Atrial natriuretic factor inhibits the stimulation of aldosterone secretion by angiotensin II, ACTH and potassium in vitro and angiotensin II-induced steroidogenesis in vivo.

Since atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) blocks the contractile effect of angiotensin II on vascular strips, we investigated the action of the synthetic 48-73 ANF (previously called 8-33 ANF) on another target tissue of angiotensin II, the adrenal glomerulosa. ANF did not affect basal aldosterone output by isolated rat adrenal glomerulosa cells. ANF inhibited aldosterone secretion stimulated by 10(-8)M angiotensin II with an IC50 of 1.3 X 10(-9)M. Aldosterone secretion stimulated by 2.9 X 10(-10)M ACTH and by 15 mM potassium was similarly inhibited by ANF. In vivo, ANF blocked the effect of angiotensin II infused iv on aldosterone secretion in conscious unrestrained rats. We conclude that ANF is a non-selective inhibitor of stimulated aldosterone output.