Vascular reactivity of contralateral kidney in awake Goldblatt hypertensive dog

Sixteen dogs were instrumented for recording mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and blood flow from the left renal artery (RBF) and for intra-arterial infusions of norepinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (ANG II). Nine dogs (group 1) were studied while normotensive and also when hypertensive. Seven control dogs (group 2) were studied only when normotensive. In a control session conducted in group 1 and at weekly intervals for up to 6-12 wk after the right renal artery was clipped, infusions of NE and ANG II were given intra-arterially to produce graded decreases in RBF. Group 2 was studied similarly in a control session and 4-7 wk later. Regressions of the values of percent change RBF (arc sin transformation) on the concentrations of NE and ANG II in renal arterial blood estimated the renal vascular reactivity of the hypertensives' contralateral kidney and the normotensives' kidney. In group 1, during the postclipping intervals when MAP and plasma renin activity were increased, the renal vascular reactivity to NE, but not to ANG II was increased. This was based on the significant elevation above the X axis in the postclipping regressions. In group 2, MAP, plasma renin activity, and renal vascular reactivity to NE and ANG II were unchanged over the 4- to 7-wk interval of study. These results indicate that the contralateral kidney develops an increased vascular reactivity to NE but not to ANG II in Goldblatt hypertension.