Denervation inhibits early increase in Na(+)-H+ exchange after uninephrectomy but does not suppress hypertrophy

Na(+)-H+ exchange in the rat proximal tubule luminal membrane increases approximately 30% within 15 min after the contralateral uninephrectomy. The present study was designed to test whether altered renal sympathetic nerve outflow to the remaining kidney is the underlying mechanism of increased antiport activity and whether suppression of Na(+)-H+ antiport activity by renal denervation inhibits renal hypertrophy in the remaining kidney after uninephrectomy. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: 1) sham operated, 2) uninephrectomized, 3) uninephrectomized with prior denervation of the remaining kidney, and 4) contralateral renal denervation. Na(+)-H+ antiport activity (brush-border vesicles), Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity (basolateral vesicles), and kidney weight were measured days 1-7. On days 1 and 7, Na(+)-H+ antiport activity and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activities were significantly greater in uninephrectomized rats. Denervation of the remaining kidney before contralateral uninephrectomy prevented the stimulation of the antiporter and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, but failed to inhibit renal hypertrophy by day 7. In separate experiments, contralateral renal denervation alone without removal of the kidney stimulated the Na(+)-H+ antiporter and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity. Kidney weight, however, remained unchanged. The results demonstrate a dissociation between the activation of the Na(+)-H+ antiporter and induction of renal hypertrophy in vivo.