COX-2 activity transiently contributes to increased water and NaCl excretion in the polyuric phase after release of ureteral obstruction.
Release of bilateral ureteral obstruction (BUO) is associated with reduced expression of renal aquaporins (AQPs), polyuria, and impairment of urine-concentrating capacity. Recently, we demonstrated that 24 h of BUO is associated with increased cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression in the inner medulla (IM) and that selective COX-2 inhibition prevents downregulation of AQP2. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that COX-2 activity increases in the postobstructive phase and that this increase in COX-2 activity contributes to polyuria and impaired urine-concentrating capacity. We examined the effect of the selective COX-2 inhibitor parecoxib (5 mg.kg(-1).day(-1) via osmotic minipumps) on renal functions and protein abundance of AQP2, AQP3, Na-K-2Cl cotransporter type 2 (NKCC2), and Na-K-ATPase 3 days after release of BUO. At 3 days after release of BUO, rats exhibited polyuria, dehydration and urine and IM tissue osmolality were decreased. There were inverse changes of COX-1 and COX-2 in the IM: COX-2 mRNA, protein, and activity increased, while COX-1 mRNA and protein decreased. Parecoxib reduced urine output 1 day after release of BUO, but sodium excretion and glomerular filtration rate were unchanged. Parecoxib normalized urinary PGE(2) and PGI(2) excretion and attenuated downregulation of AQP2 and AQP3, while phosphorylated AQP2 and NKCC2 remained suppressed. Parecoxib did not improve urine-concentrating capacity in response to 24 h of water deprivation. We conclude that decreased NKCC2 and collapse of the IM osmotic gradient, together with suppressed phosphorylated AQP2, are likely causes for the impaired urine-concentrating capacity and that COX-2 activity is not likely to mediate these changes in the chronic postobstructive phase after ureteral obstruction.