Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels correlate with hyperglycemia in diabetes mellitus, but ANP effects on pancreatic islet β-cell insulin secretion are controversial. ANP was investigated for short- and long-term effects on insulin secretion and mechanisms regulating secretion in isolated rat pancreatic islets. A 3-h incubation with ANP did not affect basal or glucose-stimulated islet insul...

PURPOSE Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has been recently described as an endogenous inhibitor of the synthesis and angiogenic action of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Given VEGF's key role in promoting neovascularization in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), this study was designed to evaluate the possibility that ANP could be involved in the neovascular and fibrotic compli...

The balance between vasoconstrictor/sodium-retaining and vasodilator/natriuretic systems is essential for maintaining body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Natriuretic peptides, such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), belong to the vasodilator/natriuretic system. ANP is produced by the conversion of pro-ANP into ANP, which is achieved by a proteolytical cleavage executed by corin. In the ki...

Acrosomal exocytosis in mammalian spermatozoa is a process essential for fertilization. We report here that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) markedly stimulates acrosomal exocytosis of capacitated human spermatozoa. Typically, ANP exerts some of its actions via activation of the ANP receptor (ANPR-A), a particulate guanylyl cyclase-linked receptor, and subsequent formation of guanosine 3',5'-cy...

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is an important regulator of blood pressure (BP). One of the mechanisms whereby ANP impacts BP is by stimulation of nitric oxide (NO) production in different tissues involved in BP control. We hypothesized that ANP-stimulated NO is impaired in the kidneys of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and this contributes to the development and/or maintenance of high ...

Atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP) have recently been identified in both heart and CNS. These peptides possess potent natriuretic, diuretic, and vasorelaxant activities, and are all apparently derived from a single prohormone. Specific ANP binding sites have been characterized in the adrenal zona glomerulosa and kidney cortex, and one study reported ANP binding sites in the CNS. However, a detai...