Action and mechanism of action of veratrine on renin secretion from rat kidney slices.

It is well known that norepinephrine released from the renal nerves stimulates the secretion of renin by a beta adrenergic mechanism. In the present experiments, we investigated the effects of renin secretion of veratrine, which depolarizes nerve terminals and thereby causes transmitter release. The rat renal cortical slice preparation was used. Veratrine (10-200 microM) stimulated renin secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. Veratrine-stimulated secretion was antagonized by timolol (0.9 and 9.0 microM) and by tetrodotoxin (0.5 and 5.0 microM), a sodium channel blocker. Neither drug abolished completely the stimulatory effect of veratrine. Moreover, veratrine stimulated renin secretion in slices prepared from previously denervated kidneys; this response was not antagonized by timolol. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that veratrine stimulates renin secretion by at least two mechanisms. One component probably consists of veratrine-induced depolarization of renal nerve terminals, release of norepinephrine and activation of juxtaglomerular cell beta adrenergic receptors; the other component appears to be independent of nerve terminals in the preparation. We conclude that the tetrodotoxin-sensitive component of veratrine-stimulated renin secretion in this preparation is an in vitro model of renal nerve-stimulated renin secretion; it should be useful in investigating substances which affect renin secretion by presynaptic modulation of transmitter release.