title: Plasma and atrial content of atrial natriuretic factor in cardiomyopathic hamsters.
abstract: Immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor (IR-ANF) was measured in plasma and atrial extracts from normal and cardiomyopathic Syrian golden hamsters. Plasma IR-ANF was increased from 84.8 +/- 9.8 pg/ml (n = 17) to 234 +/- 23 (n = 25; P less than .0001) in hamsters with moderate failure, and to 1085 +/- 321 pg/ml (n = 10; P less than .02) in animals with severe failure. Plasma IR-ANF increased with increased atrial hypertrophy. Atrial IR-ANF content was essentially the same in normal animals and in those with moderate heart failure (3.06 +/- 0.28 vs. 3.17 +/- 0.19 microgram/100 g body wt.) and lower in the majority of those with severe failure (1.82 micrograms/100 g body wt., P less than .001). The elevations of IR-ANF in plasma are similar to those seen in patients with congestive heart failure. Our studies do not support bioassay results showing a deficiency of atrial ANF content as being important in the congestive heart failure associated with cardiomyopathy in the hamster.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001835:Body Weight; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000378:metabolism*; D006224:Cricetinae; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000378:metabolism; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009929:Organ Size; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor