Phospholipase C signaling tonically represses basal atrial natriuretic factor secretion from the atria of the heart.

The cardiac hormone atrial natriuretic factor (ANF or ANP) plays significant, well-established roles in a large number of physiological and pathophysiological processes, including water and electrolyte balance, blood pressure regulation, and cardiovascular growth. Understanding the regulation of its production and secretion by atrial cardiomyocytes is incomplete. We have previously established a significant role of G(i/o) protein signaling in modulating ANF secretion as promoted by stretch of the atrial myocardium. In the present study, we investigated the role of G(q) protein signaling and its relationship to G(i/o) protein signaling using pharmacological manipulation of proximal effectors of G(αq) in an ex vivo model of spontaneously beating rat atria. Phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors dramatically increased basal secretion of ANF. Furthermore, although atrial wall stretch is a potent stimulus for secretion, stretch unexpectedly reduced ANF secretion to basal levels under PLC and PKC inhibitory conditions. Inhibition of the inositol triphosphate receptor did not appear to affect basal secretion but dose-dependently blocked stretch-secretion coupling. The results obtained demonstrate that the PLC and PKC signaling cascades play important albeit unexpected roles in the regulation of basal and stimulated ANF secretion and suggest interplay between the G(q) and G(i/o) protein signaling pathways.

Ras dexamethasone-induced protein 1 is a modulator of hormone secretion in the volume overloaded heart.

Because of the crucial role of the endocrine heart in maintaining homeostasis, considerable effort has been focused on the elucidation of the mechanistic underlying gene expression and secretion of the cardiac hormones atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). However, much remains to be determined regarding specific molecular events involved in cardiocyte secretory function. In this work, we identified genes involved in the transcriptional response of the endocrine heart to volume overload (VO) and signaling pathways involved in its regulation. To this end, the cardiac atrial and ventricular transcriptomes were analyzed in the heart of rats subjected to experimentally induced aorto-caval shunt VO. Pathway analysis revealed unique gene expression profiles in the VO atria for G-protein signaling, notably a significant downregulation of Ras dexamethasone-induced protein 1 (RASD1). In vitro, knockdown of RASD1 in the atrial-derived HL-1 cells, significantly increased ANF secretion. Concurrent knockdown of RASD1 and its effectors Gα(o1) or Gß(1)γ(2) abrogated the endocrine response, demonstrating a previously unknown negative modulator role for RASD1. RASD1 thus emerges as a tonic inhibitor of ANF secretion and illustrates for the first time the concept of inhibitory protein regulators of ANF release. The novel molecular function identified herein for RASD1 is of considerable importance given its therapeutic implications for cardiovascular disease.

Transcriptional analysis of the mammalian heart with special reference to its endocrine function.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacological and gene ablation studies have demonstrated the crucial role of the endocrine function of the heart as mediated by the polypeptide hormones ANF and BNP in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis. The importance of these studies lies on the fact that hypertension and chronic congestive heart failure are clinical entities that may be regarded as states of relative deficiency of ANF and BNP. These hormones are produced by the atrial muscle cells (cardiocytes), which display a dual secretory/muscle phenotype. In contrast, ventricular cardiocytes display mainly a muscle phenotype. Comparatively little information is available regarding the genetic background for this important phenotypic difference with particular reference to the endocrine function of the heart. We postulated that comparison of gene expression profiles between atrial and ventricular muscles would help identify gene transcripts that underlie the phenotypic differences associated with the endocrine function of the heart. RESULTS: Comparison of gene expression profiles in the rat heart revealed a total of 1415 differentially expressed genes between the atria and ventricles based on a 1.8 fold cut-off. The identification of numerous chamber specific transcripts, such as ANF for the atria and Irx4 for the ventricles among several others, support the soundness of the GeneChip data and demonstrates that the differences in gene expression profiles observed between the atrial and ventricular tissues were not spurious in nature. Pathway analysis revealed unique expression profiles in the atria for G protein signaling that included Galphao1, Ggamma2 and Ggamma3, AGS1, RGS2, and RGS6 and the related K+ channels GIRK1 and GIRK4. Transcripts involved in vesicle trafficking, hormone secretion as well as mechanosensors (e.g. the potassium channel TREK-1) were identified in relationship to the synthesis, storage and secretion of hormones. CONCLUSION: The data developed in this investigation describes for the first time data on gene expression particularly centred on the secretory function of the heart. This provides for a rational approach in the investigation of determinants of the endocrine of the heart in health and disease.

The endocrine function of the heart.

Atrial cardiocytes in the heart of mammals produce in a regulated manner the polypeptide hormones atrial natriuretic factor (ANF, ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). The biological actions of ANF and BNP are similar; they include the modulation of systems that tend to increase extracellular fluid volume and blood pressure, such as the renin-angiotensin system and the sympathetic nervous system. Additionally, both hormones have potent growth-regulating properties. ANF and BNP signal by activating membrane-bound guanylyl cyclase receptors, leading to an increase in intracellular cGMP and thus affecting the activity of cGMP-regulated enzymes and ion channels. Under chronic hemodynamic overload, cardiac ANF and BNP synthesis and secretion are increased. This increase is viewed as a cardioprotective mechanism, given the beneficial effects of ANF and BNP on cardiac preload, afterload and cardiovascular growth. As discussed in this review, some basic facts regarding the synthesis and secretion of ANF and BNP and their peripheral effects remain to be clarified. Nevertheless, at the clinical level, the elevation of circulating ANF and BNP in heart failure or following acute coronary syndromes has been shown to have diagnostic and prognostic implications. Moreover, these peptides themselves hold promise as therapeutic agents in the treatment of heart failure. Additional pharmaceutical applications might be gleaned from current preclinical and clinical studies showing beneficial effects of ANF or BNP in the treatment of hypertension, bronchospasm and in tissue remodeling following acute myocardial infarction.

Determinants of natriuretic peptide gene expression.

The cardiac natriuretic peptides (NP) atrial natriuretic factor or peptide (ANF or ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are polypeptide hormones synthesized, stored and secreted mainly by cardiac muscle cells (cardiocytes) of the atria of the heart. Both ANF and BNP are co-stored in storage granules referred to as specific atrial granules. The biological properties of NP include modulation of intrinsic renal mechanisms, the sympathetic nervous system, the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and other determinants, of fluid volume, vascular tone and renal function. Studies on the control of baseline and stimulated ANF synthesis and secretion indicate at least two types of regulated secretory processes in atrial cardiocytes: one is stretch-stimulated and pertussis toxin (PTX) sensitive and the other is Gq-mediated and is PTX insensitive. Baseline ANF secretion is also PTX insensitive. In vivo, it is conceivable that the first process mediates stimulated ANF secretion brought about by changes in central venous return and subsequent atrial muscle stretch as observed in acute extracellular fluid volume expansion. The second type of stimulation is brought about by sustained hemodynamic and neuroendocrine stimuli such as those observed in congestive heart failure.