Urinary excretion of cGMP in response to atrial natriuretic peptide in dogs with acute pancreatitis

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that when atrial natriuretic peptide (ANF) is given to anaesthetized dogs with hypovolemic acute pancreatitis, it will produce a diuresis and natriuresis but will not elevate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). When the same dose of peptide is given to dogs equally hypovolemic (hemorrhage) but without pancreatitis, a brisk increment in GFR occurs. GFR will, however, rise in dogs with pancreatitis in response to other peptides, such as glucagon. In these studies we assessed cGMP excretion as a marker for ANF effect in both normal anaesthetized dogs and dogs with acute experimental pancreatitis. In each group, urinary output and sodium excretion increased significantly, but GFR rose only in the control group. Urinary excretion of cGMP rose equally and dramatically in both control and experimental animals. We conclude that GFR is prevented from rising in dogs with experimental pancreatitis following ANF, but this effect does not depend on depressed cGMP generation.