Atrial natriuretic factor inhibits ACTH stimulated aldosterone, but not cortisol, secretion in man

The effects of human ANF 99-126 on the aldosterone and cortisol responses to ACTH infusion were studied in 8 normal volunteers. ACTH infusion caused a significant rise in aldosterone and cortisol on each study day. On the day that ANF was concomitantly infused the aldosterone, but not the cortisol, response to ACTH was significantly attenuated. These results show that a pharmacological dose of ANF selectively inhibits ACTH mediated mineralocorticoid as opposed to glucocorticoid release in man. These results support in vitro and in vivo findings from animal experiments. These findings also compliment previous studies showing that ANF inhibits ANG II stimulated aldosterone release in normal subjects.