Effects of auriculin (atrial natriuretic factor) on blood pressure, renal function, and the renin-aldosterone system in dogs

Thomas Maack, Donald N. Marion, Maria Jose F. Camargo, Hollis D. Kleinert, John H. Laragh, E. Darracott Vaughan, Steven A. Atlas

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Abstract

Auriculin is a potent vasoactive and natriuretic peptide that was recently isolated and purified from rat atrial tissue. Since this peptide could be of great importance for renal, cardiovascular, and volume homeostasis, its functional properties have been characterized in dogs. The effects of synthetic auriculin on renal function, mean blood pressure, plasma renin activity, renin secretory rate, and plasma aldosterone levels were determined. Auriculin was administered intravenously as a prime (1.0 μg/kg body weight) and constant infusion (0.1 μg per minute/kg body weight for one hour) to five anesthetized dogs. In addition, two conscious dogs were used to verify some of the results obtained in anesthetized dogs. Auriculin decreased mean blood pressure from 134 ± 5 to 122 ± 4 mm Hg (p < 0.05, paired t test) and increased glomerular filtration rate (25.5 ± 2.7 to 32.4 ± 4.1 ml per minute per kidney, p < 0.05), diuresis (0.21 ± 0.03 to 1.06 ± 0.14 ml per minute per kidney, p < 0.05), natriuresis (38 ± 0.6 to 187 ± 35 μeq per minute per kidney, p < 0.05), and kaliuresis (14.8 ± 1.6 to 35.7 ± 6.3 μeq per minute per kidney, p < 0.05). These effects were sustained throughout the infusion of auriculin and were entirely reversible. Renal plasma flow increased transiently for one to two minutes, and then returned to or below control levels. Urine osmolality decreased by 40 percent (p < 0.05) whereas free water clearance remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Auriculin reversibly decreased plasma renin activity (11.6 ± 2.3 to 3.6 ± 1.2 ng/ml per hour, p < 0.05), renin secretory rate (895 ± 313 to 255 ± 28 ng per hour per minute, p < 0.05), and plasma aldosterone levels (8.4 ± 1.6 to 3.6 ± 0.7 ng/dl, p < 0.05), whereas plasma cortisol levels remained unchanged. These results demonstrate that auriculin has a unique combination of functional properties, increasing glomerular filtration rate, diuresis, and natriuresis, without a sustained increase in total renal blood flow, and lowering blood pressure, plasma renin levels, renin secretory rate, and plasma aldosterone levels. These properties suggest an important potential role for atrial natriuretic peptides in the regulation of renal function, extracellular volume, and blood pressure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1069-1075
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Medicine
Volume77
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1984

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