Effect of congestive heart failure on rate of atrial natriuretic factor release in response to stretch and isoprenaline

Study objective – The aim was to investigate the pattern of release of atrial natriuretic factor induced by mechanical and adrenergic stimulation from atria of rats with or without congestive heart failure. Design – Monocrotaline, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid, was given to rats to cause severe pulmonary hypertension, leading to a marked degree of right ventricular hypertrophy and failure. Measurements of noradrenaline and atrial natriuretic factor were performed in each cardiac chamber and in plasma. Right and left atria of control rats and rats with congestive heart failure were isolated and subjected to mechanical or adrenergic stimulation to study the in vitro release of atrial natriuretic factor. Materials – Studies were performed on plasma, ventricles, and isolated right and left atria of 276 male Wistar rats, 80-100 g weight, with or without congestive heart failure. Measurements and main results – In monocrotaline rats right and left ventricular concentrations of noradrenaline were significantly reduced. In the same rats concentrations of atrial natriuretic factor fell to 15.2% in the right atria and to 65.5% in the left atria. Whole heart content of atrial natriuretic factor was diminished, while plasma concentrations were increased sevenfold. Isolated hypertrophied right atria of failing hearts did not release atrial natriuretic factor in response to stretch or to isoprenaline (10−9 M) and they were insensitive to the inotropic action of isoprenaline. On the other hand, nonhypertrophied left atria from the same animals released increased amounts of atrial natriuretic factor under basal conditions and after both stimuli, despite reduced tissue stores of the peptide. Conclusions – Heart failure may deplete cardiac stores of noradrenaline and atrial natriuretic factor, especially in hypertrophied chambers, and can result in a decrease in the release of atrial natriuretic factor from atrial tissue in response to mechanical and adrenergic stimulation.