title: Influence of sodium balance on ACTH/adrenal corticosteroid dose-response curves in the dog.
abstract: In order to define short-term ACTH/corticosteroid dose-respone characteristics, we infused ACTH for 1 h at each of five incremental rates into pedigreed male beagle dogs in four different states of sodium balance. Progressive sodium depletion was associated with progressive increased in basal (pre-ACTH) plasma levels of renin, angiotensin II, aldosterone, 18-hydroxycorticosterone (18-OH-B), and 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OH-DOC). Administration of dexamethasone significantly reduced the preinfusion levels of cortisol, aldosterone, 18-OH-B, and 18-OH-DOC. The threshold dose of ACTH required to elicit an aldosterone response during low-sodium intake was similar to that for cortisol, but was higher during normal or high-sodium intake. Steepest portions of the dose-response curves were at lower rates of ACTH infusion for cortisol than for aldosterone, and maximum increment was much greater for cortisol (60-fold) than for aldosterone (12-fold). Whereas the slopes of ACTH/aldosterone and ACTH/18-OH-B dose-response curves were steepened by lower sodium diets, the ACTH/cortisol response was significantly flattened by severe sodium depletion. We conclude that ACTH is a potent and direct-acting short-term regulator of aldosterone secretion, subject to modification by altered sodium balance.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000804:Angiotensin II; D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D012964:Sodium; D012083:Renin