Analysis of latent forms of renin using antibodies raised against the propart segment of human prorenin: validation with representative samples of ovarian cyst and follicular fluids

Probing epitopes on human prorenin during its proteolytic and non-proteolytic activation

The conformational changes of prorenin (PR) that are associated with its reversible non-proteolytic activation and irreversible proteolytic activation were monitored with immunoradiometric assays, using antibodies against epitopes belonging to the propeptide or the renin part of PR. Binding of PR to the renin inhibitor remikiren or protonation of PR resulted in the slowly progressive and simultaneous expression (t1/2 congruent with3.5-5.0 h at 4 degreesC) of epitopes of the N-terminal and C-terminal halves of the propeptide and an epitope that is manifest on renin but not on native non-activated PR. During reversible PR activation-inactivation, expression and disappearance of these epitopes coincided with the appearance and disappearance of enzyme activity. Cleavage of the propeptide from the renin part of PR by plasmin, as demonstrated by the failure of remikiren to unmask the N-terminal and C-terminal propeptide epitopes, was, with some time lag, followed by the simultaneous expression (t1/2 congruent with60 min at 4 degreesC) of the renin-specific epitope and enzymatic activity. Based on these findings we propose a model for the non-proteolytic activation of PR that involves the formation of an intermediary form of activated PR with the following properties: (1) the covalently bound propeptide has moved out of the active-site cleft, so that binding sites are exposed to active site ligands, (2) the propeptide is still not in the 'relaxed' conformation that is characteristic for fully, non-proteolytically, activated PR, and (3) the N-terminal part of the renin polypeptide chain has not yet attained the proper location that is required for enzymatic activity.

New monoclonal antibodies directed against the propart segment of human prorenin as a tool for the exploration of prorenin conformation

Six monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against human prorenin were produced by immunizing BALB/c mice with a peptide corresponding to the sequence (-17 to +9) of prorenin. The new MAbs were screened for their ability to first bind to the immobilized peptide and then to prorenin previously captured by an anti-total renin MAb. The specificity of the MAbs was confirmed by the total lack of binding to active renin. Using BIAcore technology, equilibrium affinity constants of the MAbs were determined and ranged from 3.2 x 10(8) to 5.7 x 10(9) l/mol. Immunoradiometric assays (IRMA) for prorenin were performed using the anti-total renin MAb and the anti-prorenin MAbs. The best results were obtained when an anti-prorenin MAb was immobilized and the anti-total renin MAb was used as tracer in a one-step procedure. Moreover, the signal was significantly increased by the presence of the renin inhibitor SR 43845 suggesting that the inhibitor-induced conformational change of prorenin could be detected by the MAbs.