Release of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor from the isolated perfused rat lung

The secretion of ANF by the rat lung was demonstrated in the present study. Four forms of immunoreactive ANF were detected in rat lung homogenates, including the 126 amino acid prohormone but only a low molecular mass peptide was released during lung perfusion. The released ANF inhibited forskolin-stimulated aldosterone secretion from rat zona glomerulosa cell suspensions, and this biological effect was comparable to that of the synthetic C-terminal part of the prohormone (Arg-101-Tyr-126).