Norepinephrine reduces ω-conotoxin-sensitive Ca2+ currents in renal afferent neurons in rats

Sympathetic efferent and peptidergic afferent renal nerves likely influence hypertensive and inflammatory kidney disease. Our recent investigation with confocal microscopy revealed that in the kidney sympathetic nerve endings are colocalized with afferent nerve fibers (Ditting T, Tiegs G, Rodionova K, Reeh PW, Neuhuber W, Freisinger W, Veelken R. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 297: F1427–F1434, 2009; Veelken R, Vogel EM, Hilgers K, Amman K, Hartner A, Sass G, Neuhuber W, Tiegs G. J Am Soc Nephrol 19: 1371–1378, 2008). However, it is not known whether renal afferent nerves are influenced by sympathetic nerve activity. We tested the hypothesis that norepinephrine (NE) influences voltage-gated Ca2+ channel currents in cultured renal dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, i.e., the first-order neuron of the renal afferent pathway. DRG neurons (T11–L2) retrogradely labeled from the kidney and subsequently cultured, were investigated by whole-cell patch clamp. Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) were investigated by voltage ramps (−100 to +80 mV, 300 ms, every 20 s). NE and appropriate adrenergic receptor antagonists were administered by microperfusion. NE (20 μM) reduced VGCC-mediated currents by 10.4 ± 3.0% ( P < 0.01). This reduction was abolished by the α-adrenoreceptor inhibitor phentolamine and the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine. The β-adrenoreceptor antagonist propranolol and the α1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin had no effect. The inhibitory effect of NE was abolished when N-type currents were blocked by ω-conotoxin GVIA, but was unaffected by other specific Ca2+ channel inhibitors (ω-agatoxin IVA; nimodipine). Confocal microscopy revealed sympathetic innervation of DRGs and confirmed colocalization of afferent and efferent fibers within in the kidney. Hence NE released from intrarenal sympathetic nerve endings, or sympathetic fibers within the DRGs, or even circulating catecholamines, may influence the activity of peptidergic afferent nerve fibers through N-type Ca2+ channels via an α2-adrenoceptor-dependent mechanism. However, the exact site and the functional role of this interaction remains to be elucidated.