Afferent arteriolar diameter in DOCA-salt and two-kidney one-clip hypertensive rats

Abstract

The afferent arteriolar diameter (dAA) was investigated during development of hypertensive renal disease in normal and uninephrectomized control rats, in chronic DOCA-salt (DOCA), post-DOCA (p-DOCA), and chronic two-kidney one-clip (2K-1C) hypertensive rats, and in post-two-kidney one-clip (p-2K-1C) normotensive rats. dAA was measured by the microsphere method. Nephron loss was present in the kidneys exposed to elevate blood pressure. The dAA was reduced from 19.9 to 17.2 micron in the DOCA group (P less than 0.001) and from 19.1 to 16.3 micron in the nonclipped kidneys in the 2K-1C group (P less than 0.001). The dAA increased from 19.9 to 20.7 micron in the p-DOCA group. Afferent arteriolar dilatation from 19.1 to 21.0 micron (P less than 0.001) was present about 50 days after clipping in the 2K-1C group; in the clipped kidneys the dAA returned to normal (18.9 micron) after declipping. No relation between the dAA and plasma renin concentration was observed. In all models dAA was the same in three cortical layers of equal thickness. Accordingly, chronic renal DOCA-salt hypertension constricts the afferent arteriole with angiotensin-independent mechanisms. Autoregulatory dilatation of the afferent arteriole seems to be maintained for at least 50 days. When the hypertension is moderate, dAA in damaged kidneys may be dilated.