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Renal expression of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and osteopontin (OP) in rats of different age was examined. Northern blot hybridization showed that AP mRNA was reduced moderately, whereas OP mRNA was stimulated drastically in old rats. Dot-blot quantitation analysis showed that AP mRNA decreased 30% in 24-compared with 6-mo-old rats. In contrast, OP mRNA increased 3.1- and 9.1-fold, respectively, in 12- and 24-mo-old rats. beta-Actin mRNA did not change with age. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increased 47 and 187% in 12- and 24-mo-old rats, respectively. Correlation analysis showed that BUN correlated negatively with AP mRNA and positively with OP mRNA. No correlation was observed with beta-actin. The expression of these markers was also examined in femurs. AP and OP mRNAs were marginally reduced in old bones. To test whether the correlation also exists in other types of renal insufficiency, we examined these parameters in young rats infused with parathyroid hormone (PTH). BUN was elevated 3.5-fold, whereas AP mRNA decreased 48%, and OP mRNA increased 15.3-fold in kidneys of PTH-treated rats. To elucidate the possible mechanisms that lead to the overexpression of OP in kidney, we examined the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) mRNA. No significant differences in TGF-beta 1 expression were observed between young and old rats and control and PTH-treated young rats. Changes in the expression of OP were also visualized by immunostaining of renal sections. Alterations in the levels of OP and AP were validated by Western blot analysis and enzyme assay of homogenate, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The possibility that alteration in stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding protein (Gs) expression may contribute to the blunting of renal parathyroid hormone (PTH)-stimulated adenylate cyclase in aged rats was examined. Using rat cDNA probe, we identified a Gs alpha-subunit (Gs alpha) of 1.9 kb. Age did not alter the size of Gs alpha mRNA. The level of Gs alpha mRNA [normalized to poly(A)+ RNA] was decreased 23%, which was consistent with our previous report that Gs alpha protein decreased in senescence. In contrast, mRNA level of Gi alpha 2 increased with age. Level of beta-actin mRNA did not change with age. Nuclear runoff assay was performed to determine the transcription rate of Gs mRNA. Synthesis of poly(A)+ RNA and total RNA was reduced 39% and 37%, respectively, in nuclei prepared from old kidney, which suggested a general decline in RNA synthesis capacity in old rats. Our results also showed the transcription rate of Gs alpha mRNA in aged rats was reduced 89%, a decrease far exceeding that observed for total RNA or poly(A)+ RNA. We concluded that the decrease in steady-state level of Gs alpha mRNA was specific and probably was due to a reduction in the transcription activity. Thus alteration in Gs transcription may contribute, at least in part, to the impaired renal adenylate cyclase activation in aged rats.

Renal cells isolated from vitamin D-deficient chicks had an increased Na+-dependent phosphate uptake when preincubated with 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)2D3]. Phosphate uptake in the absence of Na+ and methyl alpha-glucoside uptake dependent on Na+ were not affected. Phosphate uptake was stimulated 15% by 0.010 pM 1,25-(OH)2D3. Maximal enhancement of 30% was obtained with 100 pM. The uptake when fully stimulated by preincubation in vitro approximated the uptake of cells isolated from chicks that were previously repleted with 1,25-(OH)2D3 in vivo. Cells from repleted chicks were not stimulated additionally when preincubated with 1,25-(OH)2D3 in vitro. The increase in phosphate uptake could be measured after a 1-hr preincubation period; full response required at least 2 hr. Phosphate uptake induced by 1,25-(OH)2D3 was blocked by cycloheximide and actinomycin D. Enhancement of phosphate uptake was relatively specific for the 1,25-(OH)2D3 analog of vitamin D3. The potency order was 1,25-(OH)2D3 greater than 25-(OH)D3 = 1-(OH)D3 greater than 24,25-(OH)2D3 greater than D3. Kinetically, 1,25-(OH)2D3 increased the Vmax of the phosphate uptake system; the affinity for phosphate was unaffected. 3H-Labeled 1,25-(OH)2D3 was taken up by the isolated renal cells. It was estimated that the stimulation of phosphate uptake might be initiated by very few molecules of 1,25-(OH)2D3 per cell. It is proposed that 1,25-(OH)2D3 contributes importantly to the mechanisms by which phosphate transport is regulated in the kidney.

The in vitro incubation of chick renal cells with parathyroid hormone (PTH) resulted in the inhibition of Na+-dependent phosphate uptake when the cells were isolated from 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25-(OH)2D3]-repleted chicks but not when the cells came from vitamin D-deficient animals. Na+-independent phosphate and Na+-dependent alpha-methylglucoside uptakes were not affected by PTH and the vitamin D status of the bird. The activation of chick renal cell adenylate cyclase by PTH was significantly blunted when the enzyme was from vitamin D-deficient animals relative to the activation of the enzyme from repleted cockerels. This alteration was due to a change in maximum velocity of the system rather than an effect on the affinity for hormone. The response of adenylate cyclase to other hormones, e.g., prostaglandin E2, and activators, e.g., 5' -guanylyl-imidodiphosphate and forskolin, was not affected by the vitamin D status of the animal. PTH had little effect in activating protein kinase in cells from vitamin D-deficient chicks. In cells from vitamin D-sufficient birds, PTH caused a fourfold increase in adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase. Dibutyryl cAMP inhibited Na+-dependent phosphate uptake by cells from 1,25-(OH)2D3-repleted animals, but the cyclic nucleotide had no effect on phosphate uptake in cells from vitamin D-depleted chicks. This finding suggests that the loss of PTH receptor sites known to be concomitant with the secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin D deficiency is only a partial explanation for the failure of PTH to inhibit phosphate uptake in cells from vitamin D-deficient animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Renal cells from Vitamin D-deficient and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3]-repleted chicks were isolated by a collagenase-hyaluronidase procedure. Exclusion of trypan blue and respiratory measurements indicate that the cells were functionally intact and metabolically active. The uptakes of phosphate and alpha-methylglucoside were stimulated markedly by Na+ in the extracellular medium. Phosphate uptake in the presence of Na+ was saturable with respect to phosphate concentration; half-maximal activity was obtained with approximately 0.2 mM. Three hours after 1,25-(OH)2D3 was injected into vitamin D-deficient chicks the Na+-dependent phosphate uptake by the isolated cells had increased about 40%, i.e., 2.00 compared with 1.44 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1. Phosphate uptake in the presence of K+ in the extracellular medium and alpha-methylglucoside uptake in the presence or absence of Na+ were unchanged. In a secondary response found 17 h after 1,25-(OH)2D3 injection, Na+-dependent phosphate uptake decreased. Serum concentrations of phosphorus and calcium were not measurably changed in the 3-h repleted bird, but both levels were increased 17 h after treatment. Administration of phosphate into vitamin D-deficient chicks, so that the serum concentration of phosphorus was raised to that of the 17-h 1,25-(OH)2D3 repleted animal, effected a comparable decrease in phosphate uptake. Serum calcium levels were not altered by this treatment. The actions of parathyroid hormone in stimulating adenylate cyclase and in inhibiting phosphate uptake were notably blunted in the vitamin D-deficient chick. Sensitivity to parathyroid hormone was not restored until several days after 1,25-(OH)2D3 repletion. These findings suggest that the initial response to 1,25-(OH)2D3, to increase renal phosphate uptake, and the secondary response, to decrease phosphate uptake, were by parathyroid hormone-independent processes. The results also indicate that the isolated renal cell represents an excellent model for studying the mechanism by which 1,25-(OH)2D3 regulates phosphate transport in the kidney.