Bradykinin-induced renal hemodynamic alterations: renin and prostaglandin relationships

The present studies examined the role of the renin-angiotensin system as a modifier of the renal vasomotor response to bradykinin. Renal arterial bradykinin infusion (80 ng.kg-1.min-1) initially resulted in increased renal blood flow (RBF). The secretory rates of renin and prostaglandins increased after 60 min. With continued bradykinin administration (120 min) RBF and prostaglandin secretory rates returned toward control values, although renin secretory rate remained elevated (P less than 0.02). After prostaglandin synthetase inhibition, RBF decreased and bradykinin administration returned RBF to control values. Prostaglandin secretory rates decreased after meclofenamate (P less than 0.005). Continued bradykinin infusion resulted in a return of the renin secretory rate to control values. The administration of bradykinin after competitive inhibition of angiotensin II resulted in a sustained increase in renal blood flow. These results suggest that the initial bradykinin-induced renal hyperemia is only partially dependent on enhanced prostaglandin release, the increase in renin secretion by bradykinin infusion after prostaglandin synthetase inhibition is consistent with a bradykinin and renin interaction, and the lack of a sustained hyperemia after bradykinin is related to increased renin-angiotensin system activity.