Renal nerves modulate kidney renin gene expression during the transition from fetal to newborn life.

The role of renal nerves in regulating changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) and renal renin gene expression was studied in intact (n = 6) and denervated (n = 6) fetal sheep before birth and during the first 24 h after delivery. Renal denervation completely blunted the rise in PRA observed 24 h after delivery in newborn lambs; in lambs with intact kidneys, PRA increased significantly (P less than 0.05) from 3.26 +/- 0.60 (predelivery) to 6.34 +/- 1.85 ng angiotensin I (ANG I).ml-1.h-1 (24 h postdelivery), while in lambs with denervated kidneys, predelivery and post-delivery values were 2.84 +/- 0.19 and 2.49 +/- 0.45 ng ANG I.ml-1.h-1, respectively. Renin mRNA levels were significantly lower (P less than 0.001) in denervated than in intact kidneys 24 h after birth. A close analysis of these results also revealed that renin mRNA levels were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in intact kidneys of newborn lambs delivered vaginally (n = 3) than in newborn lambs delivered by cesarean section (n = 3). These results suggest that renal nerves play an important role in regulating renin gene expression and PRA during the transition from fetal to newborn life.