title: Role of renal nerves in the treatment of renovascular hypertensive rats with L-arginine.
abstract: The purpose was to determine the role of renal nerves in mediating the effects of antihypertensive treatment with L-arginine in a renovascular hypertension model. The 2K1C (two-kidney one-clip model) hypertensive rats were submitted to bilateral surgical-pharmacological renal denervation. The animals were subdivided into six experimental groups: normotensive control rats (SHAM), 2K1C rats, 2K1C rats treated with L-arginine (2K1C + L-arg), denervated normotensive (DN) rats, denervated 2K1C (2K1C + DN) rats, and denervated 2K1C + L-arg (2K1C + DN + L-arg) rats. Arterial blood pressure, water intake, urine volume, and sodium excretion were measured. The 2K1C rats exhibited an increase in the mean arterial pressure (MAP) (from 106 ± 3 to 183 ± 5.8 mmHg, P < 0.01), whereas L-arg treatment induced a reduction in the MAP (143 ± 3.4 mmHg) without lowering it to the control level. Renal nerve denervation reduced the MAP to normotensive levels in 2K1C rats with or without chronic L-arg treatment. L-arg and denervation induced increases in water intake and urine volume, and L-arg caused a significant natriuretic effect. Our results suggest that renal sympathetic activity participates in the genesis and the maintenance of the hypertension and also demonstrate that treatment with L-arg alone is incapable of normalizing the MAP and that the effect of such treatment is not additive with the effect of kidney denervation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Avenida Marechal Campos 1456, 29040-577 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonia Alves
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gouvea
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Avenida Marechal Campos 1456, 29040-577 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Tiradentes
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Avenida Marechal Campos 1456, 29040-577 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cintia H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Santuzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Avenida Marechal Campos 1456, 29040-577 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinícius
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mengal
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil ; Faculdade Brasileira Medical School, Vitoria, ES, Brazil ; EMESCAM Medical School, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henrique de A
authors.initials: Hde A
authors.lastname: Futuro Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nyam F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Avenida Marechal Campos 1456, 29040-577 Vitória, ES, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gláucia R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Abreu