Renal vascular response to amino acids: effect of pancreatectomy

We ascertained the importance of glucagon in modulating the renal hemodynamic response to amino acid (AA) infusion in anesthetized dogs. In controls (n = 6), AAs (L-serine, alanine, and proline; 0.051 mmol.kg-1.min-1 iv) elevated renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by 35 and 34%, respectively, while elevating arterial plasma glucagon-like immunoreactivity (AGLI) by 96 pmol/l. In control pancreatectomized (PX) dogs (n = 6), all parameters remained at control values over 2 h. In PX dogs, AAs (n = 6) failed to reproduce the renal hemodynamic and AGLI responses elicited by AAs in controls. In PX dogs infused with AAs, replacement of AGLI (n = 6) to an incremental plasma level of 111 pmol/l, a level no different than that produced by AAs in controls, elevated RBF and GFR by 25 and 26.5%, respectively. These hemodynamic responses were 71 and 78%, respectively, of the total responses elicited by AAs in controls. In PX dogs infused with glucagon alone (0.86 pmol.kg-1.min-1; n = 6), an incremental change in AGLI of 112 pmol/l was accompanied by only small increases in RBF and GFR (9%). These data suggest the importance of glucagon in modulating the renal hyperemia and hyperfiltration ascribed to AA infusion in anesthetized dogs.