Renal response to atrial peptides is reduced in experimental nephrosis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the renal response to atrial extracts (AE) and synthetic atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in control rats and in rats with experimental nephrotic syndrome (NS). NS was obtained by a single intravenous injection of adriamycin (7.5 mg/kg). Bolus injection of AE from normal or NS rats resulted in marked increase of diuresis and natriuresis in bioassay control rats (AE from normal rats, urine flow rate, 14.87 +/- 2.94 to 186.18 +/- 55.86 microliters/min; Na excretion, 0.68 +/- 0.26 to 21.80 +/- 5.45 mu eq/min; AE from NS, urine flow rate, 13.49 +/- 4.30 to 167.14 +/- 51.44 microliters/min; Na excretion, 0.98 +/- 0.57 to 20.71 +/- 9.76 mu eq/min). In contrast, blunted diuretic (from 11.26 +/- 3.05 to 65.20 +/- 27.30 microliters/min) and natriuretic (from 0.58 +/- 0.15 to 4.52 +/- 1.59 mu eq/min) effect was observed when AE were injected in rats with NS. Injection of the vehicle in which AE were dissolved or ventricular extracts did not increase urinary flow rate or Na excretion in both control and NS animals. Bolus injection of synthetic ANF (Arg-101-Tyr-126) induced marked diuretic and natriuretic response in control but not in NS rats. Similar results were obtained when AE were infused by constant infusion in control or in NS bioassay rats. AE given by constant infusion induced comparable increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) over basal values both in control and NS animals (controls, 39%; NS rats, 40%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)