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The renin angiotensin system (RAS) is a highly complex enzymatic system consisting of multiple peptide hormones, enzymes, and receptors. A thorough characterization of angiotensin peptide metabolism is crucial for understanding pathological states associated with an imbalanced RAS. Here, we describe two matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometric (MS) approaches for the assessment of in vitro and in situ RAS enzymatic activities in the kidney using the natural angiotensin peptide substrates. These MS techniques demonstrate high specificity and are superior over conventional spectrophotometric or colorimetric assays since multiple proteolytic cleavage sites can be detected, thus unraveling the complexity of the RAS.

Aminopeptidase-A (APA) is a less well-studied enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system. We propose that it is involved in cardiac angiotensin (ANG) metabolism and its pathologies. ANG-(1-7) can ameliorate remodeling after myocardial injury. The aims of this study are to (1) develop mass spectrometric (MS) approaches for the assessment of ANG processing by APA within the myocardium; and (2) investigate the role of APA in cardiac ANG-(1-7) metabolism after myocardial infarction (MI) using sensitive MS techniques. MI was induced in C57Bl/6 male mice by ligating the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Frozen mouse heart sections (in situ assay) or myocardial homogenates (in vitro assay) were incubated with the endogenous APA substrate, ANG II. Results showed concentration- and time-dependent cardiac formation of ANG III from ANG II, which was inhibited by the specific APA inhibitor, 4-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid. Myocardial APA activity was significantly increased 24 h after LAD ligation (0.82 ± 0.02 vs. 0.32 ± 0.02 ρmol·min(-1)·μg(-1), MI vs. sham, P < 0.01). Both MS enzyme assays identified the presence of a new peptide, ANG-(2-7), m/z 784, which accumulated in the MI (146.45 ± 6.4 vs. 72.96 ± 7.0%, MI vs. sham, P < 0.05). Use of recombinant APA enzyme revealed that APA is responsible for ANG-(2-7) formation from ANG-(1-7). APA exhibited similar substrate affinity for ANG-(1-7) compared with ANG II {Km (ANG II) = 14.67 ± 1.6 vs. Km [ANG-(1-7)] = 6.07 ± 1.12 μmol/l, P < 0.05}. Results demonstrate a novel role of APA in ANG-(1-7) metabolism and suggest that the upregulation of APA, which occurs after MI, may deprive the heart of cardioprotective ANG-(1-7). Thus APA may serve as a potentially novel therapeutic target for management of tissue remodeling after MI.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) catalyzes conversion of ANG II to ANG-(1-7). The present study uses newly established proteomic approaches and genetic mouse models to examine the contribution of alternative renal peptidases to ACE2-independent formation of ANG-(1-7). In situ and in vitro mass spectrometric characterization showed that substrate concentration and pH control renal ANG II processing. At pH ≥6, ANG-(1-7) formation was significantly reduced in ACE2 knockout (KO) mice. However, at pH <6, formation of ANG-(1-7) in ACE2 KO mice was similar to that in wild-type (WT) mice, suggesting alternative peptidases for renal ANG II processing. Furthermore, the dual prolyl carboxypeptidase (PCP)-prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) inhibitor Z-prolyl-prolinal reduced ANG-(1-7) formation in ACE2 KO mice, while the ACE2 inhibitor MLN-4760 had no effect. Unlike the ACE2 KO mice, ANG-(1-7) formation from ANG II in PEP KO mice was not different from that in WT mice at any tested pH. However, at pH 5, this reaction was significantly reduced in kidneys and urine of PCP-depleted mice. In conclusion, results suggest that ACE2 metabolizes ANG II in the kidney at neutral and basic pH, while PCP catalyzes the same reaction at acidic pH. This is the first report demonstrating that renal ANG-(1-7) formation from ANG II is independent of ACE2. Elucidation of ACE2-independent ANG-(1-7) production pathways may have clinically important implications in patients with metabolic and renal disease.

The present study was undertaken to determine if acute stress induced by exposure to ether resulted in the presence of beta-cell-tropic factors in rat plasma and if this insulinotropic activity was increased by pertussis toxin. Rats pretreated with pertussis toxin (5 micrograms/kg, 5 days previously) showed marked hyperinsulinemia, but only after exposure to ether before blood sampling. This hyperinsulinemia was not modified by adrenal demedullation. Effects on insulin secretion were assessed by incubation of plasma (diluted with Krebs buffer) with collagenase-isolated rat pancreatic islets. When blood was collected by decapitation from normal rats, the subsequently prepared plasma (12.5% to 50%) profoundly inhibited insulin release from rat isolated islets. This inhibition was probably mediated by catecholamines, since it was not seen with plasma from adrenal-demedullated rats and was prevented by alpha 2-adrenoceptor-blocking drugs. Plasma from adrenal-demedullated, pertussis toxin-treated rats stimulated insulin secretion (by 60%) when the donor rats had been exposed to ether before blood sampling. It is suggested that stress may result in the presence of circulating beta-cell-tropic factors, which may contribute to the acute stress-induced hyperinsulinemia seen in pertussis toxin-treated animals.