Cardiac antisecretory peptide inhibits intestinal chloride secretion

A heat-stable low-molecular-weight peptide isolated from porcine heart inhibited vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and ionomycin (a Ca ionophore) -stimulated Cl secretion across the rat ileum. The antisecretory effects of this peptide were resistant to the neuronal conduction blocker tetrodotoxin, suggesting that submucosal nerves were not involved in mediating its effects on Cl transport. Activity was found in extracts of the right and left atria and in the ventricles of the heart. The antisecretory effect was not mimicked by atrial natriuretic factor, brain natriuretic peptide, or by putative antisecretory factors (neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, enkephalin, and norepinephrine), suggesting that cardiac antisecretory peptide is a unique regulatory factor that may regulate Cl transport in the intestinal mucosa and other epithelia.