Enhancement by ethanol of parathyroid-hormone-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in isolated renal tubules.

The effects of ethanol on parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced increases in adenosine 3':5'-phosphate (cAMP) concentrations were studied in renal cortical tubules of hamsters in vitro. Ethanol concentrations between 0.1 and 3% were found to augment the PTH response in a dose-related way while, concentrations greater than 3% produced a dose-related inhibition of the PTH response. In the absence of PTH, ethanol did not significantly elevate cAMP accumulations at any concentrations tested. In contrast to its effect on intact tubule cells, ethanol did not alter either adenylate cyclase or phosphodiesterase in renal cortical homogenates. Indomethacin, however, produced a concentration-related inhibition of the ethanol-potentiated response without altering the effects of PTH alone. The results suggest a possible involvement of prostaglandins in the potentiating effect of ethanol on the PTH-dependent accumulation of cAMP in renal tubules.