Physiological role of silent receptors of atrial natriuretic factor

A ring-deleted analog of atrial natriuretic factor-des[Gln¹⁸, Ser¹⁹, Gly²⁰, Leu²¹, Gly²²] ANF _4-23-NH₂ (C-ANF_4-23)-binds with high affinity to approximately 99% of ANF receptors in the isolated perfused rat kidney. In this preparation, C-ANF_4-23 is devoid of detectable renal effects and does not antagonize any of the known renal hemodynamic and natriuretic actions of biologically active ANF_1-28. In contrast, both CANF_4-23 and ANF_1-28 increase sodium excretion and decrease blood pressure in intact anesthetized rats. This apparent contradiction is resolved by die finding that the ringdeleted analog markedly increases plasma levels of endogenous immunoreactive ANF in the rat. The results show that the majority of the renal receptors of ANF are biologically silent. This new class of receptors may serve as specific peripheral storageclearance binding sites, acting as a hormonal buffer system to modulate plasma levels of ANF.