Effect of metabolic alkalosis and metabolic acidosis on urinary kallikrein excretion of anaesthetized rats: evidence for a role of blood pH as regulator of renal kallikrein secretion.

The effect of altering the acid-base status on urinary kallikrein excretion of barbiturate-anaesthetized rats was investigated. Alkalosis was induced in a group of rats by intravenous (i.v.) infusion of NaOH at 0.45 mmol x h(-1) for 30 min. Acidosis was induced in two groups of rats by i.v. infusion of HCl at 1.5 mmol x h(-1) for 30 min (uncompensated acidosis) or 0.15 mmol x h(-1) for 3 h (compensated acidosis), respectively. Time controls received 0.45 mmol x h(-1) NaCl. Rats with alkalosis excreted less kallikrein than their controls (P < 0.05). Rats with uncompensated acidosis excreted more active kallikrein (P < 0.05), whereas rats with compensated acidosis excreted similar amounts when compared with their respective controls. In rats with uncompensated acid-base derangements, the urinary kallikrein excreted per millilitre of glomerular filtrate was correlated with blood H+ activity (r = 0.99, P < 0.01). Arterial blood pressure, haematocrit, glomerular filtration rate, urine flow rate and Na+ and K+ excretions of experimental and control animals did not differ. Thus, renal kallikrein secretion into the tubular fluid appears to be regulated by blood proton activity. This, along with our previous demonstration that kallikrein inhibits HCO3- secretion into the tubular lumen (Renal Physiol 17:301-306, 1994; J Physiol (Lond) 488:163-170, 1995), indicates that this enzyme is part of a feedback loop regulating acid-base balance.