Cardiac natriuretic peptide gene expression and plasma concentrations during the first 72 hours of life in piglets

Abstract

Plasma measurement of cardiac natriuretic peptides constitutes promising markers of congenital heart disease. However, concentrations change rapidly and dramatically during the first days after delivery even in healthy neonates, which complicates clinical interpretation. It isunknownwhether these changes in plasma concentrations are explained by corresponding changes in the cardiac gene expression. We quantified the chamber-specific mRNA levels of ANP (A-type natriuretic peptide) and BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) and plasma pro-ANP and BNP-32 concentrations in healthy piglets during the first 72 hours of life (from 2 litters, n=44). Chamber-specific ANP and BNP mRNA levels reflected hemodynamic neonate changes at birth but did not correlate with circulating natriuretic peptide concentrations. However, plasma pro-ANP and creatinine concentrations were closely correlated (P < .0001). To conclude, ANP and BNP gene expression differs considerably between cardiac chambers in the first 72 hours of life in healthy piglets, resembling the transition from fetal to neonate circulation. However, the cardiac gene expression does not explain plasma concentrations. Copyright © 2013 by The Endocrine Society.