High Ca2+ inhibits peptide hormone-dependent cAMP production specifically in thick ascending limbs of Henle.

We showed previously that increasing Ca2+ concentration in the incubation medium suppressed cAMP production in response to vasopressin (AVP), glucagon or forskolin in the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle (MTAL) but not in medullary collecting tubules of mouse kidney. In the present study, we examined, using nephron segments dissected from mouse kidney, whether the inhibitory effect of high Ca2+ is specific to MTAL. Increasing Ca2+ in the incubation medium from 1 to 5 mM inhibited cAMP production in response to parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin, AVP or glucagon in cortical thick ascending limbs of Henle (CTAL), but dit not inhibit cAMP production stimulated by PTH or calcitonin in proximal convoluted tubules and that by AVP in cortical collecting tubules. In CTAL, high ambient Ca2+ also inhibited cAMP production stimulated by forskolin. Thus, our present data show that high Ca2+ inhibits cAMP production specifically in thick ascending limbs of Henle but not in the other nephron segments. High ambients Ca2+ may inhibit adenylate cyclase at postreceptor site(s) one of which may be the catalytic unit of the enzyme in TAL.