Mechanical and neuro-humoral factors in acute aortic coarctation hypertension

The hemodynamic responses and the role of renal nerves in the physiopathogenesis of acute (45 min) aortic coarctation hypertension were studied in conscious rats. The hemodynamic responses elicited by aortic constriction in intact and bilaterally nephrectomized rats were analyzed by means of miniaturized pulsed-Doppler flow probes. Anephric rats presented a smaller increase in mean carotid pressure (MCP) and calculated aortic resistance during aortic coarctation than did intact animals. Reflex bradycardia throughout the experiment did not differ significantly between the two groups. The pressor response following aortic coarctation in untreated renal-denervated rats was similar to that found in intact subjects. Renal-denervated rats previously treated with V1-vascular arginine vasopressin antagonist [d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP] showed the same hypertensive response as control renal-denervated rats. Previous treatment of renal-denervated rats with saralasin (an angiotensin II antagonist) produced a significant reduction in the hypertensive response throughout the experiment when compared to untreated renal-denervated rats. Similarly, rats treated with the vasopressin antagonist plus saralasin showed a blunted hypertensive response following aortic coarctation. The results for rats previously treated with vasopressin antagonist plus saralasin did not differ from those obtained with saralasin alone. Overall, the results of aortic coarctation hypertension obtained in the present study indicate that: 1) Anephric rats showed a blunted hypertensive response due to the lack of neuro-humoral release of vasopressor substances (e.g. angiotensin II and vasopressin) triggered by the kidneys, when only the mechanical factor of constriction was present; 2) The lack of afferent feedback from the kidneys in renal-denervated rats for vasopressin release from the central nervous system allowed angiotensin II to play the major physiopathological role associated with the mechanical factor in the hypertensive response.