Renal effects of atriopeptin II and dopamine receptor blockade in acutely volume-expanded rats

Studies were made of the effects of continuous intravenous infusion of a synthetic atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) or, pre-treatment with the dopamine receptor antagonist haloperidol, on the renal response in anaesthetized rats subjected to volume expansion with an isotonic solution at 2% kg-1 body weight (wt) h-1. A time-control group receiving vehicle alone was studied in parallel. Measurements were compared 75 and 145 min after initiation of the volume expansion. Seventy minutes of Atriopeptin II infusion at 10 micrograms h-1 kg-1 body wt did not significantly alter the glomerular filtration rate [control value 1.29 +/- 0.10 ml min-1 g-1 kidney wt (n = 7, mean +/- 1 SEM), experimental value 1.20 +/- 0.12], but increased sodium excretion by 49% (from 2.87 +/- 0.56 to 4.27 +/- 0.45 mumol min-1). The arterial blood pressure was reduced by 9%. In previous investigations we found that in the same dosage Atriopeptin II increased sodium excretion 10-fold in euvolaemic animals. In the time-control group (n = 7) the response was similar to that in the atrial natriuretic factor-treated animals with the exception that the blood pressure was unaltered. Thus, glomerular filtration rate showed no statistically significant change (1.28 +/- 0.06 vs. 1.27 +/- 0.09 ml min-1 g-1 kidney wt) while the sodium excretion increased by 96% (from 2.29 +/- 0.22 to 4.50 +/- 0.49 mumol min-1). In animals pretreated with haloperidol (n = 5), the natriuretic response to the volume expansion was attenuated and was about ten times below that in the time-control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)