Stimulatory effects of neuronally released norepinephrine on renin release in vitro

Extracellular high potassium inhibits renin release in vitro by increasing calcium concentrations in the juxtaglomerular cells. We found that the decreased response of renin release from rat kidney cortical slices in high potassium solution (20-80 mM) changed to a strikingly increased one in the presence of nifedipine at doses over 10(-6) M. We then examined the stimulatory effect of extracellular high potassium in the presence of nifedipine on renin release. The enhancement of release was significantly suppressed either by propranolol or by metoprolol but not by prazosin. High potassium plus nifedipine-induced increase in renin release was markedly attenuated by renal denervation. The enhancing effect was not observed when the slices were incubated in calcium-free medium. Divalent cations such as Cd2+, Co2+, and Mn2+ (0.1-3.0 mM) blocked this enhancement in a concentration-dependent manner. High potassium elicited an increase in 3H efflux from the slices preloaded with [3H]norepinephrine. The increasing effect was not influenced by nifedipine but was abolished by the removal of extracellular calcium or by the addition of divalent cations. These observations suggest to us that the high potassium plus nifedipine-induced increase in renin release from the slices is mediated by norepinephrine derived from renal sympathetic nerves and that this neuronally released norepinephrine stimulates renin release via activation of beta-adrenoceptors.