title: Identification and plasma concentrations of the N-terminal fragment of proatrial natriuretic factor in man.
abstract: A specific RIA was developed to measure plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) N-terminal immunoreactivity in man. Antibodies raised in rabbits against a rat ANF N-terminal fragment [ANF-(11-37)] had 100% cross-reactivity with human ANF-(1-30) and purified plasma N-terminal ANF immunoreactivity. The ED80 and ED50 of standard curves prepared using [125I]human ANF-(1-30) and human ANF-(1-30) were 31.5 +/- 5.4 (+/- SD) and 132.5 +/- 20.4 fmol/tube, respectively. The plasma ANF N-terminal peptide concentrations were assayed directly, without extraction, since dilution of plasma and addition of standard to plasma yielded parallel dose-responses in the RIA and virtually 100% recovery of ANF-(1-30) added to plasma. Purification of ANF N-terminal immunoreactivity from 1.5 L human plasma by affinity chromatography and amino acid sequencing suggested that it was closely related to ANF-(1-98), although some degraded peptides were also detected. The mean basal plasma ANF N-terminal peptide level measured in 34 normal subjects was 420 +/- 157 (+/- SD) pmol/L. The values were higher in plasma from patients with congestive heart failure (grades III and IV; 7,041 +/- 6,136 pmol/L; n = 13) or chronic renal failure (10,079 +/- 4,942 pmol/L; n = 20). In 9 patients with chronic renal failure, hemodialysis resulted in a 30% (P less than 0.05) decrease in plasma ANF-(99-126) levels, from 34.7 +/- 12.3 (+/- SD) to 23.2 + 6.1 pmol/L, but no changes in plasma ANF N-terminal peptide concentrations. These data indicate that the N-terminal portion of pro-ANF is cosecreted with ANF-(99-126). Its higher plasma levels in the basal state and during chronic renal failure suggest a different process of elimination than that of ANF-(99-126), which may be partly mediated by the kidney.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sundsfjord
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thibault
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larochelle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D011817:Rabbits; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011498:Protein Precursors; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor