Eicosanoids and control of mesangial cell contraction

Contraction of glomerular mesangial cells is stimulated in vitro by the vasoconstrictor metabolite of arachidonic acid, thromboxane A2. To establish the role of mesangial prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in the modulation of contractile responses, we studied the effects of the stable thromboxane A2/endoperoxide analogue U-46619 on cultured rat mesangial cells preincubated with 1) four structurally unrelated, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, indomethacin, acetylsalicylic acid, meclofenamate, and piroxicam, to inhibit the synthesis of PGE2, the major mesangial metabolite of arachidonic acid; 2) exogenous PGE2 and the stable analogue of PGI2, iloprost; and 3) indomethacin in the presence of exogenous PGE2. Computer-assisted image analysis microscopy demonstrated enhancement of spontaneous and agonist-induced contraction by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in individual cells grown on a glass substrate, from 37.2 +/- 7.3% to a maximum of 75.5 +/- 6.4% of the cells with piroxicam, at 1 microM U-46619. PGE2 and iloprost dose-dependently inhibited U-46619-induced contraction, to 5.0 +/- 2.8% and 12.5 +/- 4.7% of the cells, respectively, at 1 microM U-46619. PGE2 also completely reversed the effects of indomethacin. Both PGE2 and iloprost dose-dependently stimulated intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) accumulation during 3-minute incubations, an effect that was blocked by the inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine. The latter reversed the inhibitory action of PGE2, enhancing spontaneous and agonist-induced contractility, thus indicating a modulatory role of cAMP. We conclude that endogenous arachidonate metabolism regulates mesangial cell contraction through elevation of intracellular cAMP.