1. To examine the response of renal prostaglandins (PG) to systemic and renal vasoconstriction noradrenaline (NA), arginine vasopressin (AVP) and angiotensin II (ANG II) were each infused into eight healthy female subjects for 3 h on different days. Urinary excretion of PGE2, PGF2α and 6-keto-PGF1α was determined hourly.
2. NA and ANG II stimulated excretion of PGF2α significantly, but not of PGE2 or 6-keto-PGF1α AVP stimulated renal PGF2α and 6-keto-PGF1α significantly, but not PGE2.
3. A weak correlation was found between urinary PGF2α and diastolic blood pressure during NA and ANG II infusions, but not during AVP infusion.
4. The release of renal PG does not appear to constitute an obligatory and concomitant response to the blood pressure rise induced by the pressor agonists. The greater response of PGF2α than of PGE2 may result from a preferential direct effect on PGF2α secretion or from an increased conversion of PGE2 into F2α.