title: Hepatorenal reflex in the rat.
abstract: The possible existence of a hepatorenal reflex was evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Sodium excretion was measured in two groups of six rats each, during the first 4 h following acute ingestion of a known amount of high salt chow (2.0-2.5 mequiv. NaCl). Hourly excretion rates for sodium before surgery were compared with results following 7 days of recovery from either hepatic denervation (n = 6) or sham denervation (n = 6). Before denervation, hourly sodium excretion between the groups was not different. Following surgery for hepatic denervation, sodium excretion was 91% lower than presurgery values for the 1st h (p < 0.02) and 44% lower in the 2nd h (p < 0.04). Sham denervation caused no significant change in sodium excretion when compared with presurgery results. A test for completeness of denervation showed that norepinephrine concentration in liver tissue taken from denervated rats was 5.1 +/- 8 ng/g and that taken from sham rats was 22.8 +/- 1 ng/g (p < 0.001). These data demonstrate that the liver is essential for the normal postprandial excretion of sodium following ingestion of a high salt meal in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43614, USA.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Meredith
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Metting
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Britton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003714:Denervation; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012018:Reflex; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine*; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D012964:Sodium; D009638:Norepinephrine