The effect of prostaglandin synthesis inhibition on the direct stimulation of renin release from rabbit renal cortical slices

Effects of losartan on blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and angiotensin II in volunteers

Losartan is an orally active, nonpeptide angiotensin II (Ang II) (site-1) receptor antagonist. We conducted a multiple-dose study in healthy male volunteers to investigate the tolerability, blood pressure effects, and changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma Ang II concentration associated with once-daily administration of 100 mg losartan for a week. Subjects were studied on a standardized sodium diet (24-hour urinary sodium excretion, 98 +/- 37 [SD] mEq per 24 hours on the placebo run-in day). Measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, PRA, Ang II, and aldosterone were taken during a placebo run-in day and after single and multiple (7 days) daily doses of losartan (100 mg, n = 10) or placebo (n = 4). Ang II was measured specifically by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with radioimmunoassay. In subjects given losartan, respective decreases (systolic/diastolic) from run-in in supine blood pressure 6 hours after dosing were (mean +/- SD), compared with the placebo run-in day, first dose: -8.8 +/- 9.6/-6.8 +/- 5.0, last dose: -11.6 +/- 8.9/-7.0 +/- 4.8 mm Hg (p < 0.05 for all changes). At this 6-hour time point, corresponding increases from run-in in PRA were from 1.2 +/- 0.6 to 12.0 +/- 6.3 (first dose) and 9.6 +/- 4.9 (last dose) ng angiotensin I per milliliter per hour and in Ang II were from 4.3 +/- 1.7 to 72.4 +/- 33.3 and 45.7 +/- 14.1 pg/mL. All changes in PRA and Ang II were statistically significant within the losartan-treated group, and the biochemical changes were significantly greater than those in the placebo-treated group. The increment in Ang II was less after the last dose than after the first (p < 0.05). The drug was well tolerated by all subjects. These data indicate that, under the conditions of this study, losartan administration (100 mg/day for eight doses over 9 days) results in treatment-related decreases in blood pressure and increases in PRA and Ang II octapeptide.

Inhibition of renin release by analogues of adenosine in rabbit renal cortical slices

Renal cortical slices obtained from male New Zealand rabbits were used to investigate the role of adenosine in the regulation of renin release. Isoproterenol produced a significant (p less than 0.01), twofold to threefold increase in renin release, that was both dose-dependent and time-dependent. Addition of either the l-phenylisopropyl or the N6-ethylcarboxamido derivative of adenosine attenuated this stimulation at concentrations as low as 10(-9) M or 10(-8) M, respectively. Higher doses of d-phenylisopropyladenosine (10(-6) M) or adenosine (10(-5) M) were necessary to significantly reduce the beta-adrenergic response (p less than 0.01). Inhibition was absent in slices preincubated with 10(-5) M 8-phenyltheophylline, a concentration that had no effect on either basal or stimulated renin release. The site of inhibition appeared to be distal to beta-adrenergic and prostaglandin receptors since l-phenylisopropyladenosine (10(-8) M) blocked stimulation by selective beta-adrenergic receptor agonists, prenalterol (10(-6) M) or salbutamol (10(-5) M), and by prostaglandin E1. These data suggest that adenosine and its analogues inhibit renin release and that this inhibition may be mediated by a receptor-dependent action on a common point in the pathway leading to release.

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.

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) stimulates in vitro renin release in the hibernating ground squirrel

Using a renal cortical slice preparation obtained from hibernating ground squirrels, this study investigated whether three major intrarenal prostaglandins (PG) and other agents added at a 10(-5) M dose can affect renin release (RR), and if their effect on RR is correlated with changes in tissue cyclic AMP content (tcAMPc). Resting in vitro levels for RR and tcAMPc during hibernation were found to be comparable to those observed in non-hibernating (NH) mammals. Addition of PGE1 significantly stimulated RR while PGE2 and PGF2-alpha were ineffective. None of the three PG's tested altered resting levels of tcAMPC. When added by itself or in conjunction with any of the three PG's, the phosphodiesterase inhibitor theophylline did not modify resting levels of RR and tcAMPc, but it prevented the previous stimulatory effect of PGE1 alone on RR. Addition of lipid-soluble dcAMP, either alone or in conjunction with any of the three PG's, resulted in an increase in tcAMPc in all instances, no change in resting RR regarding PGE2 and PGF2-alpha, and again the prevention of the stimulatory effect of PGE1 alone on RR. These data suggest that: the resting activity of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and the adenylate cyclase-cAMP system (AC-cAMP) of the hibernating ground squirrel is comparable to that of NH species; in contrast, the sensitivity of the RAS of the hibernator to PG stimulation is less than that exhibited by the RAS of NH species when comparable in vitro concentrations of three major PG's are used; PGE1 stimulation of RR in the hibernator is independent of changes in tcAMPc; changes in tcAMPc may be inversely related to those in RR in the hibernator; and the known stimulatory effect of PG's on the renal cortical AC-cAMP of NH species is not seen in the hibernating ground squirrel at comparable PG doses.

Hypertension in experimental diabetes mellitus. Renin-prostaglandin interaction

To investigate mechanisms involved in the high incidence of hypertension in diabetes mellitus, the relationship between renin-angiotensin production and renal prostaglandin E2 synthesis was studied in rats 1 week after diabetes mellitus had been induced by streptozotocin injection. The diabetic rats became hypertensive, although plasma renin activity did not increase despite the plasma volume contraction resulting from polyuria and natriuresis. Subcutaneous insulin injection resulted in a marked increase in plasma renin activity, while more rigid control of diabetes mellitus achieved by constant insulin infusion decreased blood pressure. Cortical renin content and renin release as well as papillary prostaglandin E2 synthesis in vitro were significantly lower in diabetic rats than in nondiabetic controls. Isoproterenol and prostaglandin E2 stimulated renin release in controls, while diabetic rats responded only to isoproterenol. Insulin infusion by pump reversed these abnormalities. An additive effect of a maximum dose of isoproterenol (10(-5) M) and prostaglandin E2 (10(-4) M) on renin release was observed in nondiabetic controls and in diabetic rats treated with insulin pump, but not in untreated diabetic rats. The results suggest that 1) renal renin release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis in diabetes mellitus are insulin dependent, 2) inappropriately lower plasma renin activity in diabetes mellitus may be attributed to a diminished renal renin pool and a lack of renin release in response to renal prostaglandin E2, the synthesis of which is also impaired in diabetes, prostaglandin E2-induced renin release may operate independently from isoproterenol-induced renin release, and impaired renal prostaglandin E2 synthesis may contribute to the development of hypertension in the face of an unchanged prohypertensive renin-angiotensin II system.

Prostacyclin-independence in beta-adrenoceptor mediated renin release from dog renal cortical slices

There is some controversy regarding whether stimulation of renin release by the beta-adrenergic system is dependent on prostaglandin (PG) production. We have examined this problem in renal cortical slices of the dog and have obtained the following results: (1) Isoproterenol (4 X 10(-6) M) stimulated renin release, but had no effect on the formation of 6-keto PGF1 alpha, a stable metabolite of PGI2; (2) Indomethacin (2 X 10(-5) M) had no effect on isoproterenol stimulated renin release, but inhibited 6-keto PGF1 alpha formation; (3) Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (10(-3) M) stimulated both renin release, and 6-keto PGF1 alpha release. Indomethacin (2 X 10(-5) M) did not inhibit dibutyryl cyclic AMP-stimulated renin release, but did inhibit the production of 6 keto PGF1 alpha. These results indicate that the beta-adrenoceptor mediated renin release does not depend on the formation of PGI2, but renin release is dependent on cyclic AMP formation.