Effects of renal denervation of the contralateral kidney on blood pressure and sodium and eicosanoid excretion in the chronic phase of two-kidney, one-clip renovascular hypertension in rats.

OBJECTIVE

To define the role of the renal nerves of the contralateral kidney in the maintenance of two-kidney, one-clip (2K-1C) renovascular hypertension in rats.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The contralateral kidney of 2K-1C rats was denervated 6 months after induction of hypertension and 4 weeks after nephrectomy of the clipped kidney. Blood pressure, sodium and potassium balance and eicosanoid excretion were measured.

RESULTS

Denervation of the contralateral kidney induced normalization of blood pressure in post-Goldblatt hypertensive rats. This effect was not mediated by a negative sodium balance. Excretion of prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane B2 increased after denervation of the contralateral kidney in both post-Goldblatt hypertensive and post-Goldblatt normotensive rats, while urine extraction remained unaffected.

CONCLUSION

Afferences from the contralateral kidney appear to participate in the maintenance of 2K-1C renovascular hypertension due to the activation of central mechanisms regulating blood pressure.