiac mitochondria were exposed to different incubation media pH conditions and given simple metabolites (glutamate/malate, succinate, or pyruvate) or fatty acids (octanoate). Reduction of incubation media pH to 6.0 did not significantly affect either coupled respiration rate or the respiratory control ratio (RCR) with any substrate. These data suggest that metabolic acidosis induces decreases in energy production in the isolated perfused heart by inhibiting mitochondrial substrate utilization and not by impairing glycolysis. However, this impairment of mitochondrial function is not a direct effect of acidosis itself but appears to occur secondarily to some other effects of acidosis which are, as yet, incompletely understood.

Acidosis↗

Effect of acidosis on Ca2+ uptake and release by sarcoplasmic reticulum of intact rat ventricular myocytes.

The effect of acidosis on Ca2+ uptake and release by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rat ventricular myocytes has been investigated. Intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was monitored using fura 2; the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) was monitored using the perforated patch-clamp technique. Acidosis was produced either by superfusing the cells with an acid solution (intracellular and extracellular acidosis) or by NH4Cl withdrawal (intracellular acidosis). Both types of acidosis increased the amplitude, and slowed the declining phase, of the Ca2+ transient. Application of caffeine produced a rise of [Ca2+]i, which declined in the continued presence of caffeine; the declining phase was slowed by the acid solution but was unaffected by NH4Cl withdrawal. Acidosis decreased the fraction of the caffeine-induced release that was released by electrical stimulation but had no effect on ICa. It is concluded that acidosis inhibits SR Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in intact myocytes but that these effects are compensated by an increase in SR Ca2+ content secondary to a rise in cytoplasmic [Ca2+].

Acidosis↗

Effects of acute metabolic acidosis on parathyroid hormone action and calcium mobilization.

Mechanisms through which metabolic acidosis increases calcium mobilization have been investigated in thyroparathyroidectomized rats with induction of acute metabolic acidosis by infusing NH4C1 intravenously. Acute metabolic acidosis directly raised serum calcium concentration and augmented the effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) to raise serum calcium concentration. The same effects of metabolic acidosis were observed in rats with surgically removed intestines and bilateral nephrectomy, suggesting that acute metabolic acidosis directly increases calcium mobilization from bone and augments the effect of PTH to mobilize calcium from bone. In the kidney, acidosis directly inhibited the tubular reabsorption of calcium, but augmented the effect of PTH to increase tubular reabsorption of calcium. Acidosis had no measurable effect on calcitonin action.

Acidosis↗

Downregulation in the expression of the serine dehydratase in the rat liver during chronic metabolic acidosis.

Blood pH controls the activity of important regulatory enzymes in the metabolism. Serine dehydratase (SerDH) transforms l-serine into pyruvate and ammonium and is involved in the regulation of gluconeogenesis from serine in the rat liver. In this work, we investigate the effect of chronic metabolic acidosis on the kinetics, specific protein level, tissue location, and mRNA levels of rat liver SerDH. Experimental acidosis was induced in rats by ingestion of 0.28 M ammonium chloride solution for 10 days. Acidosis significantly (P<0.05) decreased SerDH activity at all substrate concentrations assayed. Moreover, the Vmax value was 38.50+/-3.51 mU/mg (n=7) of mitochondrial protein in the acidotic rats and 92.49+/-6.79 mU/mg (n=7) in the control rats. Western blot analysis revealed a significant reduction (14%) in the level of SerDH protein content in the rat liver during acidosis. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that SerDH location did not change in response to chronic metabolic acidosis and confirmed previous results on SerDH protein levels. Moreover, the SerDH mRNA level, estimated by RT-PCR, was also significantly 33.8% lower than in control. These results suggest that during experimental acidosis a specific repression of rat-liver SerDH gene transcription could result, lowering the amount and activity of this enzyme. The changes found in SerDH expression are part of an overall metabolic response of liver to maintain acid-base homeostasis during acidosis.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

31P-NMR measurements of pHi and high-energy phosphates in isolated turtle hearts during anoxia and acidosis.

We used 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to measure intracellular pH (pHi) and high-energy phosphate levels in hearts of turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) during either 4 h of anoxia [extracellular pH (pHo) 7.8, 97% N2-3% CO2], 4 h of lactic acidosis (pHo 7.0, 97% O2-3% CO2), or 1.5 h of combined anoxia + lactic acidosis (pHo 7.0, 97% N2-3% CO2) followed by 2 h of oxygenated recovery (pHo 7.8) at 20 degrees C. We also measured heart rate, maximum ventricular-developed pressure, and rate of pressure development (dP/dtmax). 31P-NMR spectra were characterized by the seven peaks typical of mammalian hearts, although turtle spectra were dominated by a large phosphodiester peak. Anoxia caused an increase in Pi to 165% and a decrease in creatine phosphate (CP) to 42% of control, whereas ATP levels remained unchanged. pHi declined from 7.37 +/- 0.01 to 7.22 +/- 0.03 at 1 h of anoxia and remained unchanged through hour 4. Lactic acidosis caused a 59% decrease in Pi, whereas CP and ATP levels remained unchanged. pHi fell to 6.88 +/- 0.04 by hour 1 and then climbed steadily to 7.14 +/- 0.05 at hour 4. During recovery from acidosis, pHi exceeded control values and returned to control by 2 h. Combined anoxia + acidosis caused profound decreases in CP to 14% and pHi to 6.56 +/- 0.03. In anoxic hearts, cardiodynamic variables remained at control levels through hour 3, after which cardiac output, heart rate, and dP/dtmax declined. Cardiodynamic variables were essentially unchanged from control throughout 4 h of acidosis except for dP/dtmax, which declined rapidly. In the combined protocol, all measures of cardiac function decreased. Recovery in all three cases was complete by approximately 2 h. We conclude that turtle hearts were relatively resistant to the stresses imposed in all three protocols compared with mammalian hearts, although anoxia + acidosis depressed the measured cardiac variables more profoundly than predicted from responses to the conditions imposed separately. Our results from the anoxia protocol suggest no direct causal relationship between myocardial CP (or ATP) levels and cardiac function.

Acidosis↗

Ethylene glycol induces hyperoxaluria without metabolic acidosis in rats.

Ethylene glycol (EG) consumption is commonly employed as an experimental regimen to induce hyperoxaluria in animal models of calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. This approach has, however, been criticized because EG overdose induces metabolic acidosis in humans. We tested the hypothesis that EG consumption (0.75% in drinking water for 4 wk) induces metabolic acidosis by comparing arterial blood gases, serum electrolytes, and urinary chemistries in five groups of Sprague-Dawley rats: normal controls (CON), those made hyperoxaluric (HYP) with EG administration, unilaterally nephrectomized controls (UNI), unilaterally nephrectomized rats fed EG (HRF), and a metabolic acidosis (MA) reference group imbibing sweetened drinking water (5% sucrose) containing 0.28 M NH4Cl. Arterial pH, plasma bicarbonate concentrations, anion gap, urinary pH, and the excretion of titratable acid, ammonium, phosphate, citrate, and calcium in HYP rats were not significantly different from CON rats, indicating that metabolic acidosis did not develop in HYP rats with two kidneys. Unilateral nephrectomy alone (UNI group) did not significantly affect arterial pH, plasma bicarbonate, anion gap, or urinary pH compared with CON rats; however, HRF rats exhibited some signs of a nascent acidosis in having an elevated anion gap, higher phosphate excretion, lower urinary pH, and an increase in titratable acid. Frank metabolic acidosis was observed in the MA rats: decreased arterial pH and plasma HCO3(-) concentration with lower urinary pH and citrate excretion with elevated excretion of ammonium, phosphate and, hence, titratable acid. We conclude that metabolic acidosis does not develop in conventional EG treatments but may ensue with renal insufficiency resulting from an oxalate load.

Acidosis↗

Troglitazone's rapid and sustained activation of ERK1/2 induces cellular acidosis in LLC-PK1-F+ cells: physiological responses.

We studied the signal pathway through which troglitazone (TRO) acts in inducing cellular acidosis in LLC-PK1-F+ cells in relation to ammoniagenesis and DNA synthesis. Cells were grown to confluent monolayers in 30-mm chambers and monitored for intracellular pH (pHi) by the BCECF assay and activated ERK by phospo-ERK1/2 antibodies. TRO induces a severe cellular acidosis (pHi 6.68 +/- 0.10 vs. 7.28 +/- 0.07 time control at 4 min, P < 0.01), whereas phospho-ERK1/2 to total ERK1/2 ratio increases 3.4-fold (P < 0.01). To determine whether ERK1/2 was activated by cellular acidosis or TRO was acting via MEK1/2 to activate ERK1/2, cells were pretreated with specific inhibitors of MEK1/2 activity, PD-098059 and U-0126, followed by the addition of TRO or vehicle. With MEK1/2 activity inhibited, TRO treatment failed to activate ERK1/2. Preventing ERK1/2 activation abrogated the TRO-induced cellular acidosis and maintained the pHi within the low normal range (7.06 +/- 0.11). To determine whether blocking ERK activation prevents TRO's inhibitory effect on NHE activity, cells were acid-loaded and the recovery response was monitored as DeltapHi/t over a 4-min recovery period. TRO inhibited NHE activity by 85% (P < 0.01), whereas blocking ERK activation restored the response. We measured activated ERK levels and pHi after 3- and 18-h exposure to TRO or extracellular acidosis (pHe = 6.95) to determine whether ERK activation was sustained. Whereas both TRO and extracellular acidosis increased activated ERK and decreased pHi after 3 h, only TRO sustained this response at 18 h. Furthermore, both enhanced ammoniagenesis and decreased DNA synthesis reflected the effect of TRO to induce and sustain a cellular acidosis.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Changes in subcellular distribution of the ammonia transporter, Rhcg, in response to chronic metabolic acidosis.

The primary mechanism by which the kidneys mediate net acid excretion is through ammonia metabolism. In the current study, we examined whether chronic metabolic acidosis, which increases ammonia metabolism, alters the cell-specific and/or the subcellular expression of the ammonia transporter family member, Rhcg, in the outer medullary collecting duct in the inner stripe (OMCDi). Chronic metabolic acidosis was induced in normal SD rats by HCl ingestion for 7 days; controls were pair-fed. The subcellular distribution of Rhcg was determined using immunogold electron microscopy and morphometric analyses. In intercalated cells, acidosis increased total Rhcg, apical plasma membrane Rhcg, and the proportion of total cellular Rhcg in the apical plasma membrane. Intracellular Rhcg decreased significantly, and basolateral Rhcg was unchanged. Because apical plasma membrane length increased in parallel with apical Rhcg immunolabel, apical plasma membrane Rhcg density was unchanged. In principal cells, acidosis increased total Rhcg, apical plasma membrane Rhcg, and the proportion of total cellular Rhcg in the apical plasma membrane while decreasing the intracellular proportion. In contrast to the intercalated cell, chronic metabolic acidosis did not significantly alter apical boundary length; accordingly, apical plasma membrane Rhcg density increased. In addition, basolateral Rhcg immunolabel increased in response to chronic metabolic acidosis. These results indicate that in the rat OMCDi 1) chronic metabolic acidosis increases apical plasma membrane Rhcg in both the intercalated cell and principal cell where it may contribute to enhanced apical ammonia secretion; 2) increased apical plasma membrane Rhcg results from both increased total protein and changes in the subcellular distribution of Rhcg; 3) the mechanism of Rhcg subcellular redistribution differs in intercalated and principal cells; and 4) Rhcg may contribute to regulated basolateral ammonia transport in the principal cell.

Acidosis↗

Brain glutamate metabolism during metabolic alkalosis and acidosis.

Glutamate modifies ventilation by altering neural excitability centrally. Metabolic acid-base perturbations may also alter cerebral glutamate metabolism locally and thus affect ventilation. Therefore, the effect of metabolic acid-base perturbations on central nervous system glutamate metabolism was studied in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs under normal acid-base conditions and during isocapnic metabolic alkalosis and acidosis. Cerebrospinal fluid transfer rates of radiotracer [13N]ammonia and of [13N]glutamine synthesized de novo via the reaction glutamate+NH3-->glutamine in brain glia were measured during normal acid-base conditions and after 90 min of acute isocapnic metabolic alkalosis and acidosis. Cerebrospinal fluid [13N]ammonia and [13N]glutamine transfer rates decreased in metabolic acidosis. Maximal glial glutamine efflux rate jm equals 85.6 +/- 9.5 (SE) mumol.l-1 x min-1 in all animals. No difference in jm was observed in metabolic alkalosis or acidosis. Mean cerebral cortical glutamate concentration was significantly lower in acidosis [7.01 +/- 0.45 (SE) mumol/g brain tissue] and tended to be larger in alkalosis, compared with 7.97 +/- 0.89 mumol/g in normal acid-base conditions. There was a similar change in cerebral cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration. Within the limits of the present method and measurements, the results suggest that acute metabolic acidosis but not alkalosis reduces glial glutamine efflux, corresponding to changes in cerebral cortical glutamate metabolism. These results suggest that glutamatergic mechanisms may contribute to central respiratory control in metabolic acidosis.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Metabolic determinants of the onset of acidosis in exercising human muscle: a 31P-MRS study.

Onset of intracellular acidosis during muscular exercise has been generally attributed to activation or hyperactivation of nonoxidative ATP production but has not been analyzed quantitatively in terms of H(+) balance, i.e., production and removal mechanisms. To address this issue, we have analyzed the relation of intracellular acidosis to H(+) balance during exercise bouts in seven healthy subjects. Each subject performed a 6-min ramp rhythmic exercise (finger flexions) at low frequency (LF, 0.47 Hz), leading to slight acidosis, and at high frequency (HF, 0.85 Hz), inducing a larger acidosis. Metabolic changes were recorded using (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Onset of intracellular acidosis was statistically identified after 3 and 4 min of exercise for HF and LF protocols, respectively. A detailed investigation of H(+) balance indicated that, for both protocols, nonoxidative ATP production preceded a change in pH. For HF and LF protocols, H(+) consumption through the creatine kinase equilibrium was constant in the face of increasing H(+) generation and efflux. For both protocols, changes in pH were not recorded as long as sources and sinks for H(+) approximately balanced. In contrast, a significant acidosis occurred after 4 min of LF exercise and 3 min of HF exercise, whereas the rise in H(+) generation exceeded the rise in H(+) efflux at a nearly constant H(+) uptake associated with phosphocreatine breakdown. We have clearly demonstrated that intracellular acidosis in exercising muscle does not occur exclusively as a result of nonoxidative ATP production but, rather, reflects changes in overall H(+) balance.

Acidosis↗

Effects of acidosis on acute phase protein metabolism in liver cells.

Metabolic acidosis has been shown to act as a causative factor in muscle protein breakdown and negative nitrogen balance, as well as in decreased albumin synthesis. Albumin and other acute phase proteins (APP) are mainly synthesized in the liver following induction by interleukins, hormones and other mediators. Acute phase proteins have been shown to be predictors of cardiovascular mortality in the general population and in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). Clinical investigation gives evidence that albumin is reduced by acidosis in ESRD patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of the liver in acidosis, i.e. the influence of acidosis on metabolic activity and secretion of APP by liver cells (HepG2). Cells were cultured in a medium containing different amounts of bicarbonate. Metabolic activity was significantly diminished when the bicarbonate concentration of the extracellular medium was reduced (86.13+/-1.90% (pH 7.0) vs. 99. 53+/-90% (pH 7.4); p<0.01). While cellular release of negative APP was significantly decreased (albumin: 4.6+/-0.41 (pH 7.0) vs. 7.54+/-0.62 (pH 7.4) [ng/microg protein], p<0.001, transferrin: (0. 78+/-0.08 (pH 7.0) vs. 1.07+/-0.07 (pH 7.4) [ng/microg protein], p<0. 05), no significant influence of acidosis (pH 7.0) on the positive APP, alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) (1.69+/-0.25) (pH 7.0) vs. 1.62+/-0.23 (pH 7.4) [ng/microg protein]), could be shown. Our data indicate that acidosis results in inhibition of liver cell metabolic activity and in reduced secretion of the negative acute phase proteins albumin and transferrin. In contrast, secretion of the positive acute phase protein AGP seems to be unchanged at pH 7.0 as compared to pH 7.4. We conclude that negative and positive APP in liver cells (HepG2) appear to be differently regulated by acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Acute respiratory acidosis decreases left ventricular contractility but increases cardiac output in dogs.

To understand the cardiovascular response to respiratory acidosis, we measured hemodynamics, left ventricular pressure, and left ventricular volume (three ultrasonic crystal pairs) during eucapnia and respiratory acidosis in 10 fentanyl-anesthetized open-chest dogs. Left ventricular contractility was assessed primarily by measuring the slope (Emax) and intercept (V0) of the left ventricular end-systolic pressure-volume relation determined by combining end-systolic points from a vena caval occlusion and from brief aortic cross-clamping. Respiratory acidosis (pH 7.09, Pco2 92 mm Hg) reduced contractility by a decrease in Emax (11.4 to 9.2 mm Hg/ml, p less than 0.01) with no change in V0. Despite this, cardiac output increased (1.7 to 2.1 l/min, p less than 0.01), and heart rate increased (96 to 121 beats/min, p less than 0.05), with no change in blood pressure. Systemic vascular resistance fell by 26% (p less than 0.01). During eucapnia, propranolol reduced Emax (11.4 to 4.6 mm Hg/ml, p less than 0.01) with no change in V0. After propranolol treatment, respiratory acidosis further reduced Emax (4.6 to 3.6 mm Hg/ml, p less than 0.05) and increased end-systolic volume more than before propranolol (p less than 0.001). Now cardiac output did not increase even though heart rate increased (81 to 106 beats/min, p less than 0.001) and systemic vascular resistance fell by 20% (p less than 0.01). We conclude that the effect of respiratory acidosis on the circulation is to increase venous return (equals cardiac output) in the face of decreased left ventricular contractility. The beta-adrenergic response to respiratory acidosis substantially ameliorated the increase in end-systolic volume and supported the increase in venous return but did not alter the associated tachycardia or vasodilation. Respiratory acidosis, like propranolol treatment, decreases contractility by decreasing Emax.

Acidosis, Respiratory↗