Bromocriptine Regulates Angiotensin II Response on Sodium Pump in Proximal Tubules

-Dopamine and angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors have been reported to exhibit an interaction in renal proximal tubules. The present study was designed to investigate the regulation by a D2-like dopamine receptor of Ang II-mediated stimulation of Na,K-ATPase activity in the renal proximal tubules. Ang II (10(-13) to 10(-9) mol/L) stimulated Na,K-ATPase activity in the proximal tubules that was completely abolished when the tubules were pretreated with the D2-like receptor agonist bromocriptine (1 micromol/L) for 30 minutes. The effect of bromocriptine on Ang II response was prevented by domperidone (1 micromol/L), a D2-like dopamine receptor antagonist. Similarly, the inhibition of forskolin (1 micromol/L)-induced cAMP accumulation caused by Ang II (10 pmol/L) was also abolished in bromocriptine-pretreated tubules. Basal and forskolin-stimulated cAMP was not significantly different in bromocriptine-treated tubules compared with the control. [3H]-Ang II binding sites (angiotensin type 1 [AT1] receptors) were reduced by approximately 65% in bromocriptine-treated proximal tubules, a result that was further substantiated by Western blot analysis revealing a 50% decrease in AT1 receptors in bromocriptine-treated tubules compared with the control. Western blot analysis of G proteins revealed a 2-fold increase in Gsalpha and a 20% decrease in Gialpha1 and Gialpha2 in the bromocriptine-treated proximal tubules. Bromocriptine (1 micromol/L) alone stimulated Na,K-ATPase activity during the first 30 minutes of incubation, and thereafter the stimulation fell to the basal level. Similarly, bromocriptine-mediated inhibition of cAMP lasted only up to 20 minutes. The data suggest that preactivation of D2-like dopamine receptors abolishes Ang II-mediated stimulation of Na,K-ATPase activity and inhibition of cAMP accumulation. This phenomenon may be a consequence of a decrease in AT1 receptors and alterations in G protein levels in the proximal tubules. We propose that such a regulation of Ang II response by bromocriptine is the result of heterologous desensitization of the D2-like receptor system.