Inositol lipid signalling occurs in brush-border membranes during initiation of compensatory renal growth in the rat.

Using highly specific mass assays, concentrations of inositol lipids and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) were determined in plasma membranes isolated from rat kidney cortex. Significantly higher concentrations of inositol lipids were determined in brush-border (BBM) than in basal-lateral (BLM) plasma membranes, although DAG concentrations were similar in both. After unilateral nephrectomy, a decrease in PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns4P, with a concomitant increase in DAG and translocation of protein kinase C (PKC), were observed in BBM but not in BLM isolated from the remaining kidney. On the other hand, stimulation of renal cortical slices with insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) or phenylephrine caused similar effects in BLM but not in BBM. Stimulation of phospholipase C activity with translocation of PKC only to BBM in one kidney was also induced by occlusion of blood flow through the contralateral kidney for 15 min. At 30 min after the occlusion was removed and reflow established, DAG concentration and the amount of PKC in BBM returned to control values. These results suggest that an early signal after unilateral nephrectomy is transmitted to cells through BBM and can be switched on and off by blood occlusion and reflow through the contralateral kidney, while hormonal signals caused by IGF-II and phenylephrine are transmitted to cells through BLM.