Coagulation biomarkers predict disease progression in SIV-infected nonhuman primates.

HIV infection is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular complications, the underlying mechanism of which remains unclear. Plasma levels of the coagulation biomarker D-dimer (DD) correlate with increased mortality and cardiovascular events in HIV-infected patients. We compared the incidence of cardiovascular lesions and the levels of the coagulation markers DD and thrombin antithrombin in pathogenic SIV infections of rhesus and pigtailed macaques (PTMs) and in nonpathogenic SIV infection of African green monkeys (AGMs) and sooty mangabeys. Hypercoagulability and cardiovascular pathology were only observed in pathogenic SIV infections. In PTMs infected with SIV from AGMs (SIVagm), DD levels were highly indicative of AIDS progression and increased mortality and were associated with cardiovascular lesions, pointing to SIVagm-infected PTMs as an ideal animal model for the study of HIV-associated cardiovascular disease. In pathogenic SIV infection, DD increased early after infection, was strongly correlated with markers of immune activation/inflammation and microbial translocation (MT), and was only peripherally associated with viral loads. Endotoxin administration to SIVagm-infected AGMs (which lack chronic SIV-induced MT and immune activation) resulted in significant increases of DD. Our results demonstrate that hypercoagulation and cardiovascular pathology are at least in part a consequence of excessive immune activation and MT in SIV infection.

Rapid development of glycan-specific, broad, and potent anti-HIV-1 gp120 neutralizing antibodies in an R5 SIV/HIV chimeric virus infected macaque.

It is widely believed that the induction of a broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) response will be a critical component of a successful vaccine against HIV. A significant fraction of HIV-infected individuals mount bNAb responses, providing support for the notion that such responses could be elicited through vaccination. Infection of macaques with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) or SIV/HIV chimeric virus (SHIV) has been widely used to model aspects of HIV infection, but to date, only limited bNAb responses have been described. Here, we screened plasma from 14 R5-tropic SHIV-infected macaques for broadly neutralizing activity and identified a macaque with highly potent cross-clade plasma NAb response. Longitudinal studies showed that the development of broad and autologous NAb responses occurred coincidentally in this animal. Serum-mapping studies, using pseudovirus point mutants and antigen adsorption assays, indicated that the plasma bNAbs are specific for epitopes that include carbohydrates and are critically dependent on the glycan at position 332 of Env gp120. The results described herein provide insight into the development and evolution of a broad response, suggest that certain bNAb specificities may be more rapidly induced by immunization than others, and provide a potential model for the facile study of the development of bNAb responses.

Somatometric measurements, and clinical chemistry and hematology parameters in Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana).

BACKGROUND: Limited physiological data for Tibetan macaques are available at present. This study will provide more rationale for evaluating this species. METHODS: Thirty-seven Tibetan macaques (15 males and 22 females) were used in this study. Somatometric measurements, clinical chemistry and hematology parameters, insulin, and C-peptide were analyzed. RESULTS: Females had higher values of waist and waist hip ratio (WHR) than males in somatometric measurements. There were no significant differences between the two genders in hematology. Significant differences between males and females were only found for aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in biochemistry testing. In addition, females had higher fasting insulin and C-peptide than males. There was a strongly positive correlation between age and some somatometric parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These physiological data will provide veterinarians and researchers with baseline values to evaluate experimental results using Tibetan macaques.

Evaluation of the predictive performance of a pharmacokinetic model for propofol in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata fuscata).

Propofol is a short-acting intravenous anesthetic used for induction/maintenance anesthesia. The objective of this study was to assess a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model for Japanese macaques during a step-down infusion of propofol. Five male Japanese macaques were immobilized with ketamine (10 mg/kg) and atropine (0.02 mg/kg). A bolus dose of propofol (5 mg/kg) was administrated intravenously (360 mg/kg/h) followed by step-down infusion at 40 mg/kg/h for 10 min, 20 mg/kg/h for 10 min, and then 15 mg/kg/h for 100 min. Venous blood samples were repeatedly collected following the administration. The plasma concentration of propofol (Cp) was measured by high-speed LC-FL. PPK analyses were performed using NONMEM VII. Median absolute prediction error and median prediction error (MDPE), the indices of prediction inaccuracy and bias, respectively, were calculated, and PE - individual MDPE vs. time was depicted to show the variability of prediction errors. In addition, we developed another population pharmacokinetic model using previous and current datasets. The previous PK model achieved stable prediction of propofol Cp throughout the study period, although it underestimates Cp. The step-down infusion regimen described in this study would be feasible in macaques during noninvasive procedures.

Validation of quantitative ELISAS for measuring anti-Yersinia pestis F1 and V antibody concentrations in nonhuman primate sera.

This study systematically validated two quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for determining Yersinia pestis anti-F1 or anti-V IgG concentration in cynomolgus macaque sera. The results demonstrated that these ELISAs are reliable, reproducible, and suitable for their intended use to measure both anti-F1 and anti-V IgG in monkey sera following vaccination with a heterologous recombinant fusion F1-V protein (rF1-V). Statistical analysis demonstrated assay precision, accuracy, specificity, linearity/dilutional linearity, and robustness for both assays. The quantitative ranges of standard curves were defined as 40-700 ng/mLfor both anti-F1 and anti-V IgG. Either serological assay could be used to determine potency of F1/V antigen-based vaccines in surrogate clinical studies or to define correlates of protective immunity against plague under the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) two-animal rule.

Evaluation of enzyme immunoassay and radioimmunoassay methods for the measurement of plasma oxytocin.

OBJECTIVE: There is increased interest in measuring peripheral oxytocin levels to better understand the role of this peptide in mammalian behavior, physiology, and disease. The purpose of this study was to compare methods for plasma oxytocin measurement using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA), to evaluate the need for sample extraction, and to assess the immunospecificity of the assays. METHODS: Oxytocin was measured in extracted and unextracted human plasma samples (n = 39). Oxytocin and its degradation products were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography and gel filtration chromatography and then assayed by EIA or RIA to identify oxytocin immunoreactive peaks. RESULTS: Without extraction, plasma measured by EIA was more than 100-fold higher than in extracted plasma, and the correlation between oxytocin levels in extracted and unextracted plasma was minimal (Spearman ρ = -0.10, p = .54). Using the RIA, most samples (>90%) were below the level of detection with or without extraction. After chromatographic fractionation of sample extracts, multiple immunoreactive products were found to be present in addition to oxytocin, which casts doubts on the specificity of the assays. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in oxytocin levels have been reported in social and behavioral challenge studies. This study indicates that sample extraction is necessary to obtain valid assay results. Changes in oxytocin degradation products are likely to contribute to the previously observed responses in circulating oxytocin levels to behavioral and social challenge. There is a critical need for valid and reliable methods to measure oxytocin in biologic samples.

Effects of aging on gene expression in blood of captive Tibetan macaques ( Macaca thibetana) and comparisons with expression in humans.

Changes in gene expression occur as animals, including primates, age. Macaques have long been used as a model species for primate evolution and biomedical studies. Here, to study gene expression in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana, TMs) and its differences to humans, we applied RNA-Seq to obtain the blood transcriptomes of 24 TMs. In total, 2 523 age-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Several pathways and processes that regulate aging, including the FoxO signaling pathway, autophagy, and platelet activation, were significantly enriched in the up-regulated DEGs. Two significantly age-related modules were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The TMs and humans shared 279 common DEGs, including 111 up-regulated and 141 down-regulated genes with advancing age in the same expression direction. However, 27 age-related DEGs presented the opposite expression direction in TMs as that in humans. For example, INPPL1, with inhibitory effects on the B cell receptor signaling pathway, was up-regulated in humans but down-regulated in TMs. In general, our study suggests that aging is a critical factor affecting gene expression in the captive TM population. The similarities and differences in gene expression patterns between TMs and humans could provide new insights into primate evolution and benefit TM model development.

Passive immunization with human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against HIV-1 in macaque models: experimental approaches.

After more than 20 years of intense research, a safe and effective vaccine against HIV-1/AIDS has not been developed. Passive immunization has been used as a tool to demonstrate the role of neutralizing antibodies in conferring protection against HIV-1 challenge in chimpanzees. Because these animals are endangered and studies are difficult to conduct with this species, chimeric viruses, termed simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIVs), have been generated that encode the HIV-1 envelope gene in the backbone of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). SHIVs replicate in several macaque species and can induce AIDS in these animals. Passive immunization with human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nmAbs) against HIV-1 has protected rhesus macaques from SHIV infection and provided proof-of-concept of the protective effects of neutralizing antibodies. At the same time, human nmAbs can be evaluated for safety and efficacy in the SHIV/macaque model as therapeutic modalities in their own right for prevention, post-exposure prophylaxis, or possibly therapeutic use. Experimental details are provided for testing human nmAbs in infant rhesus monkeys, which allows testing without the need to generate large amounts of nmAbs.

Sperm concentration, coagulum weight, and testosterone levels differences according to social rank in male stump-tail macaques (Macaca arctoides).

In multi-female multi-male group-living species, both sexes can copulate with diverse partners. According to the priority of access model, high-ranking males have higher access to females during their fertile phases than the lower-ranking competitors. However, when females' ovarian cycles are synchronized, dominant males are unable to monopolize all females, which gives a chance to lower ranking males to sporadically copulate and increase their likelihood to fertilize a female. Therefore, subordinate males perhaps show physiological characteristics allowing them to contend with the advantage that the dominant males already have. It was investigated if sperm counts, weight of the seminal coagulum, and testosterone levels showed any differences according to their social rank in male stump-tailed macaques. Testosterone levels increased linearly in relation to social rank (P = 0.004). No evidence was found that in the first ejaculation dominant rank was positively related to sperm counts and weight of the seminal coagulum. In the second ejaculation a positive correlation between dominant rank and sperm counts and weight of the seminal coagulum was found (P < 0.001). By the third ejaculation there was a negative correlation between sperm counts and dominant rank (P < 0.001), but no variability in the weight of the seminal coagulum. The results showed that high-rank is related to better physiological conditions to sustain multiple ejaculations, thanks to having higher testosterone levels.

Specific pathogen-free macaques: definition, history, and current production.

Specific pathogen-free (SPF) macaque colonies are now requested frequently as a resource for research. Such colonies were originally conceived as a means to cull diseased animals from research-dedicated colonies, with the goal of eliminating debilitating or fatal infectious agents from the colony to improve the reproductive capacity of captive research animals. The initial pathogen of concern was Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb.), recognized for many years as a pathogen of nonhuman primates as well as a human health target. More recently attention has focused on four viral pathogens as the basis for an SPF colony: simian type D retrovirus (SRV), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), simian T cell lymphotropic/leukemia virus (STLV), and Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (CHV-1). New technologies, breeding, and maintenance schemes have emerged to develop and provide SPF primates for research. In this review we focus on the nonhuman primates (NHPs) most common to North American NHP research facilities, Asian macaques, and the most common current research application of these animals, modeling of human AIDS.

Haematological analysis of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in the area affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

Several populations of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) inhabit the area around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP). To measure and control the size of these populations, macaques are captured annually. Between May 2013 and December 2014, we performed a haematological analysis of Japanese macaques captured within a 40-km radius of FNPP, the location of a nuclear disaster two years post-accident. The dose-rate of radiocaesium was estimated using the ERICA Tool. The median internal dose-rate was 7.6 µGy/day (ranging from 1.8 to 219 µGy/day) and the external dose-rate was 13.9 µGy/day (ranging from 6.7 to 35.1 µGy/day). We performed multiple regression analyses to estimate the dose-rate effects on haematological values in peripheral blood and bone marrow. The white blood cell and platelet counts showed an inverse correlation with the internal dose-rate in mature macaques. Furthermore, the myeloid cell, megakaryocyte, and haematopoietic cell counts were inversely correlated and the occupancy of adipose tissue was positively correlated with internal dose-rate in femoral bone marrow of mature macaques. These relationships suggest that persistent whole body exposure to low-dose-rate radiation affects haematopoiesis in Japanese macaques.

Changes in the titer of anti-B virus antibody in captive macaques (Macaca fuscata, M. mulatta, M. fascicularis).

Changes in levels of antibody to B virus (Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1; BV) were examined in BV-positive macaques by ELISA. We observed increases in anti-BV IgG titers in a BV-infected cynomolgus monkey after overseas transportation by air and in a rhesus monkey after transfer from an outdoor group cage to an indoor individual cage. Although shedding of infectious virus was not examined, the increase in antibody titer suggested reactivation of BV. Interestingly, we also found an increase in anti-BV IgG levels during the breeding season in male but not female Japanese macaques kept in an enclosed outdoor colony. Further studies should be performed to investigate whether reactivation of BV led to the observed increase in the anti-BV antibody titer.

Hemoglobin Izu (Macaca): beta83 (EF 7) Gly leads to Cys. A new hemoglobin variant found in the Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata).

Recently, Ishimoto, Kuwata and Shotake reported a polymerizing hemoglobin found in Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) (J. Anthropol. Soc. Nippon 83, 233-243 (1975)). They separated the variant hemoglobin by gel filtration and from finger print results and from the fact that beta-mercaptoethanol dissociates the polymer deduced the substitution of an amino acid(s) by cysteine in the betaT10 peptide. We have purified the variant hemoglobin by ion-exchange chromatography using carboxymethyl cellulose after the protection of the reactive thiol groups with cystamine, and purified the betaT10 peptide and demonstrated that the usual glycine at beta 83 (EF 7) is substituted in the variant hemoglobin by cysteine.

Oxygen equilibrium characteristics of adult and fetal hemoglobin of Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata).

Adult hemoglobin and fetal hemoglobin were obtained from Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) and their oxygen equilibrium characteristics were studied. (1) The oxygen affinity of fetal hemoglobin was higher than that of adult hemoglobin both in the presence and absence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate. The presence of diphosphoglycerate lowers the oxygen affinity of adult hemoglobin much greater than does that of HbF and the diphosphoglycerate levels of red cells of adult and newborn monkeys are about the same. (2) The intensity of the Bohr effect, as expressed by -deltalogP50/deltapH, at pH 7.4 was in the order of fetal hemoglobin-diphosphoglycerate greater than adult hemoglobin-diphosphoglycerate greater than fetal hemoglobin greater than adult hemoglobin.

Plasma phospholipid mass transfer rate: relationship to plasma phospholipid and cholesteryl ester transfer activities and lipid parameters.

Human plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) has been shown to facilitate the transfer of phospholipid from liposomes or isolated very low and low density lipoproteins to high density lipoproteins. Its activity in plasma and its physiological function are presently unknown. To elucidate the role of PLTP in lipoprotein metabolism and to delineate factors that may affect the rate of phospholipid transfer between lipoproteins, we determined the plasma phospholipid mass transfer rate (PLTR) in 16 healthy adult volunteers and assessed its relationship to plasma lipid levels, and to phospholipid transfer activity (PLTA) and cholesteryl ester transfer activity (CETA) measured by radioassays. The plasma PLTR in these subjects was 27.2 +/- 11.8 nmol/ml per h at 37 degrees C (mean +/- S.D.), and their PLTA and CETA were 13.0 +/- 1.7 mumol/ml per h and 72.8 +/- 15.7 nmol/ml per h, respectively. Plasma PLTR was correlated directly with total, non-HDL, and HDL triglyceride (rs = 0.76, P < 0.001), total and non-HDL phospholipid (rs > 0.53, P < 0.05), and inversely with HDL free cholesterol (rs = -0.54, P < 0.05), but not with plasma PLTA and CETA. When 85% to 96% of the PLTA in plasma was removed by polyclonal antibodies against recombinant human PLTP, phospholipid mass transfer from VLDL and LDL to HDL was reduced by 50% to 72%, but 80% to 100% of CETA could still be detected. These studies demonstrate that PLTP plays a major role in facilitating the transfer of phospholipid between lipoproteins, and suggest that triglyceride is a significant modulator of intravascular phospholipid transport. Furthermore, most of the PLTP and CETP in human plasma is associated with different particles. Plasma PLTA and CETA were also measured in mouse, rat, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, dog, pig, and monkey. Compared to human, PLTA in rat and mouse was significantly higher and in rabbit and guinea pig was significantly lower while the remaining animal species had PLTA similar to humans. No correlation between PLTA and CETA was observed among animal species.

Changes in testicular and nipple volume related to age and seasonality in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), especially in the pre- and post-pubertal periods.

We investigated, longitudinally and cross-sectionally, age and seasonal change in both the testis and nipple volume of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in relation to concentration profiles of gonadal steroids: testosterone (T) in males and progesterone (P) in females. Testicular volume (TV) and nipple volume (NV) showed rapid growth at puberty, 4.5 and 3.5 years of age in males and females, respectively, but in both sexes there were precocious individuals. The testis as a whole matures at about 10 years of age. TV change is closely related to T concentration profile. The pattern of TV change is composed of maturation and seasonal effects, with individual variation evident mainly in the latter. Some individuals show a simple pattern consisting of one peak in the breeding season (from summer to winter) and one trough in the non-breeding season. Other individuals exhibit a more complicated pattern composed of two or more peaks and troughs before and during the breeding season. The nipple matures at about 7 years but it is difficult to determine the exact maturational age as there are many confounding factors relating to NV. NV shows seasonal fluctuations similar to that of TV. Many animals have periods of substantial growth whereas others do not. The NV in adults from 10 to 25 years does not appear to change much with age, but animals older than 25 years of age have significantly smaller nipples. Seasonal fluctuation in NV mirrors that of the P level. Considered to be controlled by estrogen and P, the NV is a good indicator of the physiological status of reproduction, with its peak about 2 weeks earlier than that of P, that is, at the mid-follicular phase. NV and P level show a similar pattern in pregnancy; from conception, indicated by a P peak, NV and P concentration first decrease, then they increase until peri-parturition and slowly decrease again until the next breeding season.

Homologous and heterologous protection of nonhuman primates by Ebola and Sudan virus-like particles.

Filoviruses cause hemorrhagic fever resulting in significant morbidity and mortality in humans. Several vaccine platforms that include multiple virus-vectored approaches and virus-like particles (VLPs) have shown efficacy in nonhuman primates. Previous studies have shown protection of cynomolgus macaques against homologous infection for Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) following a three-dose vaccine regimen of EBOV or MARV VLPs, as well as heterologous protection against Ravn Virus (RAVV) following vaccination with MARV VLPs. The objectives of the current studies were to determine the minimum number of vaccine doses required for protection (using EBOV as the test system) and then demonstrate protection against Sudan virus (SUDV) and Taï Forest virus (TAFV). Using the EBOV nonhuman primate model, we show that one or two doses of VLP vaccine can confer protection from lethal infection. VLPs containing the SUDV glycoprotein, nucleoprotein and VP40 matrix protein provide complete protection against lethal SUDV infection in macaques. Finally, we demonstrate protective efficacy mediated by EBOV, but not SUDV, VLPs against TAFV; this is the first demonstration of complete cross-filovirus protection using a single component heterologous vaccine within the Ebolavirus genus. Along with our previous results, this observation provides strong evidence that it will be possible to develop and administer a broad-spectrum VLP-based vaccine that will protect against multiple filoviruses by combining only three EBOV, SUDV and MARV components.

Contrasting infection susceptibility of the Japanese macaques and cynomolgus macaques to closely related malaria parasites, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium cynomolgi.

Although the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax is closely related to Asian Old World monkey malaria parasites, there are no reports of P. vivax infections in macaques. In this study, we compared the infectivity of P. vivax and Plasmodium cynomolgi in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) and in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). The Japanese macaques were highly susceptible to P. cynomolgi but not to P. vivax, whereas cynomolgus macaques showed mild/limited P. cynomolgi infection and were, also, not susceptible to P. vivax. Serotyping and amino acid sequence comparison of erythrocyte surface Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC) indicate that the Japanese macaque DARC sequence is nearly identical to that of rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus macaques. This suggests that the macaques share a common mechanism for preventing P. vivax infection. Comparison of amino acid sequences of the Duffy-binding-like (DBL) domain from several different Plasmodium species suggests that P. vivax DBLs will not bind to macaque DARCs, which can explain the lack of P. vivax infectivity. The DBL sequence analyses also suggest that P. cynomolgi DBLs may target Japanese macaque erythrocytes through a DARC-independent interaction.

A new radioimmunoassay for follicle-stimulating hormone in macaques: ovulatory menstrual cycles.

A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay system for macaque follicle-stimulating hormone (mFSH) was developed utilizing an antiserum (H-31) prepared in a rabbit against purified ovine FSH as the immunogen. Sera from castrated female, adult male, and juvenile rhesus monkeys, as well as urinary extracts from castrated rhesus and bonnet monkeys, were used to demonstrate parallelism with a standard of partially purified monkey pituitary gonadotropins (LER-M-907-D). An extract of baboon pituitary tissue also showed parallelism with the reference standard. A highly purified pituitary extract (WP-X-105-28), containing approximately 75% macaque luteinizing hormone (mLH) and 1% mFSH, was used to demonstrate the specificity of this mFSH assay system. Sera and urinary extracts obtained from hypophysectomized monkeys did not show cross-reactivity in the assay. Macaque chorionic gonadotropin (mCG) did not produce an inhibition curve in the assay, as determined from serum samples and urinary extracts collected from pregnant monkeys at the time of peak mCG secretion. Serum concentrations of mFSH were suppressed in ovariectomized monkeys by the administration of ethinyl estradiol for 3 days, but returned to near pretreatment values by 96 h after the last estradiol administration. The determination of serum mFSH concentrations in daily blood samples obtained from 20 rhesus monkeys throughout ovulatory menstrual cycles revealed a pattern similar to that previously reported for the rhesus monkey and the woman. The peak value of serum mFSH during the menstrual cycle coincided with the midcycle surge of mLH in each case. The gonadotropin peaks were preceded by increasing serum concentrations of estradiol and followed by rises in the serum concentrations of progesterone. The follicular phase of the menstrual cycle was characterized by continuously decreasing serum concentrations of mFSH, reaching a preovulatory nadir 48 h prior to the midcycle mFSH and mLH surges. Serum mFSH concentrations following the midcycle gonadotropin surges decreased progressively as serum progesterone concentrations increased and reached a plateau, and then increased during the last week of the menstrual cycle as corpus luteum function was waning. We have prepared a large pool of antiserum for distribution under the aegis of the Contraceptive Development Branch of the Center for Population Research, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Radioimmunoassay of arginine vasopressin in Rhesus monkey plasma.

Using a new antiserum, an enzymatic radioiodination of arginine vasopressin (AVP), and the methodology of Robertson et al. (1,2), we have developed a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for plasma AVP in the monkey. The sensitivity of the assay is 0.5 muU/ml, the cross reaction with oxytocin (OT), minimal. We used this assay to study the effects that variations in blood osmolality have in regulating AVP secretion in unanesthetized, chair-restrained, chamber-isolated, adult female rhesus monkeys. Under water ad lib conditions, plasma AVP and osmolality were relatively constant, averaging 1.7 +/- 0.6 (SD) muU/ml and 298 +/- 3 mosmol/kg, respectively. Water loading decreased plasma AVP and osmolality to 0.6 +/- 0.2 muU/ml and 282 +/- 6 mosmol/kg, respectively. When fluid restriction increased osmolality, plasma AVP rose progressively to twice the baseline after 1 day, and to 6 times the baseline after 3 days. The rise in plasma AVP was linearly correlated with the rise in osmolality (r = 0.93; P less than 0.001). Intravenous infusions of hypertonic saline produced significant rises in plasma osmolality and plasma AVP. There was a dose-related rise in plasma AVP that declined later at the expected rate with the infusion of physiological amounts of synthetic AVP.