Arginine vasopressin infusion stimulates adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol release in the ovine fetus.

Arginine vasopressin may play a role in the control of adrenocorticotropic hormone release during stress in the adult animal. Arginine vasopressin is also considered an important stress hormone in the fetus. The effect of arginine vasopressin infusion on adrenocorticotropic hormone release in the fetus was investigated in 14 chronically cannulated ovine fetuses with normal blood gas and pH values between 103 and 137 days' gestation. There was a significant increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels during a 30-minute infusion of arginine vasopressin. Plasma renin activity was unchanged. The corticotropin-releasing activity of arginine vasopressin was not blocked by pretreatment with a V1-receptor antagonist and was not significantly different when the pressor response was attenuated by sodium nitroprusside infusion.