A-type natriuretic peptide level in hypertensive transgenic mice.

A-type (atrial) natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels in heart and plasma were examined by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and radioimmunoassay (RIA) in hypertensive transgenic mice (Tsukuba hypertensive mice; THM). Additionally, the ANP mRNA level in the heart was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The blood pressure and the ratio of heart weight to body weight in THM was significantly higher than those in the control mice (C57BL/6J). The number of ANP-granules and ANP immunoreactivity in the auricular cardiocytes were significantly lower in THM than in the control. Ultrastructurally, the ventricular cardiocytes in the THM occasionally had ANP-like granules, which were not present in the controls. Using RIA, the plasma, auricular, and ventricular ANP concentrations were significantly higher in THM than in the control, but there was no significant difference in plasma cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) concentration between THM and the control. The ANP mRNA levels of the auricular and ventricular cardiocytes in the THM were siginificantly higher than those in the controls. The present study suggested that the ANP release system of the auricular cardiocytes in these transgenic mice is different from normal (control mice).