pH gradients and a micro-pore filter at the luminal surface affect fluxes of propionic acid across guinea pig large intestine.
A neutral pH microclimate had been shown at the luminal surface of the large intestine. The aim was to estimate to what extent fluxes of propionic acid/propionate are affected by changes of the luminal pH when this microclimate is present, largely reduced or absent. Fluxes of propionic acid/propionate (J(Pr)) across epithelia from the caecum, the proximal and the distal colon of guinea pigs were measured in Ussing chambers with and without a filter at the luminal surface. With bicarbonate and with a neutral or an acid pH of mucosal solutions (pH 7.4 or 6.4), mucosal-to-serosal fluxes (J(ms)(Pr) ) were 1.5 to 1.9-fold higher at the lower pH, in bicarbonate-free solutions and carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibition 2.1 to 2.6-fold. With a filter at the mucosal surface and with bicarbonate containing solutions, J (ms) (Pr) was not or only little elevated at the lower pH. Without bicarbonate J(ms)(Pr) was clearly higher. We conclude that the higher J(ms)(Pr) after luminal acidification is due to vigorous mixing in Ussing chambers resulting in a markedly reduced unstirred layer. Therefore, an effective pH microclimate at the epithelial surface is missing. J(ms)(Pr) is not or is little affected by lowering of pH because in the presence of bicarbonate the filter maintains the pH microclimate. However, in bicarbonate-free solutions J(ms)(Pr) was higher at pH 6.4 because a pH microclimate does not develop. Findings confirm that 30-60% of J(ms)(Pr) results from non-ionic diffusion.
Busche
Roger
R
Department of Biochemistry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany. roger.busche@tiho-hannover.de
von Engelhardt
Wolfgang
W
D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000378:metabolism; D002432:Cecum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005374:Filtration; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D016062:Porosity; D011422:Propionates / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D027981:Symporters / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
D001639:Bicarbonates; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002257:Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D011422:Propionates; D027981:Symporters; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases; C029658:propionic acid