Renal actions of atriopeptin III in genetic and renovascular models of hypertension in the rat.

The renal actions of atriopeptin III were compared in sham control, spontaneous and Goldblatt (2-K 1-C) hypertensive rats. Atriopeptin III, administered at 125. 250 and 500 ng/kg or 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 micrograms/kg, into sham control rats had no effect on blood pressure or renal haemodynamics but caused dose related increases in urine flow, absolute and fractional sodium excretions, from 44 to 248%. Similar excretory responses to this dose range of atriopeptin III were obtained in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Atriopeptin III given at 125, 250 and 500 ng/kg into 2-K 1-C Goldblatt hypertensive rats increased reversibly left kidney urine flow, absolute and fractional sodium excretion by between 55 and 74% which were similar responses to those of sham control left kidneys. By contrast, atriopeptin III had much smaller effects on water and sodium excretions of the right clipped kidneys. These results suggest that atrial natriuretic peptides may be useful in mobilising fluid in genetic hypertension but their usefulness may be restricted in renovascular forms of hypertension.