NPR1 and ischemia: Mechanisms involved in the effect of BNP in ischemia include activation of natriuretic peptide receptor type A (NPR-A) and stimulation of guanylyl cyclase (GC) to increase intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase G (PKG) pathway [11] and subsequent triggering of mitochondrial KATP (mitoKATP) channel opening [5,12].