scholarly journals INTERACTING DISCIPLINES: Cardiac natriuretic peptides and obesity: perspectives from an endocrinologist and a cardiologist

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. R25-R36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo R Ramos ◽  
Andreas L Birkenfeld ◽  
Adolfo J de Bold

Since their discovery in 1981, the cardiac natriuretic peptides (cNP) atrial natriuretic peptide (also referred to as atrial natriuretic factor) and brain natriuretic peptide have been well characterised in terms of their renal and cardiovascular actions. In addition, it has been shown that cNP plasma levels are strong predictors of cardiovascular events and mortality in populations with no apparent heart disease as well as in patients with established cardiac pathology. cNP secretion from the heart is increased by humoral and mechanical stimuli. The clinical significance of cNP plasma levels has been shown to differ in obese and non-obese subjects. Recent lines of evidence suggest important metabolic effects of the cNP system, which has been shown to activate lipolysis, enhance lipid oxidation and mitochondrial respiration. Clinically, these properties lead to browning of white adipose tissue and to increased muscular oxidative capacity. In human association studies in patients without heart disease higher cNP concentrations were observed in lean, insulin-sensitive subjects. Highly elevated cNP levels are generally observed in patients with systolic heart failure or high blood pressure, while obese and type-2 diabetics display reduced cNP levels. Together, these observations suggest that the cNP system plays a role in the pathophysiology of metabolic vascular disease. Understanding this role should help define novel principles in the treatment of cardiometabolic disease.

1998 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 547-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. LAINCHBURY ◽  
M. G. NICHOLLS ◽  
E. A. ESPINER ◽  
H. IKRAM ◽  
T. G. YANDLE ◽  
...  

1.The cardiac natriuretic peptides, atrial natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide, are degraded via clearance receptors and the enzyme neutral endopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.11). We studied the regional plasma concentrations of these peptides and their response to acute neutral endopeptidase inhibition in a consecutive series of patients with a broad spectrum of severity of cardiac dysfunction who were undergoing diagnostic right and left heart catheterization (24 patients, mean age 62.6 years). 2.Baseline blood samples were obtained for hormone analysis from femoral artery, femoral vein, renal vein, hepatic vein, superior vena cava, coronary sinus and pulmonary artery, and initial haemodynamic measurements were made. Twelve patients then received a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor (SCH 32615, 200 ;mg intravenously) and 12 received vehicle alone. The cardiac catheterization procedure was then completed and haemodynamic and hormone measurements were repeated. 3.Haemodynamic status was similar at baseline in both groups, and at repeated measurement (post-procedure after placebo or active drugs) haemodynamic variables were not significantly different from baseline values. Plasma levels of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides exhibited an arteriovenous increment (344% and 124% respectively) across the heart (femoral artery to coronary sinus) and decrement (by 28–54% and 9–16% respectively) across all other tissue beds (P< 0.05 for all) except the lung (no change). Final levels of atrial natriuretic peptide rose above initial levels at all sites in both groups (P< 0.05) except coronary sinus levels in the vehicle group (no change). The increase was consistently greater in the inhibitor group at all sites (P< 0.05 versus placebo). Levels of brain natriuretic peptide rose at all sites in the inhibitor group only (P< 0.05). The transcardiac step-up in atrial natriuretic peptide was markedly augmented after the administration of neutral endopeptidase inhibitor. Other tissue gradients were not significantly altered by neutral endopeptidase inhibitor. 4.Atrial and brain natriuretic peptides in plasma are degraded by a number of tissues, and respond differently to cardiac catheterization. Neutral endopeptidase has a significant role in determining plasma levels of natriuretic peptides, in part perhaps by influencing the amount of intact peptide reaching the circulation after secretion from the heart.


1987 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 531-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco P. Cappuccio ◽  
Nirmala D. Markandu ◽  
Martin G. Buckley ◽  
Giuseppe A. Sagnella ◽  
Angela C. Shore ◽  
...  

1. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) were measured by radioimmunoassay in eight normal healthy volunteers before and during mineralocorticoid escape. 2. Mean plasma ANP on a fixed sodium intake before fludrocortisone was 6.5± sem 1.1 pg/ml. Within 24 h of fludrocortisone administration there was a significant increase in plasma ANP which continued to increase daily reaching a plateau by day 4 (14.9 ± 2.4 pg/ml) to day 7 (15.1 ± 2.6 pg/ml). 3. The rise in plasma ANP was closely related to the amount of sodium retained during the fludrocortisone treatment and the sodium ‘escape’ occurred by days 4 to 7. 4. These results support the concept that ANP could play an important hormonal role in overcoming the sodium-retaining effects of mineralocorticoids in man.


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