ATRIAL NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES AND CYCLIC GUANOSINE-MONOPHOSPHATE METABOLISM

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), consisting of amino acids 99-126 of t he 126 amino acid ANF prohormone, increases cyclic guanosine monophosp hate (GMP) (thought to be the mediator of its physiologic effects) in plasma and urine of human subjects. Long-acting natriuretic peptide, v essel dilator, and kaliuretic peptide, consisting of amino acid 1-30, 31-67, and 79-98, respectively, of this same prohormone have natriuret ic, diuretic, kaliuretic, and blood pressure lowering properties in hu mans. These three new peptide hormones increase cyclic GMP in vitro bu t were never investigated to determine whether they also cause extrusi on of cyclic GMP from cells, resulting in an increase of cyclic GMP in plasma and/or urine, Infusion of each of these peptide hormones at th eir 100 ng/kg body weight/min concentrations for 60 minutes into healt hy humans resulted in a sevenfold increase in cyclic GMP in plasma and urine secondary to ANF, but no significant increase secondary to the other atrial peptide hormones. Based on the current data, ANF has a un ique effect on the metabolism of cyclic GMP, causing it to be extruded from the cell, whereas the other three atrial peptides represent the more classical metabolism of cyclic GMP via cyclic GMP phophodiesteras es.