Nephron heterogeneity of phosphate reabsorption: effect of parathyroid hormone

We evaluated the response of superficial and deep nephron proximal tubules to PTH in thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rats fed a normal phosphate diet (0.7%). As phosphate reabsorption is not detectable in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, fractional phosphate delivery (FDPi%) to the superficial early distal tubule and papillary loop of Henle reflects delivery from superficial and deep nephron proximal tubules, respectively. Re-collection micropuncture experiments were performed in nine acutely TPTX rats before and after the infusion of PTH (33 U/kg bolus; 1 U X kg-1 X min-1). In response to PTH, fractional phosphate excretion increased from 3.3 to 26.2% (P less than 0.05). FDPi% was less from the deep than from the superficial proximal tubule (5.7 vs. 15.7%, P less than 0.05) prior to PTH, indicating enhanced phosphate reabsorption by deep compared with superficial proximal tubules. During PTH infusion, FDPi% was increased in both nephron groups compared with control (P less than 0.05), but there were no differences in phosphate delivery between deep (28.0%) and superficial (29.7%) proximal tubules. We conclude that in acutely volume-expanded TPTX rats, infusion of a pharmacologic dose of PTH decreases phosphate reabsorption in both superficial and deep nephrons. Furthermore, the heterogeneity of FDPi% from deep compared with superficial proximal tubules seen in TPTX rats is absent during PTH infusion.