Stimulation of renin secretion by 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8)

Cellular mechanism of renin release

In this review we aim to give a comprehensive overview over the current knowledge of the cellular control of renin release. We hereby focus on the inhibitory effects of calcium on the exocytosis of renin. After a short introduction into general aspects of the regulation of renin release, including a brief summary on the role of the second messengers cAMP and cGMP, we will discuss parts of the literature on the effects of calcium on the renin system together with recent studies from our laboratory, investigating putative calcium influx and extrusion pathways of juxtaglomerular cells. Finally, as the precise mechanisms by which calcium inhibits the exocytosis of renin are far from being understood, we will present some hypotheses on the intracellular events being involved in the suppression of renin release by calcium.

Dantrolene stimulates renin secretion by rat renal cortical slices but fails to block calcium-dependent inhibition

Calcium (Ca) is an inhibitory second messenger in renin secretion, and it has been proposed that some first messengers, such as angiotensin II (A-II), antidiuretic hormone (ADH), and N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA), increase Ca and thereby inhibit renin secretion by mobilizing Ca from intracellular sequestration sites. The present experiments were designed to test this proposal by using dantrolene, an antagonist of intracellular Ca mobilization. Dantrolene stimulated renin secretion by rat renal cortical slices in a concentration dependent manner; at 0.0, 0.1, and 0.5 mM dantrolene, secretory rates were 8.1 +/- 0.6, 9.4 +/- 0.6 (p less than 0.05), and 14.9 +/- 1.2 (p less than 0.0001) GU/g x hr, respectively. These results could be interpreted to mean that Ca mobilization is occurring at a finite rate during the basal state, and that by antagonizing this process, dantrolene lowers intracellular Ca and thereby stimulates renin secretion. However, 0.1 mM dantrolene failed to antagonize the inhibitory effects on renin secretion of A-II, ADH, and CHA, and only CHA-induced inhibition of renin secretion was antagonized by 0.5 mM dantrolene. We conclude that if A-II, ADH, and CHA inhibit renin secretion by mobilizing Ca from an intracellular storage site, then the site is insensitive to dantrolene.

TMB-8 prevents the hydroosmotic response to ADH in rabbit cortical collecting tubules

Both AVP and dDAVP effect a transient increase in cytosolic free calcium (iCa2+) in cortical collecting tubule (CCT) cells. To investigate the physiological role of this increase in iCa2+, we examined the effect of TMB-8, a putative inhibitor of iCa2+ release, on the initial and sustained phase of AVP- and dDAVP-stimulated water permeability (Pf) in isolated, perfused CCTs. Pretreatment of tubules with TMB-8, 50 microM, suppressed the increase in osmotic water permeability (Pf) induced by 10 microU/ml AVP and dDAVP, but had no effect on the sustained phase of the response. When increased to 100 microM. TMB-8 inhibited the sustained phase of AVP action. A similar pattern was observed on AVP-stimulated adenyly cyclase activity in rabbit renal membranes. Pretreatment of tubules with 50 microM TMB-8 attenuated the initial increase in Pf in response to cholera toxin but not to 8-Br-cAMP or forskolin. There was no effect of this concentration of TMB-8 on the sustained phase of these agonists. These studies suggest that, in lower concentrations, TMB-8 inhibits the mobilization of iCa2+, which is important for the interaction of Gs with the catalytic unit of adenylyl cyclase and the initial increase in AVP-stimulated Pf. In higher concentrations, TMB-8 inhibits adenylyl cyclase activity directly.

Calcium-dependent inhibition of renin secretion: TMB-8 is a non-specific antagonist

Intracellular Ca (Cai) is an inhibitory second messenger in renin secretion, and it has been hypothesized that some first messengers--especially angiotensin II [A-II] and antidiuretic hormone [ADH], and possibly A1-adenosine receptor antagonists as well--increase Cai and thereby inhibit renin secretion by causing the release or mobilization of Ca from intracellular sites of sequestration. The present experiments were designed to test this hypothesis, by using 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)-octyl ester (TMB-8), a putative antagonist of Ca release from intracellular sequestration sites. The rat renal cortical slices preparation was used. Basal renin secretory rate was unaffected by 1 and 10 microM TMB-8, but more than doubled in response to 100 microM TMB-8. Basal renin secretory rate was inhibited by A-II (1 microM), by ADH (200 units/1), by an A1-adenosine receptor agonist (N6-cyclohexyladenosine, or CHA; 0.5 microM), and by an alpha-adrenergic agonist (methoxamine; 10 microM). Only the inhibitory effect of methoxamine was blocked by 1 and 10 microM TMB-8, but these concentrations had no effect on basal secretory rate. At 100 microM, TMB-8 blocked the inhibitory effects of ADH as well as of methoxamine, but failed to block the inhibitory effects of CHA and A-II. However, these observations cannot be taken as evidence that methoxamine and ADH, but not CHA and A-II, inhibit renin secretion by a mechanism involving release of Ca from intracellular sequestration sites, because 100 microM TMB-8 clearly had non-specific effects. Among them, it completely blocked the inhibitory effect of K-depolarization on renin secretion. Collectively, at least three separate actions of TMB-8 must be invoked to explain the present results. Likely candidates are an Na-channel blocking effect and a Ca channel blocking effect in addition to antagonism of the release of Cai.

Secretion control for active and inactive renin: effect of ouabain on release from rabbit kidney cortex slices

Release of active and inactive renin by rabbit kidney cortex slices was investigated. Inactive renin was estimated as the increase in renin activity after acidification (pH 2.8) of slice supernatant solutions. For kidney slices incubated in complete Krebs bicarbonate buffer, the Na-K-ATPase inhibitor ouabain (100 microM) reduced the secretion of both active (-19.2%) and inactive (-78.9%) forms of renin. In low Na buffers ([Na+] = 23 mM) active renin release was increased and inactive renin was suppressed. Both of these changes were abolished by addition of ouabain (100 microM). The reduction in inactive renin secretion produced by ouabain in complete Krebs buffer did not occur in low [Na+] buffers. In zero Ca2+ buffers containing EGTA (5 mM), secretion of both active and inactive renin was increased but these changes were abolished by addition of ouabain (100 microM). Incubating kidney slices in low Na+, zero Ca2+ media revealed differences between the secretion control mechanisms for the two forms of renin. The separate stimulatory effects of low Na+ and low Ca2+ were not additive for the release of active renin and inclusion of ouabain resulted in similar secretion rates to those under control conditions. For inactive renin secretion, in the absence of Ca2+ release mechanisms still respond to reduction in Na+ with decreased secretion. Conversely, in low Na+ buffers, removal of Ca2+ still promotes inactive renin secretion. These changes were abolished by the addition of ouabain (100 microM). Slices did not change in weight during incubation in media which did not contain ouabain. Addition of this inhibitor to control buffers and low Na buffers did result in an increase in weight. This correlated with the presence of Ca2+ in the buffer and did not appear to be related to [Na+]. These studies again show that the mechanisms regulating the secretion of active and inactive renin are not identical and support the hypothesis that Na+ have differing roles to play in the regulation of these two forms of renin.

Effect of atriopeptin III on renin release in vitro

The ability of atriopeptin III (AP) to directly inhibit renal renin release has not been resolved. This issue was examined in a series of experiments performed in a system of rat renal cortical slices (dry weight 1.91 mg) in which the goal was to explore the effects of AP on renin release induced by cyclic AMP (cAMP)-coupled stimuli or by agents which are believed to decrease intracellular calcium (Cai). Concentration response relationships were initially established for all test agents. The cAMP stimuli utilized were isoproterenol (10(-5) M), forskolin (10(-5) M), and dibutyryl cAMP (3 X 10(-4) M); each of these agents produced a significant increase in renin release in the system (with isoproterenol a 59% increase, with forskolin 37%, and with dibutyryl cAMP 52%). The addition of AP (2.09 X 10(-8) M, a minimum inhibitory concentration derived from preliminary studies) significantly blunted these increases; in the case of the dibutyryl cAMP-stimulated renin release, the inhibition was partial as a significant 25% increase in renin occurred in the presence of AP. The addition of the calcium channel blocking agent diltiazem (10(-4) M) resulted in a significant increase in renin release (364 to 567 ng X mg-1, p less than .05) which was not blocked by the addition of AP. Similarly, TMB-8 (0.6 X 10(-4) M), another agent thought to lower Cai, also resulted in increased renin release (455 to 810 ng X mg-1), p less than .01) which was also unaffected by the addition of the AP. In summary, these results show that AP is capable of partially inhibiting renin release in vitro, particularly renin release coupled to cAMP action. In contrast, renin release induced by a decline in Cai appears to be unaffected by the addition of AP.

Importance of calcium in renal renin release

The sequence of intracellular events that lead to renin release is incompletely defined. Accordingly, we examined the interrelationship of two important factors in the process: renin release coupled to cAMP and renin release related to a decrease in intracellular calcium activity (Cai). Rat renal cortical slices were used to study these relationships in vitro. In the initial studies, cAMP-coupled renin release was established for isoproterenol (10(-5) M), prostacyclin (PGI2; 10(-6) M), and forskolin (10(-5) M). Each agent caused an increase in renin release and tissue cAMP levels, which were inhibited by the addition of the adenyl cyclase inhibitor 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine (DDA, 10(-5) M) to the media. Diltiazem (10(-4) M) and 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8; 0.6 X 10(-4) M) are believed to decrease Cai by different mechanisms; each of these agents caused a significant increase in renin release. Renin release stimulated by diltiazem, and TMB-8 was not inhibited by either DDA or indomethacin. The calcium ionophore A23187 (17 X 10(-6) M) and vanadate (10(-3) M) were next added to produce an increase in Cai. Both of these agents blunted renin release produced by isoproterenol, PGI2, and forskolin. These results provide strong indirect support for an inverse relationship between Cai and renin release in the juxtaglomerular cell. The results also imply that changes in Cai occupy a step that is distal to cAMP-coupled events in the sequence of intracellular events which culminate in renin release.