title: Benzoate modulates renal and extrarenal nitrogen flow: metabolic mechanisms.
abstract: The mechanism by which benzoate enhances total nitrogen excretion was investigated in-situ and in separated rat renal proximal tubules. Orally administered benzoate augmented NH4+, urea and hippurate excretion 2, 1.9 and 76 fold respectively, as compared to baseline for control. Hippurate had similar effects. Benzoate augmented renal blood flow, glutamine extraction and total NH4+ production. Arterio-venous concentration differences of glutamine, glutamate, and NH4+ across the kidney, liver and gut demonstrated an increase in glutamine uptake by the kidney despite reduced release and uptake by the liver and gut, respectively; glutamate release by the kidney and gut was increased; NH4+ handling was unchanged at these three organs. Studies in separated rat renal proximal tubules demonstrated that benzoate stimulated glutamine dependent ammonia-genesis by activation of gamma-glutamyltransferase, via the synthesis of hippurate. The results demonstrate that benzoate can modulate the interorgan partitioning of nitrogen metabolites across several organs, the net effect of which is physiologically expressed as enhanced NH4+ , urea and hippurate excretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Dass
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bautista
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hardman
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurtz
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001565:Benzoates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019817:Benzoic Acid; D005971:Glutamates / Q000097:blood; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005973:Glutamine / Q000097:blood; D006626:Hippurates / Q000494:pharmacology; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D005971:Glutamates; D006626:Hippurates; D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000641:Ammonia; D019817:Benzoic Acid; D009584:Nitrogen; C030514:hippuric acid