Rat Atrial Natriuretic Polypeptide Increases Net Water, Sodium and Chloride Absorption Across Rat Small Intestine In Vivo

Atrial natriuretic peptide inhibits the spontaneous contractions of rabbit isolated ileum

The present study investigates the effects of atriopeptin II on spontaneous phasic contractions of rabbit isolated ileum. Atriopeptin II caused a significant and concentration-dependent decrease in ileum motor activity. This effect was mimicked by 8-Br-cGMP and it was not affected by pretreatment with tetrodotoxin. Verapamil significantly decreased ileum contractions; however, in the presence of this calcium blocker, atriopeptin II further reduced ileal motility. These findings demonstrate that atriopeptin II depresses the motility of rabbit ileum through a cGMP-dependent mechanism and suggest that neither ileal neural networks nor extracellular calcium are involved in this effect.

Integrative approach to osmoregulatory action of atrial natriuretic peptide in seawater eels

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) reduces plasma Na+ concentration and promotes seawater (SW) adaptation in SW eels. However, little is known about the mechanisms for the hyponatremic effect of ANP. In order to evaluate the role of ANP in the whole-body Na+ homeostasis of marine teleost, we reviewed previous in vivo experiments using exogenously administered ANP and present additional experiments to assess the role of endogenous ANP in Na+ homeostasis in conscious SW eels. The Na+ influx and efflux rate across the body surfaces including the gills measured with isotopic 22Na were not altered by the hyponatremic dose (5 pmol kg-1 min-1) of ANP infusion in SW eels. ANP infusion also had no effect on renal Na+ excretion in SW eels. In contrast, ANP strongly inhibited drinking, and the inhibition was quantitatively correlated with the hyponatremic effect of ANP. Further, intestinal absorption of Na+ was inhibited by ANP as examined in situ using intestinal sac in conscious SW eels. The combined inhibitory actions of ANP on drinking and intestinal absorption were sufficient to explain the decrease in plasma Na+ concentration. In addition, removal of endogenous circulating ANP by immunoneutralization increased plasma Na+ concentration with a concomitant increase in drinking rate in SW eels. These results strongly suggest that endogenous ANP is involved in the hyponatremic regulation through actions on drinking, and probably on intestine, in SW eels.