Natriuretic peptides are a family of structurally related but genetically distinct hormones/paracrine factors that regulate blood volume, blood pressure, ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary hypertension, fat metabolism, and long bone growth. The mammalian members are atrial natriuretic peptide, B-type natriuretic peptide, C-type natriuretic peptide, and possibly osteocrin/musclin. Three single membrane-spanning natriuretic peptide receptors (NPRs) have been identified. Two, NPR-A/GC-A/NPR1 and NPR-B/GC-B/NPR2, are transmembrane guanylyl cyclases, enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of cGMP. One, NPR-C/NPR3, lacks intrinsic enzymatic activity and controls the local concentrations of natriuretic peptides through constitutive receptor-mediated internalization and degradation. Single allele-inactivating mutations in the promoter of human NPR-A are associated with hypertension and heart failure, whereas homozygous inactivating mutations in human NPR-B cause a form of short-limbed dwarfism known as acromesomelic dysplasia type Maroteaux. The physiological effects of natriuretic peptides are elicited through three classes of cGMP binding proteins: cGMP-dependent protein kinases, cGMP-regulated phosphodiesterases, and cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels. In this comprehensive review, the structure, function, regulation, and biological consequences of natriuretic peptides and their associated signaling proteins are described.

Natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPR-A) is an essential cardiovascular regulator that is stimulated by atrial natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide, whereas natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) stimulates long bone growth in a C-type natriuretic peptidedependent manner. Many reports indicate that ATP is essential for NPR-A and NPR-B activation. Current models suggest that natriuretic peptide binding to receptor extracellular domains causes ATP binding to intracellular kinase homology domains, which derepresses adjacent catalytic domains. Here, we report 100-fold activations of natriuretic peptide receptors in the absence of ATP. The addition of a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog had no effect at early time periods (measured in seconds) but increased cGMP production about 2-fold after longer incubations (measured in minutes), consistent with a stabilization, not activation, mechanism. These data indicate that ATP does not activate natriuretic peptide receptors as has been repeatedly reported. Instead, ATP increases activity primarily by maintaining proper receptor phosphorylation status but also serves a previously unappreciated enzyme stabilizing function.

Abstract-C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) binds and activates the transmembrane guanylyl cyclase B receptor (NPR-B), which decreases vascular tone and inhibits cell proliferation and migration. In contrast, the bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) elicits the opposite physiological effects. Here, we demonstrate a potent acute inhibitory effect of S1P on NPR-B activity in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and A10 vascular smooth muscle cells. In fibroblasts, S1P reduced CNP-dependent cGMP elevations to the same levels as 10% fetal bovine serum, the most potent NPR-B desensitizing agent known. The reduction was dose-dependent (IC 50 ϭ0.08 mol/L) and due to decreased NPR-B activity because CNP-dependent guanylyl cyclase activities were markedly diminished in membranes prepared from S1P-treated cells. Similarly, in A10 cells, S1P inhibition was rapid (t 1/2 ϭ2 to 5 minutes), dose-dependent (IC 50 ϭ0.3 mol/L S1P), and mediated by a cell surface receptor. The mechanism of the S1P-dependent desensitization in A10 cells did not require NPR-B degradation or protein kinase C activation, but did require elevated calcium concentrations because a nonspecific calcium ionophore also inhibited NPR-B and an intracellular calcium chelator blocked a significant portion of the S1P response. These are the first data demonstrating cross-talk between the natriuretic peptide and S1P signaling systems. They suggest that the effects of S1P on vascular disease and wound healing may be mediated in part through inhibition

C-type natriuretic peptide binding to natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B) stimulates cGMP synthesis, which regulates vasorelaxation, cell proliferation, and bone growth. Here, we investigated the mechanistic basis for hyperosmotic and lysophosphatidic acid-dependent inhibition of NPR-B. Whole cell cGMP measurements and guanylyl cyclase assays indicated that acute hyperosmolarity decreased NPR-B activity in a reversible, concentration-and time-dependent manner, whereas chronic exposure had no effect. Acute hyperosmolarityelevatedintracellularcalciuminaconcentrationdependent fashion that paralleled NPR-B desensitization. A calcium chelator, but not a protein kinase C inhibitor, blocked both calcium elevations and desensitization. Hyperosmotic medium stimulated NPR-B dephosphorylation, and the receptor was rapidly rephosphorylated and resensitized when the hypertonic media was removed. Lysophosphatidic acid also inhibited NPR-B in a calcium-and phosphorylation-dependent process, consistent with calcium being a universal regulator of NPR-B. The absolute requirement of dephosphorylation in this process was demonstrated by showing that a receptor with glutamates substituted at all known NPR-B phosphorylation sites is unresponsive to hyperosmotic stimuli. This is the first study to measure the phosphorylation state of an endogenous guanylyl cyclase and to link intracellular calcium elevations with its dephosphorylation.The mammalian natriuretic peptide family consists of three members: atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), 1 brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) (1). ANP and BNP are produced in atrial and ventricular myocytes, respectively. ANP reduces blood pressure by stimulating sodium and water excretion, by stimulating vasorelaxation, and by inhibiting renin and aldosterone secretion. CNP is most highly expressed in the brain (2), endothelial cells (3), and chondrocytes (4, 5). It relaxes vascular smooth muscle cells (6) and inhibits their proliferation (7), a process that has been exploited to inhibit vascular restenosis and to stimulate vascular regeneration (8). In addition, CNP stimulates the proliferation of chondrocytes, which promotes the growth of long bones (4, 5). Natriuretic peptide receptors are structurally related cell surface guanylyl cyclases called natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A) and natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B) or guanylyl cyclase-A and guanylyl cyclase-B (9 -11). They consist of an extracellular ligand binding domain, a single membrane-spanning region and intracellular kinase homology, dimerization, and carboxyl-terminal guanylyl cyclase domains. ANP and BNP activate NPR-A, whereas CNP activates NPR-B. Binding of these receptors by their respective ligands stimulates the synthesis of the intracellular second messenger, cGMP.The mechanisms regulating NPR-A and NPR-B activity are incompletely understood. It is known, however, that receptor phosphorylation is required for natriuretic peptide activation and that prolonged exposure to natriuretic peptid...

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