Atrial natriuretic factor modulates whole kidney tubuloglomerular feedback.

Increases in sodium delivery to the distal nephron reduce glomerular filtration rate (GFR) via tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). Central volume expansion and pharmacological concentrations of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) are known to attenuate this response. To test the hypothesis that whole kidney TGF is attenuated by pathophysiological concentrations of ANF, hypertonic saline was given intrarenally in five dogs receiving an intravenous infusion of synthetic ANF at 20 ng.kg-1.min-1. To examine whole kidney TGF responses in heart failure, six additional dogs with acute congestive heart failure induced by rapid ventricular pacing also received intrarenal hypertonic saline. Seven sham-paced dogs served as controls. An isolated increase in circulating ANF from 26 +/- 3 to 342 +/- 23 pg/ml abolished the whole kidney GFR response to hypertonic saline. In acute congestive heart failure, the GFR response to hypertonic saline was not attenuated despite acute central volume overload and similar increases in circulating ANF. This intact response to hypertonic saline in acute congestive heart failure may contribute to the renal sodium retention characteristic of congestive heart failure.