Abstract:
The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS) and sympathetic tone are the most important players in the regulation of blood pressure and of electrolyte and volume homoeostasis. The activity of the RAAS is governed by the aspartyl proteinase renin, which is secreted from the renin secreting (juxtaglomerular) cells (RSC), which are located in the media of the afferent arterioles (AA) close to the entrance into the glomerulus. Renin secretion is controlled by a range of different mechanisms. In this context, two second messengers are of particular importance, i.e. the cytoplasmic free calcium con-centration ([Ca2+]i) and cAMP. Increases in cAMP stimulate and increases in [Ca2+]i inhibit renin secretion. The inverse relationship between the rate of renin release and [Ca2+]i is unusual for exocytotic processes and this anomaly has been termed the “calcium paradox” of renin secretion.
In this study, the effect of different stimuli like angiotensin II (ANG II), adenosine (ADO), and cAMP on [Ca2+]i was investigated. Glomeruli with the AA attached were prepared, loaded with FURA-2 and [Ca2+]i was measured from 5-10 cells in the distal region of the AA. In general, kidneys were taken from rats kept on a low NaCl diet, a treatment that increases the number of RSC. Then, the probability that a cell located near the entrance of the AA into the glomerulus was indeed a RSC, was ~80 %.
In the first part of this study, the effect of ANG II and of maneuvers that increase cAMP on [Ca2+]i was examined. ANG II increased [Ca2+]i by stimulating ANG II AT1-receptors in a concentration dependent manner (EC50 ~ 5 - 10 nM). The same was found in ADO A1 receptor knock-out and the corresponding wild-type mice. The ANG II-induced Ca2+ increase often showed a peak and plateau phase which were due to Ca2+ mobilization from stores (peak) and Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space (plateau). At [ANG II] = 3 nM, ~45 % of the Ca2+ increase originated from Ca2+ influx, which was essentially due to the opening of store-operated Ca2+ channels (SOCCs); voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels were not involved.
Increases in cAMP by forskolin, isoprenaline, isobutyl-methyl-xanthine or application of dibutyryl-cAMP induced a Ca2+ transient in many preparations. This response, which was also found in AA from rats on high NaCl diet, was specific for rat RSC since it was not observed in larger arteries from rat kidney nor in mouse AA. >90 % of the Ca2+ for the response in rat RSC came from Ca2+ influx through SOCCs. These SOCCs showed pharmacological properties which differed from those of the SOCCs activated by ANG II. This unexpected phenomenon does not necessarily contradict the „calcium paradox”. The Ca2+ transient in response to cAMP was generally smaller than that to ANG II (3nM) and may be smaller than the Ca2+ increase required to inhibit renin secretion.
In the second part the influence of adenosine (ADO) on [Ca2+]i was investigated. ADO is a well known inhibitor of renin secretion; however the mechanism of this inhibition is not yet known. In most experiments, the A1 receptor agonist N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA, 0.01-10 µM) was used which gave better results than ADO. CHA affected the number of responding arterioles and [Ca2+]i with a bell-shaped concentration dependence. Best effects were observed at 1 µM CHA where ~50 % of the vessels responded and the [Ca2+]i increase in the responding arterioles was 40 ± 11 % of that produced by ANG II (3 nM). Efforts to reduce the variability of this response were unsuccessful. No evidence for an effect of endogenous ADO on [Ca2+]i was found in this preparation. Due to this variability, the well known functional synergism of ADO and ANG II could not be convincingly demonstrated on the [Ca2+]i level. If the two hormones synergistically increase [Ca2+]i in RSC, the synergy must be small. In addition and as mentioned above, the concentration dependent increase in [Ca2+]i induced by ANG II is the same in AA from ADO-A1 receptor knock out and wild-type mice.
In the last part, the effects of two subtype-selective inhibitors of Na+/H+-exchangers (NHEs) on intracellular pH were examined. Cariporide (NHE1-selective) decreased pH in RSC more than „1522” (NHE2-selective, Aventis). In addition , „1522”delayed the recovery of pHi after acidification.
In summary, the experiments show that ADO A1 receptor stimulation increased [Ca2+]i in RSC in some but not all cases and that the effect was small. This suggests that an increase in [Ca2+]i is not the major mechanism by which ADO inhibits renin secretion. On the other hand, cAMP increased [Ca2+]i in a reproducible manner; this effect is not easily reconciled with the calcium paradox of renin secretion. Hence the results of this study do not support a central role of [Ca2+]i for the effects of ADO and ß-adrenergic stimulation on renin secretion.