Influence of Adrenergic Drugs on Prostaglandin E Release from the Dog Kidney 1

Summary

PGE levels in renal venous blood of in situ perfused dog kidneys were measured by radioimmunoassay. A basal efflux of PGE was found and a significant increase in the levels was elicited by injection of norepinephrine or epinephrine into the renal arterial circulation. Isoproterenol had a small but possibly unimportant effect, α-adrenergic blockade with phen-oxybenzamine did not inhibit the PGE increase but did block the pressor response to norepinephrine and epinephrine. Thus, PGE release in these experiments was apparently not dependent on total renal blood flow or perfusion pressure. Acetylsalicylic acid and indomethacin blocked the PGE response to norepinephrine and epinephrine but did not affect the pressor response suggesting that PGE synthesis rather than the release of stored PGE occurs when α-adrenergic drugs are administered. Our findings lend support to the suggestion that PGE may play a physiologic role in the intrarenal vascular adjustments.