title: Aspartic proteinase members secreted by the ruminant placenta: specificity of three radioimmunoassay systems for the measurement of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins.
abstract: Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) isolated from the placenta of various ruminant species are enzymatically inactive members of the aspartic proteinase family. The measurement of these proteins in the maternal blood can be a good indicator of the presence of a live embryo. As certain aspartic proteinases are present in biological fluids in physiological and pathological conditions at various concentrations, it was necessary to determine the specificity of three radioimmunoassay (RIA) systems currently used for the detection of PAG molecules. Commercially available members of the aspartic proteinase family like pepsinogen, pepsin, chymosin, rennet, cathepsin D and renin were tested in a wide concentration range (10 ng/ml - 1 mg/ml). Pepsinogen cross-reacted in RIA 1, RIA 2 and RIA 3 over 1 mg/ml, 50 microg/ml and 500 microg/ml concentrations, respectively. In the presence of pepsin, cross-reaction was observed in RIA 1, RIA 2 and RIA 3 over 1 mg/ml, 500 microg/ml and 1 mg/ml concentrations, respectively. Chymosin and rennet could cross-react in RIA 2 and RIA 3, while renin and cathepsin D did not decrease the binding of the tracer to antisera more, than that of the minimal detection limit. As the plasma/serum concentrations of the examined aspartic proteinases reported in the literature were outside the concentration range where cross-reaction was observed, it can be concluded that these RIA systems were specific for the detection of PAGs in biological fluids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Z S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Perényi
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Szenci
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Drion
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Banga-Mboko
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El Amiri
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Beckers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases