The neuromodulatory effect of natriuretic peptides is probably the best example of a whole organ response mediated by natriuretic peptide C receptors (NPR-Cs). Both NPR-C specific agonists and ablation experiments utilizing NPR-C specific antibodies or antisense oligonucleotides demonstrated the essential signaling role of the NPR-C in these neuromodulatory responses. Our most recent studies utilize peptides representing the NPR-C intracellular region to elucidate the specific signaling region of the NPR-C. These studies have identified an inhibitory influence of NPR-C on adrenergic neurotransmission by a calcium-dependent process.
