Altered heart rate regulation by the autonomic nervous system in mice lacking natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPR-C)

Natriuretic peptides (NPs) play essential roles in the regulation of cardiovascular function. NP effects are mediated by receptors known as NPR-A, NPR-B or NPR-C. NPs have potent effects on regulation of heart rate (HR) by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), but the role of NPR-C in these effects has not been investigated. Accordingly, we have used telemetric ECG recordings in awake, freely moving wildtype and NPR-C knockout (NPR-C^-/-) mice and performed heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to assess alterations in sympatho-vagal balance on the heart following loss of NPR-C. Our novel data demonstrate that NPR-C^-/- mice are characterized by elevations in HR, reductions in circadian changes in HR and enhanced occurrence of sinus pauses, indicating increased arrhythmogenesis and a loss of HRV. Time domain and frequency domain analyses further demonstrate that HRV is reduced in NPR-C^-/- mice in association with a reduction in parasympathetic activity. Importantly, the low frequency to high frequency ratio was increased in NPR-C^-/- mice indicating that sympathetic activity is also enhanced. These changes in autonomic regulation were confirmed using atropine and propranolol to antagonize the ANS. These findings illustrate that loss of NPR-C reduces HRV due to perturbations in the regulation of the heart by the ANS.