Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) at 1 nM inhibits arginine-vasopressin (AVP)-induced water reabsorption in the rabbit cortical collecting tubule (RCCT), while 100 nM PGE1, by itself, stimulates water reabsorption (Grantham, J. J., and Orloff, J. (1968) J. Clin. Invest. 47, 1154-1161). To investigate the basis for these two responses, we measured the effects of prostaglandins on cAMP metabolism in purified RCCT cells. In freshly isolated cells, PGE2, PGE1, and 16,16-dimethyl-PGE2 acting at high concentrations (0.1-10 microM) stimulated cAMP accumulation; however, one PGE2 analog, sulprostone (16-phenoxy-17,18,19,20-tetranor-PGE2 methylsulfonilamide), failed to stimulate cAMP accumulation or to antagonize PGE2-induced cAMP formation; PGD2, PGF2 alpha, and a PGI2 analog, carbacyclin (6-carbaprostaglandin I2), also failed to stimulate cAMP synthesis. These results suggest that there is a PGE-specific stimulatory receptor in RCCT cells which mediates activation of adenylate cyclase. Occupancy of this receptor would be anticipated to cause water reabsorption by the collecting tubule. At lower concentrations (0.1-100 nM) PGE2, PGE1, 16,16-dimethyl-PGE2, and, in addition, sulprostone inhibited AVP-induced cAMP accumulation by fresh RCCT cells in the presence of cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Pertussis toxin pretreatment of RCCT cells blocked the ability of both PGE2 and sulprostone to inhibit AVP-induced cAMP accumulation. In membranes prepared from RCCT cells, sulprostone prevented stimulation of adenylate cyclase by AVP. These results suggest that E-series prostaglandins (including sulprostone) can act through an inhibitory PGE receptor(s) coupled to the inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein, Gi, to block AVP-induced cAMP synthesis by RCCT cells. Occupancy of this receptor would be expected to cause inhibition of AVP-induced water reabsorption in the intact tubule. Curiously, after RCCT cells were cultured for 5-7 days, PGE2 no longer inhibited AVP-induced cAMP accumulation, but PGE2 by itself could still stimulate cAMP accumulation. In contrast to PGE2, epinephrine acting via an alpha 2-adrenergic, Gi-linked mechanism did block AVP-induced cAMP formation by cultured RCCT cells. This implies that some component of the inhibitory PGE response other than Gi is lost when RCCT cells are cultured.