Abstract P006: Purinergic Receptor Activation Protects Glomerular Microvasculature From Increased Mechanical Stress In Angiotensin Ii-induced Hypertension: A Modeling Study

Abstract

Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension increases afferent and efferent arteriole resistances via the actions of Ang II on the AT1 receptor. In addition to the increased interstitial levels of Ang II, the increased arterial pressure increases interstitial ATP concentrations which act on the purinergic receptors P2X1 and P2X7, to constrict the AA, preventing increases in plasma flow and single nephron GFR (SNGFR). Blockade of the P2 receptors also mitigates the effects of Ang II, thus increasing blood flow and SNGFR, but the resulting increases in mechanical stresses (shear stress and circumferential hoop stress) on the glomerular microvasculature have not been quantified. A mathematical microvascular hemodynamic glomerular model was developed to simulate blood flow and plasma filtration at each of 320 capillary segments in an anatomically-accurate rat glomerular capillary network topology. Afferent and efferent arteriole resistances and network hydraulic conductivity were adjusted to match glomerular hemodynamic data for control, Ang II-induced hypertension and P2X1-blocked conditions (Franco, Martha, et al. Amer. J. Physiology-Renal 313.1 (2017): F9-F19). Ang II infusion increased both afferent and efferent resistances, reducing blood flow while slightly raising glomerular pressure. Blockade of the purinergic receptors reduced both afferent and efferent resistances, maintaining glomerular pressure at hypertensive levels but increasing blood flow significantly, increasing shear stress from 24.9 dynes/cm 2 in hypertensive conditions to 71.3 dynes/cm 2 after purinergic blockade. Because glomerular pressure was maintained, hoop stress barely changed from 69.5 kPa in hypertensive conditions to 70.9 kPa after purinergic blockade. Purinergic blockade also increased hydraulic conductivity and filtering surface area, increasing SNGFR. In hypertension, purinergic stimulation does not prevent the transmission of increased arterial pressure to the glomerular capillaries to reduce capillary hoop stress. However, activation of the purinergic system protects the glomerular microvasculature from increases in shear stress caused by a marked increase in blood flow that would occur in the absence of purinergic stimulation.