Neuronal and cardiovascular responses to ANF microinjected into the solitary nucleus

The effect on single-unit activity, arterial pressure, and heart rate of a microinjection of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) into 78 histologically verified sites in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) was investigated in rats. Injections of 50 nl of 10(-7) M ANF excited 34 neurons (44%), mainly localized at the level of the obex, inhibited 15 (19%), and had no effect on the remaining 29 (37%). The increase in firing frequency of the 34 excited neurons was always followed by a decline in mean arterial pressure [MAP, -10.6 +/- 1.8 (SE) mmHg; P less than 0.01] and heart rate [HR, -9.6 +/- 3.1 (SE) beats/min; P less than 0.05]. When injections of ANF caused either no effect or inhibition of single-unit activity, no changes in either MAP or HR were observed. Single units excited by injections of ANF were also excited by activation of arterial baroreceptors and inhibited by baroreceptor unloading. Control injections of an inactive peptide analogue of ANF or of vehicle never produced any effects on neuronal firing frequency or on MAP and HR. Similar results were obtained from animals paralyzed and artificially ventilated. These results support the hypothesis that ANF plays a role in the chemical transmission of baroreceptor information within the NTS.