Renal proximal tubular AT2 receptor: signaling and transport

Previous studies have documented that the vasoactive agonist angiotensin II (AngII) directly affects proximal tubular sodium-bicarbonate reabsorption in a biphasic manner, whereby picomolar concentrations promote reabsorption and nanomolar concentrations have the converse effect. Although it is generally agreed that the AT1 receptor subtype mediates AngII-induced sodium-bicarbonate reabsorption primarily through adenylate cyclase, the receptor subtype mediating natriuresis is less well defined. Using mouse proximal tubular cells, this study documents AT1-dependent enhancement (candesartan-inhibitable) of bicarbonate reabsorption and AT2-induced (PD123319- and CGP42112A-inhibitable) decrement of bicarbonate absorption. The signaling mechanisms were examined in rabbit proximal tubule cells in culture. The AT2 signaling involves G protein beta- and gamma-mediated phospholipase A2 activation, arachidonic acid release, and downstream events linked to Shc/Grb2/Sos and p21ras rather than protein kinase C as reported previously for AngII receptors. These observations provide a novel mechanism for AngII-AT2 receptor-mediated transport modulation.