Interaction between CRF and angiotensin II in control of ACTH and adrenal steroids.

These experiments were designed to test for interactions between plasma angiotensin II (ANG II) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the control of plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), aldosterone, and corticosteroids, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) in conscious dogs. Five trained dogs with exteriorized carotid arteries were studied. Each dog was infused with saline and with CRF at three rates (2.5, 5, and 10 ng X kg-1 X min-1) and ANG II at three rates (5, 10, and 20 ng X kg-1 X min-1) for 60 min. The same animals were also coinfused with 10 ng X kg-1 X min-1 ANG II at each rate of CRF infusion and with 10 ng CRF X kg-1 X min-1 at each rate of ANG II infusion. Infusion of ANG II alone caused dose-related increases in aldosterone, corticosteroids, and MAP but did not alter ACTH or HR. Infusion of CRF alone increased ACTH, aldosterone, and corticosteroids but not MAP or HR. Coinfusion of CRF and ANG II caused ANG II dose-related ACTH responses but did not alter the sensitivity of the ACTH responses to CRF. Thus it appears that ANG II alone does not stimulate ACTH release but requires increased CRF concentrations to effect ACTH release.