The effects of a natriuretic factor contained in extracts of the atrial myocardium on an isolated renal Na+, K+-ATPase enzyme system were evaluated. Ultrafiltrates (molecular weight < 30,000) of boiled extract of rat atria and ventricles were prepared. Infusion of 100 µl of the atrial ultrafiltrate into bioassay rats resulted in a prompt, short-lived natriuresis and diuresis. However, addition of 100 µl of the atrial ultrafiltrate to 900 µl of a suspension containing Na+, K+-ATPase had no significant effect on enzymatic activity. Similarly, ultrafiltrates of ventricular extract also had no significant effect on Na+, K+-ATPase activity. These results indicate that the atrial natriuretic factor does not alter renal tubular sodium reabsorption by directly inhibiting the Na+, K+-ATPase enzyme system.
To ascertain the effect of aldosterone on body fluid volumes in neonatal, prehypertensive spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), we studied these animals at 12 days using age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) as normotensive controls. Some pups of each strain were treated with spironolactone (1.5 micrograms/g body wt) on days 10-12. Total body water (TBW, by dessication) and extracellular fluid (ECF, Na2 35SO4 space) volumes were significantly larger in SHR than in WKY, whereas plasma volumes (125I-serum albumin space) were not different. Thus the enlarged ECF was due to preferential expansion of the interstitial fluid (ISF) space. Treatment of SHR with spironolactone reduced TBW and ISF to values not different from untreated WKY and also reduced plasma volume to some extent. These results indicate 1) significant ISF volume expansion occurs in SHR prior to elevation of blood pressure, and 2) the previously observed elevation in plasma aldosterone in SHR at this age probably mediates the volume expansion.
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