Renal Tubular Acidosis in Cadmium-Intoxicated Rats

Effect of cadmium (Cd) intoxication on renal acid-base regulation was studied in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cd intoxication was induced by subcutaneous injections of $CdCl_2$ at a dose of 2 mg Cd/kg/day for $3{\sim}4$ weeks. In Cd-intoxicated animals, arterial pH, $PCO_2$ and plasma bicarbonate concentration decreased, showing a metabolic acidosis. Urine pH and urinary bicarbonate excretion increased and titratable acid excretion decreased with no change in ammonium excretion. In renal cortical brush-border membrane vesicles derived from Cd-exposed animals, the $Na^+/H^+$ antiporter activity was significantly attenuated. These results indicate that chronic exposures to Cd impair the proximal tubular mechanism for $H^+$ secretion (i.e., $Na^+/H^+$ antiport), leading to a metabolic acidosis.