ATTENUATION OF ADRENOMEDULLIN-INDUCED RENAL VASODILATATION BY N-G-NITRO-L-ARGININE BUT NOT GLIBENCLAMIDE

1 The present study was conducted in order to elucidate the in vivo contribution of nitric oxide (NO) and the glibenclamide-sensitive potassium channel in the renal action of adrenomedullin in anaesthetized dogs. 2 Intrarenal arterial infusion of adrenomedullin (20 ng kg(-1) min(-1)) elicited a pronounced increase in renal blood flow with no changes in systemic blood pressure. The renal vasodilator action of adrenomedullin was markedly attenuated by pretreatment with N-G-nitro L-arginine (L-NOARG), but this was reversed by continuous infusion of L-arginine. 3 Pretreatment with glibenclamide almost completely blocked the renal vasodilatation induced by lemakalim, but had no effect on the renal vasodilator and diuretic action of adrenomedullin. 4 Intrarenal arterial infusion of adrenomedullin induced diuresis and natriuresis. Diuretic and natriuretic action of adrenomedullin was also attenuated by L-NOARG. L-Arginine partly reversed the effect of L-NOARG and adrenomedullin-induced diuresis and natriuresis. 5 These data indicate that the in vivo renal vasodilator action of adrenomedullin is mediated by the release of NO. The glibenclamide-sensitive potassium channel is not involved in the renal action of adrenomedullin, at least, not in anaesthetized dogs. Since the inhibition of L-NOARG of adrenomedullin-induced diuresis occurred concomitantly with the attenuation of the renal vasodilator action of adrenomedullin, direct involvement of NO in adrenomedullin-induced diuresis remains to be established.