Neuropeptide Y regulates rat renal tubular Na,K-ATPase through several signalling pathways

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has at least three receptors (Y1, Y2, and Y3) through which it influences different mechanisms in many cell types. Previous data suggest that the Y2 receptor may be divided into prejunctional and postjunctional subgroups. We have examined the intracellular signalling pathways of the postjunctional Y2 receptor in rat renal proximal tubules. The results indicate that NPY regulates Na+,K(+)-ATPase through several signalling pathways: (1) In proximal tubule (PT) cells NPY increased intracellular calcium. The response was blocked by removing extracellular calcium and was also blocked by using nifedipine. This suggests that calcium was increased by influx from the extracellular space through L-type calcium channels. (2) NPY increased Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in PT segments and this effect was also blocked by nifedipine. CaMKII-Ala286[281-302] a blocker of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) inhibited the NPY-stimulated Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. This implies that increased intracellular calcium activates CaMKII which subsequently increases Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. CaMKII thus appear to act similar to what has been proposed for protein phosphatase 2B. (3) Calphostin C, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), did not inhibit NPY-stimulated Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. PKC is, therefore, unlikely to be involved. (4) Y2 receptors are negatively coupled to the cAMP pathway. NPY attenuated forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in renal tubules and exogenous cAMP counteracted the NPY-stimulated Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. This illustrated the importance of NPY for the regulation of renal sodium handling. We also propose that the renal tubule cell is a good model for studying the function and mechanisms of postjunctional Y2 receptors.