Glucocorticoid-induced renal vasodilatation is mediated by a direct renal action involving nitric oxide

De Matteo, R., and C. N. May. Glucocorticoid-induced renal vasodilatation is mediated by a direct renal action involving nitric oxide. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 42): R1972–R1979, 1997.—Glucocorticoids increase renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate, but the mechanisms are unclear. We investigated whether the cortisol-induced increment in RBF is a direct renal action or secondary to its systemic effects and whether nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in this response. In conscious sheep, cortisol infused intravenously (5.0 mg/h) or into the renal artery (1.3 mg/h) for 5 h increased RBF by 66 6 8 and 53 6 11 ml/min, respectively. Plasma glucose was increased by intravenous cortisol (0.4 6 0.1 mmol/l) but not by intrarenal cortisol. Renal vein plasma cortisol levels were similar at the end of each infusion (193 6 31 intravenously; 151 6 25 nmol/l intrarenal), but systemic levels were different (277 6 31 intravenous; 69 6 10 nmol/l intrarenal). Inhibition of NO synthesis by Nv-nitro-L-arginine infused intravenously (10 mg/kg followed by 5 mg · kg21 · h21) or intrarenally (2 mg·kg21 ·h21) significantly reduced the cortisol-induced renal vasodilatation. In contrast, constriction of the renal vasculature with intrarenal angiotensin (0.3 μg/h) did not prevent the cortisol-induced renal vasodilatation. These findings demonstrate that cortisol acts directly on the kidney to cause renal vasodilatation and to increase RBF and suggest that this response involves the endothelium-derived relaxing factor NO.