Evidence for cholinergic modulation of aldosterone secretion in man

Acetylcholine stimulates aldosterone secretion in bovine glomerulosa cells in vitro via specific cholinergic receptors. In this study we examined the effect of peripheral muscarinic blockade with atropine on metoclopramide-, angiotensin-II-, and ACTH-stimulated aldosterone secretion in man. Atropine (0.6 mg, iv) administered 10 min before MCP delayed the onset of the plasma aldosterone response and attenuated the mean peak response from 502 +/- 103 (+/- SE) to 322 +/- 72 pmol/L (P less than 0.05) without affecting zero time mean plasma aldosterone levels (144 +/- 28 vs. 136 +/- 36 pmol/L for control and atropine, respectively). This inhibitory effect was not mediated by changes in PRA or plasma potassium or ACTH (as reflected by cortisol) concentrations. Atropine also attenuated the plasma aldosterone response to a low dose angiotensin II infusion (2 ng/kg.min; control, 449 +/- 99 pmol/L; atropine, 297 +/- 78 pmol/L; P less than 0.05). In contrast, atropine had no effect on the plasma aldosterone response to a bolus dose (250 micrograms) of ACTH. Neither atropine (0.6 mg, iv) nor the cholinergic muscarinic agonist bethanechol (5 mg, sc) alone elicited a change in plasma aldosterone. Collectively, these data provide evidence for cholinergic modulation of aldosterone secretion in man. We conclude that cholinergic mechanisms may facilitate the aldosterone responses to angiotensin-II and metoclopramide, but not to ACTH.