Differences in sodium and D-glucose transport between hamster and rat lungs

The purpose of this study was to characterize phloridzin- and amiloride-sensitive transport across blood-gas barrier of hamster and rat lungs. Air spaces of isolated perfused lungs were instilled with a solution containing 22Na or L-[3H]glucose, D-[14C]glucose, and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran. Apparent permeability-surface area products (PS) were calculated. Phloridzin (Na(+)-dependent D-glucose transport inhibitor) had no effect on D-glucose or sodium transport out of air spaces in hamster lungs. In contrast, in rat lungs, phloridzin decreased PS for D-glucose by 89% and that for Na by 28%. Trapping of 14CO2 in vascular samples was measured to estimate metabolism. Unlabeled air space D-glucose increased appearance of perfused D-[14C]glucose in air spaces of rat lungs. We conclude that Na(+)-dependent D-glucose transport is important for D-glucose uptake in rat lungs but not in hamster lungs. In hamster lungs, amiloride (Na+ transport inhibitor) also decreased PS for sodium, but drugs known to stimulate sodium transport in rat lungs had no effect. Thus, species differences in active transport processes exist in the distal air spaces of mammalian lungs.