Kidney function is regulated by several hormones which act through adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system. The present study was undertaken to investigate cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE and cGMP-PDE respectively) activities in the rat kidney, and also the effect of several hormones affecting the kidney function on these enzyme activities in vitro. Rat kidneys were separated into cortex and medulla. These were homogenized in 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.5, containing 0.32 M sucrose and fractionated by centrifugation. PDE activity was measured in all fractions, using the two-step assay system. A low substrate concentration (0.5 microM) was used, unless otherwise stated. Substantial activity was present in all of the fractions and most of the activity existed in the soluble fraction (105000 X g supernatant). Cyclic GMP-PDE activity was dominant in both cortex and medulla. The rat kidney contained two forms of cAMP-PDE, one of which had a Km of 2.0 X 10(-4) M and another which had a low Km of 2.5 X 10(-5) M, and one form of cGMP-PDE with a Km of 2.5 X 10(-5) M. These cAMP-PDE and cGMP-PDE were purified by Sepharose-6B column chromatography. Cyclic AMP-PDE activity was found in a broad area associated with two peaks and cGMP-PDE activity had one peak corresponding to the same peak as the high molecular weight cAMP-PDE. Calmodulin was eluted after the peak of cGMP-PDE activity. Both cAMP-PDE and cGMP-PDE activities were inhibited by calcium ion at a concentration of more than 5.0 X 10(-4) M. Cyclic GMP-PDE activity was not activated by calmodulin in the presence of enough calcium ion. The effect of 1 alpha, 25(OH)2 Vit D3, parathyroid hormone (PTH), antidiuretic hormone (ADH), calcitonin (CT), angiotensin II, and trichlormethiazide on the partially purified cAMP-PDE and cGMP-PDE activities were examined. 1 alpha, 25(OH)2 Vit D3 activated cAMP-PDE activity and did not affect cGMP-PDE activity. The concentrations of 1 alpha, 25(OH)2 Vit D3 producing 50% activation of cAMP-PDE activity were 5.0 X 10(-11) M (cortex) and 6.7 X 10(-10) M (medulla). CT and ADH inhibited both cAMP-PDE activities. The concentrations of CT producing 50% inhibition of cAMP-PDE activity were 4.0 X 10(-5) M (cortex) and 3.3 X 10(-7) M (medulla), and those of cGMP-PDE activity were 1.0 X 10(-5) M (cortex) and 1.0 X 10(-4) M (medulla). Concerning ADH, the concentrations required for 50% inhibition of cAMP-PDE activity were 5.3 X 10(-6) M (cortex) and about 1.0 X 10(-3) M (medulla), and those of cGMP-PDE activity were 5.3 X 10(-3) M (cortex) and 5.3 X 10(-8) M (medulla).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)