cGMP-Mediated Inhibition of cAMP Degradation Stimulates Renin Secretion Without Affecting Renal Hemodynamics.
P100 The stimulatory second messenger for renin is cAMP, which is degraded by phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3. PDE-3 is inhibited by cGMP, while PDE-5 degrades cGMP. We hypothesized that if endogenous cGMP was increased, it could inhibit PDE-3, increasing cAMP, and stimulating renin. We used the selective PDE-5 inhibitor Zaprinast at a dose we determined would not change either blood pressure or renal blood flow (RBF). In inactin-anesthetized rats, renin secretion rate (RSR) was determined by collecting arterial and renal venous blood while measuring RBF before and 75 min after administering 20 mg/kg bw Zaprinast (n=9) ip, or vehicle (n=7). Blood pressure before and after Zaprinast was unchanged at 102 ±2 and 98 ±2 mmHg, respectively, similar to vehicle controls (107 ±3 to 105 ±4 mmHg). RBF was unchanged by either Zaprinast (5.57 ±0.38 to 5.77 ±0.41 ml/min/gkw) or vehicle (6.21 ±0.47 to 6.25 ±0.42 ml/min/gkw). Zaprinast increased RSR 6-fold (from 2.95 ±1.74 to 17.62 ±5.46 ng Ang1/hr/min, p <0.024), while vehicle had no effect (4.08 ±2.02 to 3.87 ±1.53 ng Ang1/hr/min). Zaprinast also increased renal cGMP excretion from 12.75 ±1.57 to 18.67 ±1.87 p mol/min (p<0.003), while cGMP excretion was unchanged by vehicle (13.07 ±1.76 to 12.42 ±2.16 p mol/min). Thus, inhibition of cGMP degradation by the PDE-5 inhibitor Zaprinast increased endogenous cGMP (as reflected in excretion) and also stimulated renin secretion, despite not significantly changing renal hemodynamics. These data suggest that endogenous cGMP may indirectly regulate renin through its direct effect on cAMP degradation.