Renal neural response to ischemic renal failure in chronic hypoxic rats

This report was designed to assess response of the renal nerve activity (RNA) during and after renal ischemia in chronic hypoxic rats. Hypoxia was induced by placing the female Wistar rats in an altitude chamber set at 5500 m for 4 weeks. Simultaneous recordings of left renal efferent (RENA) and afferent (RANA) nerve activity were performed in each pentobarbital-anesthetized rat throughout the experiment. Ischemic renal failure was induced by complete occlusion of the left renal artery for 45 min. During renal arterial occlusion (RAO), RENA gradually decreased while RANA enhanced initially and then this decreased gradually in both sea level (SL) controls and chronic hypoxic (high-altitude; HA) rats. During 45 min of reperfusion, RENA depressed more in comparison with RANA in both groups of animals. In addition, RANA returned to baseline level in SL rats, while it remained elevated in HA rats. In the second experiment, six groups of renal ischemic rats were challenged by rapid intravenous infusion of 10 ml of saline, and urine was collected for 90 min from the left ureter. Baseline RENA was low in rats 4 h after RAO of SL (4SL) and of HA (4HA) groups. The effects of saline loading on RENA and RANA were different in HA and SL rats. Saline loading significantly decreased RENA but increased RANA more in SL rats. Following saline loading, RENA in 4SL and 4HA rats, as well as animals 24 h after RAO of SL (24SL) and HA (24HA) were comparable to their respective SL or HA animals. In 4SL rats, RANA was significantly enhanced, and remained elevated during saline loading and the recovery period. In 4HA, 24HA and 24SL rats, RANA reduced significantly during saline loading, then its activity returned to the baseline value. The insulted kidneys showed increased renal excretion of water and sodium in 4SL and 4HA rats. Urinary excretion reduced significantly in 24SL rats but was almost normal in 24HA rats. These results indicate that a decrease in RENA may play a protective role in response to renal ischemia in both SL and HA rats. In response to renal ischemia and saline loading, different alterations of RANA in SL and HA rats may reflect a beneficial mechanism located in the hypoxia-pretreated kidney.