Norepinephrine, via beta-adrenoceptors, regulates bumetanide-sensitive cotransporter type 1 expression in thick ascending limb cells

Renal denervation and CD161a immune ablation prevent cholinergic hypertension and renal sodium retention

Cholinergic receptor activation leads to premature development of hypertension and infiltration of proinflammatory CD161a⁺/CD68⁺ M1 macrophages into the renal medulla. Renal inflammation is implicated in renal sodium retention and the development of hypertension. Renal denervation is known to decrease renal inflammation. The objective of this study was to determine the role of CD161a⁺/CD68⁺ macrophages and renal sympathetic nerves in cholinergic-hypertension and renal sodium retention. Bilateral renal nerve denervation (RND) and immune ablation of CD161a⁺ immune cells were performed in young prehypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) followed by infusion of either saline or nicotine (15 mg·kg^-1·day^-1) for 2 wk. Immune ablation was conducted by injection of unconjugated azide-free antibody targeting rat CD161a⁺. Blood pressure was monitored by tail cuff plethysmography. Tissues were harvested at the end of infusion. Nicotine induced premature hypertension, renal expression of the sodium-potassium chloride cotransporter (NKCC2), increases in renal sodium retention, and infiltration of CD161a⁺/CD68⁺ macrophages into the renal medulla. All of these effects were abrogated by RND and ablation of CD161a⁺ immune cells. Cholinergic activation of CD161a⁺ immune cells with nicotine leads to the premature development of hypertension in SHR. The effects of renal sympathetic nerves on chemotaxis of CD161a⁺ macrophages to the renal medulla, increased renal expression of NKCC2, and renal sodium retention contribute to cholinergic hypertension. The CD161a⁺ immune cells are necessary and essential for this prohypertensive nicotine-mediated inflammatory response.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study that describes a novel integrative physiological interaction between the adrenergic, cholinergic, and renal systems in the development of hypertension, describing data for the role of each in a genetic model of essential hypertension. Noteworthy findings include the prevention of nicotine-mediated hypertension following successful immune ablation of CD161a⁺ immune cells and the necessary role these cells play in the overexpression of the sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter (NKCC2) in the renal medulla and renal sodium retention. Renal infiltration of these cells is demonstrated to be dependent on the presence of renal adrenergic innervation. These data offer a fertile ground of therapeutic potential for the treatment of hypertension as well as open the door for further investigation into the mechanism involved in inflammation-mediated renal sodium transporter expression. Taken together, these findings suggest immune therapy, renal denervation, and, possibly, other new molecular targets as having a potential role in the development and maintenance of essential hypertension.

Thick Ascending Limb Sodium Transport in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension

The thick ascending limb plays a key role in maintaining water and electrolyte balance. The importance of this segment in regulating blood pressure is evidenced by the effect of loop diuretics or local genetic defects on this parameter. Hormones and factors produced by thick ascending limbs have both autocrine and paracrine effects, which can extend prohypertensive signaling to other structures of the nephron. In this review, we discuss the role of the thick ascending limb in the development of hypertension, not as a sole participant, but one that works within the rich biological context of the renal medulla. We first provide an overview of the basic physiology of the segment and the anatomical considerations necessary to understand its relationship with other renal structures. We explore the physiopathological changes in thick ascending limbs occurring in both genetic and induced animal models of hypertension. We then discuss the racial differences and genetic defects that affect blood pressure in humans through changes in thick ascending limb transport rates. Throughout the text, we scrutinize methodologies and discuss the limitations of research techniques that, when overlooked, can lead investigators to make erroneous conclusions. Thus, in addition to advancing an understanding of the basic mechanisms of physiology, the ultimate goal of this work is to understand our research tools, to make better use of them, and to contextualize research data. Future advances in renal hypertension research will require not only collection of new experimental data, but also integration of our current knowledge.

Luminal angiotensin II stimulates rat medullary thick ascending limb chloride transport in the presence of basolateral norepinephrine

Angiotensin II (ANG II) is secreted by the proximal tubule resulting in a luminal concentration that is 100- to 1,000-fold greater than that in the blood. Luminal ANG II has been shown to stimulate sodium transport in the proximal tubule and distal nephron. Surprisingly, luminal ANG II inhibits NaCl transport in the medullary thick ascending limb (mTAL), a nephron segment responsible for a significant amount of NaCl absorption from the glomerular ultrafiltrate. We confirmed that addition of 10(-8) M ANG II to the lumen inhibited mTAL chloride transport (220 ± 19 to 165 ± 25 pmol·mm(-1)·min(-1), P < 0.01) and examined whether an interaction with basolateral norepinephrine existed to simulate the in vivo condition of an innervated tubule. We found that in the presence of a 10(-6) M norepinephrine bath, luminal ANG II stimulated mTAL chloride transport from 298 ± 18 to 364 ± 42 pmol·mm(-1)·min(-1) (P < 0.05). Stimulation of chloride transport by luminal ANG II was also observed with 10(-3) M bath dibutyryl cAMP in the bathing solution and bath isoproterenol. A bath of 10(-5) H-89 blocked the stimulation of chloride transport by norepinephrine and prevented the effect of luminal ANG II to either stimulate or inhibit chloride transport. Bath phentolamine, an α-adrenergic agonist, also prevented the decrease in mTAL chloride transport by luminal ANG II. Thus luminal ANG II increases chloride transport with basolateral norepinephrine; an effect likely mediated by stimulation of cAMP. Alpha-1 adrenergic stimulation prevents the inhibition of chloride transport by luminal ANG II.

Molecular regulation of NKCC2 in the thick ascending limb

The kidney plays an essential role in blood pressure regulation by controlling short-term and long-term NaCl and water balance. The thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle (TAL) reabsorbs 25-30% of the NaCl filtered by the glomeruli in a process mediated by the apical Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter NKCC2, which allows Na(+) and Cl(-) entry from the tubule lumen into TAL cells. In humans, mutations in the gene coding for NKCC2 result in decreased or absent activity characterized by severe salt and volume loss and decreased blood pressure (Bartter syndrome type 1). Opposite to Bartter's syndrome, enhanced NaCl absorption by the TAL is associated with human hypertension and animal models of salt-sensitive hypertension. TAL NaCl reabsorption is subject to exquisite control by hormones like vasopressin, parathyroid, glucagon, and adrenergic agonists (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that stimulate NaCl reabsorption. Atrial natriuretic peptides or autacoids like nitric oxide and prostaglandins inhibit NaCl reabsorption, promoting salt excretion. In general, the mechanism by which hormones control NaCl reabsorption is mediated directly or indirectly by altering the activity of NKCC2 in the TAL. Despite the importance of NKCC2 in renal physiology, the molecular mechanisms by which hormones, autacoids, physical factors, and intracellular ions regulate NKCC2 activity are largely unknown. During the last 5 years, it has become apparent that at least three molecular mechanisms determine NKCC2 activity. As such, membrane trafficking, phosphorylation, and protein-protein interactions have recently been described in TALs and heterologous expression systems as mechanisms that modulate NKCC2 activity. The focus of this review is to summarize recent data regarding NKCC2 regulation and discuss their potential implications in physiological control of TAL function, renal physiology, and blood pressure regulation.

Inhibitory effect of the D(3) dopamine receptor on insulin receptor expression and function in vascular smooth muscle cells

BACKGROUND

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is regulated by numerous hormones and humoral factors. Our previous study found that stimulation of D(1)-like dopamine receptors inhibited insulin receptor expression and function in VSMCs. We hypothesize that there is also an interaction between D(3) dopamine and insulin receptors, i.e., stimulation of the D(3) receptor inhibits insulin receptor expression and function.

METHODS

Receptor expression was determined by immunoblotting, immunohistochemisty, and reverse transcriptase-PCR; VSMC proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and cell number.

RESULTS

Insulin receptor protein is increased in the aorta of D(3) receptor deficient mice. Stimulation of the D(3) receptor inhibited insulin receptor mRNA and protein expression and insulin-mediated VSMC proliferation, and increased protein kinase A (PKA) activity, insulin receptor phosphorylation, and degradation in immortalized aortic VSMCs (A10 cells). These effects were blocked by a PKA inhibitor, indicating that the D(3) receptor-mediated decrease in insulin receptor expression was related to a decrease in transcription/post-transcription and increased degradation, involving PKA signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

D(3) receptor stimulation may be a target to reduce the adverse effect of insulin in hypertension by inhibition of insulin receptor expression and function in arterial VSMCs.

Cotransporters, WNKs and hypertension: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Studies of inherited conditions characterized by high or low blood pressure reveal the importance of a new signalling cascade, With no Lysine kinases (WNK) --> ste20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK)/oxidative stress-responsive kinase-1 (OSR1) --> Cation-Chloride Cotransporters (CCC), in regulating blood pressure and in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. This review explores how these molecules interact to co-ordinate sodium homeostasis and how errors in these interactions may result in hypertension.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies using transgenic animals and gene knockins have clarified the role of mutant WNK4 in hypertension, by revealing its main action to be increasing the expression and activity of sodium-chloride cotransporter (NCC) in the kidney. Functional studies show how phosphorylation of WNK1 regulates both its activity and ability to interact with SPAK/OSR1, and clearly place it upstream of SPAK/OSR1 in the cascade. The structural basis for the interactions between SPAK/OSR1 and targets has been identified.

SUMMARY

WNKs, activated by upstream kinases or autophosphorylation, bind and phosphorylate SPAK/OSR1, which in turn phosphorylate and activate NCCs and Na-K-Cl cotransporters (NKCCs). This increases sodium retention in the kidney (NKCC2, NCC) and vascular resistance (NKCC1), but decreases renin release (NKCC1). Hypertension-associated mutant WNKs increase surface expression and activation of renal tubular NKCC2 and NCC. Whether this adequately explains the hypertension awaits studies of these mutants in other tissues.

Cellular distribution of the renal bumetanide-sensitive Na-K-2Cl cotransporter BSC-1 in the inner stripe of the outer medulla during the development of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

1. The renal bumetanide-sensitive Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (BSC-1) is expressed only in the thick ascending limb and selectively traffics from intracellular vesicles (IVs) to apical plasma membranes (PMs), where BSC-1 regulates sodium reabsorption. We showed previously that in kidneys from adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR; model of essential hypertension) total protein expression of BSC-1 was higher compared with kidneys from normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. However, whether this change is associated with an increased trafficking of BSC-1 from IVs to PMs is unknown. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the increase in total renal BSC-1 protein expression in SHR is accompanied by an augmented distribution of BSC-1 from IVs to PMs. 2. To test the hypothesis, we obtained renal tissue from the inner stripe of the outer medulla (ISOM; enriched in thick ascending limbs) and isolated IVs and PMs from this tissue by differential centrifugation. Total BSC-1 protein expression in ISOM and BSC-1 protein expression in ISOM IVs and PMs were measured by semiquantitative western blotting in SHR and aged-matched WKY rats at different ages and stages of hypertension. 3. At 5 weeks of age, SHR were prehypertensive (mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) 97 mmHg). At this age, both the total abundance and cellular distribution of BSC-1 were similar in ISOM from SHR and WKY rats. 4. As SHR aged, their hypertension progressed (MABP 137 and 195 mmHg at 8 and 14 weeks of age, respectively). Associated with the increase in MABP was an increase in both steady state protein levels of ISOM BSC-1 and the distribution of ISOM BSC-1 to PMs (four- and sixfold increases at 8 and 14 weeks of age, respectively, compared with age-matched WKY rats; P < 0.001). 5. Using semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, BSC-1 mRNA was measured and was found not to differ between SHR and WKY rat ISOM at any age or level of MABP. 6. We conclude that as SHR transition from prehypertensive to established hypertension, there is a marked increase in the total expression of BSC-1 in ISOM that is not related to increases in steady state levels of BSC-1 mRNA and therefore unlikely to be due to changes in either the rate of BSC-1 gene transcription or the stability of BSC-1 mRNA. This suggests changes in either translational efficiency or BSC-1 protein stability in SHR. 7. We also conclude that the age/hypertension-related increase in BSC-1 protein levels in ISOM is accompanied by an equally marked increased trafficking of BSC-1 to PMs in SHR ISOM.