Lack of specific inhibition of angiotensin II in eels by angiotensin antagonists.

Synthetic angiotensins I and II (AI and AII) and natural eel angiotensin were injected with angiotensin antagonists into freshwater-adapted, unanesthetized American eels, Anguilla rostrata, in an attempt to characterize the vasopressor properties of angiotensins in a primitive vertebrate. A converting enzyme inhibitor, SQ 20,881, inhibited vasopressor responses to eel angiotensin (presumably AI) and [Val5,Ser9]AI, but not those to [Asn1,Val5]AII, suggesting that a converting enzyme-like substance may exist in eels. [Sar1,Thr8]AII (10 microgram/kg per min) and [Sar1,Ile8]AII (1 microgram/kg per min), which antagonize angiotensin's action in mammals, showed neither agonistic vasopressor nor antagonistic effects in eels against [Asn1,Val5]AII or eel angiotensin. [Tal8]AII ([8-thienylalanine]AII) and a higher dose of [Sar1,Ile8]AII increased eel aortic pressure themselves and reduced vasopressor responses to [Asn1,Val5]AII. This is presumably a nonspecific decrease in response during the agonistic phase of the analogs. Angiotensin receptors in the blood vessels of eels may differ from those in mammals. Alpha-adrenergic blocking drugs and reserpine partially inhibited the pressor effect of [Asn1,Val5]AII in eels.