Abstract: SA-PO0512
Oral Potassium Chloride (KCl) Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reduces the Ratio of Phosphorylated Sodium-Chloride Cotransporter (pNCC)-to-total NCC (tNCC) in Urinary Extracellular Vesicles
Session Information
- Top Trainee Posters - 3
November 08, 2025 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Convention Center
Abstract Time: 01:12 PM - 01:18 PM
Category: Fluid, Electrolytes, and Acid-Base Disorders
- 1102 Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Disorders: Clinical
Authors
- Praget-Bracamontes, Samantha, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico
- Gutiérrez Gallardo, Miguel Ángel, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico
- Barocio, Alberto Salvatore, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico
- Gamba, Gerardo, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico
Background
The renal thiazide-sensitive sodium-chloride cotransporter (NCC) plays a critical role in Na+, Cl-, and K+ homeostasis, as well as in blood pressure regulation. The ‘renal potassium switch’ describes a mechanism by which dietary potassium intake modulates NCC activity: low intake enhances NCC activation, whereas high intake suppresses it, contributing to the potassium modulation of blood pressure.
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of oral KCl supplementation on the abundance and phosphorylation of NCC in healthy adults.
Methods
Nineteen healthy adult participants (ten men, nine women) received 20 mEq of oral KCl daily for five days. Participants maintained their habitual diet throughout the intervention; no dietary restrictions or standardization were imposed. Urine samples were collected before and after the intervention. Urinary potassium excretion was measured and adjusted for creatinine (K/Cr) to normalize for variations in urine concentration due to hydration and sample volume. Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) were isolated and analyzed by Western blot to quantify the phosphorylated and total NCC ratio. Protein loading was normalized to TSG101, a reference marker for uEVs, to ensure accurate quantification.
Results
Among the 19 participants (mean age 24 ± 3) who met the eligibility criteria, oral KCl supplementation increased urinary potassium excretion at day 5 compared to baseline (3.55 ± 2.54 vs. 5.14 ± 2.75 mmol K/Cr/; p = 0.005) and was associated with a decrease of uEVs pNCC/tNCC ratio (0.44, 95 % CI 0.25–0.69; p < 0.001). The reduction in the pNCC/tNCC ratio from baseline to day 5 did not differ significantly between men and women, indicating that the effect of KCl supplementation is independent of sex (–0.39 ± 0.38 vs. –0.48 ± 0.67, p = 0.73).
Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that oral KCl supplementation significantly reduces the pNCC/tNCC ratio in uEVs, independent of the daily and free consumption of salt or potassium, since no restrictions were imposed. These findings suggest that KCl supplementation has a measurable effect on potassium excretion and results in a reduction of NCC activity, in an open population and with no notable gender differences in response.