Preferential inhibitory effect of nifedipine on angiotensin II-induced renal vasoconstriction

The inhibitory effects of nifedipine on renal vasoconstrictor response to angiotensin II, norepinephrine, or renal nerve stimulation were tested in anesthetized dogs. Intrarenal infusions of nifedipine (0.3, 1, and 3 μg/min) dose-dependently suppressed the renal vasoconstriction induced by intrarenal injections of angiotensin II (0.03, 0.05, and 0.1 μg) or norepinephrine (0.3-1 μg) but not that by renal nerve stimulation (4-7 Hz). However, the inhibitory effect of nifedipine on angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction was greater than its effect on norepinephrine-induced or renal nerve stimulation-induced vasoconstriction (i.e., 50% reduction in renal blood flow). Furthermore, a greater renal vasodilation induced by intrarenal bolus injections of nifedipine (1, 3, and 10 μg) but not by acetylcholine (0.1 and 0.3 μg) was observed during the reduction in the perfusion pressure of the contralateral kidney to approximately 50 mm Hg, which resulted in an increase in plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin II concentration but no change in plasma norepinephrine concentration. There was a significant positive correlation between plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin II concentration before nifedipine injections and the subsequent increase in renal blood flow produced by each dose of nifedipine. These results indicate that nifedipine has a relatively preferential inhibitory effect on the renal vasoconstriction produced by both exogenous and endogenous angiotensin II in canine renal vasculature.