Dopaminergic stimulation of cAMP accumulation in cultured rat mesangial cells

Dopamine (DA) alters renal hemodynamics, and DA receptors have been demonstrated in isolated glomeruli. To determine the glomerular cell type bearing DA receptors, we studied the effect of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists on adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation in rat glomerular mesangial and epithelial cells in culture. DA caused a marked dose- and time-dependent increase in cAMP accumulation in mesangial but not epithelial cells. The stimulatory effect of DA was abolished by the DA antagonists haloperidol, trifluoperazine, and cis-thiothixene but not by beta- or alpha-adrenergic or histamine antagonists. Similar to the effects of DA, two dopamine type I receptor agonists, fenoldopam and SKF 38393, markedly stimulated cAMP accumulation in the mesangial cells. Moreover, the effects of DA were blocked by Sch 23390, a specific DA1 receptor antagonist, but not domperidone, a specific DA2 antagonist. These results show that DA regulates cAMP accumulation in mesangial cells via DA1-type receptors.