The nature of the hepatic receptors involved in vasopressin-induced glycogenolysis.

We have found a close correlation between the known vasopressor potency of arginine vasopressin and fourteen structural analogs, and the ability of these peptides to activate glycogen phosphorylase in isolated rat hepatocytes; there was no relation with the known antidiuretic activity of the analogs. We have also found that the pA2 values characterizing the known antivasopressor capacity of five analogs against vasopressin were close to those obtained for their inhibition of the vasopressin-induced activation of hepatic glycogen phosphorylase. We propose therefore that the hepatic receptors responsible for the glycogenolytic activity of vasopressin share characteristics with and appear therefore related to those responsible for pressor activity in vivo.