title: Has the elusive "natriuretic factor" been discovered, and if so, is it a hormone?
abstract: This review summarizes the interesting and significant papers reported at the International Conference on Natriuretic and Digitalis-like Factors held at the ASH meeting in San Francisco, June 1-2, 1997. This area of investigation has been rejuvenated as of late with near structural determination of two ouabain-like isolates from human plasma (OLF) and bovine hypothalamus (HIF) which are apparently the same compound and the isolation and structural elucidation of a natriuretic metabolite of gamma-tocopherol. Spectroscopic information has also been obtained for two other compounds, an ouabain-like factor from bovine adrenals and HHIF from the hypothalamus. An explanation was offered for how low concentrations of digitalis-like factors can regulate vascular reactivity when the predominant isoform of the sodium pump has a low affinity for these compounds. Various groups are examining possible in vivo synthetic pathways that could lead to the production digitalis-like factors. The natriuretic metabolite of gamma-tocopherol, LLU-alpha, fits deWardener's postulates for a natriuretic hormone and is being examined for its involvement in ECF control. Once the structures for some of these ouabain-like compounds are determined and they are synthesized, these compounds will also be able to be studied employing classical pharmacologic methods.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical Endocrinology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, Calif., USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wechter
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000502:physiology; D002298:Cardenolides; D002839:Chromans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004077:Digoxin; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D045283:Natriuretic Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D011422:Propionates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012503:Saponins; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D001685:Biological Factors; D002298:Cardenolides; D002839:Chromans; D006728:Hormones; D045283:Natriuretic Agents; D011422:Propionates; D012503:Saponins; C034504:digoxin-like factors; C107690:2,7,8-trimethyl-2-(beta-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman; D004077:Digoxin; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase