Examination of hypercalciuria in anterior pituitary-implanted rats

The anterior pituitary (AP) grafted, adrenalectomized, steroid hormone-replaced male rat is characterized by hyperprolactinemia and hypercalciuria. To determine the origin of the hypercalciuria, clearance experiments were performed under Inactin anesthesia in adrenalectomized Fischer rats 8-10 wk after implantation of extra AP glands under the kidney capsule. Glomerular filtration rate, ultrafilterable calcium, and fractional sodium excretion were comparable in the AP and control groups. However, fractional calcium excretion was significantly higher in the AP-implanted rats, P less than 0.05, resulting in a marked dissociation of the calcium/sodium clearance ratio. Because filtered calcium load did not change, these results clearly demonstrate that AP-implanted animals have a defect in tubular calcium reabsorption. The dissociation of calcium transport from sodium transport suggests the distal tubule as a likely site of action. Parathyroidectomy did not alter the calciuric response to AP implantation. To test whether hyperprolactinemia was responsible for decreased calcium reabsorption in AP-implanted rats, purified rat prolactin was infused into normal rats to achieve high blood prolactin levels, or was injected into normal rats daily for 8 days. Changes in fractional calcium excretion and the ratio of calcium to sodium clearance were identical in animals receiving prolactin or control infusions. Thus, hypercalciuria in the AP-implanted rat may be attributed to an unidentified factor, perhaps secreted from the implanted anterior pituitaries, rather than to prolactin excess.