Visinin-like protein 1 regulates natriuretic peptide receptor B in the heart

Accumulating evidence indicates that Visinin-like protein-1 (VILIP-1), a member of the family of neuronal calcium sensor proteins (NCS), modulates a variety of processes in extra-neuronal tissues. In this study, we describe VILIP-1 expression in the human heart, rat cardiomyocytes, and H9c2 cells, and demonstrate that VILIP-1 regulates the cell surface localization of natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B). In preparations from failing hearts, we observed VILIP-1 downregulation and reduced NPR-B signalling. In conclusion, VILIP-1 deficiency may be responsible for the reduced efficiency of the natriuretic peptide system in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure and may therefore serve as pharmacological target.