Effect of L-NAME on glomerular filtration rate in deep and superficial layers of rat kidneys

The effect of the NO synthase blocker N-G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in outer (OC), middle (MC), and inner cortex (IC) was studied in anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley rats by the aprotinin method. The filtered amount of I-125- and I-131-labeled aprotinin injected before and after L-NAME injection was measured in the same cortical tissue samples after excising the kidney. Arterial pressure increased on average by 43 mmHg, whereas renal blood flow fell by 26% after L-NAME, giving an increase in renal resistance of 92%. At constant renal arterial pressure, resistance rose by only 39%, revealing that autoregulation was responsible for about one-half of the resistance increase. Total and zonal GFR showed a small, statistically insignificant increase after L-NAME, regardless of whether the renal pressure was allowed to rise or not. The response varied considerably among animals, but in each animal the GFR varied proportionately in OC, MC, and IC. We conclude that the vasodilator tone of NO is predominantly located in postglomerular resistance vessels and is similar in the three cortical layers.