Renal blood flow, renal sympathetic nerve activity, assessed by the renal overflows of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI), as well as plasma renin activity and angiotensin II (ANG II) were evaluated during stepwise increases in lower body negative pressure (LBNP) in 10 healthy volunteers. The fractional extraction of epinephrine (Epi) was used to assess renal catecholamine removal (approximately 50%) from arterial plasma. Renal NE, DA, and NPY-LI overflows at rest were 235 +/- 31, 30 +/- 5, and 0.6 +/- 0.2 pmol/min, respectively. LBNP increased renal vascular resistance (RVR) by 52% and renal NE overflow by 31%. Renin release increased by 330% (from 64 +/- 12 units/min) and arterial ANG II levels by 119%, without altering the renal ANG II extraction (which was approximately 50%). Renal DA and NPY-LI overflows were unaffected. A "vaso-vagal" reaction in one subject was associated with cessation of renal NE overflow and marked elevations of arterial Epi, renal renin release, and arterial ANG II. Selective unloading of cardiopulmonary baroreceptors by low-level LBNP did not affect RVR, whereas higher levels of LBNP caused renal vasoconstriction probably mediated in part by increased renal sympathetic nerve activity and in part by ANG II.