Uptake of Pi in brush border vesicles after release of unilateral ureteral obstruction

After release of complete unilateral ureteral obstruction, a decreased fractional excretion of phosphate (Pi) is observed in the postobstructed kidney compared with the nonobstructed (control) kidney. To determine whether this decrease in the urinary excretion of Pi is due to changes in Na+-dependent Pi transport across the renal brush border membranes of postobstructed and control kidneys, membrane vesicles were prepared from the brush borders of kidneys from dogs that had undergone complete unilateral ureteral obstruction. Alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased in membrane vesicles isolated from postobstructed kidneys. No differences were observed in Na+-dependent Pi transport or in Na+ uptake in membrane vesicles isolated from postobstructed as compared with control kidneys. The in vivo administration of parathyroid hormone decreased Na+-dependent Pi transport in membrane vesicles isolated from postobstructed and control kidneys despite the absence of a phosphaturic response. Our findings suggest that no intrinsic change in the transport characteristics of Pi across the luminal membrane of renal tubular cells occurs with unilateral ureteral obstruction. The findings are consistent with the suggestion that the low fractional excretion of Pi in the postobstructed kidney results from very low filtered loads of Pi on the postobstructed side.