Proteolytic processing of angiotensin-I in human blood plasma

PLoS One. 2013 May 28;8(5):e64027. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064027. Print 2013.

Abstract

In mammalian species, except humans, N-terminal processing of the precursor peptide angiotensin I (ANG-1-10) into ANG-2-10 or ANG-3-10 was reported. Here we hypothesize that aminopeptidase-generated angiotensins bearing the same C-terminus as ANG-1-10 are also present in humans. We demonstrate the time dependent generation of ANG-2-10, ANG-3-10, ANG-4-10, ANG-5-10 and ANG-6-10 from the precursor ANG-1-10 by human plasma proteins. The endogenous presence of ANG-4-10, ANG-5-10 and ANG-6-10 in human plasma was confirmed by an immuno-fluorescence assay. Generation of ANG-2-10, ANG-3-10 and ANG-4-10 from ANG-1-10 by immobilized human plasma proteins was sensitive to the cysteine/serine protease inhibitor antipain. The metal ion chelator EDTA inhibited Ang-6-10-generation. Incubation of the substrates ANG-3-10, ANG-4-10 and ANG-5-10 with recombinant aminopeptidase N (APN) resulted in a successive N-terminal processing, finally releasing ANG-6-10 as a stable end product, demonstrating a high similarity concerning the processing pattern of the angiotensin peptides compared to the angiotensin generating activity in plasma. Recombinant ACE-1 hydrolyzed the peptides ANG-2-10, ANG-3-10, ANG-4-10 and ANG-5-10 into ANG-2-8, ANG-3-8, ANG-4-8 and ANG-5-8. Since ANG-2-10 was processed into ANG-2-8, ANG-4-8 and ANG-5-8 by plasma proteases the angiotensin peptides bearing the same C-terminus as ANG-1-10 likely have a precursor function in human plasma. Our results confirm the hypothesis of aminopeptidase mediated processing of ANG-1-10 in humans. We show the existence of an aminopeptidase mediated pathway in humans that bypasses the known ANG-1-8-carboxypeptidase pathway. This expands the knowledge about the known human renin angiotensin system, showing how efficiently the precursor ANG-1-10 is used by nature.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Angiotensin I / blood*
  • Angiotensin I / chemistry
  • Angiotensin I / isolation & purification
  • Angiotensins / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Blood Proteins / metabolism
  • CD13 Antigens / metabolism
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Humans
  • Immobilized Proteins / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Protease Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proteolysis* / drug effects
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Angiotensins
  • Blood Proteins
  • Immobilized Proteins
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Angiotensin I
  • CD13 Antigens
  • ACE protein, human
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Grant: 0315341B) and by LEXI (Landesexzellentinitiative, Hamburg). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.