Abbreviations

AC

adenylyl cyclase

ACE

angiotensin converting enzyme

AM

adrenomedullin

Ang

angiotensin

ANP

atrial natriuretic peptide

ATx

angiotensin receptor subtype

BNP

B-type natriuretic peptide

[Ca2+]i

intracellular calcium concentration

cAMP

3´,5´-cyclic adenosine monophosphate

cDNA

complementary deoxyribonucleic acid

cGMP

3´,5´-cyclic guanosine monophosphate

CHF

chronic heart failure

CNP

C-type natriuretic peptide

ColXV

type XV collagen

DP

developed pressure

dP/dt

derivative of intraventricular pressure

dTG

double transgenic

DAG

1,2-diacylglycerol

DP

developed pressure

DT

developed tension

EC

endothelial cell

E-C coupling

excitation-contraction coupling

EDRF

endothelium-derived relaxing factor

ES

embryonic stem cell

ET

endothelin

ETx

endothelin receptor subtype

GAPDH

glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate-dehydrogenase

G-protein

guanine nucleotide binding protein

GPCR

G- protein coupled receptor

GTP

guanosine triphosphate

IP3

inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate

ir

immunoreactive

L-NAME

Nω –nitro-L-arginine methyl ester

LV

left ventricle

LVH

left ventricular hypertrophy

LVEDP

left ventricular end diastolic pressure

MAP

mitogen activated protein

MHC

myosin heavy chain

mRNA

messenger ribonucleic acid

NCX

Na+-Ca2+ exchanger

NHE

Na+-H+ exchanger

NPRx

natriuretic peptide receptor subtype

NO

nitric oxide

NOS

nitric oxide synthase

NT-ANP

amino terminal fragment of pro atrial natriuretic peptide

NTG

non-transgenic

PKC

protein kinase C

PLC

phospholipase C

PMCA

plasma membrane calmodulin-dependent calcium ATPase

RAS

renin-angiotensin system

RIA

radioimmunoassay

RT-PCR

reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction

SD

Sprague-Dawley

SEM

standard error of mean

SERCA

sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase

SHR

spontaneously hypertensive rat

SR

sarcoplasmic reticulum

TG

transgenic

TnC

troponin C

TnI

troponin I

TnT

troponin T

TUNEL

terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling

VSMC

vascular smooth muscle cell