High rates of energy expenditure and water flux in free-ranging Point Reyes mountain beavers Aplodontia rufa phaea

We measured water flux and energy expenditure in free-ranging Point Reyes mountain beavers Aplodontia rufa phaea by using the doubly labeled water method. Previous laboratory investigations have suggested weak urinary concentrating ability, high rates of water flux, and low basal metabolic rates in this species. However, free-ranging measurements from hygric mammals are rare, and it is not known how these features interact in the environment. Rates of water flux (210+/-32 mL d(-1)) and field metabolic rates (1,488+/-486 kJ d(-1)) were 159% and 265%, respectively, of values predicted by allometric equations for similar-sized herbivores. Mountain beavers can likely meet their water needs through metabolic water production and preformed water in food and thus remain in water balance without access to free water. Arginine-vasopressin levels were strongly correlated with rates of water flux and plasma urea : creatinine ratios, suggesting an important role for this hormone in regulating urinary water loss in mountain beavers. High field metabolic rates may result from cool burrow temperatures that are well below lower critical temperatures measured in previous laboratory studies and suggest that thermoregulation costs may strongly influence field energetics and water flux in semifossorial mammals.     

III. Prolactin and calcium metabolism in the rat

The relation between plasma prolactin and plasma calcium was investogated in normoprolactinemic and hyperprolactinemic adult male rats. Hyperprolactinemia was induced by implantation of a pituitary underneath the kidney capsule in intact males. Hyperprolactinemia did not affect the concentration of calcium in the plasma. It did neither affect food and water consumption, nor urine production and urinary sodium excretion, indicating that prolactin is not important for osmoregulation. However, in hyperprolactinemic rats urinary calcium excretion was markedly increased. 90 Min of intravenous infusion of CaCl₂ induced a similar rise of plasma calcium in normoprolactinemic and hyperprolactinemic rats. Infusiion of EGTA during 60 min induced no change in total plasma calcium in normo- and hyperprolactinemic rats. although probably ionized plasma calcium was considerably decreased. Plasma prolactin, however, was not changed during these infusions. It is concluded that in the adult male rat prolactin has no function in the short term regulation of calcium homeostasis. However, when plasma prolactin is considerably increased duing prolonged periods, the hormone may affect calcium metabolism.     

Influence of thyroxine and luteinizing hormone on some enzymes concerned with lipogenesis in adipose tissue, testis and adrenal gland

The activities of hexokinase, citrate-cleavage enzyme, ;malic enzyme' and NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase have been measured in the adipose tissue, testes and adrenals of normal rats, hypophysectomized rats and hypophysectomized rats treated with either thyroxine or thyroxine plus luteinizing hormone. Hypophysectomy reduced the activity of all four enzymes in all three tissues. Thyroxine alone restored the activity of all four enzymes in adipose tissue towards normal but failed to do so in either testes or adrenals. Thyroxine and luteinizing hormone restored the citrate-cleavage enzyme activity of testes and increased the activity of hexokinase from the low value after hypophysectomy. Neither ;malic enzyme' nor isocitrate dehydrogenase was increased by thyroxine or thyroxine and luteinizing hormone in testes. The differential stimulation of enzyme activity by thyroxine in the different tissues suggests thyroxine as having a special significance in adipose-tissue lipogenesis.     

Improvement of follicular development rather than gonadotrophin secretion by thyroxine treatment in infertile immature hypothyroid rdw rats

Despite extensive study of reproductive abnormalities in female hypothyroid animals, little is known of folliculogenesis and gonadotrophin secretion in spontaneously hypothyroid animals, especially in response to exogenous hormone treatment. In this study, follicular development and plasma hormone concentrations in the presence or absence of thyroxine and eCG treatment were investigated in infertile immature spontaneously hypothyroid rdw rats. Administration of thyroxine once a day from day 21 to day 29 after birth resulted in increases in body weight (P < 0.001) and ovary mass on day 30 (P < 0.01). Similar populations of both healthy and atretic antral follicles ranging from 101 to 400 micrometer in diameter were observed in control rdw and normal rats. In rdw rats, thyroxine treatment markedly increased the number of healthy antral uniovular follicles 101-400 or > 550 micrometer in diameter in the absence or presence of eCG, respectively. Combined treatment of thyroxine and eCG in rdw rats also markedly increased the number of healthy antral biovular follicles. Thyroxine treatment did not affect the population of atretic antral follicles, but resulted in decrease in the number of atretic large antral follicles (> 400 microm) in the presence of eCG. Plasma oestradiol concentrations in rdw rats given both thyroxine and eCG were significantly higher than they were in rdw rats given eCG alone (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in plasma FSH concentrations on day 28 between rdw (10.7 +/- 1.6 ng ml(-1)) and normal rats (12.0 +/- 1.4 ng ml(-1); P > 0. 05). Although there were no significant differences in plasma LH concentrations between control rdw (1.9 +/- 0.1 ng ml(-1)) and normal rats on day 30 (1.8 +/- 0.1 ng ml(-1); P > 0.05), eCG treatment increased plasma LH to a peak concentration 52 h after injection in normal (24.9 +/- 2.4 ng ml(-1)) but not in rdw rats treated with thyroxine (4.8 +/- 0.3 ng ml(-1); P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that thyroxine treatment improves follicular development but does not rescue the defect of the preovulatory surge of LH in eCG-primed rdw rats.     

The role of thyroid and adrenal cortical hormones in the modulation of the gonadal function in birds

The role of the thyroid gland in modulating the gonad function depends on the functional state of the gonads. In sexually inactive (short-day's) male Japanese quails, thyroidectomy and thyroxine treatment prove ineffective. Thyroxine administered simultaneously with photo-gonadostimulation inhibits the maturation of the gonads: the testes decrease in weight, the metabolic clearance rate of testosterone accelerates, resulting in a decrease in the plasma level, and androsterone production increases. Photo-gonadostimulation of thyroidectomized quails shows down the growth of the testicles and decreases the plasma testosterone level. The latter change can be related to the inhibition of the secretion rate. Both thyroidectomy and thyroxine administration performed in mature male quail, cock, pigeon or Peking duck lower the testosterone plasma level. The loss of the testicular weight is more expressed in hyperthyroid than in normal quails, referring to the role of the increased thyroxine level in the seasonal (summer) gonadal involution. Thyroidectomy performed on sexually inactive (short-day's) female Japanese quails does not affect the ovarian structure, but 17 beta-oestradiol and testosterone plasma levels show a slight increase. Thyroxine administration is followed by a moderate increase in the size of the white follicles, and an increase of both the progesterone and the oestrogen concentrations. Photo-gonadostimulation of thyroidectomized quails causes an inhibition of the mechanism of ovulation without inhibiting the development of the yellow follicles. A similar phenomenon has been observed in mature quails and domestic fowls after thyroidectomy. In both cases, an unbalanced secretion of the sexual steroids occurs: the 17 beta-oestradiol plasma level declines, while the progesterone level increases. Simultaneous application of thyroxine and photo-gonadostimulation on female quails inhibits gonadal maturation: the growing of the yellow follicles slows down. In thyroxine-treated birds, the plasma level of all of the sexual steroids shows a considerable decrease, which can be attributed to a reduced secretion rate and increased metabolic clearance. In hatching turkeys, we failed to observe the increase of the T3 level described for other species, however, the T4 plasma concentration was increasing at the early period of hatching. The role of the thyroid hormones in the development of hatching has not been cleared up so far. Corticosterone administration shows a slight stimulating effect on the gonadal function of sexually inactive male and female Japanese quails.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Physiological acclimation of a desert antelope, Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), to long-term food and water restriction

Desert mammals often experience scarcity of drinking water and food for prolonged periods. In this study, the first long-term acclimation experiment in a non-domesticated desert-adapted ungulate, we investigated the mechanisms used by the Arabian oryx Oryx leucoryx, to adjust its physiology to progressive food and water restriction over 5 months, an experimental regimen and time course chosen to mimic what it typically experiences between spring and late summer in the desert. At the end of the acclimation period, oryx consumed less than one and half of food and water of animals in the control group and lost 8.2±2.6% of their initial body mass. Experimental animals reduced their mass-specific resting metabolic rate (RMR) and total evaporative water loss (TEWL) by 16.2 and 25.7%, respectively, and maintained a digestive efficiency of about 70%. We found no support for the idea that reduced RMR in oryx correlated with a decreased thyroid hormone concentration in plasma. At the end of the 5 months acclimation, oryx continued to mobilize fatty acids to fuel metabolism, and did not use protein breakdown as a major source of gluconeogenesis. Oryx in the experimental group reduced their water intake by 70% and maintained constant plasma osmolality. They adjusted their water budget by reducing mass-specific TEWL, increasing urine osmolality and reducing urine volume by 40%, and excreting feces with <50% water content. Oryx have an unusually low TEWL compared with other arid-zone ungulates; both hydrated and water-deprived individuals have TEWL values, 51.7 and 39.3%, respectively, of allometric predictions for arid-zone ungulates. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Plasma thyroxine levels of mammals: Desert and mountain

Plasma thyroxine levels were measured in twelve species of desert mammals ranging in altitude from the desert floor to montane forest regions. Rodent species from the low desert had lower circulating thyroxine levels than those species found at 1800 m elevation. Total thyroxine plasma levels were significantly related to metabolic rate and ecologic distribution. The low T₄ values of species restricted to the desert floor may play a role in adaptation to summer heat and to the scarcity of food and water.     

Thyroid function in a lizard, a tortoise and a crocodile, compared with mammals

1. Thyroid activity was examined in the lizard, Trachydosaurus rugosus, the tortoise Chelodina longicollis and the crocodile, Crocodylus johnstoni, acclimated to 20-22 degrees C and 30-32 degrees C. Thyroidal uptake and release of 125I, plasma concentrations of T3 and T4 were measured as was resting oxygen consumption (at 30 degrees C) before and after both thyroidectomy and thyroxine injections. 2. All three species showed 125I uptake at both temperatures and showed no thyroidal release of 125I at 20-22 degrees C but exhibited thyroidal release of 125I (and presumably hormone secretion) at 30-32 degrees C. 3. Plasma concentrations of thyroxine ranged from 0.55 nM to 3.24 nM and triiodothyronine from 0.14 nM to 0.51 nM. 4. Neither thyroidectomy nor thyroxine injections had any effect on metabolic rate in 20-22 degrees C acclimated lizards. Thyroidectomy resulted in a significant decrease in metabolic rate in 30-32 degrees C acclimated lizards and tortoises and thyroxine injections resulted in significant increases in metabolism in 30-32 degrees C acclimated lizards, tortoises and crocodiles. 5. A comparison of thyroid parameters in reptiles and mammals concluded that although the reptilian thyroid is active at high temperatures it is still considerably less active than it is in mammals.     

NMR spectroscopy based metabonomic studies on the comparative biochemistry of the kidney and urine of the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), white toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens) and the laboratory rat

The metabolic profiles of three wild mammals that vary in their trophic strategies, the herbivorous bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), the granivorous wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), and the insectivorous white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens), were compared with that of a widely used strain of laboratory rat (Sprague Dawley). In conjunction with NMR spectroscopic investigations into the urine and blood plasma composition for these mammals, high resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was applied to investigate the composition of intact kidney samples. Adaptation to natural diet affects both renal metabolism and urinary profiles, and while these techniques have been used to study the metabolism of the laboratory rat little is known about wild small mammals. The species were readily separated by their urinary profiles using either crude metabolite ratios or statistical pattern recognition. Bank vole urine contained higher concentrations of aromatic amino acids compared with the other small mammals, while the laboratory rats produced relatively more hippurate. HRMAS 1H-NMR demonstrated striking differences in both lipid concentration and composition between the wild mammals and Sprague Dawley rats. Bank voles contained high concentrations of the aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan in all tissue and biofluids studied. This study demonstrates the analytical power of combined NMR techniques for the study of inter-species metabolism and further demonstrates that metabolic data acquired on laboratory animals cannot be extended to wild species.     

Involvement of the V2 Vasopressin Receptor in Adaptation to Limited Water Supply

Mammals adapted to a great variety of habitats with different accessibility to water. In addition to changes in kidney morphology, e.g. the length of the loops of Henle, several hormone systems are involved in adaptation to limited water supply, among them the renal-neurohypophysial vasopressin/vasopressin receptor system. Comparison of over 80 mammalian V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) orthologs revealed high structural and functional conservation of this key component involved in renal water reabsorption. Although many mammalian species have unlimited access to water there is no evidence for complete loss of V2R function indicating an essential role of V2R activity for survival even of those species. In contrast, several marsupial V2R orthologs show a significant increase in basal receptor activity. An increased vasopressin-independent V2R activity can be interpreted as a shift in the set point of the renal-neurohypophysial hormone circuit to realize sufficient water reabsorption already at low hormone levels. As found in other desert mammals arid-adapted marsupials show high urine osmolalities. The gain of basal V2R function in several marsupials may contribute to the increased urine concentration abilities and, therefore, provide an advantage to maintain water and electrolyte homeostasis under limited water supply conditions.     

The morphology and function of rat C-cells. 4. Determination of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and total nitrogen in the femora of untreated parathyroidectomized or thyreoparathyroidectomized and hormonally substituted female rats]

Female Wistar rats of a live weight of about 160 g and fed with a standard laboratory diet, were parathyroidectomized, or thyroparathyroidectomized and treated with thyroxine, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin. thyroxine and parathyroid hormone, or thyroxine and calcitonin. On the 15th day post operationem, and after twelve days of hormone treatment, the concentrations of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and total nitrogen were determined in the femur bone. Parathyroidectomy resulted in a decrease of phosphorus concentration in bone. After thyroparathyroidectomy (Tx), the concentrations of inorganic phosporus and nitrogen diminished during some days, whereas the calcium content decreased continuously. Thyroxine application normalized the concentration of inorganic phosphorus. The osteolytic and nitrogen-anabolic effect of parathyroid hormone took place only in simultaneous treatment with thyroxine. The injection of calcitonin had a nitrogen-anabolic effect on bone; the simultaneous treatment with thyroxine induced a loss of calcium out of bone, and a deposition of calcium phosphate in renal tissue. Calcitonin did not inhibit a significant decrease of calcium concentration in the femur bone; the hypophosphatemic effect was always present. The metabolism of bone tissue, influenced by hormonal actions, probably determined the localization of the deposition of inorganic phosphorus, deserting the serum under the influence of calcitonin.     

Metabolic and endocrine effects of water and/or food deprivation in rats

Metabolic and endocrine effects of water and/or food deprivation in rats. We aim at studying the effect of water deprivation, food deprivation and their combination for three days on adrenal cortex, pituitary-thyroid axis and vasopressinergic system activity in rats. Corticosterone level was determined by fluorimetric method. The levels of free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were determined by immunoenzymatic assay and vasopressin (AVP) level was determined by radio-immunoassay. In all three groups, basal levels of plasma corticosterone were increased. A thyroid dysfunction was shown after water deprivation, food deprivation and their combination reflected by a significant decrease in FT4 levels. Paradoxically, a significant decrease in TSH level was observed in food-deprived rats and in rats subjected to simultaneous food and water deprivation, while a slight and not significant decrease in TSH level was shown in water-deprived rats. A significant increase in plasma AVP level was observed after water deprivation and simultaneous water and food deprivation, while no change was found after food deprivation. The data indicated that water deprivation, food deprivation and their combination stimulated the adrenal cortex, thereby suggesting a stress state. On the other hand, it seems that nutritional stress modifies the pituitary-thyroid axis through mechanisms different from those of osmotic stress. Moreover, it seems that food deprivation partially prevented the stimulatory effect of water deprivation on vasopressinergic system.     

Antidiuretic Effect of Eel ANP Infused at Physiological Doses in Conscious, Seawater-Adapted Eels, Anguilla japonica

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is known as a potent natriuretic/diuretic hormone in vertebrates. However, eel ANP infused at doses that did not alter arterial blood pressure (0.3-3.0 pmol/kg/min) decreased urine volume and increased urinary Na concentration in seawater (SW)-adapted eels but not in freshwater (FW)-adapted eels. The renal effects were dose-dependent and disappeared after infusate was switched back to a vehicle (0.9% NaCl). Urinary Na excretion (volume x Na concentration) did not change during ANP infusion. ANP infusion increased plasma ANP concentration, but the increase at the highest dose was still within those observed endogenously after injection of hypertonic saline. Urinary Mg and Ca concentrations increased during ANP infusion in SW eels, but urinary Ca excretion decreased in FW eels. Plasma Na concentration profoundly decreased during ANP infusion only in SW eels, suggesting that ANP stimulates Na extrusion via non-renal routes. These results indicate that ANP is a hormone which specifically extrudes Na ions and thereby promotes SW adaptation in the eel. This is in sharp contrast with mammals where ANP is a volume regulating hormone that extrudes both Na and water.     

Increased thyroxine turnover after 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl injection and lack of effect on peripheral triiodothyronine production

Juvenile male Wistar rats were injected i.p. with 0, 20, or 40 mg/kg 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl and blood samples collected periodically up to 28 days. A dose-dependent depression of the serum thyroxine level was detected, while the circulating triiodothyronine concentration was not affected by the biphenyl congener. Thyroxine turnover in vivo 7 days after injection of the 20 mg/kg dose revealed significant increases of various clearance parameters relative to controls. The fractional clearance rate (day-1) increased by 84%, the daily metabolic clearance rate (mL.kg-1.day-1) increased by 128%, and the daily thyroxine disposal rate (ng.kg-1.day-1) increased by 41%. Also, the thyroxine distribution space (mL/kg) increased by 21%. These results indicated greater thyroxine binding in major organs as well as a marked increase in the peripheral metabolism of thyroxine. The increased thyroxine metabolism is explained by a 4.8-fold induction of uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronyltransferase activity in liver microsomes. The type I 5'-deiodinase activity in liver homogenates and endogenous concentrations of the cofactor for this reaction, glutathione, were not affected by the biphenyl. This result means that homeostatic mechanisms involving thyroxine conversion to triiodothyronine do not explain the maintenance of serum T3 under these conditions.     

Renal responses to chronic cold exposure

The aim of this study was to assess our hypothesis that the release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), the renal concentrating response to ADH, or both is decreased by prolonged cold exposure. Six groups (n = 6/group) of rats were used. Three groups were exposed to cold (5 degrees C), whilethe remaining three groups were kept at room temperature (25 degrees C). It was found that urine osmolality decreased significantly and serum osmolality increased significantly during cold exposure. The ratio of water/food intake was not affected by prolonged cold exposure. However, prolonged cold exposure increased the ratio of urine output/food intake in the cold-exposed rats, indicating that more urine flow is required by the cold-exposed rats to excrete the osmotic substance at a given food intake. The difference between water intake and urine output decreased significantly in the cold-exposed rats. Thus, prolonged cold exposure increases water loss from excretion. Renal concentrating responses to 24-h dehydration and Pitressin were decreased significantly in the cold-exposed rats. Plasma ADH levels remained unchanged, but renal ADH receptor (V2 receptor) mRNA was decreased significantly in the cold-exposed rats. The results strongly support the conclusion that cold exposure increases excretive water loss, and this may be due to suppression of renal V2 receptors rather than inhibition of ADH release.     

Plasma thyroid hormone concentrations in a wintering passerine bird: their relationship to geographic variation,environmental factors,metabolic rate,and body fat

Winter acclimatization among passerine birds involves metabolic adjustments that allow for high rates of thermogenesis. In previous studies, we observed geographic variation in the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of overwintering cardinals along a latitudinal gradient at two different longitudinal transects. Because thyroid hormones (THs) are important for metabolic adjustments in endotherms, we determined whether geographic variation in BMR can be explained by variation in thyroid status. We measured total plasma TH (thyroxine [T(4)] and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine [T(3)]) concentrations by radioimmunoassay in birds from two latitudinal transects extending from approximately 31 degrees to 42 degrees. Birds from both transects had higher plasma THs in the late afternoon than in the early morning. Plasma T(3) increased with latitude, while plasma T(4) varied such that the southernmost birds and the northernmost birds had higher hormone concentrations than birds at the intermediate latitude. There was no correlation between plasma TH concentrations and BMR. To test whether thyroid status influences metabolic parameters in winter-acclimatized captive cardinals, we fed cardinals diets supplemented with T(4) (5 microg T(4) g(-1) food), the goitrogen methimazole (1 mg g(-1) food), or both. Plasma T(4) concentrations were altered by most of the treatments, but we observed no significant effects on any metabolic parameter. We conclude, therefore, that there is latitudinal variation in metabolic parameters in cardinals but that this variation is not explained by variation in plasma TH concentrations.     

The effects of acclimation temperature on pituitary and plasma beta-endorphin in rats at 32.5 degrees C

Endocrine and thermoregulatory responses were studied in male rats exposed to heat (32.5 +/- 0.1 degrees C) from acclimation temperatures of either 24.5 +/- 0.1 degrees C or 29.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C. After 1 hr in the heat, evaporative water loss and tail skin temperature changes in the 24.5 degrees C acclimated rats were greater than in the 29.2 degrees C acclimated rats; both groups displayed similar changes in metabolic rate and rectal temperature. At the respective acclimation temperatures, 29.2 degrees C rats displayed lowered plasma thyroid hormones, elevated beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-END-LI) in the plasma, neurointermediate and anterior lobes of the pituitary gland, and no change in plasma corticosterone levels compared to 24.5 degrees C rats. After exposure to 32.5 degrees C for 1 hr, both groups of rats maintained similar plasma corticosterone levels; however, only the 24.5 degrees C group increased plasma thyroxine and beta-END-LI. These data suggest that beta-endorphin may be involved in body temperature regulation during acclimation to elevated environmental temperatures.     

Effects of fresh and seawater ingestion on osmoregulation in Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are marine mammals with body water needs challenged by little access to fresh water and constant exposure to salt water. Osmoregulation has been studied in marine mammals for a century. Research assessing the effects of ingested fresh water or seawater in dolphins, however, has been limited to few animals and sampling times. Nine 16- to 25-h studies were conducted on eight adult dolphins to assess the hourly impact of fresh water, seawater, and seawater with protein ingestion on plasma and urine osmolality, urine flow rate (ufr), urinary and plasma solute concentrations, and solute clearance rates. Fresh water ingestion increased ufr. Fresh water ingestion also decreased plasma and urine osmolality, sodium and chloride urine concentrations, and solute excretion rates. Seawater ingestion resulted in increased ufr, sodium, chloride, and potassium urine concentrations, sodium excretion rates, and urine osmolality. Seawater with protein ingestion was associated with increased ufr, plasma osmolality, sodium excretion, and sodium, chloride, potassium, and urea urine concentrations. In conclusion, bottlenose dolphins appear to maintain water and plasma solute balance after ingesting fresh water or seawater by altering urine osmolality and solute clearance. Ingestion of protein with seawater appears to further push osmoregulation limits and urine solute concentrations in dolphins.     

Potentiated effect of systemic administration of oxytocin on hypertonic NaCl intake in food-deprived male rats

Subcutaneous administration of oxytocin (OT) increases water intake and sodium/urine excretion in food-deprived male rats. This study analyzes the effect of OT administration (at 0830 and 1430h) on the consumption of water and hypertonic NaCl (1.5%). In the first experiment, injections of OT increased the intake of hypertonic NaCl (but not of water) in food-deprived rats but not in ad lib-fed animals during the second 12 h (2030 to 0830) of the treatment day. The net concentration of the fluid consumed by OT/deprived animals was close to isotonic. In the second experiment, the initial effect of OT administration was an increase in urine volume and urinary sodium excretion and concentration by food-deprived animals during the first 12 h (0830 to 2030). These findings suggest that in food-deprived animals, systemic administration of OT induces NaCl intake as a consequence of previous urine loss and urinary sodium excretion.     

Role of substance P in water homeostasis.

The effect of the naturally occurring peptide substance P on release of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) was studied in anesthetized dogs. Intravenous infusions of substance P in doses of 0.5, 5.0, and 50 ng/kg/min increased plasma concentrations of ADH in a dose-related fashion. At the two low doses, this increase occured in the absence of changes in urine volume, sodium excretion, free water clearance, and urinary cyclic AMP excretion. In addition, when substance P was administered in a concentration of 0.5 ng/kg/min, plasma levels of ADH were increased even though blood pressure did not change, suggesting that substance P may release antidiuretic hormone by a direct mechanism. Intrarenal infusions at a rate of 0.5 and 5 ng/kg/min caused dose-related decreases in free water clearance and significant increases in urinary cyclic AMP excretion. These data suggest that substabce P may play an important role in the regulation of water balance.