Stress and water balance: the roles of ANP, AVP and isatin.

Stress is often associated with water retention and its resolution with diuresis. The biological systems for the control of stress and water balance are very closely related. Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are co-localised in the hypothalamus and often act synergistically. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) can exert a feedback control on the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal axis. ANP has been shown to be anxiolytic, whereas AVP may be anxiogenic. AVP and ANP levels have been found to be abnormal in a range of stress disorders and psychiatric illnesses. Isatin is an endogenous anxiogenic factor which is also a potent inhibitor of the ANP receptor. It may provide a link between the function of monoamines during stress, and the control of water balance by ANP.

Inhibition of rabbit intestinal brush border sucrase by indolin 2,3-dione (isatin) at pH 5.0.

Isatin (10 mM) inhibited the activity of rabbit brush border sucrase by 60% at pH 5.0 but it had no effect on enzyme activity around neutral pH. Isatin inhibition of sucrase was unaffected by Na+ ions but K+ and Cs+ ions reduced enzyme inhibition, partially. Kinetic analysis revealed that sucrase inhibition by isatin at acidic pH was non-competitive with Ki of the order 6.5-7.8 mM. Isatin together with 4 mM harmaline or iodoacetate (3 mM) or dithionitrobenzene (2 mM) yielded 80-85% inhibition of the enzyme. These observations suggest that inhibitory sites for isatin, harmaline and -SH group reacting agents are distinct in rabbit brush border sucrase.