Effects of ANF on CGMP Synthesis in Inner Medullary Collecting Duct Subsegments of Rats

The inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) is thought to be a major target site for atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) action. The IMCD is divided into two subsegments (IMCD1, outer third; and IMCD2,3, inner two-thirds) based on differences in urea and water permeability. IMCD1 has similar characteristics to the outer medullary collecting duct (OMCD). To elucidate whether there are any differences among these segments in ANF actions, we investigated the effects of ANF on guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) synthesis in IMCD subsegments and the OMCD. We also examined the effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP) on adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) synthesis. IMCD subsegments (IMCD1,2,3) and OMCD were microdissected; and ANF-stimulated cGMP synthesis and AVP-stimulated cAMP synthesis were measured. cGMP synthesis stimulated by 10(-6) M ANF in IMCD1,2,3 (0.78 +/- 0.15, 0.81 +/- 0.19, 0.62 +/- 0.10 fmol.mm-1 x 3 min-1, mean +/- SE respectively, n = 10-11) was significantly (greater than 20-fold) higher than that in OMCD (0.03 +/- 0.02 fmol.mm-1 x 3 min-1, n = 7), and there was no difference among IMCD subsegments. On the other hand, cAMP synthesis stimulated by 10(-7) M AVP in IMCD subsegments was similar to that in OMCD. We conclude that IMCD is homogenous as a target site of ANF and is clearly distinguished from OMCD. In addition, more than half of ANF-stimulated cGMP synthesis in IMCD are considered to occur in IMCD1, simply because IMCD1 is dominant in population among IMCD subsegments. As target sites of AVP, IMCD subsegments are similar to OMCD.