Abstract-Although the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor-induced bradykinin enhances nitric oxide (NO) release, bradykinin may also stimulate the production of an additional vasodilator, endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). This study examined the role of EDHF in mediating the NO-independent action of ACE inhibitors in canine renal microcirculation in vivo. We used intravital CCD camera videomicroscopy that allowed direct visualization of renal microcirculation in superficial and juxtamedullary nephrons in an in vivo, in situ, and relatively intact setting.In the presence of E4177 (an angiotensin receptor blocker), cilazaprilat (30 g/kg) had no effect on diameter of superficial afferent arterioles (Aff), but it increased renal contents of bradykinin and nitrate plus nitrite, and it elicited dilation of juxtamedullary Aff (from 24.0Ϯ0. bradykinin, a bradykinin receptor antagonist. The pretreatment with nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) plus E4177 eliminated the dilator response of juxtamedullary/ superficial Eff and the increase in renal nitrate plus nitrite levels induced by cilazaprilat. In contrast, in the presence of E4177ϩL-NAME, cilazaprilat still caused 8%Ϯ3% dilation of juxtamedullary Aff, which was completely eliminated by proadifen, a cytochrome-P450 and K Ca channel blocker. Collectively, the ACE inhibitor exerts multiple vasodilator mechanisms, including the inhibition of angiotensin II formation; blockade of angiotensin II activity appears to be a dominant mechanism in superficial Aff, whereas the bradykinin-induced NO acts on superficial Eff and juxtamedullary Aff/Eff. Furthermore, a putative EDHF is an additional mechanism for the ACE inhibitor-induced vasodilation of juxtamedullary Aff in vivo. Key Words: angiotensin-converting enzyme Ⅲ bradykinin Ⅲ endothelium-derived factors Ⅲ arterioles Ⅲ nitric oxide I t has been established that the renin-angiotensin system constitutes a vital determinant of the progression of renal disease, and the inhibition of this system by angiotensinconverting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) offers beneficial action on renal injury. [1][2][3][4] These two pharmacological tools, however, exert different activity on the renal microcirculation. Thus, the ACE inhibitor accumulates renal bradykinin by inhibiting kininase II (a kinin-degrading enzyme) with greater contents in the medulla than in the cortex, 5,6 and the elevated bradykinin would be anticipated to elicit renal arteriolar dilation. 6,7 In contrast, we have recently demonstrated that ARB fails to increase the renal bradykinin content in canine kidneys in an in vivo setting, and these differences contribute to the distinct renal microvascular responsiveness to the ACE inhibitor and ARB. 6 Although it is obvious that bradykinin participates in the distinct actions of ACE inhibitors and ARB, the precise mechanism entailing the divergent arteriolar responsiveness to the ACE inhibitor and ARB in the renal microcirculation remains fully undetermined.A growi...