The relaxant effects of atrial natriuretic factor on vascular smooth muscle

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) Vol. 37; no. 12; p. 1081
• Main Author: Winquist, R J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 23.09.1985
• Subjects: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists - antagonists & inhibitors; Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Aorta - drug effects; Aorta - metabolism; Arteries - drug effects; Atrial Natriuretic Factor; Cyclic GMP - metabolism; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Muscle Proteins - metabolism; Muscle Proteins - pharmacology; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - drug effects; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular - metabolism; Organ Specificity; Potassium - pharmacology; Rats; Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor; Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism; Swine; Vasodilation - drug effects; Veins - drug effects
• ISSN: 0024-3205
• DOI: 10.1016/0024-3205(85)90351-0

Extracts prepared from rat atria, which cause natriuresis and diuresis when injected into bioassay rats, relax aortic smooth muscle preparations. A family of atrial peptides has been isolated, purified and synthesized which elicit similar biological responses as the atrial extracts. The in vitro vasodilator profile of synthetic atrial natriuretic factor (sANF) exhibits many similarities to sodium nitroprusside including inhibition of agonist-induced but not high-K+-induced contractions, relaxation independent of the vascular endothelium and elevation of cyclic GMP in aortic smooth muscle coincident with relaxation. Aortic rings remain relaxed in the presence of sANF but can be recontracted following a sufficient washout period. sANF causes a significant activation of the particulate (but not soluble) form of guanylate cyclase which is seemingly consistent with the presence of high affinity receptors for sANF in plasma membranes prepared from aortic tissue. Both species and regional vascular differences exist for the vasodilator activity of the synthetic atrial peptides.