Most agents that regulate osteoclast bone resorption exert their effects indirectly, through the osteoblast. Nitric oxide, which stimulates soluble guanylyl cyclase, has been reported to inhibit osteoclast bone resorption directly, by a cGMP-independent mechanism (1). In this report, we demonstrate that C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), an activator of membrane-bound guanylyl cyclase, stimulates bone resorption by osteoclast-containing 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3)-stimulated mouse bone marrow cultures. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays and anti-CNP immunocytochemistry were used to demonstrate that CNP is expressed in mouse marrow cells cultured in the presence, but not the absence, of, 1,25-(OH)2D3. mRNA for guanylyl cyclase type B, the receptor for CNP, was expressed in cultures independent of 1,25-(OH)2D3. CNP (1 and 10 microM) elevated cGMP production in marrow cultures to 350 and 870%, respectively, of control values. 10 microM CNP increased osteoclast bone resorptive activity, measured by the resorption area on whale dentine wafers, or by the NH4Cl-inhibitable release of [3H]proline from radiolabeled bone chips, to 214 and 557% of control, respectively, without affecting osteoclast formation. Bone resorption by the marrow cultures was inhibited by 7F9.1, a monoclonal antibody raised against CNP, but not by control antibodies. These results indicate that CNP is a potent activator of osteoclast activity and may be a novel local regulator of bone remodeling.

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High concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) inhibit bone resorption by mature osteoclasts. We examined the effects of low NO concentrations on osteoclast formation in mouse bone marrow cultures. The NO releasers sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine inhibited the formation of multinucleated cells expressing tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (a marker for osteoclasts) when administered during the last 3 days of 6-day cultures (differentiation stage) but not during the first 3 days (proliferation stage). SNP (1 microM) completely inhibited pit formation on dentine wafers when added to cultures during osteoclast formation, but 100 microM SNP was required to inhibit pitting by mature osteoclasts. Conversely, the NO synthase inhibitors aminoguanidine and nitro-L-arginine methyl ester both increased osteoclast formation. Inhibition of osteoclast formation by NO likely was guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) dependent, as SNP increased cGMP in marrow cultures, and 1 mM 8-bromo-cGMP or dibutyryl-cGMP reduced osteoclast formation when administered during the differentiation stage. The cGMP-specific type V phosphodiesterase inhibitor, zaprinast (M & B 22948) also inhibited osteoclast formation (half-maximal inhibitory constant, 100 microM) only when added during the differentiation stage. We conclude that the differentiation stage of osteoclast formation is inhibited by increases in cGMP levels elicited by NO.

The cellular distribution of guanylyl cyclase coupled natriuretic peptide receptors type A (GC-A) and type B (GC-B) was examined by immunocytochemistry in normal rat kidney, and compared with the distribution of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase. Staining for GC-A was found in glomeruli, thin limbs of Henle's loop, cortical collecting tubule, and inner medullary collecting duct. Staining for GC-B was found in glomeruli and the same nephron sections as GC-A, with the exception of the thin limbs. In the cortical collecting tubule, GC-A was found in both principal and intercalated cells; GC-B was restricted to the apical pole of alpha intercalated cells. In inner medullary collecting duct cells, GC-A was located on the basal membrane, whereas GC-B was found in the apical pole. The different pattern of polarization of natriuretic peptide receptors in the inner medulla provides a plausible basis for the different physiologic effects of atrial natriuretic factor and C-type natriuretic peptide. The results also suggest the possibility that GC-B is involved in the regulation of bicarbonate transport in the cortical collecting tubule.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of acute renal failure (ARF) in both rat and humans. The biological effects of ANF are presumed to be mediated by the generation of intracellular 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Therefore, the current investigation examined whether zaprinast (M&B 22948), a guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, would be effective in the treatment of established acute renal failure in the rat. Acute renal failure was induced by 60 minutes of bilateral renal artery clamping. Twenty-four hours after the ischemic insult, rats received either vehicle (5% Dextrose), zaprinast (0.03 or 0.3 mg/kg/min) or ANF24 (0.2 micrograms/kg/min) intravenously for four hours. Renal function, as measured by daily serum creatinine (days 1 to 7) and day 2 inulin clearances, was dramatically improved by zaprinast but not ANF treatment. Forty-eight hours post-renal ischemia, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was 0.14 +/- 0.04 (ml/min/100 g body wt) in the vehicle and 0.94 +/- 0.29 in the zaprinast treated animals. To evaluate the mechanism by which zaprinast accelerated renal recovery, we measured regional blood flow in the postischemic rat kidneys during drug treatment with a laser doppler flowmeter. Both high and low dose zaprinast significantly increased cortical (17%) and outer medullary blood flow (40% and 60%), an effect not seen with ANF. In summary, zaprinast is effective in the treatment of established ischemic ARF. The mechanism by which zaprinast accelerates renal recovery is due to its unique ability to stimulate regional renal blood flow and increase intracellular cGMP in the setting of tissue ischemia.

Cellular mechanism(s) regulating atriopeptin secretion and processing by the atrial myocyte are currently unknown. Osmotic stretch of isolated atrial myocytes as well as potassium chloride depolarization were potent stimuli of atriopeptin secretion. Release was potentiated by buffering either extracellular calcium with EGTA or intracellular calcium with the intracellular chelator, BAPTA AM. Atrial release of atriopeptin was inhibited after administration of ionomycin which elevates intracellular calcium. Fetal or early neonatal ventricular myocytes actively synthesize atriopeptin. Atriopeptin secretion by ventricular myocytes was also markedly potentiated by osmotic stretch as well as KCI depolarization. Only the 126 amino acid prohormone was secreted by the stretch-stimulated atrial and ventricular myocyte. These data suggest that stretch of the myocyte plasma membrane is a major stimulus for atriopeptin secretion and that atriopeptin secretion is not stimulated by raising intracellular calcium and appears to be negatively modulated by this cation. Like the atrial myocyte, the ventricular myocyte possesses the cellular mechanism(s) necessary to secrete atriopeptin by a regulated mechanism.

We have previously demonstrated the synthesis of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in the distal cortical nephron of the rat kidney. We now report the synthesis of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in the rat, mouse, and human nephron. CNP mRNA was initially detected in the rat and mouse kidney, as well as in three transformed cell lines isolated from the proximal and distal nephron, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Confirmation of the kidney PCR product was performed by nucleotide sequence analysis and Southern hybridization. Northern hybridization of rat brain CNP cDNA to human kidney polyadenylated RNA detected a 1.4-kb gene transcript. Rat nephron segments were microdissected and subjected to RT-PCR to localize CNP mRNA. CNP mRNA was detected in the proximal convoluted tubule, cortical collecting duct, medullary thick limbs, and inner medullary collecting ducts. CNP, as detected by immunohistochemistry, was found to colocalize with CNP mRNA.

Atriopeptin is synthesized in mammalian atria as a 126-amino acid (14 kDa) prohormone, but it is secreted and circulates as a 28-amino acid (2.5 kDa) peptide. We have demonstrated the synthesis and secretion of an atriopeptin-like peptide in neonatal and adult rat kidney cell cultures. In this study, we evaluated the site of renal synthesis of this protein and its expression in normal rats and rats made nephrotic with puromycin aminonucleoside. The major form of atriopeptin in normal kidneys comigrated with an apparent molecular mass of 2.5 kDa assessed by gel filtration chromatography. However, the major form of this atriopeptin-like protein in nephrotic kidneys was determined to have an apparent molecular mass similar to the heart prohormone. No atriopeptin prohormone was detected in the plasma of nephrotic rats. Localization of this renal atriopeptin-like protein was accomplished by immunocytochemistry of rat kidney frozen sections. Using an antibody generated against either the COOH-terminal or NH3-terminal region of the cardiac atriopeptin prohormone, we detected specific immunostaining in the distal cortical nephron of the nephrotic kidney. This is the first report of the anatomic localization of a renal atriopeptin-like protein and its upregulation in nephrosis.