Renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure and pressure natriuresis in pregnant rats

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a decrease in renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) accounts for the blunted pressure natriuresis during pregnancy. RIHP was measured in nonpregnant (NP; n = 9), midterm pregnant (MP; 12-14 days after conception; n = 10), and late-term pregnant (LP; 18-21 days after conception; n = 12) female Sprague-Dawley rats at two renal perfusion pressure (RPP) levels (99 and 120 mmHg). At the lower RPP level, RIHP was 5.9 ± 0.3 mmHg for NP, 3.4 ± 0.4 mmHg for MP (P < 0.05 vs. NP), and 2.9 ± 0.1 mmHg for LP (P < 0.05 vs. NP) rats. The increase in RPP from 99 to 120 mmHg resulted in pressure natriuretic and diuretic responses in all groups; however, the increases in fractional excretion of sodium (ΔFE(Na)), urine flow rate (ΔV), and ΔRIHP were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in NP compared with both MP and LP rats. ΔFE(Na), ΔV, and ΔRIHP were 2.06 ± 0.28%, 81.44 ± 14.10 μl/min, and 3.0 ± 0.5 mmHg for NP; 0.67 ± 0.13%, 28.03 ± 5.28 μl/min, and 0.5 ± 0.2 mmHg for MP; and 0.48 ± 0.12%, 18.14 ± 4.70 μl/min, and 0.4 ± 0.1 mmHg for LP rats. In conclusion, RIHP is significantly lower in pregnant compared with nonpregnant rats at similar RPP levels. Also, the ability of pregnant rats to increase RIHP in response to an increase in RPP is blunted. These changes in RIHP may play an important role in the blunted pressure natriuresis and contribute to the conservation of sodium and water that is critical for fetal growth and development during normal pregnancy.