What is the Difference Between ANP and BNP?

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are cardiac hormones that play important roles in regulating blood pressure and cardiac function. They are secreted from the cardiac atria and ventricles, respectively. Here are the main differences between ANP and BNP:

• Structure: ANP is composed of 28 amino acids, while BNP is composed of 32 amino acids.
• Site of Secretion: ANP is mainly synthesized in and secreted from the cardiac atrium, while BNP is predominantly secreted in the cardiac ventricles.
• Physiological Functions: ANP signals in an endocrine and paracrine manner to decrease blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy, while BNP acts locally to reduce ventricular fibrosis.
• Circulation and Clearance: BNP has a longer half-life of around 20 minutes in humans, while ANP has a shorter half-life. Both peptides are cleared from the circulation by natriuretic peptide receptor-C (NPR-C).

Both ANP and BNP are released by the same mechanisms and have similar physiological actions. They bind to natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A) in various tissues, particularly vascular and renal, which is coupled to particulate guanylyl cyclase (GC) that leads to the formation of cGMP from GTP. Circulating ANP and BNP levels are useful markers of the heart's status during treatment for heart failure.

Comparative Table: ANP vs BNP

Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP) and Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) are cardiac hormones that play important roles in regulating blood pressure and fluid balance in the body. Here is a table summarizing the differences between ANP and BNP:

Both ANP and BNP are secreted as pre-pro-polypeptides, which are inactive proteins attached to an N-terminal signal peptide. They are synthesized in and secreted from the heart, with ANP primarily being synthesized in the cardiac atrium and BNP in the ventricles. Both hormones play crucial roles in regulating blood pressure and fluid balance, making them useful markers for assessing the heart's status during treatment for heart failure.