Amylin stimulates proximal tubular sodium transport and cell proliferation in the rat kidney. Harris, Peter J., Mark E. Cooper, Siriphun Hiranyachattada, Jennifer L. Berka, Darren J. Kelly, Michael Nobes, and Peter J. Wookey. Departments of Medicine[alpha] and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre (Repatriation Campus) Heidelberg West, Victoria 3081, and Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
APStracts 3:0156F, 1996.
In autoradiographic studies in anesthetised rats [125I]-amylin binding was associated with proximal convoluted tubules but not distal tubules, interstitium or glomeruli in the renal cortex. Split-drop micropuncture experiments showed that perfusion of the peritubular capillaries with amylin (10-9M) stimulated proximal tubular fluid absorption by 28%. This effect was inhibited by luminal addition of ethyl isopropyl amiloride indicating mediation by a brush border Na+/H+ exchanger. Intravenous infusion of an amylin binding antagonist, AC187, reduced proximal fluid reabsorption (22%) in anesthetised rats, indicating a role for endogenous amylin in salt homeostasis. In primary cultures of rat proximal tubule cells, amylin (10-7M) stimulated proliferation with a potency equal to epidermal growth factor. Peptide antagonists (AC187, AC413 and AC512) of the amylin binding sites in the renal cortex blocked the mitogenic action of amylin. We conclude that amylin acts on renal proximal tubules to promote sodium and water reabsorption and cell proliferation. These novel actions may have implications for the development of hypertension for example in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and obesity in which hyperamylinemia has been observed.

Received 6 December 1995; accepted in final form 29 August 1996.
APS Manuscript Number F404-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1996 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 19 September 1996