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Biomedical subjects

G Thibault

Publications and source records attributed to G Thibault.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

Tonin, an esteroprotease from rat submaxillary glands.

Tonin is an enzyme found in the rat submaxillary glands which liberates angiotensin II from angiotensinogen, the Skeggs tetradecapeptide renin substrate, and angiotensin I. Tonin hydrolyzes benzoyl-arginine ethyl ester, benzoyl-arginine methyl ester, tosyl-arginine methyl ester, benzoyl-arginine p-nitroanilide and other small synthetic substrates at an optimum ph of 9.0. Tonin shows, however, a great specificity with respect to angiotensin I. Tonin is inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride at high concentrations (greater than 10(-2) M) and by soybean trypsin inhibitor and aprotinin. Tonin is thus an esteroprotease of the class of the serine protease with trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like activity. Tonin belongs to the same family of enzyme as glandular kallikrein and the gamma subunit of the nerve growth factor.

Angiotensin I↗

Formation of angiotensin II by tonin from partially purified human angiotensinogen.

The renin substrate (angiotensinogen) has been purified from outdated human blood bank plasma. A 100-fold purification was achieved by ammonium sulphate protein fractionation and four successive chromatographic procedures. We show that tonin, a serine protease enzyme found in submaxillary glands of the rat, cleaves the human plasma angiotensinogen, devoid of tonin inhibiting factor(s), at a pH optimum of 5--5.5. It generates a pressor substance that was identified as angiotensin (A) II. The rate of cleavage of the human angiotensinogen preparation by 1 nmol of renin or tonin was calculated to be 1320 nmol AI/h for renin and 26 nmol AII/h for tonin.

Angiotensin II↗

Purification and partial characterization of a plasma inhibitor of tonin.

A plasma inhibitor of tonin activity in the rat, was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange of chromatography, and gel filtration. Its purity was investigated by analytical electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel and by ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity. The molecular weight (360 000) of the purified inhibitor was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis and its isoelectric point (4.5) by gel isoelectrofocusing. The Stokes radius (640 nm) was evaluated by gel filtration studies and a frictional ratio (f/fo) of 1.95 was calculated from the molecular weight and Stokes radius. Kinetic studies using angiotensin I as substrate showed that the inhibition of tonin by the purified inhibitor was noncompetitive and does not exceed 70%. Electrophoresis showed the same mobility for [125I]tonin bound to plasma proteins and for [125I]tonin bound to the purified inhibitor. The inhibitor may be a protein resembling half of the dimeric protease inhibitor rat alpha 1-macroglobulin or human alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Effects of tonin on the response to norepinephrine by the aortic strip of the hypertensive rat.

The response to norepinephrine (NE) of arterial smooth muscle from two types of experimental hypertensive rats was investigated. Aortic strips from one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive animals were less responsive to NE than those from their normotensive controls but strips from one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive animals showed no difference from their corresponding controls. The contractility in response to NE was the same in all groups. These results suggest that the mechanisms responsible for lesser reactivity in the one-kidney hypertensive group are not a consequence of elevated blood pressure itself but may be related to changes in the intrinsic sensitivity of aortic smooth muscle. Tonin potentiated the contraction induced by NE in aortic strips from hypertensive and normotensive rats. This effect was more pronounced in the one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive animals, so that although the aortic smooth muscle from these animals is less reactive to NE, the decreased reactivity can be more than compensated by the presence of tonin. The mechanism of potentiation is not yet clear but the fact that Saralasin did not inhibit it suggests that angiotensin II is not generated in situ.

Animals↗

A study of the enzymatic inactivation of chloramphenicol by highly purified chloramphenicol acetyltransferase.

We report the purification of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (acetyl-CoA:chloramphenicol 3-O-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.28) by a two-step procecdure involving chromatography on a Sepharose 4B-reduced chloramphenicol matrix and DEAE-Sephadex A-50. This procedure resulted in a 120-fold purification with 50% recovery of the enzyme. Only one band of enzyme activity was present after electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. The enzyme is active over a broad pH range, maximal activity being observed near pH 7.6. Both chloramphenicol 1-acetate of chloramphenicol 3-acetate were found to be very stable in Tris-maleate buffer at pH 6.09 with negligible interconversion. The incubation at pH 6.0 of chloramphenicol 1-acetate with the purified chloramphenicol acetyltransferase yielded chloramphenicol 1,3-diacetate. These data indicate that the enzyme acetylates specifically at the 3-hydroxy position and the diacetylation is possible only because of non-enzymatic interconversion of chloramphenicol 3-acetate to chloramphenicol 1-acetate at higher pH values.

Acetylation↗

Effects of tonin on vascular smooth muscle of the hypertensive rat and normal rabbit.

1. The response of arterial smooth muscle to noradrenaline was studied in one-clip hypertensive rats with or without the contralateral/kidney and in normotensive rabbits. 2. Strips of aorta from one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive animals were less responsive to noradrenaline than normotensive control rats. The contractile response of strips from two-kidney, one-clip hypertensive animals was not different from the control group. These results suggest that the mechanisms responsible for the lesser reactivity in the one-kidney hypertensive group are not a consequence of elevated blood pressure itself, but may be related to the intrinsic contractility of aortic smooth muscle. 3. Tonin potentiated the contraction induced by noradrenaline in aortic strips from hypertensive and normotensive rats. However, this effect was more important in the one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive animals. In the aortic and mesenteric strips from normal rabbits, tonin produced not only potentiation to noradrenaline but direct contraction. 4. The potentiation to noradrenaline and the direct effect of tonin were not affected by a variety of antagonists but were blocked by a calcium ion antagonist, verapamil, suggesting that tonin may act directly on vascular smooth muscle through mechanisms which might be mediated by calcium ions.

Animals↗

Aminoglycoside antibiotic measurement by bioluminescence, with use of plasmid-coded enzymes.

We describe a bioluminescent assay for gentamicin in serum that is applicable to the measurement of other aminoglycosides as well. The assay is based on the measurement of residual ATP with the luciferase reaction after incubation of the antibiotic with a plasmid-coded enzyme. Two aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes were used: an adenylytransferase and an acetyltransferase coupled to S-acetyl coenzymeA synthetase. We investigated the latter system further because of the good stability of the acetyltransferase, its recovery in high yield from bacteria, and its more favorable ATP/gentamicin mass ratio. Serum ATPases were inactivated at 60 degrees C for 20 min. The operating range of the assay was 0-15 mg of gentamicin per liter. The precision (CV) was 10.1% at a concentration of 2 mg/L and 1.1% at 10 mg/L. The method correlated well with a radio-enzymatic assay for mock unknown sera (r = 0.981). The results were available within 2 h.

Acetate-CoA Ligase↗

Expression of atrial natriuretic factor gene in heart ventricular tissue.

A novel peptide hormone, atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), was recently isolated and characterized in mammalian atria. This hormone has potent natriuretic diuretic and vasorelaxant activities. Since ANF bioactivity was initially found in atria but not in ventricles, it was assumed that the ANF gene is specifically expressed in atria. We now report that ANF mRNA is present in ventricular tissue as well as in atria. This is clearly demonstrated by in situ hybridization and by Northern blot analysis. Rat ventricular ANF mRNA concentration is a hundred-fold lower than in atria. As in atria, the 126 amino acids precursor form of ANF is predominant in ventricles and it is present at a thousand-fold lower concentration. The ten-fold discrepancy in the ratio of ANF mRNA to immunoreactivity between atria and ventricles could reflect a higher rate of peptide release in the latter. Thus, ventricular ANF production may be physiologically significant in view of the much larger ventricular mass.

Animals↗

Disappearance of atrial natriuretic factor from circulation in the rat.

The rate of disappearance of radioiodinated forms of 3 different atrial natriuretic factors (ANF (Ser 99-Tyr 126), ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126), ANF (Ser 103-Tyr 126)) from circulation in the rat was studied. Before proceeding to study the half-life of these peptides, the biological activity of their cold iodinated forms was examined. Upon incorporation of iodine into the ANF molecule, there was a 2 to 5-fold loss in their binding affinities to mesenteric arteries and adrenal capsules as compared to their respective uniodinated forms. A similar loss in their potency to inhibit basal aldosterone release from adrenal zona glomerulosa cells was observed. The rate of disappearance of the radioiodinated peptides from plasma was very fast; the half-life of ANF (Ser 99-Tyr 126) was 16.8 +/- 0.9 sec. Similar values were also obtained for ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126) and ANF (Ser 103-Tyr 126). The in vivo disappearance of ANF from plasma is probably due to the binding to receptors in the cells since in vitro incubation of ANF (Ser 99-Tyr 126) with rat plasma caused only a slight loss in its immunoreactivity in the first 5 minutes. Hepatectomy and nephrectomy did not cause any major prolongation of the disappearance rate suggesting that these two organs may not be the primary sites involved in the removal of this peptide from circulation.

Animals↗

An atrial natriuretic factor-like activity in rat posterior hypophysis.

An atrial natriuretic factor-(ANF) like immunoreactivity (IR-ANF), is present in the posterior hypophysis of the rat. In order to obtain more direct information on the presence and biological activity of this new posterior hypophysis peptide, we applied a procedure similar to that described for rat atria, to extract an ANF-like material from the posterior hypophysis of the rat. An analysis of the tissue extracts by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) suggested that, in this organ, the ANF-like peptides may be present in multiple forms: a low molecular weight peptide which had a RP-HPLC pattern similar to that of the synthetic rat 28 amino acid C-terminal (Ser 99-Tyr 126) ANF, and an unidentified higher molecular weight peptide. The partially purified low molecular weight peptide was found to have a potency similar to that of synthetic rat ANF in the inhibition of adrenocorticotropin-stimulated aldosterone secretion in dispersed zona glomerulosa cells, suggesting that the ANF-like peptide was biologically active. Immunohistochemical visualization of the ANF-like peptides revealed the distribution of the peptide within the posterior hypophysis. There was no immunohistochemical staining for ANF in the intermediate lobe. These results suggest the existence of biologically active ANF-like peptides within the posterior hypophysis of the rat. It is possible that these peptides may modulate locally the posterior hypophysis hormone secretion.

Adrenal Glands↗

NH2-terminal fragment of rat pro-atrial natriuretic factor in the circulation: identification, radioimmunoassay and half-life.

A radioimmunoassay was developed to measure the NH2-terminal counterpart of rat pro-atrial natriuretic factor (pro-ANF) in plasma. Synthetic rat ANF (Asp 11-Ala 37) coupled to bovine serum albumin was used to immunize New Zealand rabbits. The antiserum demonstrated good immunoreactivity towards rat ANF (Asn 1-Arg 98), (Asn 1-Tyr 126), (Asp 11-Ala 37) and even human ANF (Asn 1-Ser 30). The standard curve had an ED80 of 9.5 +/- 2.5 and ED50 of 44.0 +/- 10.5 fmol/tube. Immunoreactive ANF NH2-terminal peptide was measured directly in rat plasma without prior extraction. In fact, extraction of ANF NH2-terminal from plasma by C18 silica gel chromatography revealed inconsistent recovery and a lack of parallelism. Morphine (0.75 mg/100 g), chosen to elicit increased ANF (Ser 99-Tyr 126) secretion, elevated its plasma concentration from 54.1 +/- 3.2 to 190.8 +/- 55.8 fmol/ml after 20 min. At the same time, the immunoreactive NH2-terminal fragment rose from 378 +/- 16 to 1181 +/- 201 fmol/ml. The identity of this immunoreactive material was verified following affinity chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of plasma from morphine-treated rats. Molecular sieving and amino acid sequencing demonstrated that it appears to be consistent with or identical to rat ANF (Asn 1-Arg 98). The disappearance rate of ANF (Asn 1-Arg 98) was studied by injecting radioactive material into anesthetized rats. The exponential decay was analyzed by a two-compartment model in which the fast and slow components had a half-life of 2.5 +/- 0.3 and 54.8 +/- 3.9 min, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

A two-site immunoradiometric assay of proatrial natriuretic factor. Application to tissue extracts.

A "two-site" immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) was developed to specifically measure ANF (1-126), the precursor of ANF. This assay is based on the simultaneous use of antibodies against two different antigenic determinants: murine monoclonal antibody (2H2), which recognizes positions 101 through 103 of ANF, is linked to Immunobeads and employed to extract any ANF C-terminal; a second antibody, which is directed against positions 11 through 37, is radioiodinated and allows binding to any C-terminal-2H2-Immunobead material which bears the N-terminal antigenic site. A curvilinear relationship was obtained between radioactivity and the amount of proANF (1.5 to 400 fmol) added. Optimisation of IRMA was determined by the amount of 2H2-Immunobeads and labeled antibody used, incubation time as well as possible interference by both ANF (99-126) and ANF (1-98). Tissue extracts were used to validate the assay. proANF was detected in decreasing amounts in heart atria, heart ventricles, lungs, kidneys and adrenal glands. Its presence was further confirmed by reverse-phase HPLC followed by radioimmunoassay. IRMA is a simple and rapid method for the direct measurement of proANF in tissue extracts and chromatographic fractions. The presence of proANF in tissues strongly suggests local synthesis.

Adrenal Glands↗

Atrial natriuretic factor in the spinal cord of normotensive and hypertensive rats.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) was investigated in the rat spinal cord and hypothalamus using two radioimmunoassays. ANF was also quantified in both tissues of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats and Dahl rats. Spinal cord and hypothalamus were found to be immunoreactive to proANF and its near-NH2- or near-COOH-terminal fragments. A major part of the extracted ANF was a COOH-terminal peptide smaller than or the same as ANF (Ser99-Tyr 126). SHR had higher hypothalamic and spinal cord ANF concentrations than Wistar Kyoto rats, while the Dahl salt-sensitive animals exhibited an increase in spinal cord ANF when compared with the Dahl salt-resistant group. The data suggest that spinal cord may produce ANF locally with processing similar to that in hypothalamus. Changes in ANF concentrations occurring during the course of hypertension remain to be further investigated.

Animals↗

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene expression in the Brattleboro rat.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is a 28-amino acid peptide hormone of cardiac origin. It has natriuretic, diuretic and vasorelaxant properties and inhibits several cardiovascular modulators. Because of the possible effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP) on ANF secretion, we have investigated ANF gene expression in Brattleboro rats which are genetically deficient in AVP. Our results indicate that cardiac ANF mRNA and ANF content are higher in Brattleboro rats compared to Long-Evans controls, whereas the plasma levels are similar in both groups. Typical secretory granules containing immunoreactive ANF are present in ventricular cardiocytes of Brattleboro but not of Long-Evans rats. These data suggest that ANF release may be uncoupled from its synthesis in the absence of AVP.

Animals↗

Amino acid sequence of rat submaxillary tonin reveals similarities to serine proteases.

Tonin, an esteroprotease isolated from rat submaxillary gland, is a serine protease with trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like activity. The substrate specificity of tonin shows that it differs from kallikreins and is definitely not a renin-like enzyme or an angiotensin-converting enzyme. Tonin can produce directly the vasoactive peptide angiotensin II, from angiotensin I, angiotensinogen and the synthetic tetradecapeptide substrate of renin by cleavage of a Phe-His bond. It has also been found to cleave some Phe and Arg bonds in various substrates such as beta-lipotropin (beta-LPH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and substance P. Here we describe the complete amino acid sequence of rat submaxillary gland, tonin. Comparison of the sequence of 219 amino acids with other serine proteases, particularly kallikreins, gamma-subunit of nerve growth factor (NGF) and the recently described gamma-renin, reveals extensive similarities. More interestingly, it also reveals the substitution of an Asp residue always found in the serine protease active site triad (Asp, His, Ser) by a Leu residue. This unusual substitution does not seem to affect the proteolytic activity of the enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗