Visualization of serotonin effects on renal vessels of rats

We studied the effects of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) on glomerular blood flow (GBF) and on renal vessel diameters in the hydronephrotic kidney and in vascular casts of normal kidneys of rats. 5-HT (60 min after local application of 10(-8) mol.liter-1) constricted the arcuate arteries (-10 +/- 2% to -14 +/- 2%, mean +/- SEM), dilated the interlobular arteries (+13 +/- 2%) and afferent arterioles (+17 +/- 3%), and decreased GBF (-44 +/- 5%). In contrast to normal autoregulation, reduction of renal perfusion pressure after local application of 5-HT from 118 +/- 3 mm Hg by 10 and 20 mm Hg reduced GBF by 12 +/- 2% and 23 +/- 3%, respectively. The 5-HT2 antagonist, ritanserin (60 min after local application of 10(-6) mol.liter-1), dilated all preglomerular vessels and increased GBF. In the presence of ritanserin, 5-HT lost nearly all vascular effects. During infusion of 5-HT (5 micrograms.min-1 i.v. for 20 min) vascular reactions were similar to those under local application. After cyclooxygenase inhibition with indomethacin, infusion of 5-HT failed to constrict the arcuate arteries whereas vasodilation of the small preglomerular vessels remained unaffected. Analyzing vascular casts of normal kidneys we observed considerable vascular spasms and an average vasoconstriction of the interlobar arteries of 19 +/- 9% after i.v. infusion of 5-HT. We believe that 5-HT decreases GBF by 5-HT2 receptor-mediated constriction of the large renal vessels which are modulated by the prostaglandin system, whereas 5-HT dilates the small preglomerular vessels, most likely via 5-HT1-like receptors. Furthermore, our data indicate that 5-HT impairs the myogenic component of renal autoregulation in the low pressure range.