Cyclic nucleotides in human macrophages: effects of atrial natriuretic factor and nitroprusside on cGMP and cAMP production.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF, 10(-7) M) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 10(-5)-10(-3) M) stimulated cGMP production in human peritoneal macrophages (HPM). This suggests the existence of two separate forms of guanylate cyclase in HPM, e.g. the receptor-related form by ANF and the soluble form by SNP. In parallel with the rise in cGMP levels, both agents provoked a decrease in cAMP levels. Increasing the concentration of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX (0.2 mM to 1.0 mM) in the incubation media resulted in a significantly greater rise in cGMP levels which was accompanied by a profound decrease in cAMP levels. ANF did not exert any direct or GTP-related effect on cAMP production, which is in contrast to its action in other tissues. These results suggest that cAMP levels can be modulated through a cGMP signal, most likely at the production level. Results also give substantial evidence for the presence of a ANF receptor site on human peritoneal macrophages.