Isolation and characterization of rabbit gastrin

The heptadecapeptide form the rabbit gastrin was extracted from 16 rabbit antra and purified by a combination of DEAE Sephadex, C-18 SEP PAK cartridges, fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) and reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) steps. After the HPLC purification, a sharp, single peak of gastrin-like immunoreactivity was detected that had the same absorption to immunoreactivity ratio as human gastrin. An amino terminal pyrrolidone carboxylic acid blocking group was removed by incubation with pyrrolidone carboxylic peptidase. The amino acid analysis, microsequence analysis and mass spectrometry all confirmed the structure of rabbit gastrin being pQGPWLQEEEEAYGWMDFamide. This sequence is identical to human gastrin-17 except for glutamine in position 6 which replaces glutamate in human gastrin. Both sulfated and unsulfated rabbit gastrin-17 were characterized by mass spectrometry.     

Isolation and characterization of a neurotensin-like decapeptide from a canine upper small intestinal extract

Neurotensin-like immunoreactivity can be detected in extracts of canine upper gastrointestinal mucosa when measured by carboxyl terminal but not by amino terminal antibodies to neurotensin. The nature of this immunoreactive material was characterized by complete purification on gel filtration and HPLC followed by peptide microsequence analysis. The structure obtained was Glu-Asn-Lys-Pro-Arg-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Ile-(Leu), identical in structure to the carboxyl terminal decapeptide of neurotensin. It cannot, however, be excluded that this neurotensin decapeptide was generated from a larger neurotensin-like peptide during the extraction procedure by a physiological or artificial enzymatic process. Since carboxyl terminal neurotensin fragments containing eight or more residues have full biological activity, this peptide may be responsible for neurotensin-like biological activities within the mucosa of, or after release from, the upper gut.     

Multiple gastrin-releasing peptide gene-associated peptides are produced by a human small cell lung cancer line

Products of the gastrin-releasing peptide gene were isolated from culture medium supernatant of a small cell lung cancer line, NCI-H345, by several (high performance liquid chromatography) HPLC steps. The column eluates were monitored by immunoassay and absorbance profiles. Gastrin-releasing peptide was identified in HPLC eluates by a specific radioimmunoassay. Two carboxyl-terminal gastrin-releasing peptide gene-associated peptides were identified by a radioimmunoassay specific for their predicted carboxyl terminus. The amino termini of these two peptides were determined by microsequence analysis. The shorter peptide was revealed to be a fragment of the larger peptide. Expression of an alternate mRNA was shown by isolation and characterization of a novel tetradecapeptide. Amino acid analysis, microsequence analysis, and mass spectral analysis confirmed that the structure was Ser-Leu-Leu-Gln-Val-Leu-Asn-Val-Lys-Glu-Gly-Thr-Pro-Ser. This peptide represents the carboxyl terminus of a peptide resulting from alternate processing of gastrin releasing peptide mRNA. This mRNA contains a 19-base deletion, creating a frame shift. A radioiodinated synthetic analog of this peptide (Tyr-Leu-Val-Asp-Ser-Leu-Leu-Gln-Val-Leu-Asn-Val-Lys-Glu-Gly-Thr-Pro-Ser ) bound specifically to a small cell cancer line with high affinity, suggesting possible biological activity of the isolated peptide.     

Rat testis immunoreactive LH-RH differs structurally from hypothalamic LH-RH

Luteinizing hormone releasing hormone immunoreactivity (LH-RH-IR) has been identified in acetic acid extracts of adult rat testes and partially purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. On Sephadex G-100 this material separated into four major peaks of >100K, ～32K, ～5K and ≤4K daltons. The ≤4K peak of LH-RH-IR eluted later than synthetic hypothalamic LH-RH decapeptide on Sephadex G-25. Antibody binding studies on the various LH-RH-IR species with antisera specific for different regions of synthetic LH-RH decapeptide indicate that all the testicular LH-RH-IR molecules have C-terminal immunological homology with the hypothalmic decapeptide but differ towards the N-terminus of the decapeptide sequence.     

Origin of bombesin-like peptides in human fetal lung

Four different forms of bombesin-like immunoreactive peaks were detected in extracts of human fetal lung by the use of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Peaks I, II, III and IV, (increasing retention time), were eluted using a 14-38% of acetonitrile gradient containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Peak II was the major material found in the extract of human fetal lung obtained at 16-20 weeks gestation. None of the four compounds contained in the eluted peaks had the same retention time as amphibian bombesin or porcine gastrin releasing peptide (GRP). On reversed-phase HPLC using two different solvent systems TFA or heptafluorobutyric acid (HFBA) as a hydrophobic counter ion, and in gel filtration chromatography, the chromatographic behavior of the main peak (peak II) was the same as that of the carboxyl terminal fragments of GRP, GRP18-27 or GRP19-27. This suggested that the peptide(s) in peak II resembled in composition the carboxy terminal 9 or 10 amino acids of porcine GRP. Following tryptic digestion the material in peak IV was converted to the more polar compound present in peak II. Two other peptide peaks were eluted close to peak II and these were presumed to be a modification of this main peak. One of the possible biosynthetic steps in the formation of bombesin-like peptides in human fetal lung could be a tryptic conversion of a less polar peptide to a more polar form (peak IV to II).     

An amino-terminal fragment of cholecystokinin-58 is present in the gut: evidence for a similar processing site of procholecystokinin in canine gut and brain

Radioimmunoassays using antibodies specific for the carboxyl terminus of cholecystokinin (CCK) and the midportion of CCK-58 (raised against synthetic canine CCK-33-(1-27] revealed the existence of a CCK fragment in canine gut and brain extracts which lacks the biologically active carboxyl terminal immunoreactivity. This material eluted on Sephadex G-50 gel permeation chromatography in the region of CCK-58, on high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) after CCK-39 and before CCK-58, and on cation-exchange FPLC it eluted after CCK-58. The immunoreactive pattern, the ratio of absorbance at 280-220 nm and the chromatographic elution positions suggest that this large CCK-like molecule represents an amino-terminal fragment of CCK-58. This fragment is present in canine gut and brain. Therefore, a similar processing site of procholecystokinin is suggested in both tissues.     

Localization and identification of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in the frog ventricle

The localization of ANF-like immunoreactivity in the ventricle of the frog Rana ridibunda was examined by the indirect immunofluorescence and the immunogold techniques, using an antiserum against synthetic ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126). At the optic level, an appreciable number of positive cardiocytes was observed in the frog ventricle. Electron microscopic studies showed that all secretory granules present in ventricular cardiocytes contain immunoreactive ANF. The immunoreactive material has been characterized by Sephadex G-50 gel chromatography and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). After gel filtration, ANF-like immunoreactivity eluted in 3 peaks. The major immunoreactive peak corresponded to high molecular weight material, while one peak co-eluted with synthetic ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126). Further analysis of frog ventricular extracts by RP-HPLC revealed that the low molecular weight material has the same retention time as synthetic ANF, suggesting a high degree of sequence homology between amphibian and mammalian ANF. These results indicate that in amphibians, ventricular cardiocytes synthesize a peptide immunologically and chemically related to mammalian ANF.     

Sequence analysis and feeding responses evoked by the large molecular form of gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) in the rat GRP-29

Microisolation techniques utilizing several reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) steps have resulted in the purification of two rat gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) forms suitable for microsequence and mass spectral analysis. The sequence of the larger form is APVSTGAGGGTVLAKMYPRGSHWAVGHLM-amide and the smaller form is GSHWAVGHLM-amide which is the carboxyl terminal decapeptide of the larger peptide. The peptides were synthesized and their feeding patterns e.g. first meal size (MS), intermeal interval (IMI) and satiety ratio (SR, IMI/MS) were determined in overnight food-, but not water deprived, male Sprague Dawley rats. The peptides were administered in the femoral vein (0, 0.21, 0.41 and 1.03 nmol/kg) immediately before presenting the rats with a 10% sucrose solution. We found that (1) GRP-10 (all doses) and GRP-29 (0.41 nmol/kg) reduced first MS, (2) both peptides prolonged IMI length and (3) both peptides increased the SR to similar extents. In conclusion, GRP-10 and GRP-29 are the two endogenous forms of GRP in the rat intestine and they reduce short term feeding to similar extents when administered intravenously.     

Bombesin-like immunoreactivity in human gastrointestinal tract

In the present study the distribution and molecular characteristics of bombesin-like immunoreactivity (BLI) were studied in acid extracts of human gastrointestinal tract. The highest levels were found in the fundus, antrum, pylorus and pancreas with lower levels in the duodenum, jejunum, terminal ileum and colon. BLI was also detected in both the muscle and mucosal layers of the antrum and colon. Sephadex G-50 gel chromatography under acid dissociating conditions revealed two peaks of immunoreactivity, one in the position of synthetic porcine gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) and the second eluting with synthetic amphibian bombesin. Variations in the proportions of the two molecular forms were seen in different regions of the gut. In the stomach and pancreas greater than 70% of the BLI eluted with the GRP marker while in pylorus, jejunum and terminal ileum only 20% was present in this form. Reverse-phase ODS silica HPLC of the major antral BLI peak, utilising a methanol/trifluoroacetic acid gradient indicated that this peptide was similar to porcine GRP. We have therefore (1) demonstrated the presence and heterogeneity of bombesin-like immunoreactivity throughout the human gastrointestinal tract and (2) shown for the first time that a proportion of this BLI closely resembles porcine GRP.     

Isolation from porcine antral mucosa of a hexapeptide corresponding to the C-terminal sequence of gastrin

The present studies were undertaken to confirm reports of high concentrations of the C-terminal tetrapeptide of gastrin in hog antral mucosa. A method was developed whereby synthetic tetrapeptide added to boiling water extracts of hog antral mucosa could be purified to homogeneity by adsorption to Amberlite XAD2 resin, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose, and reverse phase HPLC. The product had the amino acid composition of gastrin tetrapeptide. When the same method was used on antral mucosa without prior addition of synthetic G4, several small peaks of material with C-terminal immunoreactivity could be found in DEAE column eluates but none could be unequivocally identified as the tetrapeptide. In the same column runs there was a relatively large peak of immunoreactivity eluting later than the tetrapeptide. This material was purified to homogeneity by HPLC and on the basis of its amino acid composition and sequence was identified as the C-terminal hexapeptide of gastrin.     

Partial purification of a novel stimulant of gastric acid secretion from canine non-antral mucosa

A novel stimulant of gastric acid secretion was extracted and purified from the non-antral gastric mucosa of the canine stomach and some of its biological properties were examined. Tissue was boiled in water and extracted in 2% trifluoroacetic acid. The stimulatory activity was purified by a combination of reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gel filtration. Fractions were assayed for a stimulation of basal, pentagastrin- and histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the anaesthetized rat. Stimulatory activity was eluted from reverse-phase HPLC columns with acetonitrile and its elution from Sephadex G-10 and G-50 columns suggested a molecular weight of 1,000 to 3,000. The highly purified extracts enhanced basal, pentagastrin- and histamine-stimulated acid secretion in the rat. A stimulatory fraction was purified which was devoid of immunoreactive gastrin and gastrin-releasing peptide and contained only small amounts of histamine. Its chromatographic properties differed from those of histamine and acetylcholine. On two occasions the stimulant was purified to homogeneity and found to contain amino acids. Insufficient pure material was obtained for full characterization. The stimulant has been tentatively called oxyntin.     

Cholecystokinin-58 is the major circulating form of cholecystokinin in canine blood

Cholecystokinin-58 (CCK-58) is the largest and most abundant, biologically active form of cholecystokinin in canine intestinal mucosa. Despite the high amounts in mucosa, CCK-58 has not been detected in significant amounts in the circulation. The release of CCK-58 into the peripheral blood in response to an intraduodenal perfusion of sodium oleate (9.0 mmol h-1) was studied in seven conscious dogs. Plasma (50 ml) was obtained before and after endogenous stimulation by a newly developed method that prevents in vitro degradation of large cholecystokinins. The relative abundance of immunoreactive forms of CCK was studied by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) which separated the gastrin and CCK forms. Column eluates were measured with an antibody which recognizes the intact carboxyl terminus of both gastrin and CCK. Cholecystokinin immunoreactivity increased over basal in plasma by 7 fmol/ml after intraduodenal perfusion with sodium oleate. The most abundant form of stimulated cholecystokinin immunoreactivity eluted on HPLC in the position of CCK-58 (63% of total immunoreactivity found). Since CCK-58 is biologically active and is the most abundant circulating form, it should play an important role in the physiology of cholecystokinin.     

Isolation and characterization of biologically active and inactive cholecystokinin-octapeptides from human brain

Cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity (CCK-LI) in 0.9 kg human brain was extracted by 2% trifluoroacetic acid at 4 degrees C. Sephadex G50 gel filtration of crude extract revealed one main molecular form of CCK, detected by a carboxy-terminal antibody (5135), that eluted in the position of CCK8. When the CCK-LI in the extract was purified by affinity chromatography using another carboxyl-terminal CCK antibody followed by several steps of reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), a component was isolated that was found by sequence analysis to be identical to the carboxyl-terminal CCK-octapeptide of porcine CCK33, isolated from intestinal mucosa, and to CCK-octapeptide, isolated from sheep brain. This component possessed comparable biological potencies to synthetic sulfated CCK8 in eliciting amylase release and in competitively displacing radioiodinated CCK33 from isolated mouse pancreatic acini. Furthermore, it exhibited a similar binding characteristic to CCK8 in binding to specific receptors on mouse brain cortical particulate preparations. On high pressure liquid chromatography another minor, earlier eluting immunoreactive peak was observed, which had the same amino acid composition and sequence as CCK8. These findings suggested that this material was oxidized CCK8. This earlier eluting component, exhibiting CCK8-like immunoreactivity, did not induce amylase release from acini and had no or minimal effect in inhibiting tracer CCK33 binding to receptors on isolated acini or on mouse brain cortical particulate preparations at the concentrations tested.     

Chemical characterization of rat cholecystokinin-58

Cholecystokinin-58 (CCK-58) was purified from rat intestines using an extraction method that yields large amounts of this peptide. Greater than 30% of total CCK immunoreactivity eluted before CCK-39 upon gel permeation chromatography (Sephadex G-50) if extracts were loaded onto Sep Pak cartridges before freezing. If the extracts were frozen and stored at −70°C for six weeks, only 20% of the material eluted in this region and total immunoreactivity was reduced by 50%, suggesting that proteases were active under these storage conditions. This early eluting peak was purified by reverse phase and ion-exchange HPLC to a single absorbance peak. Microsequence analysis of this peak detected AVLRPDSEP which is the amino terminus of rat CCK-58 predicted from the rat preprocholecystokinin cDNA. Because degradation of CCK-58 occurred in these extracts, it is possible that CCK-58 is the predominant molecule form in the rat small intestine.     

Identification by specific radioimmunoassay of two novel peptides derived from the C-terminus of porcine preprogastrin

A radioimmunoassay has been developed using antibodies to a synthetic analogue of the C-terminal hexapeptide sequence of the porcine gastrin precursor. Boiling water extracts of porcine antral mucosa contained immunoreactive material that diluted in parallel with standard peptide. Concentrations of immunoreactivity were 5.5 +/- 0.8 nmol X g-1 (mean +/- S.E.M.) in antral mucosa and were closely similar to those of C-terminal heptadecapeptide gastrin immunoreactivity (5.0 +/- 0.6 nmol X g-1). Approximately 30-fold lower concentrations were found in porcine duodenum. A similar distribution was found in ferret, but human, rat and chicken antrum did not contain significant quantities of immunoreactivity. Gel filtration of porcine antral extracts on Sephadex G-50 revealed a single peak of immunoreactivity eluting in a similar position to G17, but on anion-exchange chromatography two peaks of immunoreactive material were separated. These also differed in their retention time on reverse phase HPLC. Both peptides are probably derived by tryptic cleavage at the C-terminus of porcine preprogastrin. No evidence was found to suggest that there are significant quantities of unprocessed preprogastrin in hog antral mucosa. The precise chemical difference between the two immunoreactive peptides identified here remains to be established; together, however, they provide specific markers for progastrin synthesis.     

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like immunoreactivity in the adrenal medulla

Bovine adrenal medulla extract prepared by acid-acetone or acid methanol extraction showed two peaks of CRF-like immunoreactivity on Sephadex G-50 chromatography. One eluted near the void volume and another (low molecular weight CRF-like immunoreactivity) eluted slightly before arginine vasopressin (AVP), while most of the immunoreactivity in bovine hypothalamus coeluted with synthetic ovine CRF. When low molecular weight CRF fractions were chromatographed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography, three CRF-like immunoreactive peaks appeared. The first peak appeared near TRH, the second one eluted near AVP and the last one eluted near somatostatin. These three peaks of immunoreactivity showed ACTH releasing bioactivity in rat pituitary cells cultures. Therefore, the adrenal medulla-CRF-like substances might be tissue-CRF which may play a role to stimulate ACTH release in the severe stress conditions.     

Characterization of the carboxyl terminal flanking peptide of rat progastrin

A peptide identical in structure to the carboxyl-terminal flanking nonapeptide of rat progastrin, predicted by cDNA sequence, was synthesized. The synthetic peptide was used for production of a rabbit antiserum. This antiserum was used to develop a radioimmunoassay specific for rat carboxyl terminal flanking peptide. This assay was used to monitor the purification of immunoreactivity from rat antral extracts. Gel permeation, anion exchange and reverse phase chromatography steps resulted in a single absorbance peak associated with the carboxyl terminal flanking peptide immunoreactivity. The purified peptide eluted in the same position as the synthetic peptide during all three types of chromatography. This material was shown to be identical in mass to Ser-Ala-Glu-Glu-Glu-Asp-Gln-Tyr-Asn, the predicted sequence of the carboxyl terminal nonapeptide of rat progastrin.     

Characterization of content and chromatographic forms of neuropeptides in purified nerve varicosities prepared from guinea pig myenteric plexus

Partially purified nerve varicosities (PV) prepared from guinea pig ileal myenteric plexus were found to contain, by radioimmunoassay, gastrin-releasing polypeptide (GRP), substance P (SP), galanin, Leu-enkephalin (LE), Met-enkephalin (ME), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). SP was present in the highest concentration followed by, in descending order, ME, LE, VIP, GRP and galanin. On reverse-phase HPLC, SP-, LE- and ME-like immunoreactivity in the PV preparation eluted at retention times similar to their synthetic analogues, galanin-like immunoreactivity eluted at a retention time different from that of synthetic porcine galanin and VIP-like immunoreactivity eluted at the retention time of synthetic guinea pig VIP. GRP-like immunoreactivity, on reverse-phase HPLC, eluted at retention times close to that of synthetic porcine GRP-(1-27) and its major oxidized form. Evidence was obtained for the presence of an alpha-neurokinin-like immunoreactive entity and an unidentified SP-like immunoreactive entity in guinea pig myenteric plexus.     

Endocrine cells with gastrin/cholecystokinin-like immunoreactivity in the pancreas of the spiny dogfish,Squalus acanthias

Endocrine cells containing gastrin/cholecystokinin (CCK)-like immunoreactivity were localized to the islet tissue in the pancreas of the spiny dogfish. Most of these cells were located in the 'intestinal' lobe of the pancreas; only occasional cells were observed in the 'splenic' lobe. The gastrin/CCK-like immunoreactive cells were often co-localized with the 'classical' pancreas hormones (insulin, glucagon and somatostatin). Radioimmunoassay of water extracts with a C-terminally directed antiserum revealed high levels of immunoreactive material in the intestinal part (48.6 +/- 19.9 pmol/g) and lower levels (4.5 +/- 0.6 pmol/g) in the splenic part. Acetic acid extracts of the intestinal lobe contained low levels (6.8 +/- 3.3 pmol/g) of gastrin/CCK-like immunoreactivity, whereas corresponding extracts of the splenic part showed no immunoreactivity. When the extracts were subjected to DEAE ion-exchange chromatography the gastrin/CCK-like peptides eluted as a major peak. After Sephadex gel filtration, pooled immunoreactive material from the main DEAE chromatographic peak eluted at a position close to that of CCK4. Further characterization by ion-exchange and reversed-phase HPLC showed that, in general, the immunoreactive material behaved like the shorter forms of the gastrin/CCK family (CCK4/G5 and CCK8/Cae 3-10).     

Characterization of canine intestinal cholecystokinin-58 lacking its carboxyl-terminal nonapeptide. Evidence for similar post-translational processing in brain and gut.

An antibody raised against a synthetic cholecystokinin (CCK) analog, (1-27)-(CCK)-33, corresponding to the midregion of CCK-58, detected immunoreactivity in intestinal extracts which eluted between the positions of CCK-33/39 and CCK-58 on high performance liquid chromatography. This peak, lacking carboxyl-terminal cholecystokinin immunoreactivity, was purified by reverse phase and cation-exchange chromatographies. Amino acid, mass spectral, and microsequence analysis established that it was the amino-terminal desnonapeptide fragment of cholecystokinin-58, (1-49)-CCK-58. It was demonstrated further that CCK-58 has less biological activity than CCK-8, suggesting that the amino terminus either sterically hindered the ability of CCK-58 to exert its biological activity or that its amino terminus acted at another site to inhibit release of amylase from rat pancreatic acini. The desnonapeptide of CCK-58 by itself had no biological activity, nor did it affect CCK-8-stimulated amylase release from isolated rat pancreatic acini, suggesting that the amino terminus shields the carboxyl terminus from expressing its biological activity. Its presence in intestine suggests that it is released into the circulation where it could be detected by midregion antibodies. The presence of high proportions of (1-49)-CCK-58 indicates that most CCK-8 is directly derived from CCK-58. Its occurrence in brain and intestine indicates similar processing for procholecystokinin in both tissues.