Recent observations implicate angiotensin-II (AII) as a possible PRL-releasing factor. These observations prompted us to investigate the role of the renin-angiotensin system in PRL release in man. Nine normal volunteers ingesting a 20-40 mmol/day sodium, 70 mmol/day potassium diet and eight normal volunteers ingesting a 120 mmol/day sodium, 70 mmol/day potassium diet were infused with metoclopramide (2.5 mg over 1 min) and later with TRH (500 micrograms), two agents known to cause PRL release. The infusions were repeated after 36 h of oral administration of converting enzyme inhibitor [CEI; captopril (50 mg, orally, four times daily) or enalapril (5 mg, orally, twice daily)]. On a separate occasion, AII was infused at 10 ng/kg.h for 1 h into normal volunteers on normal salt diet. CEI administration lowered mean arterial pressure by 6-7 mm Hg and stimulated the release of active renin. The PRL responses on low and normal salt diet as well as before and after CEI were not statistically different. There was also no difference in the PRL responses of patients placed on captopril vs. those on enalapril. AII increased blood pressure by 11-25 mm Hg, but did not increase PRL significantly above basal concentrations during the control dextrose infusion. Five hyperprolactinemic volunteers were also given CEI for up to 4 weeks. They demonstrated no significant change in serum PRL levels. We conclude that AII in the pituitary does not significantly alter either basal PRL levels or metoclopramide- and TRH-induced PRL responses in normal subjects on low and high salt diets. In addition, CEI is not a useful therapy in patients with pathological hyperprolactinemia. These findings, however, do not exclude a role for AII in physiological regulation, since CEI does not cross the blood-brain barrier and would not be expected to alter hypothalamic AII.