KALIURETIC PEPTIDE AND LONG-ACTING NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE AS WELL AS ATRIAL NATUIURETIC FACTOR INHIBIT ALDOSTERONE SECRETION

The present investigation was designed to determine whether atrial nat riuretic peptides consisting of amino acids 1-30 (long acting natriure tic peptide), 31-67 (vessel dilator) and 79-98 (kaliuretic peptide) as well as 99-126 (atrial. natriuretic factor (ANF)) of the 126 amino ac id ANF prohormone inhibit aldosterone secretion. Thirty healthy human subjects were studied following infusion of 100 ng/kg body weight/min for 60 min of each of the respective peptides. Kaliuretic peptide decr eased plasma aldosterone concentration by the greatest amount (6-fold) and plasma aldosterone was still significantly decreased (P<0.001) th ree hours after stopping the infusion. In contrast, within 30 min of c essation of the ANF infusion, plasma aldosterone levels had returned t o pre-infusion values. Long acting natriuretic peptide also significan tly (P<0.01) decreased plasma aldosterone levels which remained signif icantly (P<0.001) decreased 3 h after cessation of infusion. Vessel di lator did not decrease plasma aldosterone levels. Kaliuretic peptide, ANF and long acting natriuretic peptide also decreased (P<0.01) urinar y aldosterone concentrations. None of these peptides changed the plasm a potassium concentration. We conclude that two new peptide hormones ( long acting natriuretic peptide and kaliuretic peptide) inhibit aldost erone secretion. The length of time that aldosterone secretion is inhi bited following kaliuretic peptide and long acting natriuretic peptide infusion is significantly longer (P<0.001) than following ANF infusio n.