Role of AVP in malignant DOC-salt hypertension: studies using vascular and antidiuretic antagonists

To investigate the role of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the maintenance of blood pressure in deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-salt hypertension, the effects of specific pressor and antidiuretic antagonists of AVP were studied in conscious, freely moving rats with established malignant DOC-salt hypertension. Plasma AVP level was significantly higher in hypertensive than in normotensive animals (4.8 +/- 1.0 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.3 fmol/ml, n = 5, P less than 0.02). Administration of d(CH2)5-d-Leu-VAVP, 10 micrograms/kg, an AVP antagonist that blocked the antidiuretic, but not the pressor effect of exogenous AVP, induced diuresis, and caused a transient fall in blood pressure from 173 +/- 3 to 167 +/- 4 mmHg (n = 8, P less than 0.01) with a concomitant slight increase in heart rate. Similar changes were observed after administration of d(CH2)5Tyr(Et)VAVP, 10 micrograms/kg, an antidiuretic plus pressor antagonist of AVP. Intravenous injection of d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP, 10 micrograms/kg, a specific AVP pressor antagonist had no effect on blood pressure or heart rate, although it completely abolished the pressor response to exogenous AVP. Plasma renin activity remained suppressed following administration of all AVP antagonists. These findings suggest that if AVP should contribute to maintaining high blood pressure in malignant DOC-salt hypertension it would have to be the results of its antidiuretic and not its vasoconstrictor property.