Nucleotide inhibition of phosphate transport in the renal proximal tubule

The observation that NAD inhibits sodium-dependent phosphate (P) uptake by the luminal brush border membrane (BBM) of the proximal tubule prompted us to examine the specificity and mechanism of this process. Addition of 10(-5) M NAD to the perfusate of isolated perfused rabbit proximal straight tubules inhibited lumen-to-bath P flux by approximately 50%. ADP-ribose had an identical effect, whereas nicotinamide had no effect. ADP and 5'-AMP (10(-5) M) also inhibited P flux. Na-dependent uptake of 32P by rabbit BBM vesicles was inhibited by 0.1-0.3 mM NAD, ADP-ribose, ADP, ATP, 5'-AMP, and GDP, which were preincubated with the vesicles for 30 min. The kinetics of inhibition showed an apparent increase in the Km for P but no change in Vmax. These findings are consistent with "competitive inhibition." The nucleotides inhibited P uptake even when BBM alkaline phosphatase was inhibited by 96% with 10 mM theophylline. Evidence of nonspecific phosphatase activity was present, since incubation of BBM with 0.1 mM solution of nucleotides for 30 min resulted in an elevation of free P in the medium of approximately 0.15-0.22 mM. Correction of 32P specific activity for this change resulted in values for Km and Vmax that were not significantly different from control. The "competitive inhibition" could thus be ascribed to an isotope-dilution effect. There was no evidence to suggest that NAD caused ADP-ribosylation of the luminal membrane. These studies indicate that adenine and guanine nucleotides do not inhibit P transport by a direct action on the luminal membrane of the proximal tubule but do inhibit lumen-to-bath P flux in isolated perfused proximal tubules at concentrations of 10(-5) M. Since there is no direct inhibitory effect of these compounds at the level of the BBM, it is possible that they inhibit P transport by altering some event subsequent to the transfer of P across the luminal membrane.