title: The anaphylatoxic peptide C3a of guinea pig complement. I. Purification, physicochemical and antigenetic properties.
abstract: Highly purified guinea pig C3a was obtained after specific cleavage of isolated C3 by the alternative pathway enzyme VF-B in a one step procedure. It turned out to be a low molecular weight peptide with basic character (M.W. 9500; isoelectric point above 9.4). C3a represents an antigenetic determinant of its own in the native C3 molecule, different from the B determinant. Guinea pig C3a resistant to 100 degrees C for 10 minutes. Its smooth muscle contracting activity can be destroyed by trypsin and carboxypeptidase B. These findings indicate that guinea pig C3a is quite similar to human C3a.
mesh_terms: D000706:Anaphylatoxins; D000818:Animals; D002268:Carboxypeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000939:Epitopes; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth; D010455:Peptides
chemical_list: D000706:Anaphylatoxins; D003176:Complement C3; D000939:Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D004492:Edetic Acid; D002268:Carboxypeptidases