Dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase in the rat kidney particulate preparation

Dopamine, apomorphine, isoproterenol and norepinephrine all increased the concentration of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in the rat kidney particulate preparation, which was composed of tubules, glomeruli and blood vessels. The concentrations of dopamine, apomorphine, isoproterenol and norepinephrine causing a half-maximal increase were 50, 83, 0.1 and 10 muM, respectively. The alpha-blocker, phentolamine, at a concentration as high as 1 mM, did not significantly reduce the effect of these drugs on the adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate concentration. The beta-blocker, propranolol (50 muM), blocked the effect of isoproterenol and norepinephrine, but not that of dopamine. The effect of dopamine was selectively blocked by spiroperidol (50 muM), a dopamine receptor antagonist, whereas the effects of isoproterenol and norepinephrine was not blocked by spiroperidol. These results suggest that in the rat kidney particulate preparation there is a specific dopamine receptor which can lead to the increase in the concentration of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate.