The interaction of canrenone with the Na+,K+ pump in human red blood cells

Summary Canrenone inhibits 30–40% of ouabain-sensitive Na⁺ efflux in human red cells. Half-maximal inhibition was obtained with a canrenone concentration=86±37 mol/l (mean±SD of 13 experiments). The partial inhibition of the Na⁺,K⁺ pump appears to be mediated at the digitalis receptor site with an apparent dissociation constant (K _C)=200±130 mol/l (mean±SD). Further evidence suggesting that canrenone is a partial agonist at the digitalis receptor site was obtained by the observation that it decreases the apparent affinity of the Na⁺,K⁺ pump for external K⁺. However, in contrast to ouabain, canrenone decreases the apparent pump affinity for internal Na⁺.Our results show that, at physiological cell Na⁺ levels canrenone is able to enhance the inhibition of the Na⁺,K⁺ pump by low doses of ouabain. Conversely, in cells treated with high concentrations of cardiac glycosides (in which cell Na⁺ content increases), canrenone is able to restimulate the blocked pumps.