Effect of glucagon on renin secretion in the dog

The effects of glucagon alone or in combination with theophylline on renin section were studied in relation to renal hemodynamic responses in anesthetized dogs. The intrarenal infusion of glucagon (0.5 microgram/kg/min) increased heart rate, renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and urine flow without any effect on renin secretion, but at a higher dose (1.0 microgram/kg/min) it increased renin secretion significantly. Theophylline (0.1 mg/kg/min) did not affect renal hemodynamics but caused a slight increase in renin secretion after 30--60 min infusion. The combined infusion of glucagon (0.5 microgram/kg/min) with theophylline (0.1 mg/kg/min) increased renin secretion markedly, although it produced renal hemodynamic changes similar to those induced by glucagon alone. These effects were not suppressed by d,l-propranolol (1.0 microgram/kg/min). It is suggested that the increase in renin secretion caused by the combined infusion of glucagon and theophylline resulted mainly from an increase in cyclic AMP in the juxtaglomerular cells, and not from stimulation of beta-adrenoceptors.