H+ homeostasis, osmolality, and body temperature during controlled NaCl and H2O intake

Arterial PCO2, arterial [H+] ([H+]a), electrolytes, and osmolality, as well as rectal temperature (Tre), were monitored in six awake dogs over sequential 12- or 13-day periods in which their NaCl intake was first less than 5 meq/day, then approximately 120 meq/day, and finally less than 5 meq/day. Water intake was maintained constant at 77 ml.kg-1.day-1 throughout. During low-NaCl periods, decreases in body and plasma water, indicated by weight loss did not prevent lower arterial [Na+] ([Na+]a), arterial [Cl-] ([Cl-]a), and osmolality relative to the high-NaCl period. During high dietary NaCl, the arterial strong ion difference [[SID]a = ([Na+]a + [K+]a) - (arterial [lactate-] + [Cl-]a)] was lower. From physicochemistry, this lowered [SID]a results in a higher [H+]a. However, independent of NaCl intake, [H+]a was positively correlated with plasma osmolality; moreover, [H+]a, relative to plasma osmolality, was higher at lower Tre than at higher Tre. We speculate that this spectrum of plasma osmolality and body temperature may contribute to the creation of an appropriate protein pK to match plasma [H+]a. We also found that the difference between plasma [protein] (measured by the biuret test) and [ATOT]a (an estimation of plasma protein as total weak acid from physicochemistry) was related to plasma osmolality, [SID]a, and [Na+]a. These latter relations may reflect the effect of plasma water concentration (osmolality) and strong ions on the pK of plasma proteins.