Nitric oxide stimulates guanylate cyclase and regulates sodium transport in rabbit proximal tubule

The proximal tubule contains the target for nitric oxide (NO), soluble guanylate cyclase, and has the capacity for NO production. Inhibition of renal NO synthesis reduces fractional excretion of lithium, suggesting an inhibitory effect of NO on proximal tubule Nat transport. The present studies determined direct effects of donors of NO in rabbit proximal tubule. In both freshly isolated proximal tubule segments and in primary cultures of proximal tubule cells, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) caused dose dependent increases in guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP). SNAP was more potent than SNP in stimulating cGMP; this was associated with an enhanced production of nitrite, the stable end-product of NO. In rabbit proximal tubule cells, SNP or SNAP(10(-3) M) significantly inhibited the activity of the apical Na+/H+ exchanger, determined by assay of amiloride-sensitive Na-22(+) uptake (%inhibition: SNP, 34.90 +/- 5.52%, P < 0.001; SNAP, 30.77 +/- 8.20%, P < 0.002). To determine the role of cGMP in mediating these effects, proximal tubule cells were incubated with the membrane-permeable analogue, 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcGMP). Na+/H+ exchange was significantly inhibited by 8-BrcGMP (10(-3) M) (%inhibition: 32.40 +/- 9.06%; P < 0.05). The inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, LY-83583, caused partial inhibition of SNP-stimulated cGMP generation and partly blocked the inhibitory effect of SNP on Na+/H+ exchange. Protein kinase A (PKA) activity was not stimulated by SNP, indicating that: potential cross-activation of PKA by cGMP did not mediate the effects of NO donors. These data indicate that NO stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase in rabbit proximal tubule and causes inhibition of Na+/H+ exchange. This is at least partly mediated by generation of cGMP. We conclude that NO is an important autocrine or paracrine factor directly regulating Na+ transport in the proximal tubule.