Renal response to anaphylaxis in anesthetized rats and isolated perfused rat kidneys: roles of nitric oxide

We determined the renal responses to anaphylaxis and the effects of a nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, L-NAME, in anesthetized rats and isolated perfused rat kidneys. After the ovalbumin antigen injection, the sensitized rats showed transient and substantial decreases in mean blood pressure and renal blood flow and an increase in renal vascular resistance. Creatinine clearance, a measure of renal function, decreased to 53% baseline at 2 h after antigen. L-NAME pretreatment significantly enhanced the antigen-induced renal vasoconstriction and renal dysfunction. Moreover, plasma creatinine levels significantly increased only in the L-NAME pretreated rats. Separately, in isolated perfused kidneys, we observed the antigen-induced renal vasoconstriction and its augmentation by L-NAME. In conclusion, the renal vascular response to the antigen is vasoconstriction, which is enhanced by L-NAME in both isolated perfused rat kidneys and anesthetized rats; it is accompanied by renal dysfunction, which is also augmented by L-NAME.