The present study was performed to evaluate angiotensin II (Ang II)-nitric oxide (NO) interaction in afferent arterioles (Af) of wild-type mice and mice that are homozygous (-/-) for disruption of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) gene. Af were microperfused, and the dose responses were assessed for the NO precursor L-arginine (n = 4), NO inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, n = 5), L-NAME after pretreatment with L-arginine (n = 5), Ang II (n = 8), and Ang II after pretreatment with L-NAME (n = 7). Acute administration of L-arginine and L-NAME (both in doses from 10(-6) to 10(-3) mol/L) did not change arteriolar diameter. Moreover, pretreatment with L-arginine did not change the response to L-NAME. However, Ang II, applied in doses of 10(-12), 10(-10), 10(-8), and 10(-6) mol/L, significantly reduced the lumen to 66.5 +/- 7.0% and 62.2 +/- 8.0% at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/L Ang II, respectively. The contraction was augmented after L-NAME pretreatment (19.5 +/- 13.6% and 25.5 +/- 10.2% at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/L Ang II, respectively). In eNOS (-/-) mice (n = 8), the response to Ang II also was enhanced (9.1 +/- 6.0% and 11.2 +/- 8.2% at 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/L Ang II, respectively). Female mice did not differ from male mice in their reactivity to Ang II (n = 9) and Ang II + L-NAME pretreatment (n = 11). The study shows that (1) it is feasible to microperfuse mouse Af, (2) the basal production of endothelial NO is very low and not inducible by L-arginine in Af of mice, and (3) a counteracting effect of NO is initiated by Ang II. High Ang II sensitivity in eNOS (-/-) mice underscores the considerable role of endothelial-derived NO to balance Ang II vasoconstriction in Af.