Angiotensin augments epinephrine release in pithed rats fed a low-sodium diet

In confirmation of previous studies, the amount of epinephrine released into blood during electrical stimulation of the thoracolumbar region of the spinal cord in pithed rats on a low-sodium diet (0.01% sodium by weight of diet for 1 mo) was significantly greater than that observed in rats on a normal sodium diet (0.3% sodium by weight of diet). The present work assessed the extent to which endogenously formed angiotensin II influences this neurally mediated adrenal epinephrine release. The augmented release of epinephrine in rats maintained on the low-sodium diet appeared to depend on circulating angiotensin II because blockade of angiotensin II receptors with saralasin decreased the epinephrine release in these animals but not in rats maintained on the normal diet. Similar results were obtained when the renin-angiotensin system was blocked with the converting-enzyme inhibitor captopril. Adrenal epinephrine content was not affected by the dietary sodium intake; however, the catecholamine synthetic capacity was augmented as indicated by a significant induction of tyrosine hydroxylase. In addition, the adrenal medullary angiotensin II receptor density was significantly elevated in animals on the low-sodium diet. These results demonstrate that endogenous angiotensin II is capable of providing a positive modulatory influence on neurally mediated release of adrenal epinephrine, an effect that may require a chronic activation of the renin-angiotensin system as occurs naturally with restricted dietary sodium intake.