Angiotensin II and prostaglandins in control of vasa recta blood flow

Angiotensin II has been implicated in the regulation of medullary blood flow and is known to interact with prostaglandins at sites within the kidney. Therefore the role of angiotensin in control of vasa recta blood flow was studied in antidiuretic, Munich-Wistar rats. We also tested the hypothesis that prostaglandins act to modulate the effect of angiotensin. Total renal blood flow was measured by an electromagnetic flow probe, vasa recta blood flow by a dual-slit method. Captopril was used to confirm that angiotensin blockade increased renal blood flow (by 15 +/- 4%). Captopril and saralasin were used to show that angiotensin blockade increased vasa recta blood flow (by 23 +/- 9 and 14 +/- 7%, respectively). The results demonstrate a tonic constrictor effect of angiotensin in the renal medulla. Exogenous angiotensin II, delivered intravenously, failed to mimic the effect of endogenous angiotensin. Indomethacin did not alter blood pressure or renal blood flow but did reduce vasa recta blood flow by 20 +/- 3%, suggesting that prostaglandins act preferentially on the medullary circulation. Nor did it alter the response of blood pressure, of renal blood flow, or of vasa recta blood flow to captopril. Moreover, prior angiotensin blockade with either captopril or saralasin enhanced the medullary vasoconstrictor effect of indomethacin (P less than 0.05). These results are not consistent with the hypothesis that prostaglandins act primarily as angiotensin modulators. They suggest that the medullary interaction between angiotensin and prostaglandins differs from that in the cortex.