Cortical collecting duct Na-K pump in obstructive nephropathy

The present study examined the alterations in the cortical collecting tubule (CCT) Na-K pump that occur after unilateral ureteral obstruction and their consequences on electrolyte excretion. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, unilateral ureteral ligation led to a progressive decrease in intact CCT Na-K pump in situ turnover worsening with the duration of the obstruction: control, 20.1 +/- 0.4; obstructed kidney: 3 h, 14.6 +/- 0.3; 12 h, 12.7 +/- 0.6; 24 h, 12.8 +/- 0.5; 48 h, 11.6 +/- 0.5; and 96 h, 10.6 +/- 0.4 pmol Rb.mm-1.min-1 (all P less than 0.001 vs. control). CCT diameter increased with the duration of obstruction. Release of ureteral obstruction was associated with restitution of pump turnover rate. With 3 h of obstruction, recovery of pump in situ turnover was complete (19.7 +/- 0.4 pmol Rb.mm-1.min-1) by 24 h after release. With more prolonged obstruction (24 h) recovery was partial by 24 h postrelease (16.2 +/- 0.5 pmol Rb.mm-1.min-1) and complete (19.8 +/- 0.7 pmol Rb.mm-1.min-1) by 48 h, suggesting a delay in recovery without the occurrence of irreversible damage. The impairment in Na-K pump in situ turnover was paralleled by an impairment in the ability of the obstructed kidney to excrete an acute potassium load. This parallelism of functional and biochemical studies favors the notion that impairment of CCT Na-K pump in situ turnover contributes significantly to the abnormal potassium excretion that accompanies obstructive damage.