Resetting of the pressure range for blood flow autoregulation in the rat kidney

Both a myogenic response and the tubuloglomerular feedback control mechanism seem to be involved in autoregulation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal blood flow (RBF). Earlier experiments have shown that clamping of renal arterial perfusion pressure, below the autoregulatory range, reduces single-nephron GFR, and that this low value is maintained during the first 10-15 min after release of the clamp. It was also found that the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism in the early declamp phase was strongly activated to reduce GFR. These findings can not be easily understood with the current knowledge of autoregulation, but would suggest a resetting of RBF and GFR autoregulation to a new level. To test this, left renal arterial perfusion pressure was reduced from 100 to 60 mmHg during 20 min with and without angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition (0.5 mg i.v. enalapril). Renal blood flow was measured with laser-Doppler flowmetry. When arterial perfusion pressure was reduced from 100 to 60 mmHg for 20 min, RBF was reduced to 77% of control and remained at this low level during the first minutes of declamp. In this situation there was an autoregulation to a new level. Renal blood flow was then slowly normalized (16.1 min). In the enalapril-treated animals RBF was only reduced to 85% during the 20 min of clamping and returned immediately to the control level at declamp. Thus, these experiments demonstrate that if renal blood flow is decreased by reducing the perfusion pressure below the normal autoregulatory range the pressure range for blood flow autoregulation resets to a lower level and that this change is mediated via the renin-angiotensin system.