Distal acidification defect induced by phosphate deprivation

The effect of phosphate deprivation on urinary acidification was investigated in rats fed a phosphate-deficient diet and in control rats fed the same diet supplemented with phosphate. Phosphate-deprived animals developed hypophosphatemia, hypercalcemia, and hypophosphaturia, but failed to develop hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis following 30 or 60 days of phosphate deprivation. Baseline urine pH was significantly higher in phosphate-deprived rats than in controls, but baseline urine HCO3 excretion was not significantly different between the two groups. The pattern of HCO3 reabsorption in phosphate-deprived rats was identical to that of controls at both low and high plasma HCO3 levels. During chronic NH4Cl administration, both 30- and 60-day phosphate-deprived rats had a sigificantly higher minimal urine pH and lower titratable acid and net acid excretion than seen in controls. NH4 excretion was significantly lower than controls in the 60-day phosphate-deprived rats only. During Na2SO4 administration the minimal urine pH was significantly lower in controls than in phosphate-deprived rats, but there was overlap of urine pH values. At comparable levels of urine pH, NH4 excretion was significantly lower in phosphate-deprived rats than in controls. Phosphate-deprived rats were able to raise urine-blood CO2 pressure to the same levels as controls during both HCO3 loading and Tris buffer administration. Phosphate-deprived rats had greater extrarenal buffering capacity than controls as evidenced by a lower decline in blood pH and HCO3 during HCl infusion in phosphate-deprived rats. These data demonstrate that phosphate deprivation is associated with distal acidification defect, impaired NH3 excretion, and increased extrarenal buffering capacity. The increased availability of buffer in phosphate deprivation may play an important role in acid-base homeostasis in this condition.