Absence of a regulatory role of angiotensin II in acute chloride-depletion alkalosis in rats

Abstract

Chloride-depletion alkalosis (CDA) has been characterized by hypereninemia. To determine whether angiotensin II (ANG II) has an important role in its maintenance or correction, anesthetized alkalotic rats, chloride depleted by peritoneal dialysis, were infused with 5% dextrose and saralasin (1 microgram.kg-1.min-1) (SAR) or vehicle (SAR-C), 5% dextrose and pretreatment with enalapril (1-1.5 mg/kg) (ENP) or vehicle (ENP-C), or 80 mM Cl solution with ANG II (20 micrograms/min) (ANG) or vehicle (ANG-C). Rats infused with 5% dextrose showed no differences in the magnitude of the alkalosis, inulin clearance, or urinary total CO2 excretion; both SAR and ENP were associated with decreased blood pressure. In SAR, tCO2 delivery out of late proximal convoluted tubule did not differ from that in SAR-C. Rats infused with 80 mM Cl corrected CDA similarly (delta plasma [Cl] - ANG-C + 6 +/- 1, ANG + 5 +/- 1 mM; P = not significant). These data suggest that, although ANG II can importantly influence vascular tone and early proximal tubule bicarbonate reabsorption, it does not have an important role in the renal maintenance or correction of acute CDA.