Effects of autonomic stimulation on plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide in the anesthetized rabbit

Infusions of norepinephrine led to a significant sevenfold increase in plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide, while infusions of acetylcholine caused no significant change in the level of the peptide. Efferent stimulation of the right vagus nerve or right inferior cervical ganglion in anesthetized, vagotomized rabbits produced no significant changes in the immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide. The findings suggest that the mechanism by which norepinephrine releases immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide is not the result of a direct action on the cardiac myocytes.