Effect of norepinephrine and acetylcholine on outer medullary descending vasa recta. Yang, Sai, Erik P. Silldorff, and Thomas L. Pallone, Division Of Nephrology, The M. S. Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pa 17033. Thomas L. Pallone, M. D., Division of Nephrology, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA 17033, (717)531 -8156 (Office), (717)531-6776 (FAX), tpallone@med.hmc.psu.edu (Email)
APStracts 2:0118H, 1995.
In order to examine their reponsiveness to norepinephrine (NE) and Acetylcholine (Ach), outer medullary descending vasa recta (OMDVR) have been dissected from vascular bundles of the rat and perfused in vitro. Abluminal application of NE produced graded vasoconstriction in a concentration range of 10-9 to 10-6M. When applied with NE, Ach at concentrations of 10-8 to 10-5M dilated NE preconstricted OMDVR. In contrast, Ach applied in the absence of NE caused vasoconstriction. Ach induced vasodilation was blocked by addition of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-w-nitro-arginine (LNNA, 2x10 -4M). LNNA in the absence of Ach enhanced NE induced vasoconstriction. Supraphysiological (10-3M) L-arginine (L-Arg) reversed the effects of LNNA and ablumenal application of LNNA alone resulted in OMDVR vasoconstriction. At concentrations of 10-6 to 10-3M, ablumenal application of L-Arg produced graded vasodilation of NE constricted OMDVR. These results suggest that adrenergic and cholinergic innervation could influence OMDVR vasomotor tone to modulate total and regional blood flow to the renal medulla. The data also favor a role for the activity of constitutively expressed nitric oxide synthase to modulate OMDVR vasoactivity.

Received 28 November 1994; accepted in final form 15 March 1995.
APS Manuscript Number H1043-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Heart Circ. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on  4 April 1995.