Prostaglandins regulate the synthesis and secretion of the atrial natriuretic peptide

We have examined the effects of several PGs on the synthesis and release of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in vivo and in vitro. PGF_2α infusion in anesthetized rats resulted in a significant increase in plasma immunoreactive (ir) ANP levels in vivo despite effecting only modest changes in hemodynamics. The PGs were also effective at promoting irANP secretion in primary cultures of neonatal rat atrial and ventricular cardiocytes. PGF_2α increased irANP release with half-maximal induction seen at ∼ 10^-8 M; PGE₂ was somewhat less effective and prostacyclin (PGI₂) was without effect. The PGs also increased ANP mRNA levels in these cells, suggesting that these agents exert a major effect on the synthesis as well as the secretion of the prohormone. Transient expression analysis of atrial cells transfected with 2,500 bp of human (h) ANP 5′ flanking sequence linked to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter demonstrated that PGF_2α (10^-5 M) increased hANP promoter activity approximately twofold relative to the control. PGF_2α had no effect on the promoterless control (pSV₀-lamin CAT). Treatment of cultured atriocytes with high concentrations of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor resulted in a significant suppression of ANP secretion in vitro and a truncation of the plasma ANP response to volume infusion in vivo. Taken together these studies support a role for PGs as regulators of cardiac ANP synthesis and secretion, and suggest an additional mechanism whereby eicosanoids may act to control cardiovascular and renal homeostasis.