Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) causes endothelium-independent relaxation and elevation of cyclic GMP in rat thoracic aorta.

The novel neuropeptide, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), causes concentration-dependent relaxations in rat isolated arterial rings. The pD2 value of BNP in rat thoracic aorta is 8.05 +/- 0.06, almost identical to the pD2 value of atrial natriuretic peptide (the 28 amino acid peptide, rat sequence, AP-28, 8.11 +/- 0.08), indicating that BNP and ANP have the same potency in relaxing thoracic aorta. In addition, BNP is equally potent at causing relaxation in abdominal aorta and mesenteric and renal arteries. However, BNP is less potent in causing vasorelaxation in the common iliac and femoral arteries and shows no relaxant effects in caudal arteries. This pharmacological profile of BNP in different rat arteries is very similar to that of ANP. Like ANP, BNP induces a vasorelaxation that is independent of endothelium and is associated with very sustained increases in cyclic GMP, but not cyclic AMP, levels in rat thoracic aorta. The BNP-induced cyclic GMP elevation, like the vasorelaxation, is also independent of endothelium and is not blocked by methylene blue (10 microM), a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor. Furthermore, BNP-induced cyclic GMP elevation is independent of extracellular calcium and potentiated by the cyclic GMP-phosphodiesterase inhibitor M & B 22948. Therefore, the pharmacological characteristics of BNP in rat blood vessels are very similar to those of ANP, suggesting that BNP and ANP may act through a common receptor and post-receptor mechanism to cause vasodilation.