Dehydration-induced alterations in rat brain vasopressin and atrial natriuretic factor immunoreactivity.

Potent natriuretic and spasmolytic peptides present in cardiac extracts recently have been identified. These atrial natriuretic factors (ANF) exert vascular and renal actions quite contrary to those of vasopressin (AVP). The ability of ANF to inhibit AVP secretion suggested a role for the peptides in the control of AVP release. The present studies report the measurement of ANF-like immunoreactivity within brain regions associated with the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal tract and demonstrate significant water deprivation-induced reductions in ANF content of several structures (neural lobe, organum vasculosum lamina terminalis, suprachiasmatic and supraoptic nuclei) but not in others (median eminence, paraventricular nucleus, cortex and pituitary). The data suggest the production of ANF-like peptides within the brain and, further, the involvement of central ANF in extracellular fluid volume regulation.