Effect of hypertonic stress on amino acid levels and system A activity in rat peritoneal mesothelial cells. (9/748)

OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMC) are exposed to a hypertonic environment during peritoneal dialysis. When exposed to a hypertonic medium, many types of cells accumulate small osmotically active organic solutes, which are called osmolytes, to match the higher external osmolality. However, no information has been available concerning the osmolytes in PMC. To investigate osmoregulation in rat PMC, the levels of amino acids in the cells and the activity of system A, a major neutral amino acid transport, were measured after switching to a medium made hypertonic by the addition of NaCl. System A was measured by Na+-dependent [14C]-2-methylamino-isobutyric acid (MeAIB) uptake. RESULTS: Total amount of 20 amino acids increased from 306 to 757 nmol/mg protein after 12 hours of hypertonicity. The amount of neutral amino acids accounted for 81% of the increase in total amino acids. Glutamine, alanine, glycine, threonine, and serine were the major neutral amino acids that accumulated in the hypertonic mesothelial cells. The amount of neutral amino acids increased 2.9-fold after 12 hr of hypertonicity, and decreased thereafter. MeAIB uptake increased 36-fold relative to the uptake in isotonic cells after 4-8 hr of hypertonicity. When the culture medium was made hypertonic by adding raffinose or glucose, the activity of system A was also stimulated (raffinose > glucose > NaCl). System A was located on both the apical and basal sides of isotonic PMC, and extracellular hypertonicity stimulated the MeAIB uptake on both sides. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that neutral amino acids and system A transport play an important role in early-phase osmoregulation in rat peritoneal mesothelial cells.  (+info)

Hyperosmolarity reduces the relaxing potency of nitric oxide donors in guinea-pig trachea. (10/748)

1. Non-responders to inhaled nitric oxide treatment have been observed in various patient groups. The bronchodilatory effect of inhaled nitric oxide was attenuated when the airway lumen was rendered hyperosmolar in an in vivo study on rabbits. We used a guinea-pig tracheal perfusion model to investigate the effects of increased osmolarity (450 mOsm, NaCl added) on the relaxing potency of the nitric oxide donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and (+/-)-S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP). 2. Under iso-osmolar conditions SNP relaxed the carbachol (CCh, 1 microM) contracted trachea by 83+/-3%. After pretreatment with intraluminal hyperosmolarity SNP relaxed the CCh-contracted trachea by only 31+/-7% (P<0.05). When the trachea was contracted to the same extent under untreated and hyperosmolar conditions, the untreated trachea was completely relaxed by SNP but, after hyperosmolar pretreatment, SNP could no longer relax the trachea. 3. SNAP relaxed the CCh contracted trachea by 27+/-5%. After pretreatment with intraluminal hyperosmolarity, SNAP relaxed the trachea by 11+/-4%, which was less than in the iso-osmolar control (P<0.05). 4. Extraluminal hyperosmolarity did not affect carbachol elicited contraction, and SNP administered externally during extraluminal hyperosmolarity was able to relax the trachea (P<0.05). 5. The cell permeable guanosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphate analogue 8-Br-cGMP relaxed the CCh contracted trachea in both iso-osmolar (P<0.05) and hyperosmolar conditions (P<0.05). 6. The relaxant effect of nitric oxide donors on tracheal smooth muscle is markedly reduced when the airway epithelium is exposed to hyperosmolar solution.  (+info)

Hepatic denervation does not affect plasma vasopressin response to intragastric hypertonic saline in conscious rats. (11/748)

Peripheral osmoreceptors monitor dietary NaCl and modify central nervous system and renal sympathetic nervous system activity accordingly. Experimental evidence suggests that these responses are dependent on the hepatic nerves. Peripheral osmoreceptors also modify arginine vasopressin (AVP) secretion. However, although hepatic denervation reportedly blunts activation of both supraoptic and paraventricular hypothalamic neurons after intraportal NaCl infusion, the role of the hepatic nerves in the AVP release has not been directly examined. The present study tests the hypothesis that the hepatic nerves modify AVP release in response to intragastric NaCl infusion. Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) received either hepatic denervation or a sham operation. Intragastric NaCl infusion significantly elevated plasma AVP in both sham-operated WKY and hepatic-denervated WKY, and the responses were not different between these groups. Second, previous studies suggest that both AVP secretion and baroreflexes are blunted in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), deficits that contribute to the observed hypertension in SHR. We hypothesized that SHR also have a blunted peripheral osmoreceptor reflex and that this contributes to NaCl-sensitive hypertension. In contrast to our prediction, in SHR intragastric NaCl infusion induced an increase in plasma AVP that was similar to that in the WKY groups. Thus, although hepatic osmoreceptors are important for chronic regulation of arterial pressure, renal sympathetic nervous system activity, and the activity of hypothalamic neurons, they do not appear to influence plasma AVP concentration in response to intragastric NaCl.  (+info)

Effect of intravenous infusion of a 7.2% hypertonic saline solution on serum electrolytes and osmotic pressure in healthy beagles. (12/748)

The effect of an intravenous (i.v.) infusion of hypertonic saline solution (HSS; 7.2%, 2,400 mOsmol/kg.H2O) was evaluated by serum electrolyte concentrations and osmotic pressure in the anesthetized beagles. Sixteen beagles were assigned to 3 experimental groups (2.5, 5 or 15 ml/kg of HSS i.v. infusion) or a control group (5 ml/kg of isotonic saline solution (ISS) i.v. infusion) and were monitored for 120 min after the initiation of fluid infusion. The relative plasma volume (rPV) in the 5 ml/kg and 15 ml/kg HSS groups progressively expanded to 143.1 +/- 7.4% at 3 min and 156.4 +/- 5.9% at 5 min after the initiation of the fluid infusion, respectively. Significant increases were not produced by ISS and 2.5 ml/kg HSS infusion. The serum sodium and chloride concentrations in the ISS group were not altered. The 5 ml/kg HSS infusion induced transient high osmotic and sodium levels, and the serum sodium concentration remained under the 160 mM/l after the completion of the HSS infusion. However, the 15 ml/kg HSS infusion induced a constant high osmotic level (340.5-352.8 mOsmol/kg.H2O) and hypernatremia (161.4-174.5 mM/l) from 10 to 90 min after the initiation of the fluid infusion. The 15 ml/kg HSS infusion induced significant decreases in the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), reaching 63.7 +/- 8.0 mmHg at 120 min after the initiation of the fluid infusion compared with an immediately before fluid infusion value. On the basis of these findings, 5 ml/kg HSS infusion can be safely administered to healthy beagles for expanding the plasma volume without inducing hypernatremia. A 5 ml/kg HSS infusion is thus recommended for the initial field resuscitation of dogs.  (+info)

Osmoregulation of vasopressin secretion in patients with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis associated with central nervous system disorders. (13/748)

To clarify the characteristics of vasopressin (AVP) secretion in patients with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) related to central nervous system disorders, we examined the response of AVP secretion to osmotic stimulus by hypertonic saline infusion and analyzed the possible causative factors in six patients with SIAD associated with head trauma or cerebral infarction. Hyponatremia developed after head trauma in four patients and cerebral infarction in two patients. In all patients the clinical state and laboratory findings fulfilled the criteria for SIAD, which was supported by either nonsuppressible plasma AVP levels or effectiveness of treatments with water restriction, demeclocycline, nonpeptide V2 AVP antagonist or diphenylhydantoin. Although patterns of plasma AVP response to the osmotic stimulus varied, plasma AVP concentrations neither increased nor decreased to undetectable levels with a rise in plasma osmolality. In one patient, plasma AVP levels responded to increasing plasma osmolality when plasma osmolality normalized; in which the threshold and the sensitivity of osmostat were normal. In two other patients, AVP secretion responded to plasma osmolality after the treatment. The changes in AVP secretion were not due to nonosmotic stimuli for AVP release. In conclusion, this study shows that patients with SIAD and central nervous system disorders may have persistent AVP secretion with a loss of hypotonic suppression such as found in patients with adrenal insufficiency or depletional hyponatremia in central nervous system disorders, indicating that careful evaluation is necessary to determine the relationship between persistent AVP secretion and the pathogenesis of hyponatremic disorders.  (+info)

Both inhaled histamine and hypertonic saline increase airway reactivity in non-sensitised rabbits. (14/748)

BACKGROUND: Asthmatics react with bronchoconstriction upon a variety of stimuli, i.e. exercise and hypertonic aerosol challenge. We have previously shown that hyperventilation with dry gas in a rabbit model resulted in a change of the ion content of the tracheal wall. This was followed by a hyperreactive response to histamine. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesised that nebulisation with 3.6% hypertonic saline will be accompanied by a hyperreactive response to histamine in a rabbit model. METHODS: Anaesthetised rabbits were given histamine after nebulisation with hypertonic saline. In addition, repeat nebulisation with hypertonic saline was given with or without histamine between these nebulisations. RESULTS: There was a different response to histamine 10 mg x ml(-1) whether hypertonic saline had been given or not (p < 0.001). Histamine nebulisation, given after hypertonic saline, caused an increase from baseline in resistance of 65 +/- 12 cm H(2)O.litre(-1) x s (mean +/- SEM, p < 0. 001) and a decrease in compliance of 2.3 +/- 0.4 ml x cm H(2)O(-1) (p < 0.001). The corresponding values for the control animals were 10 +/- 4 cm H(2)O.litre(-1) x s (n.s.) and 1.7 +/- 0.2 ml x cm H(2)O(-1) (p < 0.001). At a second nebulisation with hypertonic saline, with a histamine challenge 30 min before, the resistance increased from baseline by 35 +/- 10 cm H(2)O x litre(-1) x s (p < 0.01). This was not observed when no histamine had been given between the hypertonic saline nebulisations. CONCLUSIONS: This study in rabbits shows that hypertonic solutions cause an increase in the responsiveness to histamine and that histamine causes an increase in responsiveness to hypertonic saline. This is similar to the response of asthmatics to hypertonic saline.  (+info)

Changes in arterial blood pressure, heart rate and haematocrit during acute hyperkalaemia in conscious sheep. (15/748)

The systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures, heart rate and haematocrit were measured at 15 minute intervals before, during and after 2 hour infusions of 0-4 mol.l-1 NaCl at 2-2 ml min-1 into conscious intact sheep and 0-4 mol. l-1 KCl at 2-2 ml. min-1 into conscious sheep which were either intact or adrenalectomized. The haemotocrit was also measured in splenectomized sheep receiving 0-4 mol. l-1 KCl. The NaCl infusion had no significant effect on blood pressure(BP), heart rate and haematocrit. Both intact and adrenalectomized sheep were able to withstand an increase in plasma potassium concentration in excess of 50% of the preinfusion concentration before any substantial fall in BP occurred. In intact and adrenalectomized sheep, heart rate and haematocrit increased rapidly and progressively throughout the potassium infusions and at maximum plasma potassium concentration the mean increments in these parameters for both groups of sheep were 21-6+/-2-69 beats/min and 7-5+/-0-47% respectively. Heart rate and haematocrit were more closely correlated with the plasma potassium concentration than with any other variable measured in these experiments. Adrenalectomy did not reduce the ability of the sheep to maintain their BP or to increase their heart rate and haematocrit. As the mean increase in haematocrit during potassium infusion into splenectomized sheep was 1-3+/-0-45% most of the increase in haematocrit observed in the potassium-infused intact and adrenalectomized sheep was caused by ejection of red cells from the spleen into the circulation.  (+info)

The effect of intravenous infusion of hyperosmotic sodium and potassium chloride solutions on cephalic blood flow in conscious sheep. (16/748)

The rate of flow of plasma and blood through the head of conscious sheep was measured before, during and after the intravenous infusion of 1 mol. 1(-1) NaCl and 1 mol. 1(-1) KCl at 0-8--1-0 ml. min-1 for 2 hours. The plasma flow was estimated by indicator-dilution technique using sodium para-aminohippurate which was shown to be a satisfactory indicator substance. Short periods of rumination were found to cause marked increases in cephalic blood flow. The infusion of hyperosmotic sodium chloride caused no consistent changes in the rates of cephalic plasma flow and blood flow. During potassium infusion plasma and blood flows increased as the plasma potassium concentration increased up to approximately 6 mmol.1(-1). Further increases in plasma potassium concentration were associated with a progressive return of these flow rates to or below the pre-infusion levels. This pattern of change in the rate of plasma flow through the head of the sheep was very similar to that previously reported for renal plasma flow during hyperkalaemia in conscious sheep. At its maximum the cephalic plasma flow was 1-163+/-0-029 (S.E. of mean) times the pre-infusion flow rate. Cephalic blood flow tended to reach maximum rates at slightly higher plasma potassium concentrations and thereafter, to fall more slowly than the plasma flow due to concomitant increases in haematocrit. Maximum cephalic blood flow was 1-176+/-0-032 times the pre-infusion flow rate. The lowest rates of cephalic plasma and blood flow occurred during the first 30 minutes following cessation of potassium infusion.  (+info)