cGMP formation in rat atrial slices is ligand and endothelin receptor subtype specific

Involvement of a cGMP pathway in signal transduction stimulated by endothelins(ETs) and sarafotoxins (SRTXs) was examined in rat atrial slices. These peptides activated different receptor-binding sites (ET-1 and SRTX-b reacted with picomolar binding sites of the ET(A) receptor, and ET-3 and SRTX-c reacted with the nanomolar binding sites of the ET(B) receptor) to produce cGMP. ET-1 and SRTX-b stimulated an increase in cGMP levels via a Ca2+-dependent NO pathway involving a pertussis toxin-insensitive G protein, whereas ET-3 and SRTX-c elevated cGMP levels via a Ca2+-independent CO pathway involving a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. These results can best be explained in terms of formation of different ligand-receptor-G-protein complexes. The ligands had no effect on ventricular slices, indicating that these signal transduction mechanisms are unique to the atria.