Role of endothelin receptor subtypes in volume-stimulated ANF secretion

The role of endothelin (ET) receptors was tested in volume-stimulated atria l natriuretic factor (ANF) secretion in conscious rats. Mean ANF responses to slow infusions (3 x 3.3 ml/8 min) were dose dependently reduced (P < 0.0 5) by bosentan (nonselective ET-receptor antagonist) from 64.1 +/- 18.1 (SE ) pg/ml (control) to 52.6 +/- 16.1(0.033 mg bosentan/rat), 16.1 +/- 7.6 (0. 33 mg/rat), and 11.6 +/- 6.5 pg/ml (3.3 mg/rat). The ET-A-receptor antagoni st BQ-123 (1 mg/rat) had no effect relative to DMSO controls, whereas the p utative ET-B antagonist IRL-1038 (0.1 mg/rat) abolished the response. In a second protocol, BQ-123 (greater than or equal to 0.5 mg/rat) nonsignifican tly reduced the peak ANF response (106.1 +/- 23.0 pg/ml) to 74.0 +/- 20.5 p g/ml for slow infusions (3.5 ml/8.5 min) but reduced the peak response (425 .3 +/- 58.1 pg/ml) for fast infusions (6.6 ml/1 min) by 49.9% (P < 0.001) a nd for 340 pmoles ET-1 (328.8 +/- 69.5 pg/ml) by 83.5% (P < 0.0001). BQ-123 abolished the ET-1-induced increase in arterial pressure (21.8 +/- 5.2 mmH g at 1 min). Changes in central venous :pressure were similar for DMSO and BQ-123 (slow: 0.91 and 1.14 mmHg; fast: 4.50 and 4.13 mmHg). The results su ggest 1) ET-B receptors mainly mediate the ANF secretion to slow volume exp ansions of <1.6%/min; and 2) ET-A receptors mainly mediate the ANF response to acute volume overloads.