Dual inhibitory effects of dopamine on Na+ homeostasis in rat aorta smooth muscle cells

Dopamine is an essential catecholamine, which acts not only as a neurotransmitter in sympathetic neurons but also exhibits vasodilating and natriuretic effects in renal tubular cells, blood vessels, etc. This study describes the effect of dopamine on Na+ influx and Na+ efflux and the resulting changes in intracellular Nai concentration ([Na+](i)). [Na+](i) was measured in primary cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from rat aorta with digital imaging of cells loaded with the Na+-sensitive fluorescent indicator, SBFI. Na+ influx and Na+ efflux were measured as changes in [Na+](i) under the conditions of inhibition of the Nat flux in the opposite direction. Dopamine inhibited Na+ influx in a dose-dependent manner with a maximal inhibition, similar to 45%;, achieved at 10(-4) M. This effect of dopamine, as suggested by several lines of evidence, was mediated by inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange. Besides inhibition of Na+ efflux, dopamine also, with a similar potency, inhibited Na+ efflux. The latter effect was due to inhibition of the Na+ pump-mediated component of Na+ efflux, since it was not observed when Na+ pump was inhibited. Inhibition of the Na+ pump by dopamine was due to the reduction in its maximal flux and not due to the decrease in the Nat sensitivity of the pump. Similar to dopamine, activation of protein kinase A by g-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcAMP) caused inhibition of both Na+ influx and Na+ pump-mediated Na+ efnwr. In contrast, activation of protein kinase C by the phorbol ester, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, caused activation of both Na+ influx and Na+ pump-mediated Na+ efflux. H-7, a nonspecific protein kinase inhibitor, abolished the inhibitory effects of either dopamine or 8-BrcAMP on Na+ efflux but did not affect the inhibitory effects of these compounds on Na+ influx. Dopamine either did not change [Na+](i) or evoked a slight, 2-3 mM, increase in [Na+](i). Together these results demonstrate that, in rat aortic smooth muscle cells, 1) dopamine inhibits Na+/H+ exchange-mediated Na+ influx, 2) dopamine inhibits Na+ pump-mediated Na+ efflux, 3) these effects of dopamine are mediated by an increase in cellular cAMP and, at least in the case of inhibition of the Na+ efflux, by the activation of protein kinase A, and 4) dopamine causes either small or no changes in [Na+](i), due to almost equal inhibition of Na+ influx and Na+ efflux.