NPPB and Hypertension: Furin playsa role in cleaving pro-BNP to active BNP before it is secreted fromcardiac ventricles.39,40 BNP promotes vasodilation, diuresis,and natriuresis, but inhibits cardiac remodeling and fibrosis.40−42 These activities compensate for the cardiac function in responseto volume overload, myocardial stretch, elevated angiotensin II (ATII)levels, increased sympathetic outflow, and vasoconstriction.40−42 The blood-pressure-lowering effect of BNP against ATII has beendemonstrated in dogs.43 Therefore, a reductionin furin may decrease mature BNP levels, thus leading to hypertension(Figure 2).