Release of ANP and its physiological role in pulmonary injury due to HCl

The effect of pulmonary injury induced by aspiration of HCl on plasma atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP) level was examined in rats given a constant infusion of water and electrolytes. In addition, using specific antiserum against ANP, we investigated the physiological role of ANP in rats after HCl aspiration. Rats were housed individually in metabolic cages and were given a constant infusion of sodium solution via catheters chronically inserted into the jugular vein. Plasma ANP levels were elevated at 3 and 24 h after tracheal injection of 0.2 ml of 0.1 N HCl via the cricothyroid membrane. Urine volume and urinary sodium excretion increased during the first 24 h after acid aspiration. However, this increase was reduced by the injection of anti-ANP serum. Furthermore, the injection of anti-ANP serum resulted in a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in wet lung weight from a value of 0.74 +/- 0.06 (HCl aspiration with normal rabbit serum injection) to 0.83 +/- 0.07% of body weight. These results indicate that ANP plays a physiological role in the regulation of urinary water and sodium excretion after pulmonary acid injury and suggest that ANP elevated in plasma after pulmonary injury may prevent pulmonary edema with its diuretic action and/or some direct action on water movement in the lung.