title: C-type natriuretic peptide is a potent stimulator of cyclic GMP production in cultured mouse astrocytes.
abstract: The effect of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), a novel member of the natriuretic peptide family, on cyclic GMP (cGMP) generation was studied in primary cultures of mouse astrocytes. CNP stimulated cGMP production by mouse astrocytes in a dose-dependent fashion, with an EC50 of 32 nM and a maximal stimulatory concentration of greater than 1 microM, which induced a rise of cGMP level from a baseline of 1.0 +/- 0.1 pmol/mg of protein to 196.2 +/- 22.0 pmol/mg of protein. Compared with our previously reported atrial and brain natriuretic peptide-induced cGMP responses, CNP had a lower EC50 and was 10-20 times more efficacious in its maximal effect on cGMP stimulation. These data lend support to the concept of a significant role of CNP in neuromodulation/neurotransmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories.
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cockram
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Nicholls
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051379:Mice; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D020098:Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type; D006152:Cyclic GMP