EFFECTS OF ANGIOTENSIN-II AND ARGININE VASOPRESSIN ON F-ACTIN CONTENT OF CULTURED MESANGIAL CELLS

The actin cytoskeleton of mesangial cells (MC) plays an important role in the contractile response to agonists as well as in the endocytosis of macromolecules. A quantitative study of the F-actin content of MC by the rhodamine-phalloidin binding assay was carried out. Angiotensin II (ANG II) (10(-6) M) significantly increased the F-actin content of MC by 30 min and at later time periods, with increases ranging from 31 to 46%. Arginine vasopressin (10(-8) M) produced a transient decrease of F-actin content of MC at 30 s but then significantly enhanced the F-actin content at later time periods. There was no change in total actin and protein content of MC at 30 min in the presence of either agent. Thus, the increase in F-actin is related to a shift in the G- to F-actin ratio and not to the synthesis of new F-actin. Because the incubation of MC with 1 (5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, did not attenuate the ANG II-induced increase in the F-actin content of MC, the shift does not appear to be mediated by the activation of protein kinase C. The removal of external calcium did not prevent the increase in F-actin. Dibutyryl cAMP (5 x 10(-4) M), a smooth muscle cell and MC relaxant, did not alter the F-actin content in MC, and 10(-5) M cytochalasin B significantly lowered F-actin content. The ANG II-and arginine vasopressin-induced shifts in F-actin content occurred too slowly to enhance the relatively rapid contractile response to these agents but may be important in endocytosis, as well as in the establishment of actin filament connections between MC and the glomerular basement membrane.