Intestinal phosphate transport in spontaneously hypertensive rats and genetically matched controls

Abstract

Hypophosphatemia has been documented in patients with hypertension and in spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with genetically matched control Wistar-Kyoto rats. However, renal tubular reabsorption is increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Therefore, it was hypothesized that decreased serum phosphate levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats may be related to a decrease in the intestinal transport of phosphate. To test this hypothesis, sodium-dependent phosphate uptake by jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles of spontaneously hypertensive rats and genetically matched Wistar-Kyoto rats was determined. Phosphate uptake consisted of two components: sodium-independent passive diffusion across the brush border and sodium-dependent, carrier-mediated uptake. The initial rate of uptake in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats was linear up to 20 seconds. The initial rate and time course of jejunal sodium-dependent phosphate uptake was decreased in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats compared with corresponding mean values in Wistar-Kyoto rats. This decrease was secondary to a decrease in Vmax rather than Km, suggesting that the number and/or the activity of the sodium-phosphate transporters is decreased. Sodium-dependent phosphate uptake was pH dependent, with greater uptake at pH 6.0 than at pH 7.4. However, uptake values were lower in spontaneously hypertensive rats than in Wistar-Kyoto rats at all pH levels tested. In contrast, sodium-dependent phosphate uptake in weanling rats (prehypertensive state) was not significantly different between spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats. Vitamin D deficiency in both spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats decreased Vmax and Km of sodium-dependent phosphate uptake, whereas 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 administration increased Vmax and Km in both spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats. These results suggest that the hypophosphatemia seen in adult spontaneously hypertensive rats is secondary to a decrease in sodium-dependent phosphate uptake compared with controls. The sodium-phosphate transporter in spontaneously hypertensive rats is responsive to vitamin D administration.