Purification of human renin and inhibition of its activity by pepstatin

Evidence against acetone-soluble renin inhibitors in normal human plasma

The presence of acetone-soluble renin inhibitors in normal plasma has been proposed to explain the variation of plasma reactivity (PRR) in samples from normotensive and hypertensive subjects. In our experience, acetone extraction decreased PRR in relation to unextracted control values, an observation which is not consistent with the circulating lipid-renin inhibitor hypothesis. Exposure to acetone at -40 degrees C for 1 minute invariably denatured some endogenous angiotensinogen. The PRR in extracted and unextracted plasma was positively correlated with the concentration of available angiotensinogen, r = 0.955 (p < 0.05), and r = 0.964 (p < 0.01), respectively, but the addition of exogenous substrate did not uniformly increase PRR in acetone-treated plasma above control values. These data argue against the use of acetone extraction to demonstrate the existence of circulating lipid-renin inhibitors. Acetone removed 14% to 25% of the normal plasma lipids and although the extract contained most of the major lipid classes, neutral lipids were the most abundant (73% by weight). The presence of acetone-soluble phospholipids appeared to increase angiotensin I formation in the partially purified renin-angiotensinogen system, but phospholipids interfered with the radioimmunoassay and resulted in an overestimation of angiotensin I. Plasma neutral lipids decreased in vitro renin activity by 13% (p < 0.025) but this degree of inhibition suggests that lipid-renin interactions may have minimal in vivo physiological significance. In contrast to previous reports, we found the correlation between PRR and endogenous angiotensinogen in normotensive and hypertensive plasmas to be statistically significant (r = 0.643, p < 0.01). Inactivated human angiotensinogen was also shown to be an inhibitor of renin in vitro. This effect could have possibly influenced PRR values that were determined by others in the presence of inactivated angiotensinogen.

In vitro and in vivo inhibition of renin by fatty acids

Circulating neutral lipids inhibit the in vitro renin reaction. To identify the inhibitor(s), free fatty acids were added to human renin and homologous substrate. Capric, lauric, palmitoleic, linoleic, and arachidonic acids each inhibited the rate of angiotensin I production in vitro (P less than 0.01). Inhibition by polysaturated fatty acids (linoleic and arachidonic) was less (P less than 0.01) after catalytic hydrogenation of the double bonds. To evaluate an in vivo effect of renin inhibition intra-arterial blood pressure responses to infusions of renin and angiotensin II (5.0 microgram) were measured in anephric rats (n = 6) before and after infusion of linoleic acid (10 mg iv). Mean increase of blood pressure to angiotensin II before (75 mmHg +/- 9) and after (90 +/- 12) linoleic acid did not differ (P greater than 0.05). However, the pressor response to renin after linoleic acid (18 +/- 3) was less (P less than 0.00)) than that before (102 +/- 13). In summary, several fatty acids inhibit the in vitro renin reaction, and in part inhibition is dependent on unsaturation. Linoleic acid also inhibits the in vivo pressor response to renin. These results suggest that fatty acids may modify the measurement of plasma renin activity and may also affect angiotensin production in vivo.

Partial characterization of hog renin purified by affinity chromatography

A method has been set up to purify renin on a large scale by affinity chromatography using Pepstatin, a potent inhibitor of renin, as a ligand. Pepstatin was covalently coupled to Sepharose via six different spacer 'arms'. The Sepharose-hexamethylenediamino-Pepstatin appeared to be the better derivative for renin purification even at a concentration as low as 160 nmol of Pepstatin/ml of moist gel. Renin was extracted from 100 kg of hog kidneys and semi-purified by ammonium sulfate precipitations and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The active fraction (48.5 g of proteins) was applied on a 500-ml affinity column. Renin was eluted in the starting buffer containing 6 M urea. Renin was purified 120-fold by the affinity chromatography step with a 79% recovery. Physico-chemical characterization of highly purified renin was performed. Isoelectrofocusing on a pH gradient from 3 to 6 showed a major peak with an isoelectric point (pI) of 4.95 and a minor peak (pI = 4.70). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, pH 7.8, at different gel concentrations, showed a single peak of renin activity which was found in the major protein band. Molecular size estimated on agarose-acrylamide gel filtration was 40 000. All these physical parameters were similar before and after purification.