Cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ signalling and reduction of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides in adrenal glomerulosa cells in response to K⁺, angiotensin II and vasopressin

We have examined the mitochondrial formation of NAD(P)H in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells. A short-term elevation of the K⁺ concentration from 3.6 to 8.4 mM induced a reversible increase in the formation of reduced pyridine nucleotides. Potassium applied after the addition of rotenone had no further effect, confirming that the redox signal was of mitochondrial origin. Inhibition of aldosterone synthesis by aminoglutethimide in K⁺-stimulated cells decreased the rate of decay of the NAD(P)H signal upon the termination of stimulation, indicating that the NADPH formed was consumed in aldosterone synthesis. When the NAD(P)H signal was measured simultaneously with the cytoplasmic free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]₁), elevation of the K⁺ concentration to 6.6 or 8.4 mM induced parallel increases in [Ca²⁺]_i and NAD(P)H formation. The rates of increase and decrease of NAD(P)H were lower than for [Ca²⁺]_i, confirming that the redox signal was secondary to the Ca²⁺ signal. Angiotensin II (100 pM-1 nM) induced an oscillatory NAD(P)H signal which usually returned to a lower baseline concentration, while a sustained signal with superimposed oscillations was observed at higher concentrations. Simultaneous measurements showed that NAD(P)H levels followed the [Ca²⁺]_i pattern evoked by angiotensin II. Vasopressin (100 nM) also induced parallel oscil-lations of [Ca²⁺]_i and NAD(P)H. A sustained rise in the extra-mitochondrial Ca²⁺ concentration to 1 μM induced a sustained elevation of the intramitochondrial Ca²⁺ concentration in permeabilized cells, as measured with rhod-2. A sustained rise in [Ca²⁺]_i evoked by long-term stimulation with 8.4 mM K⁺ or 2.5 nM angiotensin II resulted in sustained NAD(P)H production. These Ca²⁺-dependent changes in the mitochondrial redox state support the biological response, i.e. aldosterone secretion by glomerulosa cells.