Effects of diadenosine polyphosphates,ATP and angiotensin II on cytosolic Ca2+ activity and contraction of rat mesangial cells

Diadenosine polyphosphates (Ap_nA) are known to influence cellular Ca²⁺ activity ([Ca²⁺]_i) in several cells. Their vasoactive potency has been described in various systems including the kidney. We examined the effects of diadenosine polyphosphates, adenosine 5-triphosphate (ATP) and angiotensin II (Ang II) on cytosolic Ca²⁺ activity of mesangial cells (MC) in culture obtained from normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. [Ca²⁺]_i was measured as a fluorescence ratio F₃₄₀/F₃₈₀ with the fura-2 technique using three excitation wavelengths (340 nm, 360 nm and 380 nm) and a photon counting tube. Resting [Ca²⁺]_i was not significantly different in MC from WKY and SHR rats and was measured as 132±9 nmol/l (n=65) and 114±12 nmol/l (n=36), respectively. Diadenosine polyphosphates (Ap₃A–Ap₆A) increased [Ca²⁺]_i transiently with an initial peak and a secondary plateau phase comparable to the effects of ATP or Ang II. Increases in [Ca²⁺]_i induced by all these agonists were not significantly different between MC of WKY and SHR rats. ATP, Ap₃A, Ap₄A, Ap₅A, Ap₆A (each 5 mol/l) increased the fura-2 fluorescence ratio initially by 0.66±0.09 (n=33), 0.52±0.08 (n=18), 0.25±0.05 (n=16), 0.09±0.06 (n=7), 0.09±0.04 (n=11), respectively. A half-maximal initial increase in the fura-2 fluorescence ratio was reached at 22 nmol/l, 0.9 mol/l, 2.0 mol/l and 4.0 mol/l with Ang II, Ap₃A, ATP and Ap₄A, respectively. Ap₄A (100 mol/l, n=18) led to a reversible contraction of MC. Diadenosine polyphosphates increase [Ca²⁺]_i in rat MC, in a similar manner to ATP or Ang II and lead to a contraction of MC, suggesting that these nucleotides are also involved in the control of glomerular haemodynamics.