Angiotensin decreases cyclic GMP accumulation produced by atrial natriuretic factor

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) produced rapid increases in cyclic GMP (cGMP) in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells. Angiotensin II (ANG II) markedly decreased the accumulation of cGMP that was evoked by ANF. Arginine vasopressin and ATP, which evoke transient increases in free Ca2+ similarly to ANG II, also inhibited cGMP accumulation. The effect of the calcium mobilizing neurohormones was mimicked by the divalent cation ionophore, A23187. The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, prevented ANG II from inhibiting ANF-evoked cGMP accumulation. ANG II also inhibited cGMP accumulation induced by nitroprusside, a compound that activates cytosolic guanylate cyclase. These findings support the hypothesis that ANG II decreases cGMP accumulation by stimulating cGMP hydrolysis, apparently via a Ca2+-activated cGMP phosphodiesterase.