Molecular Implications of Natriuretic Peptides in the Protection from Hypertension and Target Organ Damage Development

Abstract

The pathogenesis of hypertension, as a multifactorial trait, is complex. High blood pressure levels, in turn, concur with the development of cardiovascular damage. Abnormalities of several neurohormonal mechanisms controlling blood pressure homeostasis and cardiovascular remodeling can contribute to these pathological conditions. The natriuretic peptide (NP) family (including ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide), BNP (brain natriuretic peptide), and CNP (C-type natriuretic peptide)), the NP receptors (NPRA, NPRB, and NPRC), and the related protease convertases (furin, corin, and PCSK6) constitute the NP system and represent relevant protective mechanisms toward the development of hypertension and associated conditions, such as atherosclerosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and renal injury. Initially, several experimental studies performed in different animal models demonstrated a key role of the NP system in the development of hypertension. Importantly, these studies provided relevant insights for a better comprehension of the pathogenesis of hypertension and related cardiovascular phenotypes in humans. Thus, investigation of the role of NPs in hypertension offers an excellent example in translational medicine. In this review article, we will summarize the most compelling evidence regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological and pathological impact of NPs on blood pressure regulation and on hypertension development. We will also discuss the protective effect of NPs toward the increased susceptibility to hypertensive target organ damage.

A novel protective role of sacubitril/valsartan in cyclophosphamide induced lung injury in rats: impact of miRNA-150-3p on NF-κB/MAPK signaling trajectories

“…Intriguingly, recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) succeeded to reduce acute lung injury in canine models 19 , 20 . In addition , recent studies showed that brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) might provide a significant protection against target organ damage by inhibition of the oxidative stress 21 . Among the signaling pathways that are activated by the ROS are the Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) and the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways that control diverse cellular events such as inflammation, proliferation and apoptosis 22 .…”

BNP and NT-proBNP as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Cardiac Dysfunction in Both Clinical and Forensic Medicine

“…Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N -terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) are widely used as significant indicators for the clinical diagnosis of HF and cardiac dysfunction [11,12,13,14,15,16,17]. In recent years, many forensic studies have demonstrated that BNP and NT-proBNP could be used to reflect the cardiac function of the deceased before their death through extensive animal experiments and postmortem specimens, and they could also be used as postmortem biomarkers for the diagnosis of HF or cardiac dysfunction in forensic medicine [9,10,18,19,20].…”

Cardiovascular Pleiotropic Effects of Natriuretic Peptides

“…The systemic effects of NPs are well described in the literature [9,10]. They are prevalently secreted in response to the mechanical stretch of myocardial walls induced by volume or pressure overload and then, once secreted, they exert diuretic, natriuretic, and vasodilatory effects, thereby maintaining cardio–renal homeostasis and hemodynamic status through the regulation of water–salt balance and body fluid volume [9,10,11]. NP secretion is also induced by other hormones, such as endothelin 1, angiotensin II, and by the adrenergic system [12,13,14].…”