Effect of an ammonia load on the kidney near-equilibrium systems in the rat in vivo

Abstract

1)The time course of changes in concentration of renal metabolites in response to a non-toxic load of NH4 as NH4 Cl or NH4HCO3 were measured in fasted rats. 2) Following a NH4Cl load, decrease of renal concentration of 2-oxoglutarate occurs but this change is delayed in relation to the peak of the blood ammonia concentration and persists after disappearance of the hyperammoniemia. 3) Following a NH4HCO3 load, the oxoglutarate concentration changes are less marked and more transient. 4) No close relationship between the mitochondrial free NAD/NADH ratio calculated from the glutamate dehydrogenase and the 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase systems were seen during alteration of the ammonia concentration. 5) Contrary to the observations in the liver under similar circumstances (BROSNAN, J.T. et al.: Biochem.J. 138, 453, 1974), no increase in kidney tissue or renal venous blood alanine or aspartate concentration are seen. 6) A constant infusion of NH4HCO3 resulted only in an increase in tissue and renal venous blood glutamine concentration. 7) The infusion of NH4 together with a carbon source (malate) resulted in a similar increase in tissue glutamine concentration and more striking increase in renal venous glutamine concentration. No accumulation of aspartate nor alanine were seen. 8) In vitro studies indicate that the net flux through both the aspartate aminotransferase and the glutamate dehydrogenase reactions is dependent on the concentration of the reactants as expected for a near-equilibrium system. 9) It is concluded that the kidney response to an ammonia load differs from that of the liver despite the existence of a similar network of near-equilibrium reactions of (1) a lack of local availability of oxaloacetate, (2) a lower activity of alanine aminotransferase, (3) a greater in vivo activity of glutamine synthetase.