Atrial natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPR1)

Atrial natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPR1) is a membrane-bound guanylate cyclase that serves as the primary receptor for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). It plays a critical role in cardiovascular and renal homeostasis by mediating vasodilation, natriuresis, and diuresis in response to increased blood volume and pressure (StatPearls, 2023). Upon ligand binding, NPR1 catalyzes the conversion of GTP to cGMP, which acts as a second messenger to activate protein kinase G (PKG) and regulate various physiological processes (UniProt, 2024). Dysregulation of the NPR1 pathway is associated with hypertension and heart failure, making it a significant therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases (PubMed, 2022). Drugs like Nesiritide mimic the action of endogenous ligands to alleviate symptoms of acute decompensated heart failure by activating this receptor (PubChem, 2024).

Other names

Guanylate cyclase AGC-ANPR-AANP-AANPR-AAtrial natriuretic peptide receptor 1

Binding of ANP or BNP to the extracellular domain of NPR1 activates its intracellular guanylate cyclase domain, increasing intracellular cGMP levels, which leads to vasodilation and natriuresis.