The present study tested the hypothesis that the presence of renal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is necessary for full natriuretic response to increased renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) during increased renal perfusion pressure (RPP). In control untreated pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs (n = 7), fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) was 1.17 +/- 0.48, 1.07 +/- 0.24, and 2.69 +/- 0.57% at RPP of 90, 122, and 148 mmHg, respectively. These changes in FENa were associated with effective renal blood flows (ERBF) of 1.43 +/- 0.20, 1.49 +/- 0.23, and 1.99 +/- 0.40 ml.min-1.g kidney wt-1, respectively. Similarly, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 0.53 +/- 0.10, 0.71 +/- 0.10, and 0.72 +/- 0.14 ml.min-1.g kidney wt-1, respectively. Treatment with indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, significantly lowered FENa to 0.45 +/- 0.13, 0.77 +/- 0.21, and 1.19 +/- 0.59% at RPP of 91, 121, and 146 mmHg, respectively. Additionally, indomethacin treatment lowered ERBF (0.51 +/- 0.15, 0.52 +/- 0.10, and 0.85 +/- 0.21 ml.min-1.g kidney wt-1) and GFR (0.28 +/- 0.09, 0.34 +/- 0.09, and 0.47 +/- 0.09 ml.min-1.g kidney wt-1) at low, middle, and high RPP, respectively. PGE2 replacement (n = 6) into renal artery at 0.01 microgram.min-1.kg body wt-1 returned FENa, ERBF, and GFR to control levels over the same range of RPP, whereas prostacyclin (PGI2) infusion (n = 7) at the same dose did not. RIHP was 4.2 +/- 1.2, 4.2 + 0.5, and 7.5 +/- 1.7 mmHg with increasing RPP in control untreated group and increased to similar levels with indomethacin treatment and during PGE2 or PGI2 replacement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)