Central effects of atrial natriuretic factor on renal salt excretion

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) has been localized in periventricular brain areas involved in cardiovascular and fluid control. We investigated the effect of intracerebroventricular (icv) ANF (alpha-rat atriopeptin III) on renal sodium excretion in unilaterally nephrectomized, conscious unrestrained rats fitted with a chronic ureteral catheter. Isotonic NaCl (1 ml/h) was infused intravenously. ANF injected at doses (icv) of 1 ng (n = 6), 100 ng (n = 7), and 1 microgram (n = 7) reduced urinary sodium excretion (all values mumol/45 min, means +/- SE) from 111.6 +/- 24.4 to 83 +/- 20 (P less than 0.05), from 96.9 +/- 25.2 to 55 +/- 14 (P less than 0.01), and from 90.8 +/- 14.2 to 51 +/- 9 (P less than 0.01), respectively, whereas urinary flow rate did not change. The antinatriuretic effect was immediate in onset and lasted for greater than or equal to 60 min. Blood pressure remained unaltered. ANF (100 ng icv) increased efferent sympathetic renal nerve activity (+36%; n = 6, P less than 0.05), plasma renin activity (4.6 +/- 0.6 to 7.5 +/- 0.5 pmol angiotensin I.ml-1.h-1; n = 9, P less than 0.01), plasma angiotensin II (68.7 +/- 2.5 to 84.7 +/- 3.4 fmol/ml; n = 8, P less than 0.01), and aldosterone (22.3 +/- 3.6 to 37.2 +/- 4.0 ng/ml; n = 9, P less than 0.02). Renal denervation reduced the antinatriuretic effect of ANF by 37%. We conclude that brain ANF has antinatriuretic actions, which may be partly explained by activation of renal nerves.