Effect of PGE2 on vasopressin-dependent cell cAMP in isolated single nephron segments.

To further evaluate the interaction between vasopressin (AVP) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the kidney, the effects of AVP and PGE2 on cell cAMP content were examined in the isolated thick ascending limb of Henle (TAL) and the cortical collecting tubule (CCT) of rat kidney. Nephron segments were incubated in the presence of phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine (MIX), with 10 nM AVP and varying concentrations of PGE2 at 37 degrees C for 1-7 min, and the cAMP content was determined by radioimmunoassay. PGE2 suppressed the AVP-stimulated increase in cell cAMP in both medullary (MTAL) and cortical (CTAL) portions of the TAL in a dose-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect was evident at 0.28 nM PGE2 and maximum at 2.8-28 microM PGE2. By contrast, in the presence of MIX PGE2 did not inhibit AVP-stimulated cAMP increases in the CCT. However, in the absence of MIX, PGE2 suppressed cAMP accumulation in the CCT. These data suggest that PGE2 may suppress cell cAMP by inhibiting AVP-dependent cAMP formation in the TAL; PGE2 may suppress cAMP in the CCT by acting at a site(s) affected by MIX and not by inhibiting cAMP formation. The results show that although PGE2 may inhibit AVP-dependent cell cAMP accumulation in both TAL and CCT, the underlying cellular mechanisms may be different in these two distinct AVP-sensitive nephron segments.