title: Effect of prolonged high salt diet on atrial natriuretic factor in rats.
abstract: Normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats were given 8% NaCl for 5 weeks. This salt load did not affect their blood pressure nor hematocrit, and plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) showed no change at 3 weeks but decreased after 5 weeks of the experimental period when compared with control rats. The responsiveness of particulate guanylate cyclase and formation of cGMP in ANF target organs suggested an augmented baseline activity of the cGMP system but its relative hyporesponsiveness to exogenous ANF following prolonged salt loading. Decreased plasma ANF levels cannot be explained by its altered production since atrial levels of the peptide were comparable in rats with or without salt loading. Atrial ANF mRNA was unaffected by the salt regimen. This study demonstrates that plasma ANF does not increase during long-term NaCl loading and even decreases after 5 weeks of 8% NaCl. The changes in plasma ANF are associated with changes in the functional state of ANF receptors coupled to particulate guanylate cyclase, but in the opposite direction than expected from lowered plasma ANF. Thus, ANF may not play a significant role in the regulation of sodium excretion in response to prolonged high salt consumption or, if it does, it is not reflected by expected changes in its plasma levels.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of the Autonomic Nervous System, Research Institute of Montreal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Debinski
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kuchel
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Buu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nemer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hamet
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000032:analysis; D006400:Hematocrit; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D011188:Potassium