Centrally administered naloxone blocks reflex natriuresis after acute unilateral nephrectomy

Acute unilateral nephrectomy (AUN) leads to a natriuresis and kaliuresis by the remaining kidney through reflex mechanisms involving opiate receptors. To determine whether the opiate receptors mediating these responses are located in the central nervous system, we carried out AUN in anesthetized rats undergoing continuous ventriculocisternal perfusion (VCP) with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). AUN caused large increases in both Na (UNaV) and K (UKV) excretion without changes in glomerular filtration rate or arterial blood pressure. When the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone was added to the perfusate to achieve a perfusion rate of 32 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1, AUN failed to increase either UNaV or UKV by the remaining kidney. This dose of naloxone, however, was without effect when infused intravenously. Addition of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) to the artificial CSF to achieve a VCP rate of 50 micrograms X kg-1 X h-1 also blocked the expected increase in UNaV and UKV by the remaining kidney after AUN. Infusion of TRH intravenously at the same rate did not interfere with the postnephrectomy natriuresis or kaliuresis. Higher intravenous infusion rates of TRH (1 and 2 mg X kg-1h-1) prevented the postnephrectomy natriuresis without affecting the kaliuresis. These results indicate that the effect of naloxone to block the reflex natriuresis and kaliuresis after AUN resides largely in the central nervous system. The blockade by naloxone of the postnephrectomy natriuresis is duplicated by centrally administered TRH, providing another example of the interaction of this hormone with the endogenous opioid system. Large intravenous infusions of TRH also block the postnephrectomy natriuresis but not the kaliuresis.