These studies were undertaken to examine whether an antagonism between vasopressin and prostaglandin occurs in vivo in the mammalian kidney. All experiments were performed in steroid-replaced hypophysectonized dogs undergoing a water diuresis. In the first group of studied the effect of two consecutive intravenous doses (100 mU) of vasopressin was examined. The second dose of vasopressin was preceded by an injection of the carrier solution for solubilizing indomethacin or neclofenamate. No enhancement of the antidiuretic effect of the second dose of vasopressin was observed as urinary osmolality (Uosm) increased from 92 +/- 5 to 252 +/- 18 mosmol/kg H2O (P less than 0.0001) after the first dose and from 109 +/- 8 to 209 +/- 10 mosmol/kg H2O (P less than 0.001) after the second dose of vasopressin. In another group of studies the second dose of vasopressin was preceded by the administration of a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis, indomethacin (2 mg/kg). The Uosm increased from 93 +/- 9 to 244 +/- 33 mosmol/kg H2O (P less than 0.001) after the first dose of vasopressin, but after the second dose of vasopressin the Uosm increased to a significantly greater degree from 106 +/- 14 to 702 +/- 69 mosmol/kg H2O (P less than 0.001). In a third group of studies the antidiuretic effect of the same 100-mU dose of vasopressin was examined before and after the administration of meclofenamate (2 mg/kg), an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis which is chemically dissimilar from indomethacin. Uosm increased from 83+/-7 to 216+/-16 mosmol/kg H2O (P less than 0.001) after the first dose and from 101 +/- 8 to 734 +/- 86 mosomol/kg H2O (P less than 0.001) after the second dose of vasopressin. As in the indomethacin studies this enhancement in the antidiuretic effects of vasopressin after inhibition of prostaglanding synthesis was highly significant (P less than 0.001). These results therefore implicate a physiological role of prostaglandin in modulating the hydroosmotic effect of vasopressin in the mammalian kidney.