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C Devaux

Publications and source records attributed to C Devaux.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Clonal analysis of B- and T-cell responses to Ia antigens. I. Topology of epitope regions on I-Ak and I-Ek molecules analyzed with 35 monoclonal alloantibodies.

Thirty-five Iak-specific monoclonal alloantibodies, derived from hybridomas constructed by fusion between mouse myeloma and spleen cells from A.TH alloimmune mice (Is anti-Ik), have been used to estimate the allotypic polyporphism of the Ik-gene products. Cross-blocking studies using 17 mAb specific for the I-A molecule indicated that six determinants, which were associated with the conventional specificities Ia.2 and Ia.19, were organized in at least three distinct polymorphic areas of the I-Ak molecules. Similarly, another group of six determinants, which did not correspond to previously described conventional Ia specificities, were found to be topologically heterogeneous. By contrast, the five epitopes associated with the Ia. 1 specificity were clustered into a single region of this molecule. In addition the potentiation of binding observed between mAb specific for topologically distinct epitope regions of the I-Ak molecule, suggested that the latter may undergo conformational changes after binding of a given mAb. A similar analysis of 17 mAb specific for the I-Ek molecule indicated that specificity Ia. 7 of the E alpha chain (as defined in this series by eight mAb) was composed of three topologically distinct polymorphic areas, one of which is also spatially related to a complex cluster of eight new determinants of the I-Ek molecule. Finally, one mAb identified a so far undescribed shared determinant of the I-Ak and I-Ek molecules. The present results, which provide a new estimate of the allotypic polymorphism of the Iak antigens, are discussed with regard to their functional, biochemical, and evolutionary implications.

Animals↗

Monoclonal antibody against human renin.

By spleen cell fusion with NS1 myeloma, a mouse hybridoma was obtained which secretes an antibody directed against human renin. This monoclonal antibody recognizes human and monkey renin, but neither hog nor mouse. Preliminary experiments demonstrate the potential of this antibody for renin immunopurification and characterization.

Animals↗

Immunochemical differences between angiotensin I-forming enzymes in man.

1. Human plasma, amniotic fluid and acidified amniotic fluid were incubated at pH 5.5 with the same concentrations of human plasma renin substrate and rat plasma renin substrate. They produced three to eight times more angiotensin I with human than with rat renin substrate. By contrast, human brain extracts generated 20 times more angiotensin I when incubated with rat plasma renin substrate than with human plasma renin substrate. 2. Serial dilutions of anti-(human renin) antibody inhibited, in a dose-dependent manner, the production of angiotension I when plasma, amniotic fluid and brain extracts were incubated with human plasma renin substrate. They also inhibited the production of angiotensin I when plasma and amniotic fluid were incubated with rat plasma renin substrate. They were ineffective on the angiotensin I generation by human brain extracts acting on rat plasma renin substrate. 3. Affinity chromatography on an haemoglobin-Sepharose gel separated the fraction of brain extract acting on human renin substrate and inhibited by anti-(human renin) antiserum; this was not retained on the gel at pH 3.3. Part of the angiotensin I-forming activity detected by rat renin substrate hydrolysis was not retained on the gel and part was eluted at pH 8.5. These angiotensin I-forming activities did not hydrolyse human renin substrate, and were not neutralized by anti-(human renin) antibody. 4. These results demonstrate that a renin, immunochemically identical with renal, plasma amd amniotic fluid renin, is present in the human brain. Other angiotensin I-forming activity, acting on an heterologous substrate at a more acidic pH, is also present in human brain.

Angiotensin I↗

Physicochemical properties of non-activated and activated renin from human amniotic fluid.

The main physicochemical and enzymic properties of non-activated and activated human amniotic renin (EC 3.4.99.19) were studied in order to clarify the relationships between the two enzymes. Human amniotic renin was activated by dialysis against acidic buffer (pH 3.3), direct acidification or trypsin treatment. All procedures produced similar activation. The physicochemical characteristics of non-activated and activated renin were compared to those of human renal renin. Non-activated renin had a molecular weight of 45,500. A similar molecular weight was obtained by gel eluate activation and by acid treatment of renin prior to gel filtration. Similar isoelectric points were also found for non-activated and activated renin. One major renin peak focused at pH 6.6, whereas no similar renin peak was detected in extracts from normal human kidney. In addition, non-activated and activated renin forms were found to have the same optimal pH, the same Km and the same inhibiting pepstatin concentrations.

Amniotic Fluid↗

Multiple forms of human renin. Purification and characterization.

Human renin was purified from a juxtaglomerular cell tumor with a high renin content, 24.2 Goldblatt units/mg of protein. The purification procedure comprised three steps: gel filtration, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and preparative isoelectric focusing. Five forms of renin amounting to 5.3 mg of enzyme were obtained with isoelectric points of 4.95, 5.10, 5.35, 5.55, and 5.70. They were all glycoproteins. The three major fractions had very similar specific activities, 868, 860, and 809 Goldblatt units/mg of protein. These fractions produced a single band on analytical isoelectric focusing and a single arc on immunoelectrophoresis. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 7.8, each fraction consisted of two renin bands with the same molecular weight, but different net charges. The molecular weight determined by gel filtration and Fergusson plot analysis on polyacrylamide gel was 38,000 to 42,000. The optimum pH determined on N-acetyltetradecapeptide substrate was 6.5, and the Km was 6.8 x 10(-6) M. These parameters were identical with those for standard human kidney renin. Antibodies raised against tumor renin completely inhibited the activity of both tumor and standard renin. Under dissociating conditions (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel electrophoresis in the presence of 6 M urea), part of the purified enzyme dissociated into two smaller fragments (Mr = 20,000 and 25,000) containing renin activity.

Humans↗

Side-effects of mixed agonist-antagonist analgesics used in sequential anaesthesia.

1 Mixed agonist-antagonist analgesics have analgesic action but also possess a range of side-effects. 2 Narcotic antagonists do not reverse the non-specific effects of opiates. 3 Under certain circumstances the effects of agonists and mixed agonist-antagonists can be additive. 4 Chronic dosage of mixed agonist-antagonists leads to a lower level of dependence than that observed with the standard narcotics. 5 Mixed agonist-antagonists may not antagonize the respiratory effects of narcotics and may result in potentiation of such depression.

Anesthesia↗

Direct radioimmunoassay of human renin.

Antibodies were raised in rabbit against pure human renin. The antisera obtained are highly specific for human renin versus hog, dog and rat renin. They do not cross-react with acid proteases such as pepsin and human cathepsin D. A direct radioimunoassay is described for human renin in plasma and kidney extracts. 30 to 50 pg of enzyme (2.5 to 4 x 10(-5) Goldblatt units) are detected.

Humans↗

Fluorimetric assay of renin.

A simple fluorimetric assay was set up to test renin within 2 h. N-acetyltetradecapeptide was synthesized and used as substrate. It was demonstrated that N-acetyl-angiotensin I and Leu-Val-Tyr-Ser were the two peptides obtained after hydrolysis by renin. Fluorescamine reaction reacted with the free NH2 of the tetrapeptide generated to induce a fluorimetric reaction detected at 395--405 nm. The Michaelis constant of the reaction was 1.87 . 10(-5) M. With this method as little as one milliGoldblatt Unit (mG.U.) of hog renin could be detected and the generation of tetrapeptide was linear with respect to the renin concentration up to 20 mG.U. The fluorimetric assay was applied to the detection of renin during its purification and to the characterization of renin inhibitors.

Animals↗

Large scale purification of hog renin. Physicochemical characterization.

Renin was purified from 47 kg of hog kidney to produce enough enzyme for enzymatic and physicochemical characterization. The procedure included extraction at pH 3.5 in the presence of protease inhibitors, two ammonium sulfate precipitations, ion exchange chromatography on Sepharose-hexamethylenediamino-pepstatin gel, gel filtration, and isoelectric focusing. Renin, 2.3 mg, with a specific activity of 1,100 GU/mg of protein was obtained with about 70,000-fold purification and 16% overall recovery. The purity criteria were: (1) a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-gel electrophoresis, (2) same retardation factor on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for renin activity, protein and glycoprotein coloration. Renin was characterized by its stability at--20 degrees C, pH 6.5; its molecular weight on SDS-gel electrophoresis, 36,800; its relative mobility on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 7.8; its isoelectric point, 5.15; its amino acid composition, which revealed that renin is a glycoprotein; and its Michaelis constant on tetradecapeptide substrate at pH 6.6, Km = 7.7 X 10(-6) M.

Amino Acids↗

Partial characterization of hog renin purified by affinity chromatography.

A method has been set up to purify renin on a large scale by affinity chromatography using Pepstatin, a potent inhibitor of renin, as a ligand. Pepstatin was covalently coupled to Sepharose via six different spacer 'arms'. The Sepharose-hexamethylenediamino-Pepstatin appeared to be the better derivative for renin purification even at a concentration as low as 160 nmol of Pepstatin/ml of moist gel. Renin was extracted from 100 kg of hog kidneys and semi-purified by ammonium sulfate precipitations and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The active fraction (48.5 g of proteins) was applied on a 500-ml affinity column. Renin was eluted in the starting buffer containing 6 M urea. Renin was purified 120-fold by the affinity chromatography step with a 79% recovery. Physico-chemical characterization of highly purified renin was performed. Isoelectrofocusing on a pH gradient from 3 to 6 showed a major peak with an isoelectric point (pI) of 4.95 and a minor peak (pI = 4.70). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, pH 7.8, at different gel concentrations, showed a single peak of renin activity which was found in the major protein band. Molecular size estimated on agarose-acrylamide gel filtration was 40 000. All these physical parameters were similar before and after purification.

Animals↗

Inhibition of human plasma renin activity by pepstatin.

Pepstatin, a pentapeptide isolated from streptomyces, is a powerful inhibitor of several acid proteases. Its ability to inhibit the renin-angiotensinogen reaction was studied in vitro, in various human plasma. A 50% inhibition of plasma renin activity was obtained with 10(-6)M pepstatin at pH 5.7 and 10(-5)M at pH 7.4. The inhibition of plasma renin activity by pepstatin was studied in hypertensive patients with various plasma renin levels. The inhibitory effect could be demonstrated in patients with low, normal and high renin activity at both pH's. The type of inhibition and the inhibitory constant were investigated by Dixon plot and Lineweaver-Burk plot in three separate experiments. On both representations, a competitive type of inhibition was found with an inhibitory constant of about 1.2 x 10(-6)M.

Humans↗

[Application of affinity chromatography to the study of renin].

Hog renal renin was measured by a radioimmunoassay of angiotensin I generated during the incubation of the enzyme with an excess of angiotensinogen. The fixation of renin on a sepharose-hexamethylenediamine-pepstatin gel has been studied: the saturation of a 1 ml column of gel is obtained with 900 Goldblatt units of renin. A 70 ml column processing several grams of protein has been used to purify renin by affinity chromatography: a 100 fold purification of renin is achieved in one step. Renin, before and after affinity chromatography, has been analysed by electrofocusing with a pH gradient from 3 to 10; the isoelectric points obtained are respectively 4.8 and 5.0.

Animals↗