Chemical renal medullectomy and arterial pressure response to sinoaortic denervation.

We investigated in conscious Wistar-Kyoto rats the effect of chemical renal medullectomy on the responses of mean arterial pressure, arterial pressure lability, and heart rate to sinoaortic deafferentation (SAD). Chemical medullectomy was obtained by the intravenous administration of 2-bromoethylamine hydrobromide (2-BEA) 2-3 weeks before SAD or sham SAD. Chemically medullectomized rats were compared with control rats treated with saline. In control rats, the increase in mean arterial pressure elicited by SAD was not significantly greater than that produced by sham SAD. In medullectomized rats, SAD significantly increased mean arterial pressure compared with sham SAD. No direct relation was observed between the response of mean arterial pressure to SAD and the grade (1, 2, or 3) of lesion of the renal papilla. In control rats, SAD increased significantly arterial pressure lability. Chemical medullectomy did not affect basal lability or the increased lability after SAD. No direct relation was observed between increased arterial pressure lability due to SAD and the grade of lesion of the renal papilla. SAD produced a conspicuous tachycardia in control rats. Chemical medullectomy did not affect basal heart rate or the tachycardia produced by SAD. No direct relation was observed between the extent of this tachycardia and the grade of lesion of the renal papilla. These data indicate that lesions of the renal papilla lead to a significant increase in mean arterial pressure after SAD, without affecting basal pressure or heart rate. In addition, SAD per se did not increase significantly the mean arterial pressure in control rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)