Dopaminergic modulation of renin release.

The effect of metoclopramide, a procainamide derivative with dopamine antagonistic properties, and L-dopa on plasma renin activity (PRA) was studied in adult rats. Following an intravenous bolus of metoclopramide (200 microgram/kg) to the American Wistar rat there was a significant (p less than 0.05) elevation in PRA at 10 min and a maximum response at 30 min. There was a significant depression (p less than 0.05) in PRA at 15 through 40 min following an intravenous bolus of L-dopa (30 mg/kg). Pre-administration of L-dopa delayed and blunted the PRA response to metoclopramide. However, the PRA response to this dopamine antagonist was not altered by beta blockade with propranolol and alpha blockade with phentolamine. Administration of metoclopramide resulted in considerably greater (p less than 0.01) PRA responses in spontaneously hypertensive rats than in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) normotensive controls. Administration of L-dopa resulted in similar suppression of PRA in the two groups. These results indicate that there is a dopaminergic inhibitory control mechanism for renin secretion. Dopaminergic control of renin release appears to be altered in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.