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Biomedical subjects

F M Bumpus

Publications and source records attributed to F M Bumpus.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Evidence for the existence of a family of biologically active angiotensin I-like peptides in the dog central nervous system.

A family of angiotensin I-like peptides has been derived from endogenous precursors present in dog cerebrospinal fluid after incubation with species homologous renin. These peptides are immunologically and pharmacologically similar to [Ile5]angiotensin I, and have molecular weights ranging between 1300 and 2200 daltons. The presence of precursors in the cerebrospinal fluid able to generate various biologically active angiotensin I-like peptides dissimilar to plasma angiotensin I supports the concept of a local angiotensin I-forming system in the brain.

Angiotensin I↗

Hierarchy of blood pressure control mechanisms after spinal sympathectomy.

We have investigated the relative importance of angiotensin and vasopressin in the regulation of arterial pressure following permanent interruption of supraspinal sympathetic influences. To accomplish this aim, the spinal cord of 12 dogs was transected just above the intervertebral foramen of C-6; several days later, we gave first a potent blocker of the vasculotropic actions of vasopressin and 40 min later captopril. The same experiment was performed in other dogs with the drug order reversed. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded continuously and blood samples were taken to measure plasma renin activity and plasma catecholamines. All studies were carried out at three levels of hydration: normal, after 36 h water deprivation and following an overnight infusion of 0.9% saline. Conscious dogs with complete surgical sympathectomy by spinal cord section had normal mean arterial pressure, heart rate and plasma renin activity but undetectable levels of catecholamines. Captopril produced significant falls in mean arterial pressure that were greatest in water deprivation and least in volume loading, whether the drug was given before or after treatment with the vasopressin antagonist. On the other hand, the vasopressin antagonist modified mean arterial pressure only in the water deprived state. In spinal dogs the renin angiotensin system assumes a primary role in maintaining normal mean arterial pressure at various extremes of body fluid volumes. Vasopressin plays a role only after removal of the two dominant systems.

Animals↗

Biological activity of des-asp1-des-arg2-angiotensin II in man.

The biological activity of des-asp1-des-arg2-angiotensin II (3-8AII) was studied in man. When 3-8AII was infused iv at rates of 22 and 308 pmol (17.5 and 250 ng)/kg . min separately into 5 normal men each for 120 min, blood pressure showed no change, plasma renin activity (PRA) decreased gradually and plasma aldosterone showed a gradual slight increase. The lower dose of 3-8AII partially inhibited captopril-induced PRA increase and plasma aldosterone decrease in the same 5 normal men and the higher dose of the hexapeptide completely abolished them. In one of the 5 normal men blood pressure rose in response to doses of 3-8AII greater than 2220 pmol (1750 ng)/kg . min. When 3-8AII was infused iv at 308 pmol/kg . min into 2 patients with Bartter's syndrome for 60 min, it caused marked decrease in PRA and plasma aldosterone but no change in blood pressure. This decrease in plasma aldosterone is thought to be secondary to the decrease in PRA. From these results it is evident that 3-8AII has a minimal pressor action, a weak aldosterone-stimulating action and a significant renin-suppressing action in man and this PRA-lowering action is thought to be due to direct inhibition of renin release by its whole molecule or a smaller part of the molecule.

Adult↗

Synthesis of ala-pro-gly-[Ile3, Val5]angiotensin II isolated from the skin of the australian frog Crinia georgiana.

Ala-Pro-Gly-[Ile3, Val5]angiotensin II was synthesized by Merrifield's solid-phase procedure. The peptide was purified by chromatography on successive columns of anion-exchange resin, Sephadex G-25 and SP-Sephadex C-25; its homogeneity was determined by degradation with alpha-chymotrypsin, ionophoresis, thin-layer chromatography, and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The dansyl derivative of this angiotensin has the same chromatographic behavior (TLC) as the dansyl undecapeptide, "Crinia angiotensin II", isolated from the skin of the Australian frog Crinia georgiana. The pressor activity of the synthetic undecapeptide (in rats anesthetized with sodium amytal, followed by treatment with a solution of hexamethonium chloride containing polyvinylpyrrolidone, and vagotomy) was 90.6 +/- 4.99% (n = 26, 7 rats) of that of [Ile5]angiotensin II (human angiotensin II).

Angiotensins↗

Characterization of angiotensin receptors on bovine adrenal fasciculata cells.

We have further characterized angiotensin receptors on bovine adrenal fasciculata cells whose presence was previously demonstrated by the intrinsic agonistic activity of angiotensin II (AII), dex-Asp1-AII, angiotensin I (AI), and des-ASp1-AI on steroidogenesis. The specific binding of AII and des-Asp1-AII labeled with 125I to dispersed bovine fasciculata cells was studied. For both peptides, a single class of binding sites accounted for the data with a mean (+/- SEM) Ka value of 0.23 +/- 0.123 X 10(8) liters/mol for AII and 0.68 X 10(8) liters/mol for des-Asp1-AII. The concentration at which unlabeled AII and des-Asp1-AII displaced 50% of the tracers (Kd) was similar to that at which they induced half-maximal stimulation of steroidogenesis (Kact). For AI and des-Asp1-AI, Kd greater than Kact. Analogs of AII or des-Asp1-AII with antagonistic properties upon steroidogenesis competed also with binding of the tracers. Corticotropin (ACTH) did not inhibit binding. Although ACTH stimulated the formation of cyclic AMP, none of the angiotensins with intrinsic activity did so. Calcium, but not potassium, appeared to potentiate the steroidogenic activity of AII. These data suggest that there is a single class of receptors for angiotensins and analogs in zona fasciculata. These receptors show characteristics that differentiate them from ACTH receptors in zona fasciculata or angiotensin receptors in zona glomerulosa cells.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Synthesis of [alpha-methyltyrosine-4]angiotensin II: studies of its conformation, pressor activity, and mode of enzymatic degradation.

Modifications in angiotensin II and its antagonistic peptides that should have increased in vivo half-lives but not reduced biological activity were studied by determining the effect of alpha-methylation of the tyrosine in position 4. [alpha-Methyltyrosine-4]angiotensin II, synthesized by the solid-phase procedure, showed 92.6 +/- 5.3% pressor activity of angiotensin II. Incubation with alpha-chymotrypsin for 1 hr indicated absence of degradation although, under the same conditions, angiotensin II was completely degraded to two components. Comparison of the 1H NMR spectra in aqueous solution and the circular dichroism spectra in trifluoroethanol of angiotensin II and [alpha-methyltyrosine-4]angiotensin II suggested that alpha methylation of the tyrosine residue in angiotensin II does not lead to major changes in the overall solution conformation. These results are in contrast to those obtained with N-methylation in position 4, which drastically reduced the biological activity and produced remarkable changes in the peptide backbone and a severe limitation in rotational freedom of the side chains in tyrosine. Thus, it may be possible to synthesize potent angiotensin II analogs that have greater resistance to enzymatic degradation by alpha-methylation in position 4 (or 5) and simultaneous suitable modification at the NH2 and COOH termini.

Angiotensin II↗

Reversal of cardiac hypertrophy in renal hypertensive rats: medical vs. surgical therapy.

Cardiac hypertrophy consequent to renovascular hypertension was investigated in two-kidney one-clip Goldblatt rats. Ventricular weight in renal hypertensive rats correlated closely with level of arterial pressure (r = 0.93, P less than 0.001). DNA, RNA and hydroxyproline contents of the hypertrophied hearts were higher than sham control, but there was no significant change in myocardial concentration of any of them. Surgical treatment (removal of clipped kidney) as well as medical therapy (inhibition of converting enzyme with orally administered captopril, 150 mg/l drinking water) led to reduction of ventricular weight (2.70 +/- 0.01 and 2.78 +/- 0.06, respectively, vs. 3.4 +/- 0.05 mg/g in controls, P less than 0.01 for both). Reduction of cardiac weight was associated with increase in both myocardial concentration and content of hydroxyproline in surgically treated rats and in medically treated animals. Ventricular catecholamine concentration was increased after nephrectomy but was unchanged by captopril treatment.

Animals↗

Amino acid side chain conformation in angiotensin II and analogs: correlated results of circular dichroism and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance.

[1-Sarcosine,8-isoleucine]angiotensin II (Sar-Arg-Val-Tyr-Ile-His-Pro-Ile) has been shown to be a potent antagonist of the pressor action of angiotensin II. With a view to increase half-life in vivo of this peptide, the amino acid residue at position 4 (tyrosine) or position 5 (isoleucine) was replaced with the corresponding N-methylated residue. This change drastically reduced the antagonistic properties of this analog. The present work was therefore undertaken to investigate the effect of N-methylation on overall conformation of these peptides and to determine the conformational requirements for maximum agonistic or antagonistic properties. Conformation studies were carried out by circular dichroism and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in aqueous solution as a function of pH. The results indicated that: (i) angiotensin II and [1-sarcosine,8-isoleucine]angiotensin II gave practically identical spectroscopic data; and (ii) N-methylation in either position 4 or position 5 resulted in remarkable changes in the peptide backbone and a severe limitation in rotational freedom of side chains in tyrosine, isoleucine, and histidine residues. However, rotational restriction of the tyrosine side chain was found to be less pronounced in [1-sarcosine,4-N-methyltyrosine,8-isoleucine]angiotensin II than in [1-sarcosine,5-N-methylisoleucine,8-isoleucine]angiotensin II. Thus, these results suggest that: (i) the backbone and side chain structure of a potent angiotensin II antagonist should resemble that of the hormone, angiotensin II, so that it can mimic the hormone in recognizing and binding with the receptor on the cell membrane; and (ii) greater impact of N-methylation in position 5 on the overall conformation of these peptides points to the controlling influence of position 5 (isoleucine) in aligning the residues in the central segment (tyrosine-isoleucine-histidine) of angiotensin II and its potent agonist and antagonist analogs in a nearly extended structure. Any change in this arrangement may lead to reduced biological activity.

Angiotensin II↗

Development of two-kidney Goldblatt hypertension in rats under dietary sodium restriction.

In Sprague-Dawley rats with unilateral renal artery stenosis and an intact contralateral kidney, administration of a low-sodium diet did not prevent the development of hypertension. Despite an elevated blood pressure, hyponatremia, marked activation of the renin-angiotensin system, and increased hematocrit values, only 10% of the rats showed lesions of malignant hypertension. Systolic blood pressures of one- and two-kidney sham-operated rats fed a low-sodium diet were significantly higher than that of normotensive controls fed a normal diet. Uninephrectomy did not reduce plasma renin activity. The low-sodium diet increased plasma renin activity to about the same level in one- and two-kidney normotensive rats. However, the increase in plasma renin activity elicited by dietary sodium restriction was markedly less in one-kidney Goldblatt hypertension. Systolic blood pressure reached similar levels in one- and two-kidney Goldblatt hypertensive rats fed a low-sodium diet. These data indicate that a decrease in sodium intake does not prevent the development of two-kidney Goldblatt hypertension.

Animals↗

In vitro steroidogenic properties of a new hypertension-producing compound isolated from normal human urine.

The steroidogenic properties of a glycoprotein fraction (ASF), isolated from normal human urine, were studied in cat adrenal capsular collagenase-dispersed cells and its effects compared to those of ACTH and Angiotensin II (AII). ACTH, AII and ASF induced dose-related increases in both aldosterone and cortisol production. In order of potency, ACTH = AII greater than ASF in stimulating aldosterone production and ACTH greater than AII greater than ASF in stimulating cortisol production. Increases in cAMP accompanied the steroidogenic response to ACTH but not to AII or ASF. The response to AII, but not to ASF, was inhibited (87% of normal) by equimolar concentrations of [Sar1, Thr8]AII, a specific AII antagonist. These results suggest that ASF is a true aldosterone secretagogue and that it initiates steroidogenesis by mechanisms similar to those of AII. However, the inability to block it effect with a specific antagonist of AII provides evidence for its action on a separate receptor site.

Adrenal Glands↗