The role of Ca2+ and calmodulin in the regulation of atrial natriuretic peptide-stimulated guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate accumulation by isolated mouse Leydig cells

We have investigated the role of Ca2+ and calmodulin in the stimulation of cGMP formation by mouse Leydig cells in response to rat atriopeptin-II (rAP-II). Removal of extracellular Ca2+ had no influence on the levels of cGMP accumulated by the cells stimulated with rAP-II. The amounts of testosterone produced by unstimulated and rAP-II-stimulated cells were, however, reduced by 50% in the absence of Ca2+ from the incubation medium. Addition of ionomycin to the Leydig cells led to a dose-related inhibition of rAP-II-stimulated cGMP formation, but the basal cGMP level was not affected. These experiments were carried out in the presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. The inhibitory effect of ionomycin was absolutely dependent upon the presence of Ca2+ in the medium. The guanylate cyclase activity required the presence of a cation, and Mn2+, Mg2+, or Ca2+ could function as the required cation. There was no direct inhibition of the cyclase activity by Ca2+ up to as high a concentration as 8 mM. Furthermore, three structurally unrelated calmodulin antagonists, W7, trifluoperazine, and calmidazolium, but not W5, caused a dose-related inhibition of rAP-II-stimulated cGMP accumulation by the cells. The inhibitory effect of calmodulin antagonists was not exerted directly at the level of guanylate cyclase activity, since the particulate enzyme was not inhibited by any of these drugs. We conclude, therefore, that extracellular Ca2+ is not essential for rAP-II-mediated stimulation of cGMP formation by mouse Leydig cells, at least under the short term incubation conditions used. An excessive ionophoretic influx of Ca2+ into the cells impairs the ability of rAP-II to stimulate cGMP formation. Therefore, it appears that a finely regulated level of intracellular Ca2+ is required for optimal activation of atrial natriuretic peptide-responsive guanylate cyclase in mouse Leydig cells, and calmodulin plays an important role in this process.