Angiotensin AT1 receptor-mediated vasopressin release and drinking are potentiated by an AT2 receptor antagonist

Stimulation of angiotensin II AT2 receptors has been shown to inhibit AT1 receptor-mediated actions in peripheral tissues. The role of AT2 receptors in the central actions of angiotensin is not well understood. In the present study, plasma vasopressin levels and water intake in response to intracerebroventricular angiotensin II (10 pmol) were determined after intracerebroventricular pretreatment with PD 123177 (1-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)methyl-5-diphenylacetyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahy dro-1H- imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid-2HCl), a selective AT2 receptor antagonist (10, 100 and 1000 pmol), or with losartan (2-n-butyl-4-chloro-5-hydroxy-methyl-1-2'-(1H-tetrazole-5-yl)biphenyl-4- yl)methylimidazole, potassium salt), a specific AT1 receptor antagonist (0.2, 2 and 10 nmol). Blood samples for vasopressin determination were drawn 90 s after angiotensin II injection and the drinking response was determined in a time interval of 10 min after intracerebroventricular angiotensin II. Losartan at a dose of 2 nmol or higher completely prevented vasopressin release and drinking response to angiotensin II. The drinking response was already attenuated after pretreatment with the lowest dose of losartan. In contrast, PD 123177 potentiated the angiotensin II-induced vasopressin release (39.7 +/- 2.7 pg/ml after 1000 pmol PD 123177 vs. 21.3 +/- 2.9 pg/ml in vehicle-pretreated controls, P < 0.05). The dipsogenic response to angiotensin II was also potentiated by PD 123177 (9.5 +/- 0.7 ml after 1000 pmol PD 123177 vs. 5.1 +/- 1.3 ml in vehicle-pretreated controls, P < 0.05). Our results suggest that the angiotensin II-induced vasopressin release and drinking, mediated by central AT1 receptors, are under inhibitory control by central AT2 receptors.