Angiotensin II stimulates ammoniagenesis in canine renal proximal tubule segments

To determine whether angiotensin II (ANG II) affects ammoniagenesis in renal proximal tubule, ammonia production was measured in suspensions of canine renal proximal tubule segments (PCT) incubated with L-glutamine and varying concentrations of ANG II. Ammonia production from PCT was significantly increased by 15.5 +/- 1.1% in the presence of ANG II (10(-6) M) at 2 h. Similarly, glucose production significantly increased by 10.0 +/- 0.9%. Half-maximal stimulation occurred at approximately 10(-9) M ANG II. Stimulation of ammonia production by ANG II was blocked in the presence of the ANG II antagonist, [Sar1-Ile8]ANG II (10(-6) M). Enhancement of ammonia production in PCT by ANG II occurred in acidotic and neutral media but not in alkalotic medium. When extracellular [Na+] = intracellular [Na+] ANG II significantly increased ammonia production in PCT. Absence of extracellular Ca2+ or addition of trifluoperazine or N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulfonamide (W-7) (Ca2(+)-calmodulin-dependent pathway inhibitors) blocked the action of ANG II to enhance ammonia production. We conclude that ANG II stimulates ammonia and glucose production in canine renal PCT via a receptor-mediated signal. The action of ANG II on ammoniagenesis may be mediated by a calcium-calmodulin-dependent pathway. Stimulation of ammoniagenesis in vitro under normal and acidotic conditions may reflect a role in vivo for ANG II in the regulation of renal acid-base metabolism.