The normal response of the kidney and intestine to a low-phosphorus diet (LPD) is an increased rate of Na(+)-dependent Pi transport by their brush border membranes (BBM). Dietary phosphorus restriction is used to reduce Pi accumulation in chronic renal failure. It is not known, however, if the uremic state alters the adaptive responses to an LPD. The adaptive response of the renal and intestinal BBM vesicles (BBMV) to LPD in acutely uremic (NX) and sham-operated (SH) control rats placed on a normal diet or an LPD was studied. In renal BBMV, the initial Na+ gradient-dependent Pi transport was lower in NX than in SH rats. Na(+)-independent uptake was unchanged. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not reverse the reduced Pi transport in NX rats. Kinetic studies showed a reduction of the apparent Vmax for Pi in BBMV from NX compared with SH rats (738 +/- 69 and 1,078 +/- 90 pmol/5 s.mg for NX and SH rats, respectively; P < 0.05; N = 5) with no change in the apparent Km. In intestinal BBMV, the initial Na+ gradient-dependent Pi transport was not different between SH and NX rats. There was also no difference in Pi transport kinetics between SH and NX rats. The adaptive response to an LPD persisted in renal and intestinal BBMV from NX rats and was comparable to that observed in SH rats: +54% for SH versus +48% for NX rats in kidney BBMV and +70.2% for SH versus +71.8% for NX rats in intestinal BBMV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)