EFFECTS OF PARATHYROID-HORMONE ON URINARY ACIDIFICATION IN THE RAT

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on urinary acidification parameters, thyroparathyroidectomy was performed in normal (TPTX) and in calcium-supplemented rats (TPTX+Ca2+). Both groups were supplemented with thyroxin. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) fell from 7.79 +/- 0.33 in the control group (C) to 4.88 +/- 0.26 ml min-1 kg-1 in TPTX, while net acid excretion fell from 5.65 +/- 0.22 in C to 3.76 +/- 0.25-mu-mol min-1 kg-1 in TPTX. Kinetic data of urinary acidification obtained by microperfusion techniques in proximal tubules showed that the half-time of acidification (t/2) rose from 4.75 +/- 0.24 s in C to 8.97 +/- 0.64 s in TPTX and persisted elevated in TPTX+Ca2+ (7.40 +/- 0.43 s); in the latter group, stationary pH was not significantly different from that of the control group. Bicarbonate reabsorption (J(HCO3)) fell from 2.18 +/- 0.15 in C to 0.823 +/- 0.082 in TPTX and was 1.53 +/- 0.073 nmol s-1 cm-2 in TPTX+Ca2+. These data suggest that normal pH gradients depend on normal calcium levels, but acidification half-times are dependent on PTH, which also contributes to keeping glomerular hemodynamics and acidification rates at normal levels.