Kamal F. Badr

Glomerular actions of a free radical-generated novel prostaglandin, 8-epi-prostaglandin F2 alpha, in the rat. Evidence for interaction with thromboxane A2 receptors.

8-epi-prostaglandin F2 alpha (8-epi-PGF2 alpha) and related compounds are novel prostanoid produced by a noncyclooxygenase mechanism involving lipid peroxidation. Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury increased urinary excretion of these compounds by 300% over baseline level. Intrarenal arterial infusion at 0.5, 1, and 2 micrograms/kg per min induced dose-dependent reductions in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow, with renal function ceasing at the highest dose. Micropuncture measurements (0.5 microgram/kg per min) revealed a predominant increase in afferent resistance, resulting in a decrease in transcapillary hydraulic pressure difference, and leading to reductions in single nephron GFR and plasma flow. These changes were completely abolished or reversed by a TxA2 receptor antagonist, SQ 29,548. Competitive radioligand binding studies demonstrated that 8-epi-PGF2 alpha is a potent competitor for [3H]SQ 29,548 binding to rat renal arterial smooth muscle cells (RASM) in culture. Furthermore, addition of 8-epi-PGF2 alpha to RASM or isolated glomeruli was not associated with stimulation of arachidonate cyclooxygenase products. Therefore, 8-epi-PGF2 alpha is a potent preglomerular vasoconstrictor acting principally through TxA2 receptor activation. These findings may explain, in part, the beneficial effects of antioxidant therapy and TxA2 antagonism observed in numerous models of renal injury induced by lipid peroxidation.

Plasma Endothelin Immunoreactivity in Liver Disease and the Hepatorenal Syndrome

BACKGROUND Severe renal vasoconstriction is central to the pathogenesis of renal failure in the hepatorenal syndrome. Endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 are potent, long-acting vasoconstrictors, and endothelin-1 has selective potency as a renal vasoconstrictor. These properties suggest a role for endothelins in the hepatorenal syndrome. METHODS We measured plasma endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 concentrations using specific radioimmunoassays in subjects with hepatorenal syndrome, liver disease but normal renal function, chronic renal failure, acute renal failure, liver dysfunction and renal impairment, or normal liver and kidney function. RESULTS The patients with the hepatorenal syndrome had markedly elevated mean (+/- SE) plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 (36 +/- 5 ng per liter [14.5 +/- 1.8 pmol per liter]) and endothelin-3 (43 +/- 3 ng per liter [16.3 +/- 1.0 pmol per liter]) as compared with the normal subjects (endothelin-1, 4 +/- 1 ng per liter [1.7 +/- 0.2 pmol per liter]; and endothelin-3, 18 +/- 1 ng per liter [6.8 +/- 0.4 pmol per liter]; P < 0.001) and with the patients in the other four groups (P < 0.001 to P < 0.05). The plasma endothelin-1, but not endothelin-3, concentrations in these four patient groups were significantly higher than in the normal subjects (P < 0.001 to P < 0.05). The concentrations of endothelin-1 in renal arterial plasma and renal venous plasma, measured in five patients with the hepatorenal syndrome and three with chronic liver disease and normal renal function, were 20 +/- 4 ng per liter (7.9 +/- 1.8 pmol per liter) and 24 +/- 4 ng per liter (9.5 +/- 1.5 pmol per liter), respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The increase in plasma endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 concentrations in patients with the hepatorenal syndrome is consistent with the hypothesis that these substances have a role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Formation of novel non-cyclooxygenase-derived prostanoids (F2-isoprostanes) in carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity. An animal model of lipid peroxidation.

These studies examine the in vivo formation of a unique series of PGF2-like compounds (F2-isoprostanes) derived from free radical-catalyzed nonenzymatic peroxidation of arachidonic acid. We have previously shown that levels of these compounds increase up to 50-fold in rats administered CCl4. To understand further the formation of these compounds in vivo, we carried out a series of experiments assessing factors influencing their generation. After CCl4 (2 ml/kg) was administered to rats, plasma F2-isoprostanes increased 55-fold by 4 h. Levels declined thereafter, but at 24 h, they were still elevated 21-fold, indicating continued lipid peroxidation. Pretreatment of rats with isonicotinic acid hydrazide and phenobarbital to induce cytochrome P-450 enhanced the production of F2-isoprostanes after CCl4 administration eightfold and fivefold, respectively, whereas inhibition of the cytochrome P-450 system with SKF-525A and 4-methylpyrazole decreased formation of F2-isoprostanes after CCl4 by 55 and 82%, respectively. Further, the glutathione-depleting agents buthionine sulfoximine and phorone augmented the F2-isoprostane response to CCl4 by 22- and 11-fold, respectively. F2-isoprostanes are formed in situ esterified to lipids and, in addition to increases in levels of free F2-isoprostanes in the circulation, levels of F2-isoprostanes esterified to lipids in various organs and plasma also increase sharply during CCl4 poisoning. The measurement of F2-isoprostanes may facilitate investigation of the role of lipid peroxidation in human diseases.

Evidence for glomerular actions of epidermal growth factor in the rat.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), an endogenous mitogenic peptide, has recently been shown to be a potent vasoconstrictor of vascular smooth muscle. In view of its potential role in proliferative and inflammatory renal glomerular diseases, we examined the effects of EGF both on cultured rat mesangial cells and on in vivo glomerular hemodynamics. Mesangial cells possess specific, saturable EGF receptors of differing affinities, with Kds of 0.1 and 1.7 nM, respectively. EGF produced a rapid increase in intracellular pH of 0.12 +/- 0.01 pH U, which was sodium dependent and amiloride inhibitable. The addition of EGF to mesangial cells cultured on either glass or dimethylpolysiloxane substratum induced reproducible cell contraction. Intrarenal EGF infusion did not affect systemic blood pressure or hematocrit but reversibly decreased GFR and renal blood flow from 4.19 +/- 0.33 to 3.33 +/- 0.26 and from 1.17 +/- 0.09 to 0.69 +/- 0.07 ml/min, respectively. Glomerular micropuncture confirmed decreases in single nephron plasma flow and in single nephron GFR (from 142 +/- 9 to 98 +/- 8 and from 51.6 +/- 11.7 to 28.5 +/- 3.5 nl/min, respectively) which were due to significant increases in both pre- and postglomerular arteriolar resistances (from 1.97 +/- 0.31 to 2.65 +/- 0.36 and from 1.19 +/- 0.11 to 2.00 +/- 0.15 10(10) dyn.s.cm-5 respectively) and to a significant decrease in the ultrafiltration coefficient, Kf, which fell from 0.100 +/- 0.019 to 0.031 +/- 0.007 nl/(s.mmHg). These studies demonstrate that mesangial cells possess specific receptors for EGF, and exposure of these cells to physiologic concentrations of EGF results in an in vitro functional response characterized by activation of Na+/H+ exchange and by resultant intracellular alkalinization, as well as by cell contraction. EGF administration in vivo significantly reduces the glomerular capillary ultrafiltration coefficient, Kf, which, in combination with EGF-induced constriction of both preglomerular and postglomerular arterioles, results in acute major reductions in the rates of glomerular filtration and perfusion.

Two distinct pathways in the down-regulation of type-1 angiotensin II receptor gene in rat glomerular mesangial cells

The mRNA level of the type-1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1) was down-regulated by angiotensin II in cultured rat glomerular mesangial cells. The effect was maximum with 1 microM AII at 6 h, sensitive to cycloheximide, and specific to AT1 since this phenomenon was blocked by DuP753, an AT1 antagonist, but not by type-2 antagonist PD123319. Dibutyryl cAMP, forskolin, and cholera toxin also caused AT1 down-regulation. These effects were not altered by either the protein kinase A inhibitor H-8 or cycloheximide. Calcium ionophore A23187, pertussis toxin, protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine, or prolonged incubation with phorbol ester were without effect. These results suggest that there are at least two pathways to down-regulate AT1 mRNA; one way is an angiotensin II-induced, protein kinase C-independent, and cycloheximide-sensitive pathway and the other is an angiotensin II-independent, cAMP-induced, and cycloheximide-insensitive pathway.

Stimulatory Effect of 8-Epi-PGF2α, An F2-Isoprostane, on Endothelin-1 Release

Summary: 8-Epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α) is an F2-isoprostane produced in vivo by a cyclooxygenase-independent, free radical-catalyzed lipid peroxidation mechanism. It exhibits renal vasoconstrictor effects by binding to a receptor related to, but distinct from, that of thromboxane A2 (TxA2). In cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs), competitive binding assays using [3H]-8-epi-PGF2α indicated the existence of two distinct binding sites. The Kd values were similar to those of cultured rat aortic smooth-muscle cells, suggesting that the high- and the low-affinity binding sites represent isoprostane and TxA2 receptors, respectively. 8-Epi-PGF2α dose-dependently stimulated endothelin-1 (ET-1) secretion from BAECs. These increases were partially inhibited by a TxA2 receptor antagonist, consistent with the premise that isoprostanes and TxA2 recognize closely related receptors. The presence of specific binding sites for F2-isoprostanes on endothelial cells widens the scope of the possible pathophysiologic significance of these eicosanoids, released during oxidant injury, to include alteration of endothelial cell biology. The release of ET-1 by 8-epi-PGF2α may help to explain the large increases in plasma and urinary concentrations for both ET-1 and 8-epi-PGF2α in patients with hepatorenal syndrome.

Identification of two types of specific endothelin receptors in rat mesangial cell.

Two types of receptors specific for endothelin were identified using cross-linking technique in cultured rat mesangial cells. The molecular weights of these receptors were approximately 58,000 and 34,000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The binding of radioiodinated-endothelin to its receptors was inhibited by excess of unlabeled endothelin, but not by nifedipine, nicardipine, verapamil, diltiazem, angiotensin II or [Arg8]-vasopressin. The endothelin binding proteins were solubilized with 1% digitonin and fractionated under non-denaturing conditions by gel filtration. Two endothelin binding peaks eluted at the positions corresponding to the molecular weights of 65,000 and 43,000. These observations indicate that there are two types of specific endothelin receptors in rat mesangial cells which are distinct from voltage dependent L-type calcium channel.

Preservation of the glomerular capillary ultrafiltration coefficient during rat nephrotoxic serum nephritis by a specific leukotriene D4 receptor antagonist.

Leukotriene D4, a potent biologically active lipoxygenase derivative of arachidonic acid in activated leukocytes, depresses the glomerular capillary ultrafiltration coefficient (Kf) and contracts mesangial cells in culture. We therefore investigated its potential role in mediating the reduction in nephron filtration rate seen after induction of experimental nephrotoxic serum (NTS)-induced glomerulonephritis in the rat. Micropuncture measurements were performed in euvolemic Munich-Wistar rats 2 h after i.v. administration of 0.8 ml of rabbit serum (group 1, n = 6), 0.8 ml of rabbit anti-rat glomerular basement membrane antibody in the absence (group 2, n = 8), or presence (group 3, n = 7) of the new highly specific LTD4 receptor antagonist SK&F 104353. Quantitation of antibody binding and neutrophil infiltration revealed no differences between groups 2 and 3. Antagonism of endogenous LTD4 actions, however, was associated with prevention of the NTS-induced fall in SNGFR because of the abrogation of the fall in Kf which characterizes this form of experimental glomerulonephritis. Antagonism of endogenous LTD4 had no effect on the NTS-induced increases in pre- and postglomerular arteriolar resistances, and did not affect nephron plasma flow rate or net transcapillary hydraulic pressure difference. The observed highly localized protective action of the LTD4 antagonist on the glomerular capillary points to a possibly major functional role for intraglomerularly released LTD4, likely originating from infiltrating leukocytes, in the pathophysiology of this form of glomerulonephritis.

High and low affinity binding sites for endothelin on cultured rat glomerular mesangial cells

Endothelin contracts glomerular mesangial cells, thereby influencing glomerular size and filtration rate. Here, we demonstrate the presence of two ET-specific binding sites on cultured rat mesangial cells with Kds of 0.76 and 44.70 nM, and maximal binding capacity (Bmax) values of 6.78 x 10(2) and 27.60 x 10(2) binding sites/cell, respectively. Binding of [125I]-ET was maximal at 120 min at 4 degrees C, stable for the subsequent 60 min, and selective. No competition for binding was observed with greater than 1000-fold concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide, angiotensin II, arginine vasopressin, nicardipine, or nifedipine. The presence of specific receptors for ET on glomerular mesangial cells suggests a major role for this peptide in the regulation of glomerular filtration rate.

The action of Lipoxin-A on glomerular microcirculatory dynamics in the rat

Intrarenal administration of 750 ng/kg/min of LX-A in euvolemic rats resulted in significant increases in single nephron GFR (38.4 +/- 1.7 to 45.5 +/- 3.0 nl/min) and plasma flow rate (95 +/- 6 to 127 +/- 9 nl/min). The latter was due to a dramatic fall in afferent arteriolar resistance. Mean transcapillary hydraulic pressure difference increased from 33 +/- 1 to 43 +/- 3 mmHg (p less than 0.05) and the glomerular capillary ultrafiltration coefficient fell from 0.060 +/- 0.013 to 0.033 +/- 0.005 nl/(s X mmHg) (p less than 0.05). These responses to LXA in the renal microcirculation are in sharp contrast to those previously observed for the leukotrienes, and thus may represent the first example of counterregulatory (constrictor/dilator) vascular interactions within the lipoxygenase pathways.