Relative roles of calcium entry and mobilization signaling pathways in angiotensin ii - induced constriction of renal resistance vessels in vivo. Ruan, Xiaoping, and William J. Arendshorst. Department of Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-75454
APStracts 2:0145F, 1995.
The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of calcium signaling pathways in angiotensin?II (ANG?II) - induced renal vasoconstriction in?vivo. Nifedipine was used to antagonize dihydropyridine-sensitive, voltage-dependent calcium channels; BAY-K 8644 was employed to activate these calcium channels. Intracellular calcium mobilization was evaluated using TMB-8 or heparin to inhibit calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Renal blood flow was measured by electromagnetic flowmetry in anesthetized, euvolemic Wistar-Kyoto rats. The animals were pretreated with indomethacin to avoid interactions with prostaglandins. ANG?II (2 hg) or BAY-K 8644 (1 [mu]g) was injected into the renal artery to produce a transient 30-50% decrease in renal blood flow without affecting arterial pressure. Co-administration of nifedipine with BAY-K produced dose -dependent inhibition of the maximum renal vasoconstriction elicited by BAY-K 8644. The calcium-channel antagonist had similar effects on ANG?II - induced renal vasoconstriction. Nifedipine exerted maximum inhibition by blocking 50% of the peak ANG?II response. To evaluate intracellular calcium mobilization, TMB-8 or heparin was co -administered with ANG?II. Each agent produced dose-dependent inhibition of up to 50% of the maximum renal vasoconstriction produced by ANG?II. The inhibitory effects of nifedipine and TMB-8 were additive; neither agent had an effect when ANG?II AT1 receptors were antagonized with losartan. These observations indicate that one -half of the ANG?II - induced constriction of renal resistance vessels is mediated by voltage-dependent, L-type calcium channels responsive to the dihydropyridine nifedipine. The remaining 50% of the renal vasoconstriction elicited by ANG?II is mediated by IP3-mediated calcium mobilization from intracellular sources. The additive nature of the inhibitory effects indicates distinct mechanisms involving calcium mobilization and calcium entry signaling pathways which are of equal importance in ANG?II activation of AT1 receptors to trigger constriction of renal resistance vessels under basal conditions.

Received 5 June 1995; accepted in final form 16 August 1995.
APS Manuscript Number F178-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 24 August 1995.