Changes of atrial natriuretic peptide in brain areas of rats with chronic myocardial infarction

We measured immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in 18 selected, microdissected brain areas. Rats were studied 8 wk. after coronary ligation or sham operation or as nonoperated control animals. In separate animals, hemodynamic and plasma parameters were measured. Rats with myocardial infarction had marked elevated right atrial and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (2.6 +/- 0.6 and 16.2 +/- 3.1 mmHg, respectively; n = 15) vs. sham-operated rats (1.3 +/- 1.0 and 5.5 +/- 1.2 mmHg, n = 14; P < 0.05) and depressed maximal rate of pressure development (9,613 +/- 980 vs. 15,600 +/- 2,027 mmHg/s; P < 0.05) but similar arterial pressure (126 +/- 4 vs. 124 +/- 3 mmHg; P > 0.05). After myocardial infarction (n = 10), plasma ANP, renin activity, and angiotensin (ANG) II were elevated (53.1 +/- 16.2 pg/ml, 10.7 +/- 2.5 ng ANG I . ml(-1). h(-1), and 219.6 +/- 11.0 fmol/ml, respectively) vs. sham rats (12.0 +/- 2.2 pg/ml, 5.7 +/- 0.7 ng ANG I . ml(-1). h(-1), and 142.9 +/- 9.4 fmol/ml; n = 10; P < 0.05), whereas vasopressin and aldosterone levels remained unchanged among groups. In rats with myocardial infarction, a substantial decrease of ANP was found in the medial preoptic nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus, the subfornical organ, the paraventricular nucleus, and the locus ceruleus. These nuclei are involved in electrolyte and fluid homeostasis, blood pressure regulation, and modulation of neuroendocrine systems. The mechanism of this reduction and the consequences for systemic adaption or decompensation remain unclear. However, the data suggest that myocardial infarction and chronic left ventricular dysfunction may induce changes of a neurotransmitter in brain.