Renal nerves and cation excretion after acute reduction in functioning renal mass in the rat

We evaluated the role of the renal nerves in the increased cation excretion by the contralateral kidney after acute unilateral nephrectomy (AUN) or unilateral ureteral occlusion (UUO) in anesthetized rats. Both AUN and UUO caused large increases in sodium (UNaV) and potassium excretion (UKV) by the control kidney without change in glomerular filtration rate or mean arterial pressure. Prior denervation of either the ipsilateral (experimental) kidney or the control kidney completely prevented the increase in UNaV and UKV after UUO. Prior denervation of either kidney also prevented the increase in UNaV after AUN. However, a significant kaliuresis persisted after AUN despite unilateral denervation although reduced in magnitude when compared with the increase in UKV after AUN with both kidneys innervated. These results indicate that the renal nerves play a major role in the excretory response of the control kidney after acute reduction in functioning renal mass. This role of the renal nerves may be through the activation of a renorenal reflex. The reflex is activated by afferents from the ipsilateral kidney; the efferent limb is composed of the renal nerves to the control kidney. This reflex can entirely account for the compensatory increase in cation excretion after UUO. However, a separate mechanism, not dependent on the renal nerves, contributes to UKV after AUN.