title: Comparison of ACE activity in amphibian tissues: Rana esculenta and Xenopus laevis.
abstract: Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is the dipeptidyl-carboxypeptidase of the renin-angiotensin system involved in the control of blood pressure and hydromineral metabolism. It converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II, the biologically active octapeptide. Angiotensin converting enzyme-like activity has been demonstrated in a wide range of vertebrates. The presence of ACE was investigated in tissues of two amphibian species, the frog Rana esculenta and the toad Xenopus laevis. ACE activities were determined by specific substrate hydrolysis in gut, gonads, lung, kidney, heart, liver, skin, erythrocytes, and muscle homogenates and plasma by means of high performance liquid chromatography. Significant ACE activity was found in gut, gonads, lung and kidney, while that in heart, liver, skin, erythrocytes, muscle, and plasma was very low. Testis of toad contained the highest ACE activity, while that in erythrocytes of male and female frogs was notable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Via F. Camerini, I-62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quassinti
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maccari
authors.forename: Oretta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Murri
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bramucci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000201:enzymology; D007422:Intestines / Q000201:enzymology; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000737:chemistry*; D011893:Rana esculenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; C038275:2-furanacryloyl-phenylalanyl-glycyl-glycine; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A