AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 267, Issue 6 1454-R1460, Copyright © 1994 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Renal effects of nitric oxide synthesis inhibition in cirrhotic rats

N. M. Atucha, J. Garcia-Estan, A. Ramirez, M. C. Perez, T. Quesada and J. C. Romero
Departamento de Fisiologia, Facultad de Medicina, Murcia, Spain.

In the present study, we have characterized the renal response to inhibition of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) synthesis [intravenous NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) for 3 h] in anesthetized cirrhotic rats, with (ASC) and without (CIR) ascites, at doses that do not change blood pressure (BP). Administration of L-NAME induced opposite effects on water (UV) and sodium (UNaV) excretion in cirrhotic and control animals. Infusion of 1 microgram.kg-1.min-1 of L-NAME in CIR (n = 5) decreased renal plasma flow (RPF) at the end of the 3-h period, whereas UV, UNaV, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were unaltered. In contrast, infusion of L-NAME at 10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 in six more CIR increased UV and UNaV significantly by the 1st h, without changes in BP or GFR, and these parameters remained elevated throughout the experiment. Infusion of 1 microgram.kg-1.min-1 in ASC (n = 6) did not change BP or GFR but significantly enhanced UV and UNaV after the 1st h. These effects were prevented by pretreatment with L-arginine (0.1 mg.kg-1.min-1) in another group of ASC infused with 1 microgram.kg-1.min-1 of L-NAME. These results indicate that, in ASC and CIR cirrhotic rats, inhibition of NO synthesis at nonpressor does improves renal excretion of sodium and water via a decrease in tubular reabsorption. NO is an important mediator of the renal excretory and hemodynamic alterations of experimental liver cirrhosis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Graebe, L. Brond, S. Christensen, S. Nielsen, N. V. Olsen, and T. E. N. Jonassen Chronic nitric oxide synthase inhibition exacerbates renal dysfunction in cirrhotic rats Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, February 1, 2004; 286(2): F288 - F297. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Porst, A. Hartner, H. Krause, K. F. Hilgers, and R. Veelken Inducible nitric oxide synthase and glomerular hemodynamics in rats with liver cirrhosis Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, August 1, 2001; 281(2): F293 - F299. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. P. Patel and P. K. Carmines Renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure and sodium excretion during acute volume expansion in diabetic rats Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2001; 281(1): R239 - R245. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Kurtz and C. Wagner Role of nitric oxide in the control of renin secretion Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, December 1, 1998; 275(6): F849 - F862. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P.-Y. Martin, P. Gines, and R. W. Schrier Nitric Oxide as a Mediator of Hemodynamic Abnormalities and Sodium and Water Retention in Cirrhosis N. Engl. J. Med., August 20, 1998; 339(8): 533 - 541. [Full Text] [PDF]