Effects of alpha-human atrial natriuretic polypeptide, sodium nitroprusside and dibutyryl cyclic GMP on aldosterone production in bovine zona glomerulosa cells.

When bovine adrenal zona glomerulosa cells were incubated with alpha-human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (alpha-hANP), the basal aldosterone production in the cells was hardly affected, although the angiotensin II- or K+-stimulated production was completely inhibited. alpha-hANP was found to cause the generation of cyclic GMP in the cells. When the cells were incubated with sodium nitroprusside, the drug inhibited the angiotensin II- or K+-stimulated aldosterone production, and also generated cyclic GMP in the cells. In contrast, dibutyryl cyclic GMP was found to be a stimulator of the aldosterone response rather than an inhibitor. The results obtained in this study cast doubt on the role of cyclic GMP as an intracellular second messenger for the action of ANP on aldosterone secretion.