title: Effect of colchicine on drug-induced changes in plasma renin concentration in rats.
abstract: Cytoplasmic microtubules appear to play a role in the secretion of a variety of protein and protein hormones. Involvement of microtubules in renin secretion has been hypothesized but not established. The present studies were designed to determine: 1) if the antimicrotubule drug, colchicine, would alter plasma renin concentration (PRC); and 2) if changes in PRC could be related to an effect on cytoplasmic microtubules. Dose response experiments in Sprague-Dawley rats showed that 0.4 or 0.8 mg/kg/day i.p. of colchicine for 3 days significantly increased PRC while a dose of 0.2 mg/kg/day was without effect. The increase in PRC at the higher doses was associated with toxicity of the drug. In other experiments, rats pretreated with colchicine (0.2 mg/kg/day) or saline received either furosemide (5 mg/kg) or isoproterenol (25 micrograms/rat) i.p. to stimulate renin secretion. Colchicine at a dose that did not alter basal PRC significantly inhibited an increase in PRC after stimulation with either isoproterenol or furosemide. Lumicolchicine, a structural isomer of colchicine without antimicrotubule activity, did not alter the response to isoproterenol stimulation. These data suggest that microtubules play a role in the increase in renin secretion following stimulation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008162:Lumicolchicines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008162:Lumicolchicines; D005665:Furosemide; D012083:Renin; D007545:Isoproterenol; D003078:Colchicine