Effect of renal tubular obstruction on stop-flow pressure and glomerular deposition of fibrin during intravascular coagulation in the rat

Abstract

Intravascular coagulation in the rat kidney was induced by intravenous infusion of thrombin for 1 hr. The proximal tubular free-flow (Pt) and stop-flow (Psf) pressures were measured by micropuncture. Some proximal tubules were obstructed with solid paraffin before infusion of thrombin. In certain rats saralasin or indomethacin was administered for 1 hr starting 30 min after the thrombin infusion, and the effect on the tubular pressures was studied. The deposition of fibrin in the glomeruli was examined by light and electron microscopy. Pt fell from 15 +/- 1 (SE) to 7 +/- 2 mm Hg (P less than 0.05) during the infusion of thrombin. After a brief period of increased pressure the Psf fell rapidly from 37 +/- 1 to 17 +/- 1 mm Hg (P less than 0.05). In the previously obstructed nephrons the pressure (Po) increased parallel to the increase in Psf but remained elevated after the infusion of thrombin, 54 +/- 2 mm Hg. The arterial blood pressure (Pa) increased from 119 +/- 2 to 138 +/- 3 mm Hg (P less than 0.05). Saralasin raised the Psf from 15 +/- 1 to 19 +/- 1 mm Hg (P less than 0.05) but had no effect on Pt, Po, or Pa. Indomethacin did not influence the pressures. Morphological examination revealed fibrin in all glomeruli of normal nephrons. In the previously obstructed nephrons the deposition of fibrin was almost totally prevented. The results suggest that glomerular filtration is important for deposition of fibrin in the kidney.