Effects of atrial natriuretic polypeptide and organic nitrates on levels of relaxation and cyclic nucleotide of canine coronary artery with and without endothelial injury.

We studied the effects of organic nitrates and human atrial natriuretic polypeptide (hANP) on relaxation and tissue cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels using isolated canine coronary arteries with and without endothelial injury. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), and hANP relaxed both the injured and control coronary arteries, and they increased tissue cGMP levels in a dose-dependent fashion without changing tissue adenosine 3':5'-cyclic phosphate (cAMP) levels. The extent of relaxation was larger and the increase in cGMP was greater in the injured coronary artery than in the control artery. Methylene blue inhibited relaxation induced by GTN and hANP, and decreased tissue cGMP levels in both the injured and control groups. M&B 22,948 enhanced relaxation induced by GTN and hANP and increased tissue cGMP levels in both groups. The results suggest that organic nitrates and hANP relax the coronary artery by directly activating the guanylate cyclase in coronary smooth muscle and that such activation is independent of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator system.