Adenosine is a determinant of metabolic control of organ function increasing oxygen supply through the A2 class of adenosine receptors and reducing oxygen demand through A1 adenosine receptors (A1AR). In the kidney, activation of A1AR in afferent glomerular arterioles has been suggested to contribute to tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), the vasoconstriction elicited by elevations in [NaCl] in the macula densa region of the nephron. To further elucidate the role of A1AR in TGF, we have generated mice in which the entire A1AR coding sequence was deleted by homologous recombination. Homozygous A1AR mutants that do not express A1AR mRNA transcripts and do not respond to A1AR agonists are viable and without gross anatomical abnormalities. Plasma and urinary electrolytes were not different between genotypes. Likewise, arterial blood pressure, heart rates, and glomerular filtration rates were indistinguishable between A1AR ؉/؉ , A1AR

Experiments were performed to examine the effect of changes in dietary salt intake on the neuronal form of the constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ncNOS, type I NOS), renin, and angiotensinogen mRNA expression in the kidney. Three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied as follows: rats maintained on a 3% Na diet plus 0.45% NaCl in the drinking fluid for 7 days (high salt), rats given a single injection of furosemide (2 mg/kg i.p.) and a 0.03% Na diet for 7 days (low salt), and rats on a diet containing 0.2% Na (control). mRNA expression was assessed with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methods using cDNA prepared from samples of renal cortex and microdissected tubular segments. ncNOS PCR products were quantified by comparison with a dilution series of a mutant deletion template. Compared with their respective control, ncNOS mRNA levels in renal cortical tissue were elevated in rats on a low-salt diet and reduced in rats on a high-salt diet. Similar changes were seen in the expression of renin and angiotensinogen mRNA. Dietary salt intake did not alter the mRNA levels for ncNOS from the inner medulla or for endothelial constitutive NOS (ecNOS, type III NOS) and inducible NOS (iNOS, type II NOS) in the renal cortex. ncNOS mRNA was found in glomeruli dissected with the macula densa-containing segment (MDCS), but only at marginal levels in glomeruli without MDCS. Furthermore, a low-salt diet stimulated ncNOS mRNA in glomeruli with MDCS by 6.2-fold compared with a high-salt diet. There was no effect of salt diet on ncNOS mRNA in glomeruli without MDCS or in inner medullary collecting ducts. These results suggest that ncNOS expression in macula densa cells is inversely regulated by salt intake, thus following the known response of the renin-angiotensin system to changes in salt balance.

Transport inhibitor and ion substitution studies were performed using perfused, superfused preparations of the isolated rabbit juxtaglomerular apparatus to investigate transport dependency of macula densa-mediated renin secretion. In the first experimental series, tubular perfusion with a high-NaCl solution containing 10(-6) M bumetanide increased renin secretion compared with perfusion with high NaCl alone from 8.7 to 24.6 nano-Goldblatt hog units (nGU)/min. Bath addition of 10(-6) M bumetanide had no effect on renin release. The second series tested ability of luminal addition of 54 mmol/l Na or Cl salts to inhibit renin secretion, starting from a stimulated value produced by low-NaCl perfusion. Perfusion with a high-NaCl solution decreased renin secretion from 58.9 to 14.8 nGU/min, which served as a positive control. Addition of choline chloride decreased renin secretion from 42.7 to 16.6 nGU/min, and RbCl decreased renin secretion from 54.9 to 17.0 nGU/min. In contrast, addition of two different Na salts had no effect on renin release (from 41.7 to 31.6 nGU/min with sodium isethionate and from 14.1 to 13.5 nGU/min with sodium acetate). Also, in the presence of 26 mmol/l Cl, addition of 54 mmol/l Na had no effect on renin secretion (29.9-36.8 nGU/min). These data demonstrate that renin secretion is directly stimulated by luminal application of transport blockers and can be inhibited by increases in Cl concentration at the macula densa but not by changes in Na concentration. These results support the hypothesis that the initiating signal for macula densa control of renin secretion is an inverse change in transport rate via the luminal Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- cotransporter.

Three different full-length splice isoforms of the Na-K-2Cl co-transporter (NKCC2/BSC1) are expressed along the thick ascending limb of Henle (TAL), designated NKCC2A, NKCC2B, and NKCC2F. NKCC2F is expressed in the medullary, NKCC2B mainly in the cortical, and NKCC2A in medullary and cortical portions of the TAL. NKCC2B and NKCC2A were shown to be coexpressed in the macula densa (MD) segment of the mouse TAL. The functional consequences of the existence of three different isoforms of NKCC2 are unclear. For studying the specific role of NKCC2A in kidney function, NKCC2A؊/؊ mice were generated by homologous recombination. NKCC2A؊/؊ mice were viable and showed no gross abnormalities. Ambient urine osmolarity was reduced significantly in NKCC2A؊/؊ compared with wild-type mice, but water deprivation elevated urine osmolarity to similar levels in both genotypes. Baseline plasma renin concentration and the effects of a high-and a low-salt diet on plasma renin concentration were similar in NKCC2A؉/؉ and ؊/؊ mice. However, suppression of renin secretion by acute intravenous saline loading (5% of body weight), a measure of MD-dependent inhibition of renin secretion, was reduced markedly in NKCC2A؊/؊ mice compared with wild-type mice. Cl and water absorption along microperfused loops of Henle of NKCC2A؊/؊ mice were unchanged at normal flow rates but significantly reduced at supranormal flow. Tubuloglomerular feedback function curve as determined by stop flow pressure measurements was left-shifted in NKCC2A؊/؊ compared with wild-type mice, with maximum responses being significantly diminished. In summary, NKCC2A activity seems to be required for MD salt sensing in the high Cl concentration range. Coexpression of both high-and low-affinity isoforms of NKCC2 may permit transport and Cl-dependent tubuloglomerular feedback regulation to occur over a wider Cl concentration range. T he Na-K-2Cl co-transporter (NKCC2), located in the apical membrane of the epithelial cells of the thick ascending limb of Henle (TAL), constitutes the major cellular uptake pathway in this portion of the nephron. In addition, NKCC2 transport activity in macula densa (MD) cells is considered to be the initial step in the signaling chain that links tubular epithelial cells of the TAL with vascular cells of the afferent arteriole (1-5). At least four different full-length splice isoforms of NKCC2 are expressed along the TAL, designated NKCC2A, NKCC2B, NKCC2F, and NKCC2AF (6 -10). These isoforms of the transporter are derived from differential splicing of the variable exon 4 of the NKCC2 gene (7,8,11). Exon 4 encodes for amino acids of the second transmembrane domain and the adjacent intracellular loop of NKCC2, a region that has been shown to be involved in the ion-binding characteristics of the co-transporter (11). Cell-specific splicing results in heterogeneous expression of the various NKCC2 isoforms along the TAL. NKCC2F, the most abundant NKCC2 isoform, is expressed in the medullary TAL, NKCC2B mainly in the cortical TAL, and NKCC2A both in medullar...

Abstract. Adenosine induces vasoconstriction of renal afferent arterioles through activation of A1 adenosine receptors (A1AR). A1AR are directly coupled to Gi/Go, resulting in inhibition of adenylate cyclase, but the contribution of this signaling pathway to smooth muscle cell activation is unclear. In perfused afferent arterioles from mouse kidney, adenosine and the A1 agonist N 6

Na,K,2Cl co-transporter (NKCC2), the primary NaCl uptake pathway in the thick ascending limb of Henle, is expressed in three different full-length splice variants, called NKCC2F, NKCC2A, and NKCC2B. These variants, derived by differential splicing of the variable exon 4, show a distinct distribution pattern along the loop of Henle, but the functional significance of this organization is unclear. By introduction of premature stop codons into exon 4B, specific for the B isoform, mice with an exclusive NKCC2B deficiency were generated. Relative expression levels and distribution patterns of NKCC2A and NKCC2F were not altered in the NKCC2B-deficient mice. NKCC2B-deficient mice did not display a salt-losing phenotype; basal plasma renin and aldosterone levels were not different from those of wild-type mice. Ambient urine osmolarities, however, were slightly but significantly reduced. Distal Cl concentration was significantly elevated and loop of Henle Cl absorption was reduced in microperfused superficial loops of Henle of NKCC2B-deficient mice. Because of the presence of NKCC2A in the macula densa, maximum tubuloglomerular feedback responses were normal, but tubuloglomerular feedback function curves were right-shifted, indicating reduced sensitivity in the subnormal flow range. Plasma renin concentration in NKCC2B-deficient mice was reduced under conditions of salt loading compared with that in wild-type mice. This study shows the feasibility of generating mice with specific deletions of single splice variants. The mild phenotype of mice that are deficient in the B isoform of NKCC2 indicates a limited role for NKCC2B for overall salt retrieval. Nevertheless, the high-affinity NKCC2B contributes to salt absorption and macula densa function in the low NaCl concentration range.

By crossing mice with expression of Cre recombinase under control of the endogenous renin promoter (Sequeira Lopez ML, Pentz ES, Nomasa T, Smithies O, Gomez RA. Dev Cell 6: 719–728, 2004) with mice in which exon 1 of the Gnas gene was flanked by loxP sites (Chen M, Gavrilova O, Liu J, Xie T, Deng C, Nguyen AT, Nackers LM, Lorenzo J, Shen L, Weinstein LS. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA), we generated animals with preferential and nearly complete excision of Gsα in juxtaglomerular granular (JG) cells. Compared with wild-type animals, mice with conditional Gsα deficiency had markedly reduced basal levels of renin expression and very low plasma renin concentrations. Furthermore, the acute release responses to furosemide, hydralazine, and isoproterenol were virtually abolished. Consistent with a state of primary renin depletion, Gsα-deficient mice had reduced arterial blood pressure, reduced levels of aldosterone, and a low glomerular filtration rate. Renin content and renin secretion of JG cells in primary culture were drastically reduced, and the stimulatory response to the addition of PGE2 or isoproterenol was eliminated. Unexpectedly, Gsα recombination was also observed in the renal medulla, and this was associated with a vasopressin-resistant concentrating defect. Our study shows that Cre recombinase under control of the renin promoter can be used for the excision of floxed targets from JG cells. We conclude that Gsα-mediated signal transduction is essential and nonredundant in the control of renin synthesis and release.

Adenosine coordinates organ metabolism and blood supply, and it modulates immune responses. In the kidney it mediates the vascular response elicited by changes in NaCl concentration in the macula densa region of the nephron, thereby serving as an important regulator of GFR. To determine whether adenosine formation depends on extracellular nucleotide hydrolysis, we studied NaCl-dependent GFR regulation (tubuloglomerular feedback) in mice with targeted deletion of ecto-5′-nucleotidase/CD73 (e-5′NT/CD73), the enzyme responsible for adenosine formation from AMP. e-5′NT/CD73 -/-mice were viable and showed no gross anatomical abnormalities. Blood pressure, blood and urine chemistry, and renal blood flow were not different between e-5′NT/CD73 +/+ and e-5′NT/CD73 -/-mice. e-5′NT/CD73 -/-mice had a significantly reduced fall in stop flow pressure and superficial nephron glomerular filtration rate in response to a saturating increase of tubular perfusion flow. Furthermore, whereas tubuloglomerular feedback responses did not change significantly during prolonged loop of Henle perfusion in e-5′NT/CD73 +/+ mice, a complete disappearance of the residual feedback response was noted in e-5′NT/CD73 -/-mice over 10 minutes of perfusion. The contractile response of isolated afferent arterioles to adenosine was normal in e-5′NT/CD73 -/-mice. We conclude that the generation of adenosine at the glomerular pole depends to a major extent on e-5′NT/CD73-mediated dephosphorylation of 5′-AMP, presumably generated from released ATP. IntroductionAdenosine is a multifunctional nucleoside that coordinates cellular oxygen supply and demand by adapting organ blood flow to metabolic rate (1). In addition, adenosine plays a major role in immune responsiveness with its net effect being either pro-or anti-inflammatory, depending on adenosine receptor subtype representation (2). Studies in adenosine receptor KO mice have contributed importantly to further defining nonredundant roles of adenosine in both processes. Our focus has been to elucidate the role of adenosine in the local hemodynamic control mechanism, called tubuloglomerular feedback, that operates in the kidney at the level of the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA). Tubuloglomerular feedback describes a functional connection between the tubular epithelium at the site of the macula densa (MD) and the underlying smooth muscle cells of the afferent and efferent glomerular arterioles. An increase in NaCl concentration in the luminal fluid at the MD cells causes an activation of smooth muscle cells and arteriolar vasoconstriction. As a consequence, glomerular filtration pressure and filtration rate fall. Both pharmacological and gene-targeting approaches have shown that tubuloglomerular feedback-induced vasoconstriction has an absolute requirement for functional A1 adenosine receptors (A1ARs), suggesting that adenosine as their natural ligand