title: Increased circulating concentration of atrial natriuretic factor in persons with pheochromocytomas.
abstract: To investigate the possible relationship of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) to hypertension, we examined the circulating levels of ANF in 3 patients with pheochromocytomas before surgery, during increase of their blood pressure with surgical manipulation of their tumors, and after surgery when their blood pressures returned to normal. The circulating levels of ANF were increased 2-fold in patients with both extra-adrenal and intra-adrenal pheochromocytomas. In both the intra-adrenal and extra-adrenal patients their ANF levels increased further during surgical manipulation and returned to normal after surgical removal of their respective tumors. Each of these pheochromocytomas was examined and found to have atrial natriuretic receptors that were functional since ANF could enhance the guanylate cyclase - cyclic GMP system two-fold in these pheochromocytomas. We conclude that ANF circulates at higher concentrations in persons with pheochromocytomas and returns to normal with removal of the tumor. In addition, pheochromocytomas contain specific ANF receptors and ANF itself within these tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vesely
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Winters
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sallman
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rico
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000150:complications; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000150:complications; D017461:Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D017461:Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor