title: The effect of metanephros transplantation on blood pressure in anephric rats with induced acute hypotension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The kidney is an important organ for maintaining blood pressure. We have previously reported that transplanted metanephroi can reproduce some kidney functions. The aim of the present study was to determine the metabolic function of transplanted metanephroi with particular reference to maintaining blood pressure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were transplanted with metanephroi (transplanted group, n = 28), following unilateral nephrectomy. For comparison, we performed unilateral nephrectomy without transplantation in 32 rats (non-transplanted group, n = 18; haeminephrectomy control group, n = 14). The remaining kidney was removed 2 weeks after the initial operation, while control rats had a sham operation. Hypotension was induced by intravenous infusion of diltiazem hydrochloride or rapid withdrawal of blood. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was invasively monitored and plasma renin activity (PRA) was analysed at multiple time points. Renin expression by metanephroi was evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metanephroi in the transplanted group expressed renin messenger RNA. Metanephros transplantation significantly raised PRA and maintained MAP compared with the non-transplanted group. No significant differences between the transplanted and control groups were found with respect to PRA or MAP. PRA was positively correlated with metanephroi weight as well as MAP in the transplanted group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study shows that transplantation of metanephroi produces PRA and contributes to raising MAP in a rat model of acute hypotension.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokote
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Utsunomiya
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosoya
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000633:toxicity; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009392:Nephrectomy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012083:Renin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012083:Renin; D004110:Diltiazem