Vasopressin-stimulated release of atriopeptin: endocrine antagonists in fluid homeostasis.

Administration of pharmacological doses of arginine-vasopressin, related peptides, and other pressor agents induced a profound release of atriopeptin immunoreactivity into the circulation. The stimulated release of atriopeptin apparently was related to increased arterial blood pressure. Neither the nonpressor vasopressin analog 1-deamino-D-Arg8-vasopressin nor arginine-vasopressin in the presence of a specific pressor antagonist caused atriopeptin to be released into the circulation. Urine output was correlated with the level of atriopeptin released. Physiological levels of arginine-vasopressin suppress diuresis and produced vasoconstriction. Pharmacological levels of the hormone stimulated the cardiac endocrine system to release atriopeptin, which may cause diuresis and vasodilation to physiologically antagonize the effects of vasopressin.