title: The amino-terminal portion of pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Pro-BNP) circulates in human plasma.
abstract: Using an antiserum raised in rabbits to a synthetic human brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) N-terminal fragment [ProBNP(1-13)], a single large molecular weight (MW) N-terminal form of ProBNP has been identified in human plasma. Sep-pak extracts of plasma, drawn from patients with congestive heart failure and subjected to size exclusion and reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to radioimmunoassay (RIA) revealed a single large immunoreactive (ir-) peak which was not detected in assays of BNP-32 [ProBNP(77-108)]. This material has a MW of 8600--similar to that expected for the complete N-terminal portion of ProBNP(1-76). Previously reported high MW BNP forms, cross reacting with BNP-32 antisera, were not detected using the N-terminal antisera, indicating that this material is unlikely to be intact ProBNP(1-108). In patients with congestive heart failure plasma ir-levels of N-terminal ProBNP were greatly raised compared to normal subjects and were up to ninefold higher than ir-BNP-32 values.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Yandle
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Espiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain