Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator of the hemodynamic response to sepsis; however, its visceral microcirculatory effects are largely unknown. To determine the role of NO in renal microvascular responses to bacteremia, rat hydronephrotic kidneys with intact neurovascular supplies were exteriorized into a tissue bath. Videomicroscopy was used to measure vessel diameters (interlobular artery, ILA; afferent arteriole, AFF; efferent arteriole, EFF) and optical Doppler velocimetry was used to quantitate ILA flow. In controls, topical L-arginine (L-Arg; 10(-4) M), the NO synthase (NO-S) substrate, resulted in mild pre- and postglomerular dilation and increased flow. Inhibition of NO-S by N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME: 10(-4) M) caused preglomerular constriction (ILA = -22%; AFF = -20% from baseline) and reduced ILA flow by 39%, while postglomerular diameters (EFF) were unchanged. Bacteremic rats had similar alterations (ILA = -22%; AFF = -20%; flow = -56%). Topical L-NAME in bacteremic rats resulted in further constriction (ILA = -38%; AFF = -37%), decreased ILA flow (-75%) and constricted EFF (-30%). L-Arg ameliorated constriction (ILA = -11%; AFF = -7%) and flow (-34%) during bacteremia. We conclude that: (1) NO is important in basal preglomerular tone; (2) Escherichia coli causes selective preglomerular constriction and hypoperfusion; (3) maintenance of EFF tone during bacteremia is NO dependent; and (4) different pre- and postglomerular NO mechanisms exist during basal and bacteremic states. These data indicate that NO is an important mediator of renal microvascular responses to sepsis.

View details for Web of Science ID A1994NT49100008

View details for PubMedID 8015306