Atrial natriuretic peptide dose-dependently inhibits pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling

We hypothesized that a single copy of the proatrial natriuretic peptide gene (Nppa^+/-) would not be adequate to protect heterozygous mice against exaggerated cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling after pressure-overload stress. Nppa ^+/+, Nppa^+/- and Nppa^-/- mice were subjected to sham surgery or transverse aortic constriction and fed a basal salt diet. Heart weight varied inversely with Nppa gene load by 1 week after either surgery. Fractional shortening did not differ among genotypes at baseline and fell in Nppa^-/- mice only after transverse aortic constriction. There was a graded response in collagen deposition related to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) expression after either surgery. A robust interstitial and perivascular fibrosis was noted in Nppa^-/- and Nppa^+/- but not in Nppa^+/+ mice after transverse aortic constriction. Our findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence that ANP is an important modulator of cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in response to hemodynamic stress. The observation that partial ANP deficiency results in exaggerated hypertrophy and remodeling after pressure overload suggests that genetic or environmental variation in ANP levels may play a role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, remodeling, and failure in humans.