Abstract P210: (Pro)Renin Receptor Regulates Potassium Homeostasis via Intrarenal Aldosterone

Abstract

It has been shown that transgenic overexpression of human (pro)renin receptor (PRR) results in elevated aldosterone (Aldo) level with unclear functional implications. The present study examined a potential role of renal PRR during high K + (HK) loading. In normal SD rats, a 1-week HK intake (5% KCl in diet) induced a 3.4-fold increase in renal protein expression of full-length PRR and 4.2-fold increase in urinary excretion of soluble PRR (sPRR). Administration of PRO20, a decoy peptide antagonist of PRR, at 700 μg/kg/d via i.p. injections, to K + -loaded animals elevated plasma K + level (5.72+0.08 vs. 4.84±0.18 mM, p<0.05) and decreased urinary K + excretion (2.52+0.11 vs. 3.43+0.19 mmol/24h, p<0.05), accompanied with a 26.2% reduction of urinary aldosterone (Aldo) excretion. HK downregulated NCC protein expression (57.8%) and upregulated renal protein expression of aldosterone synthase CYP11B2 (229%), ROMK (156%), calcium-activated potassium channel subunit alpha-1 (α-BK) (367%), α-Na + -K + -ATPase (596%), and β-ENaC (155%), all of which were significantly blunted by PRO20 (by 50 - 70%). The same maneuvers were applied to adrenalectomized (ADX) rats. Although plasma Aldo was extremely low and also unresponsive to HK loading, urinary Aldo excretion was elevated by 274% with this treatment, which was abolished by PRO20. The HK-induced responses of the above K + and Na + transporting proteins in ADX rats all persisted and also remained sensitive to PRO20. Additionally, spironolactone treatment in ADX rats was still effective in inhibiting kaliuresis induced by HK loading, resulting in hyperkalemia (Plasma K+: 5.13±0.07 vs. 4.19±0.27 mM, p<0.05). In primary rat IMCD cells, exposure to 10 mM KCl for 24 h augmented PRR protein expression and sPRR release in a time- and dose-dependent manner. HK upregulated Aldo release in parallel with increased CYP11B2 protein expression, which were both attenuated by PRO20 or PRR siRNA. A recombinant sPRR, sPRR-His, stimulated Aldo release and CYP11B2 expression. Taken together, we conclude that HK increased renal PRR expression that stimulates renal synthesis of Aldo that coordinates the response of renal membrane Na + and K + transporting proteins to facilitate K + secretion.