Renal, hormonal, and fluid shift responses to ANP during head-out water immersion in awake dogs

Renal responses to low doses of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) may be potentiated during water immersion-induced central hypervolemia. To test this hypothesis, ANP was infused in awake dogs in doses of 0, 5, and 25 ng.kg-1.min-1 either when the dogs were in air or during head-out water immersion (WI) under thermoneutral conditions (37 degrees C). In general, there were greater diuretic (V) and natriuretic responses (UNaV) at the same level of plasma ANP in WI, with the slopes (or sensitivities) of V and UNaV in relation to plasma ANP levels being significantly increased during WI. Plasma renin activity decreased only during WI and was significantly correlated with both V and UNaV only during WI. Plasma and urinary arginine vasopressin levels were unchanged during WI. Infusion of ANP prevented the usual decline of hematocrit that occurs during WI. These results support the view that the renal sensitivity to ANP is augmented during the plasma volume expansion of WI. In addition, ANP may attenuate the transcapillary fluid shift that occurs during WI.