Metabolic and respiratory hydrogen ion effects on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) was studied in the ventilated-perfused rat lung in vitro. Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis were obtained by ventilating with 2, 7, or 10% CO2 (21% O2-balance N2). Metabolic acidosis and alkalosis were produced by the addition of 0.9 N NaHCO3 or 1 N lactic acid to the perfusate at constant PCO2. At each pH the pressor responses to 2 and 4% O2 were compared with the maximum pressor response (R%max) obtained with zero O2 and 5% CO2 at a normal pH (approximately 7.35). HPV was maximal when the [H+] was between 38 and 50 nM and was attenuated by changes of pH in either direction. Both respiratory and metabolic pH changes had similar effects. The combined linear regression equations were as follows: with 2% O2 the response to acidosis was R%max = 101.37 - 0.52 [H+] and to alkalosis was R%max = 2.03 [H+] - 3.85; with 4% O2 the response to acidosis was R%max = 56.88 - 0.3 [H+] and to alkalosis was R%max = 1.16 [H+] - 4.95. These effects were not due to changes of ionized calcium.