Dexamethasone upregulates atrial natriuretic peptide c-receptor protein in human mesangial cells without affecting mrna. Ardaillou, Nicole, V[acute]eronique Blaise, Sandrine Placier, Fran[cedilla]coise Amestoy, and Raymond Ardaillou. INSERM 64, H[circumflex]opital Tenon, Paris, France
APStracts 2:0162F, 1995.
The objective of this study was to examine the role of dexamethasone on the expression of B- and C-natriuretic peptide receptors (ANPR-B, ANPR-C) in cultured human mesangial cells which only possess these two subtypes. Dexamethasone caused concentration- and time-dependent increases in 125 I-ANP binding which were prevented by glucocorticoid receptor inhibition with RU ? 38486. A lag time of 24 ? hours and a concentration of dexamethasone of at least 1 ? nmol/l were necessary for this effect to occur. Dexamethasone-induced upregulation of 125 I-ANP binding resulted from increased receptor density. No change in K D was observed. Only ANPR-C were affected by dexamethasone. Indeed, dexamethasone did not modify C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) -dependent cGMP production by mesangial cells. Moreover, dexamethasone upregulated ANPR-C protein expression as shown by Western blot analysis and increase in ANPR-C immunoreactivity at the cell surface. In contrast, dexamethasone did not modify ANPR-C mRNA expression. In conclusion, glucocorticoids increase ANPR-C density on mesangial cells through a mechanism implying successively interaction with the glucocorticoid receptor and increase of ANPR-C protein synthesis at a post-transcriptional stage. Thus dexamethasone may influence natriuretic peptide availability at their glomerular target sites.

Received 10 April 1995; accepted in final form 11 September 1995.
APS Manuscript Number F119-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 23 September 1995.