Is there a role for renal α2-adrenoceptors in the pathogenesis of hypertension?

Current information suggests that α2-adrenoceptors do not directly influence vascular resistance or Na reabsorption in the rat kidney. To reexamine the effects of α2-agonists we used isolated rat kidneys perfused at 37.5 °C with precise measurement of renal artery pressure and flow. The recirculating perfusate contained pyruvate as the sole metabolic substrate which enabled us to use gluconeogenesis as an index of proximal tubular α1-responses. Clonidine and guanfacine in 100 nM concentrations decreased phosphate excretion without altering Na, Cl, or K reabsorption or gluconeogenesis; 500 nM concentrations increased vascular resistance and decreased glomerular filtration rate and Na, Cl, and K excretion with no significant effect on gluconeogenesis. Prior thyroparathyroidectomy prevented the antiphosphaturic but not the antinatriuretic or vascular responses. Clonidine, an α2-agonist with some α1-activity, was a more potent vasoconstrictor than methoxamine or guanfacine. In the presence of prazosin (1 μM),...