Scar myofibroblasts of the infarcted rat heart express natriuretic peptides

The present study examined whether natriuretic peptide expression in the scar of post‐myocardial infarcted (MI) rats was derived at least in part by residing myofibroblasts. ANP and BNP mRNA levels were significantly increased in the non‐infarcted left ventricle and scar of 1‐week post‐MI male rats, as compared to the left ventricle of normal rats. The infarct region contained myofibroblasts and contracted cardiac myocytes residing predominantly in the epicardial border zone. In primary passage scar‐derived myofibroblasts, α‐myosin heavy chain mRNA was undetectable, whereas ANP, BNP, as well as adrenomedullin and corin mRNA expression persisted. In 1–3 day cultured primary passage myofibroblasts, prepro‐ANP, mature ANP, and BNP staining was observed in the cytoplasm/perinuclear region co‐incident with unorganized α‐smooth muscle actin. Following 4–7 days in culture, myofibroblasts expressed organized α‐smooth muscle actin filaments. However, natriuretic peptides were predominantly detected in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and thin filaments occupying the perinuclear region were positive for prepro‐ANP and BNP. Isoproterenol treatment of first passage scar myofibroblasts increased protein synthesis and induced BNP mRNA expression, whereas ANP mRNA levels remained unchanged. By contrast, neither ANP nor BNP mRNAs were induced following exposure to AII despite increased protein synthesis. These data highlight the novel observation that scar myofibroblasts synthesized ANP, BNP, adrenomedullin, and expressed the pro‐convertase corin. Constitutive and sympathetic‐driven natriuretic peptide synthesis by myofibroblasts may in part influence reparative fibrosis. J. Cell. Physiol. 207: 165–173, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.