cyclic-gmp and benzamil

We have used the patch clamp technique to study the effects of inhibiting the apical Na+ transport on the basolateral small-conductance K+ channel (SK) in cell-attached patches in cortical collecting duct (CCD) of the rat kidney. Application of 50 microM amiloride decreased the activity of SK, defined as nPo (a product of channel open probability and channel number), to 61% of the control value. Application of 1 microM benzamil, a specific Na+ channel blocker, mimicked the effects of amiloride and decreased the activity of the SK to 62% of the control value. In addition, benzamil reduced intracellular Na+ concentration from 15 to 11 mM. The effect of amiloride was not the result of a decrease in intracellular pH, since addition 50 microM 5-(n-ethyl-n-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA), an agent that specifically blocks the Na/H exchanger, did not alter the channel activity. The inhibitory effect of amiloride depends on extracellular Ca2+ because removal of Ca2+ from the bath abolished the effect. Using Fura-2 AM to measure the intracellular Ca2+, we observed that amiloride and benzamil significantly decreased intracellular Ca2+ in the Ca2+-containing solution but had no effect in a Ca2+-free bath. Furthermore, raising intracellular Ca2+ from 10 to 50 and 100 nM with ionomycin increased the activity of the SK in cell-attached patches but not in excised patches, suggesting that changes in intracellular Ca2+ are responsible for the effects on SK activity of inhibition of the Na+ transport. Since the neuronal form of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is expressed in the CCD and the function of the nNOS is Ca2+ dependent, we examined whether the effects of amiloride or benzamil were mediated by the NO-cGMP-dependent pathways. Addition of 10 microM S-nitroso-n-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) or 100 microM 8-bromoguanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8Br-cGMP) completely restored channel activity when it had been decreased by either amiloride or benzamil. Finally, addition of SNAP caused a significant increase in channel activity in the Ca2+-free bath solution. We conclude that Ca2+-dependent NO generation mediates the effect of inhibiting the apical Na+ transport on the basolateral SK in the rat CCD.

Topics: Amiloride; Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Biological Transport; Calcium; Cyclic GMP; Diuretics; Enzyme Inhibitors; Kidney Tubules, Collecting; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Patch-Clamp Techniques; Penicillamine; Potassium; Potassium Channels; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; S-Nitroso-N-Acetylpenicillamine; Sodium; Sodium Channels; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms

The dorsal integument of the medical leech Hirudo medicinalis exhibits a marked amiloride-sensitive Na+ absorption. With 20 mM Na+ in the apical solution, the transepithelial short-circuit current (Isc) was approximately 40% higher than with 115 mM Na+, whereas the transepithelial potential (VT) with 20 mM Na+ was -35.7 +/- 4.5 and -20.6 +/- 2.6 mV with 115 mM Na+. Amiloride (100 microM) inhibition at 20 mM apical Na+ was also significantly larger than with 115 mM Na+ in the solution. Benzamil (100 microM) showed additional inhibition after amiloride. Large transient overshooting currents occurred only when 115 mM Na+ was added after some minutes of Na(+)-free apical solution. Addition of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) to the serosal side in the presence of 115 mM apical Na+ nearly doubled Isc. This cAMP effect was reduced to only 20% in the presence of 20 mM Na+. Guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) slightly increased Isc, whereas ATP showed biphasic potency. Removal of calcium from the apical side resulted in a large stimulation of amiloride-sensitive Isc only in the presence of 115 mM Na+. When currents were activated with cAMP, a deprivation of Ca2+ modestly reduced the amiloride-sensitive Isc. The Na+ channel of leech integument was found highly selective for Na+ over other monovalent cations. The permeability ratio for Na+ over K+ was approximately 30:1; the selectivity relationship for the investigated cations was Na+ > Li+ > NH4+ > K+ approximately Cs+ approximately Rb+.

Topics: Amiloride; Animals; Calcium; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic GMP; Electrochemistry; Homeostasis; In Vitro Techniques; Ion Transport; Kinetics; Leeches; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Skin; Sodium; Sodium Channels