Phase reversals and phase plateaus have been found in studies that measure motion of the basilar membrane (BM) at the base of the cochlea in response to high-level sounds above the characteristic frequency (CF). In contrast, such patterns have not been found in responses of auditory-nerve fibers (ANF) from the base of the cochlea, primarily because these ANFs do not have synchronized responses ...

To investigate whether the response of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) to volume expansion is impaired in the early stages of dilated cardiomyopathy, the effects of saline load (SL; 0.25 ml/kg.min for 120 min) were assessed in 12 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic heart failure (HF) and in nine normal subjects (N). SL increased plasma ANF levels in N (fr...

Studies were carried out to determine if the release of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is altered in the inbred Dahl salt-sensitive (SS/Jr) rat. Isolated heart-lung preparations of prehypertensive young SS/Jr rats (6-8 weeks of age) and age-matched inbred Dahl salt-resistant (SR/Jr) rats were used. At this relatively young age the blood pressure difference between strains (SS/Jr, 108 +/- 3 mm ...

To study the relation between plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and cardiac pressures, we measured plasma ANF in 24 patients with mitral stenosis 30 minutes before and 20 minutes after balloon mitral valvulotomy. All patients were without physical signs of congestive heart failure. Normal sinus rhythm was present in 15 (group 1), whereas the other nine (group 2) had permanent atrial fibril...

The mammalian atrial hormone atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) has been shown to have potent natriuretic and diuretic actions as well as vasodilator effects when released into the circulation. To investigate how the levels of the circulating form of this peptide change with alteration of intravascular fluid volume, we measured immunoreactive ANF in the plasma of Wistar rats after acute saline loa...

The mechanism underlying the mineralocorticoid escape phenomenon remains unknown. To assess the possible contribution of natriuretic peptides to mineralocorticoid escape, rats were injected with 5 mg deoxycorticosterone acetate for 3 d. Plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) rose to twice basal levels and atrial ANF content decreased significantly by 24 h of treatment. This coincided with renal...

Atrial pressure, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and renal hemodynamic functions were examined during and after right ventricular pacing in anesthetized dogs (n = 9). Mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and renal blood flow decreased during tachycardia while right and left atrial pressures increased. ANF markedly increased during tachycardia but ur...

To assess the contribution of venous effects to the hemodynamic changes caused by atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), the cardiac and peripheral effects of ANF were compared with those induced by the venoarterial vasodilator sodium nitroprusside. On 3 different days, eight healthy subjects received 2-hour infusions of either ANF, sodium nitroprusside, or placebo, by a single-blind crossover design...

cGMP generation has been associated with many of the vascular and endocrine actions of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in vitro. To examine the role of cGMP as a second messenger for the renal hemodynamic action of ANF in vivo, we measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and cGMP concentration in systemic artery, renal vein, and urine as well as in Bowman's space and end-proximal tubule (by fr...

In patients with congestive heart failure, high serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-18 were reported. A positive correlation was described between serum IL-18 levels and the disease severity. IL-18 has also been shown to induce atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene expression in adult cardiomyocytes. Because re-expression of the fetal gene ANF is mostly associated with ...