Endothelium-derived NO stimulates pressure-dependent renin release in conscious dogs.

The effect of blocking the formation of endothelium-derived relaxing factor/nitric oxide (EDNO) on pressure-dependent renin release (RR) was studied in six conscious foxhounds with chronically implanted catheters in the abdominal aorta and the renal vein. Renal blood flow (RBF) was measured with an ultrasonic transit-time flowmeter. RR was determined by multiplying the renal venous-arterial plasma renin activity difference with renal plasma flow. Renal artery pressure (RAP) was reduced in steps by a pneumatic occluder placed around the suprarenal abdominal aorta. A dose of 1,000 mg NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was given as a bolus to inhibit EDNO formation. In response to L-NAME, RAP increased (98 +/- 3 vs. 128 +/- 3 mmHg; P < 0.05), heart rate decreased (88 +/- 7 vs. 51 +/- 5 beats/min; P < 0.05), RBF decreased (280 +/- 19 vs. 185 +/- 24 ml/min; P < 0.05), and RR decreased (62 +/- 11 vs. 28 +/- 7 U; P < 0.05), whereas glomerular filtration rate changed little (38 +/- 3 vs. 35 +/- 4 ml/min; not significant). Below roughly 90 mmHg, RR was considerably attenuated by L-NAME as RAP was reduced in steps. At the lowest RAP (50 mmHg) RR was 1,946 +/- 406 U during control vs. 697 +/- 179 U after L-NAME (P < 0.05). Thus L-NAME inhibited pressure-dependent RR. This was especially pronounced in the low-pressure range.

Autoregulation and non-homeostatic behaviour of renal blood flow in conscious dogs.

1. Spontaneously occurring haemodynamic variations within 4 h affecting renal blood flow (RBF) were compared with externally induced short changes of renal artery pressure (RAP) in conscious resting dogs. 2. In all animals in which RAP was servo-controlled (n = 6), perfect autoregulation of RBF was observed. 3. In all 4 h recordings of spontaneous renal blood flow (n = 9), certain combinations of blood pressure and blood flow occurred remarkably frequently as indicated by three-dimensional frequency distributions. 4. Cluster analysis demonstrated significant differences between these areas of accumulation (P < 0.001). The average number of 'set points' per 4 h session was 3.1 +/- 0.3. 5. The shift from one set point to another is probably mediated by multiple control systems impinging on renal haemodynamics as suggested by 1/f fluctuations. 6. In seven dogs, an additional renal venous catheter allowed measurements of the arterial-venous (A-V) oxygen partial pressure (PO2) difference as an indicator of the renal metabolic demand. An inverse relationship between A-V PO2 difference and RBF (Y = X(-0.034) + 40.9, r = -0.9, P < 0.001) was found, indicating that the metabolic demands vary little (if at all) between the different set points. 7. The presented data suggest a modified view of renal homeostasis. There exist distinct combinations between RBF and RAP, which are very stable. Autoregulation merely buffers the fluctuations around these set points.

Role of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in renal autoregulation in conscious dogs.

In six chronically instrumented, conscious dogs the hypothesis was tested that the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) is important for autoregulation of renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). RBF was measured by a Transonic flowmeter. Renal perfusion pressure was servo-controlled by an aortic cuff. EDRF synthesis was inhibited by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 50 mg/kg iv). L-NAME increased mean systemic blood pressure (30 mmHg) and decreased heart rate (-40 beats/min), but it left autoregulation of RBF and GFR intact. However, basal RBF decreased markedly (2.24 +/- 0.32 ml.min-1.g-1 with L-NAME vs. 3.91 +/- 0.64 ml.min-1.g-1 for control, P less than 0.01), whereas basal GFR was not significantly influenced (0.37 +/- 0.05 ml.min-1.g-1 with L-NAME vs. 0.42 +/- 0.06 ml.min-1.g-1 for control). Hence filtration fraction increased with L-NAME [27.6 +/- 1.7% vs. 19.3 +/- 1.3% (P less than 0.01)]. The lower limit of autoregulation remained unchanged for RBF (64 +/- 5 mmHg with L-NAME vs. 63 +/- 3 mmHg for control) and increased slightly for GFR (74 +/- 2 mmHg with L-NAME vs. 67 +/- 1 mmHg for control, P less than 0.01). In conclusion, basal EDRF activity tonically influences renal resistance vessels; however, EDRF release is not primarily involved in the process of renal autoregulation. The maintenance of GFR suggests that this effect is localized in preglomerular as well as in postglomerular arterioles.

Phasic and 24-h blood pressure control by endothelium-derived relaxing factor in conscious dogs.

The effects of blocking endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) on 24-h blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were examined in six conscious freely moving foxhounds. The hypothesis tested was that shear stress-dependent EDRF release acts as a physiological blood pressure buffer. Telemetry recordings were obtained before and after the administration of the false substrate for EDRF synthesis NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 16.5 +/- 2 mg/kg body wt iv). In response to L-NNA, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) increased from 116 +/- 5 to 134 +/- 5 mmHg (P less than 0.01) and HR decreased from 97 +/- 6 to 68 +/- 3 beats/min over the entire 24-h period (P less than 0.01). The overall variability of MAP (as indicated by SD of frequency distribution) increased modestly from 9.5 +/- 0.4 to 11.7 +/- 1.1 mmHg (P less than 0.05). A sequential spectral analysis of blood pressure showed a 2.1-fold increase of power in the frequency range of 0.01-0.5 Hz (P less than 0.05) after L-NNA was given. In conclusion, blockade of EDRF led to a sustained hypertension throughout the whole 24-h recordings. Furthermore, EDRF acted as a physiological blood pressure buffer in the frequency range below 0.5 Hz.