Role of nitric oxide in the renal hemodynamic response to a meat meal

Ingestion of a high-protein meat meal results in significant increases in renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The mechanism involved in this hemodynamic response to the meat meal has not yet been fully elucidated. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the renal hyperemic responses to a meat meal. To test this hypothesis, renal hemodynamic response to a meat meal (10 g/kg) was determined in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs with (n = 9) and without (n = 7) an intrarenal NO synthesis inhibition with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 3 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 intrarenally). Under control conditions, the meat meal resulted in significant renal hyperemia. Three hours after ingestion of the meat meal, GFR (43 +/- 3 to 59 +/- 6 ml/min) and RPF (128 +/- 10 to 160 +/- 17 ml/min) progressively increased by approximately 40 and 25%, respectively. In contrast, pretreatment with intrarenal infusion of L-NAME abolished the GFR (48 +/- 6 to 52 +/- 6 ml/min) and RPF (129 +/- 20 to 121 +/- 17 ml/min) increases induced by the meat meal. Pretreatment with L-arginine (0.5 mg.kg-1.min-1) plus L-NAME (3 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) did not modify the meat meal-induced changes in GFR (41 +/- 4 to 66 +/- 6 ml/min) and RPF (127 +/- 9 to 182 +/- 14 ml/min). In summary, a meat meal in dogs results in marked increases in RPF and GFR. Intrarenal NO synthesis inhibition abolished the RPF and GFR responses to the meat meal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)