Atrial natriuretic peptide and furosemide effects on hydraulic pressure in the renal papilla

Abstract

Atrial peptides (ANP) have been shown to preferentially increase blood flow to juxtamedullary nephrons and to augment vasa recta blood flow. To determine the effect of this alteration in intrarenal blood flow distribution on pressure relationships in inner medullary structures and their significance as a determinant of ANP-induced natriuresis, we measured hydraulic pressures in vascular and tubule elements of the renal papilla exposed in Munich-Wistar rats in vivo during an euvolemic baseline period and again during an experimental period. Rats in Group 1 received intravenous infusion of rANP [4-27], administered as a 4 μg/kg prime and 0.5 μg/kg/min continuous infusion, and were maintained euvolemic by plasma replacement. Infusion of ANP resulted in significant natriuresis, diuresis and increase in inulin clearance. Within 90 seconds of initiation of this systemic infusion, vasa recta hydraulic pressures were markedly increased and exceeded the small pressure increment occurring in loops of Henle and collecting ducts. Infusion of furosemide in Group 2 rats at a dosage which reproduced the increase in urine flow in Group 1 was associated with small and equivalent increases in both vascular and tubule elements, indicating that the differential pressure response observed in Group 1 was not due to increased tubule fluid flow rates, but was rather a specific ANP-induced vascular effect. Group 3 rats received an infusion of ANP in a setting where its whole kidney hemodynamic effects were prevented. This resulted in a marked blunting of natriuresis and diuresis, and obliteration of the pressure differential between vasa recta and tubules observed in Group 1. Thus, the hydraulic pressure imbalance between papillary vascular and tubule structures occuring during infusion of ANP in euvolemic Group 1 rats may impede fluid reabsorption from local papillary interstitium, and thereby serve as an important mechanism of ANP-induced natriuresis and diuresis.