Epithelial COX-2 Expression Is Not Regulated By Nitric Oxide in Rodent Renal Cortex

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Abstract
In the adult rodent kidney cortex, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), NO synthase (NOS1), and renin synthesis change in parallel on alterations in distal tubular NaCl concentration, and their products in part may mutually determine synthesis and activity of these enzymes. Epithelial NO synthesis has been postulated to exert a stimulatory role on COX-2 expression. Changes in COX-2 and NOS1 may be assessed histochemically by determining changes in the number of positive cells. In rat, macula densa and adjacent cells may co-express COX-2 and NOS1, whereas cell groups of the upstream thick ascending limb (cTAL) express COX-2 alone. We have tested whether the stimulation of COX-2 expression by short- and long-term unilateral renal artery stenosis, low salt, and furosemide treatment depends on co-expression of NOS1. These conditions produced significant respective increases (40% to 351%, P P P P <0.05). We conclude that alterations of distal tubular NaCl concentration and presumably NaCl transport induce changes in epithelial COX-2 expression that does not depend on presence of co-expressed NOS1. It therefore seems unlikely that NO is part of a signal transduction chain between tubular chloride sensing and the modulating effects of prostaglandins in tubulo-vascular information transfer.