Response of the renin-angiotensin system to relief of neonatal ureteral obstruction.

Chronic partial ureteral obstruction (CPUO) causes an increase in renal vascular resistance (RVR) that can be prevented by angiotensin II (ANG II)-converting enzyme inhibition. To assess the early effects of CPUO, guinea pigs subjected to neonatal left ureteral obstruction were anesthetized at 11-13 days of age for measurement of cardiac output and renal blood flow (RBF) using radioactive microspheres. Although RBF of the hydronephrotic kidney was not decreased at this age, that of the intact kidney more than doubled (P less than 0.01). To evaluate the hemodynamic response to relief of 5 or 10 days of neonatal left CPUO, animals were studied at 19-28 days of age. Although chronic enalapril maleate administration (30 mg.kg-1.day-1) did not further reduce the ratio of RVR to total vascular resistance (TVR) of the postobstructed kidney, it lowered RVR/TVR of the intact contralateral kidney by 40% (P less than 0.05). Renal renin content [RRC, pg angiotensin I (ANG I).mg protein-1.h-1] was twofold higher in both kidneys of animals with unilateral CPUO compared with those of sham-operated guinea pigs (P less than 0.03), and relief of obstruction normalized RRC. The rise in RVR/TVR resulting from ANG II infusion was not different in left kidneys of sham, CPUO, and CPUO-relief groups. However, for the intact kidney of animals with contralateral relief of CPUO, the increase was greater than in remaining groups (P less than 0.05). We conclude that by reducing intrarenal renin, relief of neonatal unilateral CPUO decreased ANG-mediated vasoconstriction of the postobstructed kidney and increased the vasoconstrictor response of the intact kidney to ANG II.