title: The actions of atrial natriuretic factor on the vascular wall.
abstract: The actions of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) on the vascular wall are diverse and show a profound regional heterogeneity. ANF is a potent relaxant of aortic smooth muscle, a response which is associated with activation of particulate guanylate cyclase and elevation in tissue levels of cyclic GMP. However, many large and small muscular arteries and most veins are unresponsive to the peptide. The regional vascular heterogeneity may be due to an altered distribution of high affinity receptors and (or) alterations in the coupling of receptor activation to elevations in cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Species differences exist in the structural requirements for receptor activation as well as the effects of infused ANF on peripheral resistance. Although the relaxation to ANF in vitro does not require an intact endothelium, endothelial cells contain multiple receptor subtypes for ANF. Differences amongst tissues and (or) species in the receptor profile for ANF may, in part, explain some of heterogeneity in responsiveness to ANF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, Merck Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories, West Point, PA 19486.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Vlasuk
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Babilon
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Nutt
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ciccarone
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Winquist
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; 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; D006152:Cyclic GMP