Purification and characterization of a neutral endopeptidase-like enzyme from human urine

Immunocapture-based fluorometric assay for the measurement of neprilysin-specific enzyme activity in brain tissue homogenates and cerebrospinal fluid

Neprilysin, a zinc-metalloendopeptidase, has important roles in the physiology and pathology of many diseases such as hypertension, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. We have developed an immunocapture assay to measure the specific enzyme activity of neprilysin in brain tissue homogenates and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The assay uses a neprilysin-specific antibody, previously used in a commercially available ELISA kit, to isolate and immobilise NEP from brain homogenates and CSF, prior to the addition of a fluorogenic peptide substrate (Mca-RPPGFSAFK(Dnp)). This fluorogenic substrate is ordinarily cleaved by multiple enzymes. We have shown that without the immunocapture phase, even under reaction conditions reported to be specific for neprilysin - i.e. in the presence of thiorphan, at pH above 7 - the fluorogenic peptide substrate does not allow neprilysin activity in brain homogenates and CSF to be discriminated from that of other closely related enzymes. The specificity of the immunocapture enzyme activity assay was confirmed by >80% inhibition of substrate cleavage in brain homogenates and CSF in the presence of thiorphan. The assay allows high-throughput analysis and, critically, also ensures a high level of enzyme specificity even when assaying crude tissue homogenates or CSF.

Specificity comparison of a serine endopeptidase (SH1) and a serine thiol endopeptidase (STH2) purified from human urine

In this study, we compared the properties of a serine endopeptidase H1 (SH1) and a serine thiol endopeptidase (STH2) purified from human urine by DEAE-cellulose followed by a Bio Gel A0.5 m or Sepharose Mercurial chromatographs. These enzymes differ in their action upon different hormone peptides. We used fluorogenic substrates to further characterize the enzyme. The substrate specificity of urinary SH1 was studied using different internally quenched fluorescent peptides, and AbzFGQEDDnp was hydrolyzed by SH1. Other enzymes present in urine, such as serine endopeptidase H2, prolyl endopeptidase, neutral endopeptidase like and angiotensin-I converting enzyme, were not able to hydrolyze this substrate. SH1 is 100% inhibited by PMSF and resistant to EDTA, OPA, thiorphan, E64, pOHMB and phosphoramidon. Endopeptidase STH2 is completely inhibited by PMSF, E64 and pOHMB. Enzyme SH1 hydrolyzes the peptide bound F5-S6 at bradykinin (BK: RPPGFSPFR) molecule and R-Q at AbzBKQEDDnp. When studying enzyme STH2, the cleavage sites determined to the related substrates were F5-S6 using BK as substrate and F-R using AbzBKQEDDnp. The kilometers value obtained for AbzBKQEDDnp and AbzFGQEDDnp were 1.18 and 0.007 uM, respectively. Kininases from kidney and urine can hydrolyze peptide bounds from components of the kallikrein-kinin system, the angiotensin-renin system and the neuropeptides system, straight contributing in kidney homeostasis. SH1 was located at the distal tubule [Casarini et al., 1999a, Am. J. Physiol. 277, F66] and can have an important function in the control of kinin found in this portion, since is known that all components of the kallikrein-kinin system were found in this portion. The physiological role of SHT2 could be related to the inter-relation between the kallikrein-kinin system and neuropeptides in the control of the water electrolyte balance [Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. 25 (3) (1992) 219].

Neutral endopeptidase expression in mesangial cells

In the kidney, neutral endopeptidase (NEP) is implicated in the metabolism of several peptides involved in blood pressure and sodium homeostasis control, such as the atrial natriuretic peptide, bradykinin and angiotensin I. Due to its physiological importance in the modulation of pressor responses, the presence of NEP in mouse mesangial cells has been investigated, since these cells control glomerular function and are able to synthesise components of the renin-angiotensin system. A NEP-like activity (NEP-like) that cleaves the fluorogenic substrates Abz-BKQ-EDDnp and Abz-DRRL-EDDnp was purified from mesangial cell lysate by ion-exchange, followed by gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme was able to hydrolyse bradykinin at the G4-F5 peptide bond and was inhibited by thiorphan. A pH study established that enzyme activity was maximal at pH 7.5 and the determined K(m) was 4.86 M using Abz-DRRL-EDDnp as substrate. NEP-like was recognised by monoclonal anti-NEP and had a molecular mass of 95 kDa. The purified enzyme was sequenced and showed similarity with human, rat, mouse and rabbit NEPs. We isolated, for the first time, NEP-like from mesangial cells. This enzyme could have an important role in the renal physiology by its action upon different peptides that are able to alter renal haemodynamics.

Vasopeptidase inhibition and Ang-(1-7) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

BACKGROUND

Omapatrilat, a new vasopeptidase inhibitor, inhibits the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP). Because these two enzymes participate in the degradation of the vasodilator and natriuretic peptide, angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)], we assessed whether omapatrilat treatment is associated with changes in the plasma and urinary excretion rates of the angiotensins.

METHODS

We investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) (0.24 kg body weight) the effect of omapatrilat on plasma and urinary concentrations of angiotensin (Ang) I, Ang II and Ang-(1-7) during 17 days of administration of either the drug (N = 15, 100 micromol/kg/day) or vehicle (N = 14) in the drinking water. Hemodynamic and renal excretory function studies were associated with histological examination of the expression of Ang-(1-7) in the kidneys of both vehicle and omapatrilat-treated SHRs.

RESULTS

Omapatrilat induced a sustained lowering of systolic blood pressure (-68 mm Hg) without changes in cardiac rate. The mild positive water balance produced by omapatrilat did not cause natriuresis or kaliuresis, although it was associated with a significant decrease in urine osmolality. Blood pressure normalization was accompanied by increases in plasma Ang I (2969%), Ang II (57%), and Ang-(1-7) (163%) levels, paralleling pronounced increases in urinary excretion rates of Ang I and Ang-(1-7) but not Ang II. Detection of Ang-(1-7) immunostaining in the kidneys of five other SHR exposed either to vehicle (N = 3) or omapatrilat (N = 2) ascertained the source of the Ang-(1-7) found in the urine. Intense Ang-(1-7) staining, more pronounced in omapatrilat-treated SHR, was found in renal proximal tubules throughout the outer and inner regions of the renal cortex and the thick ascending loop of Henle, whereas no Ang-(1-7)-positive immunostaining was found in glomeruli and distal tubules.

CONCLUSIONS

Omapatrilat antihypertensive effects caused significant activation of the renin-angiotensin system associated with increases in urinary excretion rates of Ang I and Ang-(1-7). Combined studies of Ang-(1-7) metabolism in urine and immunohistochemical studies in the kidney revealed the existence of an intrarenal source, which may account for the pronounced increase in the excretion rate of the vasodilator heptapeptide. These findings provide further evidence for a contribution of Ang-(1-7) to the regulation of renal function and blood pressure.

Characterization of a prolyl endopeptidase (kininase) from human urine using fluorogenic quenched substrates

A prolyl endopeptidase (PE) was purified 83 times from human urine by DEAE-cellulose and Sepharose Mercurial chromatographies. In this work we studied the specificity of PE using different fluorogenics substrates. Further characterization of the enzyme was carried out using BK and it's analogue, Abz-RPPGFSPFRQ-EDDnp and Abz-FPQ-EDDnp, for measure of enzymatic activity of prolyl endopeptidase (Abz=ortho-aminobenzoic acid; EDDnp=N-[2, 4-dinitrophenyl]ethylenediamine). The substrate Abz-FPQ-EDDnp was considered as specific for PE. The endopeptidase PE, with a molecular weight of 45 kDa, was inhibited 100% by EDTA and pOHMB and resistant to PMSF, thyorphan, E64 and phosphoramidon, when we used the mentioned substrates. These results suggest that PE is a metallo endopeptidase that contains a thiol group important for it's activity. It was also able to hydrolyze in Abz-RPPGFSPFRQ-EDDnp the F-R peptide bound, differing from those obtained upon BK molecule, where the enzyme prefer the peptide bound located after double proline. In the substrate Abz-FPQ-EDDnp PE hydrolyzes the P-Q peptide bound. Furthermore the urinary PE is particularly unable to hydrolyze peptides with single prolines such as substance P, neurotensin and LHRH. The determined K(m) for Abz-RPPGFSPFRQ-EDDnp and Abz-FPQ-EDDnp were 0.74 and 0.65 uM, respectively. The optimum pH for the PE activity, using the substrate Abz-RPPGFSPFRQ-EDDnp was approximately 9.0, but using the specific substrate Abz-FPQ-EDDnp was 6.5 and 8.0. Endopeptidases, which are situated at brush border surface from proximal tubules, have an important role in kidney handling of many peptides, which are filtered by the glomerulus. The prolyl endopeptidase located at distal tubule could have an important physiological function in control of kinin formed in this portion. It's known that all components from kallicrein-kinin system like low molecular weigh kininogen and kallikrein are presents in this portion.

Endothelin-1 inactivating peptidase in the human kidney and urine

OBJECTIVE

Recently, an apparently novel, specific endothelin-1 inactivating metalloendopeptidase (ET-1 peptidase) has been isolated from the rat kidney. In this study we attempted to determine whether the same or a similar peptidase is present in the human kidney, and whether the enzyme is excreted into the urine. The urinary ET-1 peptidase could serve as an indirect index of the renal endothelin system, both in physiology and pathophysiology.

METHODS

Kidney specimens were obtained from part of nephrectomized kidneys unaffected by any neoplastic process from six adult patients. The enzyme was purified using differential centrifugation, detergent solubilization of the membrane proteins, ultrafiltration and nondenaturing gel electrophoresis. The enzyme activity assays were performed at pH 5.5 and 37 degrees C in the presence of increasing concentrations of unlabelled peptides and inhibitors using a fixed amount of [125I]ET-1 as substrate. The degradation extent was quantified with trichloroacetic acid precipitation and high performance liquid chromatography. The degrading activity of ET-1 was determined in urine samples from adult patients with hypertension, children with chronic renal failure and those with stable renal allograft

RESULTS

ET-1 peptidase from the human kidney displays characteristics close to that of the rat ET-1 peptidase we have recently described (J. Hypertens 1994; 12:1155-1162). The enzyme, a membrane-bound metalloendopeptidase, exhibits low electro- phoretical mobility on nondenaturing gel (Rf 0.08); it is an apparently heterologous structure comprising three enzymatically inactive subunits, it has a pH optimum at 5.5, a nanomolar range affinity to the ET-1 (KM 180 nmol/l) that is hydrolysed to two main degradation products, and a 10-100-fold lower affinity to big ET-1 (KM 11.5 micromol/l), endothelin 11 21 fragment (KM 15.3 micromol/l), endothelin antagonist Trp-Leu-Asp-Ile-Ile-Trp (KM 3.1 micromol/I), gastrin (KM 2.2 micromol/l) and cholecystokinin (KM 4.0 micromol/l). Substance P, neuropeptide Y, atrial natriuretic peptide, bradykinin, angiotensin II and enkephalin were poor substrates for the enzyme. The most powerful inhibitors of the ET-1 peptidase included thiorphan (IC50 0.28 nmol/l), phosphoramidon (IC50 0.55 nmol/l), phenanthroline (IC50 11.5 micromol/l), cyclosporin (IC50 400 micromol/l), phosphate (IC50 1.2 mmol/l), citrate (IC50 0.6 mmol/l) and aniline naphthalene sulphonic acid (IC50 0.25 mmol/l). Our data suggest that three ET-1 degrading peptidases with optimal activity at pH 4.5, 5.5 and 7.0, respectively, are excreted into the urine. The enzyme with a pH optimum 4.5 is of lysosomal origin whereas the two other enzymes correspond by their pH optima to the renal ET-1 peptidase and neutral endopeptidase. We have found statistically significant increases (P < 0.001) in the activity of both lysosomal and ET-1 peptidase in the urine in patients with hypertension and in children with chronic renal failure compared with healthy subjects or children with stable renal allograft

CONCLUSIONS

Human kidney contains an acidic, highly specific endothelin-1 inactivating metalloendopeptidase that may have a key role in the regulation of concentrations of renal and circulating endothelins. The enzyme is excreted into the urine where its activity seems to be increased in patients with hypertension and chronic renal failure; it may potentially serve as an indirect index of the renal endothelin system.