BAY-K-8644-stimulated cyclic GMP synthesis in mouse pituitary tumor cells

The 1,4-dihydropyridine BAY-K-8644 [methyl-1,4-dihydro-2, 6-dimethyl-3-nitro-4-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)-pyridine-5-carboxylate] acts as both a calcium channel agonist and antagonist by stimulating or inhibiting inward calcium current. In AtT-20 mouse pituitary tumor cells, BAY-K-8644 both stimulates and blocks adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion. Because in several cell systems the cytoplasmic enzyme guanylate cyclase is activated, presumably by calcium entry, the effect of BAY-K-8644 on cyclic GMP (cGMP) synthesis in AtT-20 cells was assessed. BAY-K-8644 increased cGMP accumulation in a time-dependent manner. The concentrations of BAY-K-8644, however, required to increase cGMP formation were not associated with its stimulatory effects on secretion but rather with its ability to antagonize basal and (-)-isoproterenol-induced ACTH secretion. The inhibitory effect of BAY-K-8644 on ACTH secretion was not mimicked by 8-Br-cGMP. The cGMP response to BAY-K-8644 was not mimicked by the cationophore, A-23187, or depolarizing concentrations of K+. Other calcium channel antagonists such as nifedipine or verapamil had markedly smaller effects on cGMP formation compared to BAY-K-8644. Sodium nitroprusside and sodium azide both increased cGMP synthesis in AtT-20 cells and both inhibited, to a lesser extent than BAY-K-8644, both basal- and (-)-isoproterenol-stimulated ACTH release. The data suggest that BAY-K-8644 stimulates cGMP synthesis by binding to sites less accessible or poorly activated by other dihydropyridines, and that stimulation of guanylate cyclase is independent of inward calcium current.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)