Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) regulates blood pressure mainly through the occupation of the guanylyl cyclase-coupled receptor NPR-A, which requires ATP interaction for maximal activation. This study investigates the effect of extracellular Ca(2+) on ATP-mediated regulation of NPR-A-coupled guanylyl cyclase activity in glomerular membranes from Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensiv...

Of the four endogenous members of the natriuretic peptide family, only atrial natriuretic peptide has been demonstrated to have neuromodulatory effects. This study compares the neuromodulatory effects of atrial natriuretic peptide and a recently identified natriuretic peptide, C-type natriuretic peptide, in the rabbit isolated vas deferens. The ability of these peptides to alter cyclic nucleoti...

An aspartate-to-alanine point mutation in the catalytic domain (D853A) of guanylyl cyclase-C (GC-C), the heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) receptor, rendered the enzyme catalytically inactive. Mn2+/Triton X-100-stimulated guanylyl cyclase activity was detected in membranes from COS7 cells overexpressing GC-C but not GC-CD853A. STa treatment of paired cells resulted in cGMP production in those trans...

Acute secretory diarrhea induced by infection with enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli involves binding of stable toxin (STa) to its receptor on the intestinal brush border, guanylyl cyclase type C (GC-C). Intracellular cGMP is elevated, inducing increase in chloride efflux and subsequent accumulation of fluid in the intestinal lumen. We have screened a library of compounds and identifi...