The importance of vasopressin in the mechanism maintaining hypertension in the rat.

The further role of vasopressin in the pathogenesis of hypertension was studied in two different types of hypertensive rats in which the intravenous injection of a vasopressin antiserum reduced arterial blood pressure substantially. The increased secretion of vasopressin was demonstrated in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats with high salt intake. Angiotensin II binding of the brain receptor which has been postulated to modify osmotically stimulated vasopressin release from neurohypophysis was not affected by sodium balance in these types of hypertensive rats, whereas the decrease in the brain receptor binding of angiotensin II was observed in the control rats. The lack of the adjusting control system in the brain angiotensin II receptors for sodium balance may be, at least in a part, responsible for the enhancement of vasopressin secretion in the hypertensive rats compared to that in the control rats with high salt intake. Since pressor responsiveness to vasopressin was increased in the rats with DOCA-salt hypertension, vasopressin may function as a direct pressor agent in the maintenance of high blood pressure in this type of hypertension.