Role of renal sympathetic nerve activity in renal failure associated with obstructive jaundice in the rat

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The propensity for renal failure associated with obstructive jaundice and liver disease may be related to enhanced vasoconstriction of the renal vascular bed with resultant decreases in renal blood flow. Renal sympathetic nervous activity may be a mediator of this effect. The increased renal production of prostaglandins which has been observed in previous models of bile duct ligation may serve to counterbalance the effects of such vasoconstricting influences. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of bile duct ligation on renal function and prostaglandin production in the rat. Furthermore, this study was designed to determine if renal sympathetic nerve activity contributes to the development of renal failure after bile duct ligation. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either sham operation (n = 8), bilateral renal denervation (n = 10), bile duct ligation alone (n = 11), or bile duct ligation and bilateral renal denervation (n = 10). Renal function was assessed before and 4 days after operation. Bile duct ligation resulted in a 46% decrease in creatinine clearance (p <0.01), a 33% decrease in urinary sodium excretion (p <0.01), a twofold increase in urine flow (p <0.01), and twofold increases in urinary excretion of PGE 2, 6-keto-PGF 1α, and thromboxane B 2 (p <0.01). Renal denervation did not prevent the decreases in creatinine clearance and sodium excretion seen after bile duct ligation and had no effect on the changes in urine flow and prostaglandin excretion. These findings demonstrate that bile duct ligation in the rat results in impaired renal function, accompanied by increases in renal prostaglandin production. In addition, this study indicates that the perturbations in renal function and renal prostaglandin production induced by bile duct ligation are not mediated by renal sympathetic nerve activity.