1. During the development of glycerol-induced acute renal failure in Sprague-Dawley rats, plasma concentrations of vasopressin rise and probably induce an increase in blood pressure.
2. In the present studies the role of vasopressin in acute renal failure was further analysed by experiments in Brattleboro rats homozygous for hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus which were injected intramuscularly with 10 ml of glycerol/kg (61 mmol/l).
3. After the injection of glycerol plasma osmolality increased transiently and packed cell volume was elevated. The rats became anuric and plasma urea concentrations rose progressively. Plasma renin concentration increased significantly within 2 h. Plasma renin substrate concentration rose progressively and had almost doubled by 8 h.
4. In contrast with previous observations in Sprague-Dawley rats, blood pressure did not rise in rats with diabetes insipidus after the injection of glycerol.
5. When 2 h after the injection of glycerol kidneys were taken from rats with diabetes insipidus and perfused with an electrolyte solution in a single-pass system for 1 h, renal vascular resistance was 30% higher than in control kidneys 10 min after the start of the perfusion and remained elevated thereafter. In similar experiments with kidneys from Sprague-Dawley rats with acute renal failure, renal vascular resistance was increased fivefold immediately after the start of the perfusion, but decreased subsequently.
6. These data support the idea that in glycerol-induced acute renal failure of Sprague-Dawley rats an increased release of vasopressin is responsible for the elevation of blood pressure and suggest that this hormone also participates in renal vasoconstriction. However, a rise of plasma vasopressin concentrations alone cannot fully explain the increase in renal vascular resistance and the development of acute renal failure.
