Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme. Isolation and relationship to the pulmonary enzyme.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme from rabbit serum was purified almost 60,000-fold to apparent homogeneity by a procedure exploiting its affinity for antibodies prepared against the enzyme from lung. The pure serum and pulmonary enzymes exhibited identical behavior during gel filtration, sucrose gradient centrifugation, and disc gel electrophoresis in the reduced, denatured state. Their catalytic properties with hippurylhistidylleucine, angiotensin I, and bradykinin as substrates were similar and their reactivity with antilung enzyme antibody was indistinguishable as examined by immunodiffusion, inhibition dose-response curves, and radioimmunoassay. Their content of fucose, mannose, galactose, and N-acetylglucosamine was also comparable; however, N-acetylneuraminic acid was much more abundant in the serum glycoprotein. This difference may reflect selective removal of sialic acid-deficient enzyme molecules from the circulation by the hepatic lectin which has been postulated to initiate the catabolic phase for plasma glycoproteins (Ashwell, G., and Morell, A.G. (1974) Adv. Enzymol. Relat. Areas Mol. Biol. 41, 91-128).     

Pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme antienzyme antibody.

A method has been developed for quantitating anticatalytic activity in antibody preparations made in goats against pure solubilized angiotensin-converting enzyme from rabbit pulmonary membranes. Anticatalytic activity was purified about 90-fold from a single batch of serum by a procedure including diethylaminoethylcellulose chromatography and elution from Sepharose columns containing covalently bound pure enzyme. Antiholoenzyme antibody was fractionated with respect to charge and binding affinity; however, these different populations each inhibited enzymatic hydrolysis of hippurylhistidylleucine, angiotensin I, and bradykinin. The inhibition dose-response curves were similar for hydrolysis of hippurylhistidylleucine and angiotensin I despite the difference in molecular weight of these substrates. Evidence is presented suggesting that a single molecule of antibody can bind two molecules of enzyme and that at least 18% of the total antiholoenzyme antibody population is directed against determinants which influence catalytic activity. A competitive immunoassay was developed with radioiodinated pulmonary enzyme as displaceable antigen. The anticatalytic and radioimmune assays were used to examine immunological properties of converting enzymes in various rabbit organs and fluids. Kidney, brain, and serum were found to contain converting enzymes which were immunologically identified with that in rabbit lung. Converting enzyme in seminal plasma was similar to the lung enzyme in the anticatalytic assay, but showed lower immunoreactivity in the radioimmune assay.     

Growth-promoting actions of extracts from mouse submaxillary glands on human endothelial cells in culture.

Extracts of submaxillary glands from two different strains of inbred mice were mitogenic for human endothelial cells in culture. The mitogenic activity of extracts from glands of males of the SWR/J and C57BL/10J strains were equivalent, and the growth stimulating effect was unrelated to renin or esteroproteolytic activity. Mitogenic activity in extracts from SWR/J females was less than that from males, and extracts from C57BL/10J females were inactive. The polypeptide growth factors, epidermal (EGF) and fibroblast (FGF) growth factors, also stimulated replication of endothelial cells. Cells from either umbilical arteries or veins responded to submaxillary extracts, EGF, or FGF with a similar increase in cell number, increase in protein and enhanced uptake of 3H-thymidine. The proliferative response was associated with decreased activity of angiotensin I converting enzyme which is localized on the endothelial surface. Nerve growth factor (NGF) was not mitogenic for endothelial cells. Extracts of submaxillary glands from male mice of either strain contained approximately 20 times more EGF than extracts from females, as determined by immunodiffusion. Mitogenic activity of the extracts was completely inhibited by antiserum to EGF, suggesting that the active component of these preparations is EGF.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme from guinea pig lung and serum. A comparison of some kinetic and inhibition properties.

The angiotensin I-coverting enzyme (peptidyldipeptide hydrolase, EC 3.4.15.1) was isolated from both guinea pig lung and serum; Km and V values were determined using both angiotensin I and hippurylhistidylleucine as substrates. Km values for the lung enzyme were 3.1 mM for hippurylhistidylleucine hippurylhistidylleucine and 0.076 mM for angiotensin I. Inhibition studies were performed and I50 values were obtained with the following inhibitors: angiotensin II (lung, 1.9 - 10(-5) M; serum, 1.7 - 10(-5) M), bradykinin (lung, 2.6 - 10(-6) M; serum, 2.1 - 10(-6) M), and pyrrolidone-Lys-Trp-Ala-Pro (lung, 7.9 - 10(-8) M; serum, 5.6 - 10(-8) M). Both enzymes were glycoproteins and were inhibited by concanavalin A. A maximum inhibition of 35% initial enzymatic activity was observed for both enzymes at a concanavalin A concentration of 4 - 10(-4) M suggesting that the sugar moieties of each enzyme are similar. Both enzymes required NaCl for activity and were inhibited by EDTA. A comparison of kinetic and inhibition properties indicates that both enzymes are quite similar.     

Preparation of antibodies to chick-embryo galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase and their use for an immunological characterization of the enzyme of collagen synthesis

Antibodies were prepared against chick-embryo galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase and further purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. The antibodies gave a single precipitation line of identity by double immunodiffusion against crude or pure chick-embryo glucosyltransferase. The ability of the antibody to precipitate the transferase was not altered by destroying the secondary structure of the enzyme. The antibody also inhibited the enzyme activity. The degree of inhibition was higher with denatured citrate-soluble rat skin collagen as the substrate than with gelatinized rat skin insoluble collagen or free galactosylhydroxylysine. The cross-reactivity of the glucosyltransferase between different species was low when studied by double immunodiffusion or inhibition kinetics. The antiserum showed no detectable cross-reactivity against other intracellular enzymes of collagen biosynthesis. A line of complete identity was found in double immunodiffusion between the transferases from whole chick embryos and chick embryo tendon, kidney and cartilage. Inhibition by the antiserum of the enzyme from chick embryo tissues synthesizing different collagen types was relatively similar. The data do not support the hypothesis that galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase has isoenzymes with markedly different specific activities or immunological properties.     

Comparative Biochemical and Immunological Studies of Bacterial Glutamine Synthetases

Antisera prepared against adenylylated and unadenylylated Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase cross-reacted with the glutamine synthetases from a number of gram-negative bacteria and one gram-variable species as demonstrated by immunodiffusion and inhibition of enzyme activity. In contrast, the antisera did not cross-react with the glutamine synthetases from gram-positive bacteria (with one exception) nor with the synthetases of higher organisms. Modification of the various glutamine synthetases by covalent attachment of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (or other nucleotides) was tested for by determining whether or not snake venom phosphodiesterase altered catalytic activity in a manner similar to its effect on adenylylated E. coli glutamine synthetase. Only the activity of the glutamine synthetases from gram-negative bacteria grown with specific levels of nitrogen sources could be altered by snake venom phosphodiesterase. In addition, a relative order of antigenic homology between cross-reacting enzymes was suggested based on the patterns of spur formation in the immunodiffusion assay.     

Radioimmunoassay for pig angiotensin I converting enzyme: a comparison of immunologic with enzymatic activity.

Angiotensin I converting enzyme in body fluids and extracts of various pig tissues was measured by radioimmunoassay and by enzymic assay. Based on the ratios of enzymic to immunologic activity, the extracts could be separated into two groups. One group, with ratios around 4 U/mg, included urine and extracts from the adrenal, choroid plexus, epididymis, gall bladder, heart, liver, retina, spleen, and testis. The other group, with ratios around 12 U/mg, contained serum and extracts from lung and kidney. Explanations are offered for why one group had a lower enzymic to immunologic ratio than the other.     

Scurvy-prone animals, including man, monkey, and guinea pig, do not express the gene for gulonolactone oxidase

Man, monkeys, and guinea pigs cannot synthesize ascorbic acid due to a lack of gulonolactone oxidase activity. Recently, using two immunological methods, immunoprecipitation and microcomplement fixation, we reported that guinea pigs do not contain antigenic material related to gulonolactone oxidase. Now, using such immunologie techniques as double immunodiffusion, microcomplement fixation, antibody affinity chromatography, and a more sensitive radioimmunoassay, we have found that all three of these species do not contain immunologically cross-reacting material to gulonolactone oxidase. On the other hand, comparable extracts from tissues of all other species that were investigated and that do possess gulonolactone oxidase did cross-react with antiserum to enzyme from two widely differing species, rat and goat. We conclude that the gene for gulonolactone oxidase is not expressed in these scurvy-prone animals.     

Low molecular weight angiotensin I converting enzyme from rat lung.

A low molecular weight angiotensin I converting enzyme (light angiotensin enzyme) was isolated from a homogenate of rat lung subjected to dialysis against sodium acetate at pH 4.8. This enzyme has a molecular weight of 84 000 on Sephadex G-200 and a molecular weight of 91 000 on SDS-poly-acrylamide gel as compared with a molecular weight of 139 000 for angiotensin I converting enzyme on SDS-polyacrylamide. Light angiotensin enzyme was activated by NaCl and inhibited by EDTA, angiotensin II, and bradykinin potentiating factor nonapeptide. Light angiotensin enzyme cross-reacted with antibody prepared against angiotensin I converting enzyme and stained with periodic acid-Schiff reagent as a glycoprotein. The evidence suggests that light angiotensin enzyme is a fragment of the higher molecular weight enzyme.     

De novo synthesis of 3'-nucleotidase in germinating wheat embryo

The enzyme 3′-AMP nucleotidase was purified 2,500- to 5,000-fold from extracts of an acetone powder of wheat (Triticum aestivum) embryonic axes germinated for 40 hours. Sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gel electrophoresis and chromatography on Biogel-P100 indicate that the enzyme is monomeric with a molecular weight of 39,000. Extracts of embryos germinated up to 6 hours have only 1% of the 40-hour level of enzyme activity. To see if the increase to 40 hours represents de novo synthesis, extracts were compared for their ability to react with a rabbit antibody prepared against the enzyme. In immunodiffusion tests, 40-hour extracts showed a strong precipitin line coincident with that of the purified enzyme, whereas no precipitation was observed with 1-hour extracts. When the enzyme present in 40-hour extracts was partially inactivated by EDTA, it still blocked the ability of the antibody to inhibit enzyme activity. Extracts of 1-hour embryos, in contrast, were not able to block the inhibitory activity of the antibody. Embryos allowed to take up ³⁵SO₄ between 40 and 46 hours of germination synthesized ³⁵S-labeled 3′-nucleotidase. In contrast, no radioactive protein synthesized by embryos during the first 6 hours of germination coincided on gel electrophoresis with the enzyme. These results indicate that the increase in 3′-nucleotidase activity is a consequence of de novo synthesis of the enzyme.     

An improved method for measuring angiotensin I converting enzyme activity using a highly sensitive angiotensin II radioimmunoassay

A highly sensitive assay for angiotensin I converting enzyme has been developed by using angiotensin I as a substrate. Angiotensin II generated in the reaction mixture was measured by a newly developed specific radioimmunoassay. To protect against angiotensin II destruction, bestatin, an inhibitor of renin, was also used to inhibit plasma renin activity. The reaction was stopped by adding EDTA and MK-521, inhibitors of angiotensin I converting enzyme. The specificity of the antiserum used for the angiotensin II radioimmunoassay was very high. The cross reactivity with angiotensin I was less than 0.5% and none of the proteolytic enzyme inhibitors crossreacted in the assay. The inhibitory effect of pepstatin on plasma renin activity was very high (more than 80%) under the standard assay conditions employed. Serum angiotensinase activity was completely inhibited by the addition of bestatin. An excellent correlation was obtained between this new method and the spectrophotometric method using a synthetic substrate, Hip-His-Leu. The generation of as little as 12 pM of Angiotensin II can be detected. Such low concentration have not been measurable with the usual spectrophotometric method. This new method will facilitate clinical and experimental studies on this unique enzyme, since very low levels of activity can be determined by this highly sensitive radioimmunoassay for angiotensin II.     

Characteristics of the Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme from Dog Lung

AFTER the demonstration of two forms of angiotensin by Skeggs et al.¹ and their preparation of an enzyme capable of catalysing the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II (converting enzyme) from horse plasma², attention centred round the blood as the physiologically significant site of converting enzyme. But when Ng and Vane³ showed that angiotensin I was converted to angiotensin II in the lungs and that the rate of conversion was sufficient to account for most of the conversion during a single passage through the circulation, attention was directed towards the lung. Bakhle⁴ partially purified the converting enzyme from dog lung but this preparation contained too much angiotensinase activity for extensive analysis of the converting enzyme to be possible. There have been several further studies of the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II by extracts from various animal sources^5–8, including the purification of converting enzyme from hog plasma⁹. We have now obtained a preparation of the enzyme from dog lung with only slight contamination by angiotensinase and have studied its characteristics with particular emphasis on its ionic requirements.     

A human myeloma cell line that does not express immunoglobulin but yields a high frequency of antibody-secreting hybridomas

We selected an 8-azaguanine-resistant variant of a human myeloma cell line (RPMI 8226) by cloning the parental cells on a feeder layer of mouse spleen cells in the presence of increasing concentrations of 8-azaguanine. Culture media and cellfree extracts of both the parental and variant (8226 AR/NIP4-1) cell lines were assayed for production of immunoglobulin heavy and light chains by double immunodiffusion and for lambda-chain by radioimmunoassay. Secretion of free lambda-chain by the parental cell line was confirmed. In contrast, no immunoglobulin heavy or light chains were detected in culture medium of the variant cell line by either immunodiffusion or radioimmunoassay. No intracellular lambda-chain could be detected in the variant cells by radioimmunoassay of cellfree extracts or by immunofluorescence of fixed cells. Hybridomas were produced by fusion of 8226AR/NIP4-1 cells with lymphocytes from a mesenteric lymph node recovered at surgery from a hypertransfused renal transplant recipient. Twenty hybrid culture supernatants were assayed for immunoglobulin by double immunodiffusion, and 15 contained either IgG (lambda) or IgG (kappa). None produced IgM or IgA. An IgG (kappa)-producing hybridoma was shown by immunofluorescence not to express lambda-chain. A second fusion between the variant cell line and spleen cells from a renal transplant patient produced a stable hybridoma secreting IgM (lambda) antibody specific for the I antigen.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme localization on cultured fibroblasts by immunofluorescence

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme is responsible for the activation of angiotensin I and the inactivation of bradykinin. It has been localized by immunofluorescence on the endothelium of a variety of tissues and has been considered to be a specific marker for endothelial cells in culture. The present paper demonstrates, by immunofluorescence, the presence of angiotensin I-converting enzyme in monolayer cultures of fibroblasts derived from adult rat lung, bovine calf pulmonary artery, and human foreskin (CF-3 cells). Fluorescent localization of angiotensin I-converting enzyme was observed over the cytoplasm of adult rat lung and bovine calf pulmonary artery fibroblasts and as distinct areas overlying the nuclei of human foreskin fibroblasts. Determination of angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity by fluorimetric assay in parallel studies confirmed the presence of angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity in cultured fibroblasts. Immunofluorescent studies with antibody to Factor VIII demonstrated the presence of Factor VIII on cultured endothelial cells but not on fibroblasts. These results indicate that angiotensin I-converting enzyme is not confined to endothelial cells, and thus may not serve as a specific marker for endothelial cells in culture. Factor VIII may be a more specific marker for these cells.     

Monoclonal antibodies to endogenous galactose-specific tumor cell lectins.

A monoclonal antibody, 5D7, was obtained after immunization of syngeneic mice with B16 melanoma cell extracts enriched for endogenous lectin activity and screening for inhibition of lectin-mediated hemagglutination. Binding of this antibody to affinity-purified B16 melanoma galactoside-specific lectin was revealed by solid-phase radioimmunoassay and binding to the surface of viable B16 cells was demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence. Inhibition of lectin activity and cell surface labeling by 5D7 antibody were also found with several types of cultured human and murine cells including melanoma, sarcoma and carcinoma. This monoclonal antibody should be useful for evaluating the role of tumor cell surface lectins in intercellular interactions and metastasis.     

Localization of angiotensin converting enzyme (kininase II). I. Preparation of antibody-hemeoctapeptide conjugates.

Antibodies to pig lung angiotensin converting enzyme (kininase II) were conjugated to a heme-octapeptide (8-microperoxidase, 8-MP) derived from cytochrome c. 8-MP, which has only one reactive amine, was coupled to antibody in a two-step procedure using a bifunctional active ester, bis-succinyl succinate. In the first-step, 8-MP-succinyl succinate, a stable compound which can be stored. In a second step, the remaining active ester was used for coupling to reactive amines of the antibody. The conjugate consists of 1.6-2.3 8-MP moieties per antibody. Using these procedures, the formation of complex polymers is avoided. Each molecule of conjugate possesses both immunoreactivity and peroxidatic activity. The conjugate has been used to localize angiotensin converting enzyme along the plasma membrane and associated caveolae of pig aortic endothelial cells in culture.     

Canine pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme. Physicochemical, catalytic and immunological properties.

Antiontensin-converting enzyme (peptidyldipeptide hydrolase, EC 3.4.15.1) has been solubilized from canine pulmonary particles and purified to apparent homogeneity. A value of approx. 140000 was estimated for the molecular weight of the native and the reduced, denatured forms of the enzyme. No free NH2-terminal residue was detected by the dansylation procedure. Carbohydrate accounted for 17% of the weight of the enzyme, and the major residues were galactose, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine with smaller amounts of sialic acid and fucose. Removal of sialic acid residues with neuraminidase did not alter enzymatic activity. The enzyme contained one molar equivalent of zinc. Addition of this metal reversed stimulation and inhibition of activity observed in the presence of Co2+ and Mn2+, respectively. Immunologic homology of pure dog and rabbit enzymes was demonstrable with goat antisera. Fab fragments and intact IgG antibodies displayed similar inhibition dose vs. response curves with homologous enzyme, whereas the fragments were poor inhibitors of heterologous activity compared to the holoantibodies. The canine glycoprotein was much less active than the rabbit preparation in catalyzing hydrolysis of Hip-His-Leu. In contrast, the two enzymes exhibited comparable kinetic parameters with angiotensin I as substrate.     

Distribution and tissue specificity of 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase

A rapid and specific method for assaying 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase was developed. The method was based on the selectivity of ion exchange resin and the speed of vacuum filtration. With this new method, the aminotransferase activity in various tissues has been determined as follows: brain, 10.2; spinal cord, 11.8; liver, 5.7; kidney, 4.6; heart, 0.5; lung, 0.4 nmol glutamate formed/min/mg. No activity could be detected in muscle preparations. When the aminotransferases were tested with the antibody, against the purified 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase from brain, no difference could be detected among brain, spinal cord, and kidney preparations as judged from the results of immunodiffusion, inhibition of enzyme activity by antibody, and microcomplement fixation. It is concluded that 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases from various tissues of the mouse are probably identical or closely related.This work was supported in part by Grant No. NS 13224 and P01 NS 12116 from the National Institutes of Health, U.S.A. and Grant from Huntington's Chorea Foundation.All correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Wu.     

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme localization on cultured fibroblasts by immunofluorescence

Summary Angiotensin I-converting enzyme is responsible for the activation of angiotensin I and the inactivation of bradykinin. It has been localized by immunofluorescence on the endothelium of a variety of tissues and has been considered to be a specific marker for endothelial cells in culture. The present paper demonstrates, by immunofluorescence, the presence of angiotensin I-converting enzyme in monolayer cultures of fibroblasts derived from adult rat lung, bovine calf pulmonary artery, and human foreskin (CF-3 cells). Fluorescent localization of angiotensin I-converting enzyme was observed over the cytoplasm of adult rat lung and bovine calf pulmonary artery fibroblasts and as distinct areas overlying the nuclei of human foreskin fibroblasts. Determination of angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity by fluorimetric assay in parallel studies confirmed the presence of angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity in cultured fibroblasts. Immunofluorescent studies with antibody to Factor VIII demonstrated the presence of Factor VIII on cultured endothelial cells but not on fibroblasts. These results indicate that angiotensin I-converting enzyme is not confined to endothelial cells, and thus may not serve as a specific marker for endothelial cells in culture. Factor VIII may be a more specific marker for these cells. Presented in part at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Histochemical Society, April 11–15, 1980, New Orleans, Louisiana. Wendy Baur and Ms. Jane Aghajanian for expert assistance in the preparation of the cell cultures. This work was supported by Research Grant HL 14456 and Training Grant HL 07053 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.     

植物雅龙果叶抑制ACE活性的研究

为研究植物雅龙果叶子降血压活性,利用HPLC对其50％丙酮．水提取物、正丁醇和水萃取部分及其从正丁醇萃取部分中分离得到的两种单一化合物进行了ACE抑制活性的检测。结果表明上述样品均具有一定的抑制ACE活性,50％丙酮-水提取物、正丁醇萃取部分以及芦丁和咖啡酸的EC50值分别为53、30、4．1、2．2mg／mL。