Renal blood flow in normal adults increases after protein ingestion. The mechanisms that create this hyperperfusion are unclear. A neurogenic factor in humans has not been definitively ruled out. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that a high-protein meal significantly increases renal blood flow to the denervated human kidney. We studied 11 transplant recipients (TR) with denervated kidneys and 4 kidney donors (KD) with a single innervated kidney. All subjects had normal urinalysis. Using noninvasive Doppler flowmetry that was previously validated, we determined renal blood flow (RQ, ml/min) after a 12-hr fast (F) and 1, 2, and 3 hr after a high-protein meal (500 ml) of 150 g protein, 30 g fat, and 30 g carbohydrate. The RQ (mean +/- SD, ml/min) at fasting and at 1, 2, and 3 hr postprandially was 409 +/- 100, 446 +/- 100, 493 +/- 122 (P less than 0.05 vs. F), and 500 +/- 123 (P less than 0.05 vs. F), respectively, for the TR, and was 654 +/- 60 (P less than 0.05 vs. TR), 667 +/- 86 (P less than 0.05 vs. TR), 776 +/- 80 (P less than 0.05 vs. F and TR), and 809 +/- 81 (P less than 0.05 vs. F and TR) for KD. We conclude that RQ in TR increases significantly after protein ingestion. Thus, in the noninstrumented, unanesthetized human with a transplanted kidney, neural control is not a factor in the increase in renal blood flow after a high protein meal.