Evidence for bicarbonate-dependent magnesium reabsorption

During ethacrynic acid administration about 50% of the filtered load of magnesium is reabsorbed. To examine whether the remaining component of magnesium reabsorption is bicarbonate-dependent, i.e. varies with factors known to alter passive reabsorption, experiments were performed in anesthetized dogs. During ethacrynic acid administration MgCl2 infusion raised the plasma concentration of magnesium (PMg) from 0.64 +/- 0.05 to 3.06 +/- 0.27 mM and doubled magnesium reabsorption. The infusion of acetazolamide at high PMg reduced bicarbonate reabsorption by 41 +/- 3% and magnesium reabsorption by 31 +/- 16%. When plasma pH was reduced to 7.04 +/- 0.02 and increased to 7.83 +/- 0.02 by altering PCO2 at a constant plasma bicarbonate concentration of 31.2 +/- 0.8 mM, magnesium and bicarbonate reabsorption were correlated (r = 0.82). The infusion of mannitol, which acts by reducing passive solute transport without affecting bicarbonate reabsorption, halved magnesium reabsorption. By combining mannitol and acetazolamide infusions, only 6 +/- 4% of the filtered magnesium was still reabsorbed. These results indicate that the reabsorption of magnesium remaining after the infusion of ethacrynic acid and after raising PMg varies with changes in PCO2 and is inhibited by the infusion of acetazolamide and mannitol as expected for bicarbonate-dependent passive reabsorption.