Abstract
This study examined the relationship between aldosterone secretion and sleep stages in conjunction with two aldosterone regulating hormone systems, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), and also K+. Nocturnal plasma patterns of aldosterone, plasma renin activity (PRA), ACTH and K+ were established in blood collected at 10-min intervals in two groups of 6 subjects. Both groups underwent two 9 hour overnight-studies, consisting of one control night and one experimental night. The first group was maintained on a low Na diet and the other was given a beta-blocker, atenolol. Polygraphic recordings of sleep were scored according to established criteria. For the control night, REM sleep usually began at peak level or in the descending phase of aldosterone oscillations. As previously described, PRA reflected REM-NREM sleep alteration, levels increased in NREM and decreased during REM sleep. ACTH fluctuations did not oscillate with sleep stages, but levels were very seldom in the ascending phase at REM sleep onset. Plasma K+ remained almost constant throughout the night. The relative importance of the ACTH and the RAS on nocturnal aldosterone secretion and the relationship between aldosterone oscillations and sleep stages remained unclear. Modulating renin levels by either consuming a low Na diet or administration of a beta-blocker enabled this relationship to be clarified. The RAS dominated aldosterone secretion when stimulated by a low sodium diet. Aldosterone oscillations then reflected PRA oscillations with a delay of about 20 min and the relationship of aldosterone to sleep stages was dependent on the relationship of PRA with sleep stages. Atenolol depressed PRA and in this case aldosterone levels reflected those of ACTH with a delay of about 10 min. To conclude, this study shows that the nocturnal secretion of aldosterone is under control of both the RAS and ACTH. Stimulating and depressing the RAS revealed that the relationship of aldosterone to sleep stages is dependent on the relationship of these hormonal systems to sleep stages.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Katz F.H., Romfh P., Smith J.A. Episodic secretion of aldosterone in supine man: relationship to Cortisol. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 35: 178, 1972.
Vagnucci A.H., McDonald R.H. Jr., Drash A.L., Wong A.K.C. Intradiem changes of plasma aldosterone, Cortisol, corticosterone and growth hormone in sodium restriction. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 38: 761, 1974.
Katz F.H., Romfh P., Smith J.A. Diurnal variation of plasma aldosterone, cortisol and renin activity in supine man: J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 40: 125, 1975.
McDougall J.G. The physiology of aldosterone secretion. NIPS 2: 126, 1987.
James V.H.T., Turnbridge R.D.G., Wilson G.A. Studies on the control of aldosterone secretion in man. J. Steroid Biochem. 7: 941, 1976.
Armbruster H., Vetter W., Becherhoff R., Nussberger J., Vetter H., Siegenthaler W. Diurnal variations of plasma aldosterone in supine man: relationship to plasma renin activity and plasma cortisol. Acta Endocrinol. (Copenh.) 80: 95, 1975.
Pratt J.H., Miller J.Z., Finberg N.S., Parkinson C.A. Aldosterone excretion rates in children and adults during sleep. Hypertension 8: 154, 1986.
Rubin R.T., Poland R.E., Gouin P.R., Tower B.B. Secretion of hormones influencing water and electrolyte balance (antidiuretic hormone, aldosterone, prolactin) during sleep in normal adult men. Psychosom. Med. 40: 44, 1978.
Mullen P.E. Sleep and its interaction with endocrine rhythms. Br. J. Psychiatry 142: 215, 1983.
Brandenberger G., Follenius M., Muzet A., Ehrhart J., Schieber J.P. Ultradian oscillations in plasma renin activity: their relationships to meals and sleep stages. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 61: 280, 1985.
Brandenberger G., Follenius M., Simon C., Ehrhart J., Libert J.P. Nocturnal oscillations in plasma renin activity and REM-NREM sleep cycles in humans: A common regulatory mechanism? Sleep 11: 242, 1988.
Van Cauter E., Refetoff S. Multifactorial control of the 24-hour secretory profiles of pituitary hormones. J. Endocrinol. Invest. 8: 391, 1985.
Follenius M., Brandenberger B., Simon C., Schlienger J.L. REM sleep in humans begins during decreased secretory activity of the anterior pituitary. Sleep 11: 346, 1988.
Rechtschaffen A., Kales A. Manual of standardized terminology, techniques and scoring systems for sleep stages of human subjects. Washington DC, US Govt. Printing Office, 1968.
Gianotti P., Manneli M., Fiorelli G., Serio M. Radioimmunoassay of plasma aldosterone. J. Nucl. Biol. Med. 18: 104, 1974.
Haber E., Koerner R., Page L.B., Kliman B., Purnode A. Application of radioimmunoassay of angiotensin 1 to the physiological measurements of plasma renin activity in normal human subjects. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 23: 1346, 1969.
Van Cauter E. Quantitative methods for the analysis of circadian and episodic hormone fluctuations. In: Van Cauter E., Copinschi A. (Eds.), Human pituitary hormones: Circadian and episodic variations. Martinus Nijhoff Publishing, The Hague, 1981, p. 1.
Stern N., Sowers J.R., McGinty D., Beahm E., Littner M., Cataria R., Eggena P. Circadian rhythm of plasma renin activity in older normal and essential hypertensive men. Relation with inactive renin, aldosterone, cortisol and REM sleep. J. Hypertens. 4: 543, 1986.
Takeda R., Miyamori I., Ikeda M., Koshida H., Takeda Y., Yasuhara S., Morise T., Takimoto H. Circadian rhythm of plasma aldosterone and time dependent alterations of aldosterone regulators. J. Steroid Biochem. 20: 321, 1984.
Mickelakis A.H., Mcallister R.G. The effect of chronic and adrenergic receptor blockade on plasma renin activity in man. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 34: 386, 1972.
Degli Uberti E.C., Margutti A., Trasforini G., Bianconi M., Teodori V., Rossi R., Pansini R. Effect of penbutalolol on circadian blood pressure, and renin, aldosterone and Cortisol levels in patients with essential hypertension. Acta Cardiol. 43: 5, 1988.
Cugini P., Lucia P., Tomassini R., Centanni M., Salandi E., Scavo D. Circadian rhythms of plasma renin, aldosterone and cortisol. Effect of beta-adrenergic blockade by propranolol in patients with recent advanced and complicated forms of essential hypertension. Chronobiologia 9: 229, 1982.
Nakamaru M., Misono K.S., Naruse M., Workman R.J., Inagami T. The role for the adrenal renin angiotensin system in the regulation of potassium-stimulated aldosterone production. Endocrinology 117: 1772, 1985.
Follenius M., Brandenberger G., Simon C. Nocturnal fluctuations of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in normotensive and hypertensive men. Life Sci. 42:1635, 1988.
Brownie A.C., Pedersen R.C. Control of adosterone secretion by pituitary hormones. J. Hypertens. 4: (Suppl. 5) 72, 1986.
Huang B.S., Malvin R.L., Lee J., Grekin R.J. Central dopaminergic regulation of aldosterone secretion in sleep. Hypertension 10: 157, 1987.
Carey R.M., Thorner M.O., Ortt E.M. Dopaminergic inhibition of metoclopramide-induced aldosterone secretion in man. J. Clin. Invest. 66: 10, 1980.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Krauth, M.O., Saini, J., Follenius, M. et al. Nocturnal oscillations of plasma aldosterone in relation to sleep stages. J Endocrinol Invest 13, 727–735 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03349609
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03349609