Thermal responses to central angiotensin II, SQ 20881, and dopamine infusions in sheep.

The thermoregulatory role of brain angiotensin II (ANG II) was tested by intracerebroventricular (IVT) infusion of ANG II or the converting enzyme inhibitor SQ 20881 (SQ) in 15 conscious sheep. Deep body temperature decreased 0.30 +/- 0.07 degree C (SE) during the 3-h period of IVT ANG II (25 ng/min) infusion (P less than 0.05) and increased 0.50 +/- 0.13 degree C during IVT SQ (1 microgram/min) infusion (P less than 0.01). To determine whether the rise in body temperature after IVT SQ infusion might be the result of a central renin-angiotensin system (RAS), SQ was infused IVT in five conscious sheep 20 h after bilateral nephrectomy. This resulted in a significant rise in body temperature of 0.28 +/- 0.05 degree C (P less than 0.05). When vasopressin antidiuretic hormone (ADH) was infused intravenously at the same time of IVT SQ infusion, the rise in temperature was depressed, but ADH did not lower the temperature below basal. IVT dopamine (20 micrograms/min) increased body temperature by 0.40 +/- 0.04 degree C (P less than 0.01), which was qualitatively similar to the result with IVT SQ. These data support the hypothesis that endogenous brain ANG II may play a role in thermoregulation. Furthermore, plasma ADH level, regulated in part by brain ANG II, is probably not the mediator of that thermoregulation. The similar effects of IVT dopamine and SQ on body temperature strengthen the hypothesis that dopamine may be involved in the central action of brain ANG II.