Interaction of renal beta 1-adrenoceptors and prostaglandins in reflex renin release

Anesthetized dogs with isolated carotid sinus preparation were used to examine the mechanisms involved in the increase in renin secretion rate produced by carotid baroreceptor reflex renal nerve stimulation (RNS) at constant renal perfusion pressure. Lowering carotid sinus pressure by 41 +/- 5 mmHg for 10 min increased mean arterial pressure and heart rate, caused no or minimal renal hemodynamic changes, decreased urinary sodium excretion, and increased renin secretion rate. Metoprolol, a beta 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, given in the renal artery, did not affect the decrease in urinary sodium excretion but attenuated the increase in renin secretion rate, from 1,764 +/- 525 to 412 +/- 126 ng/min (70 +/- 8%). Indomethacin or meclofenamate, prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, did not affect the decrease in urinary sodium excretion but attenuated the increase in renin secretion rate, from 1,523 +/- 416 to 866 +/- 413 ng/min (51 +/- 18%). Addition of metoprolol to indomethacin-pretreated dogs attenuated the increase in renin secretion rate from 833 +/- 327 to 94 +/- 60 ng/min (86 +/- 10%). These results indicate that reflex RNS at constant renal perfusion pressure results in an increase in renin secretion rate that is largely mediated by renal beta 1-adrenoceptors and is partly dependent on intact renal prostaglandin synthesis. The beta 1-adrenoceptor-mediated increase in renin secretion rate is independent of and not in series with renal prostaglandins.