Background: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is synthesized and stored in m
yocytes as prohormone(1-126), which upon release is cleaved into proANP(1-9
8) and alpha-ANP(99-126). In addition, cleavage of proANP(1-98) produces pr
oANP(I-30), proANP(31-67), and proANP(79-98) fragments. ProANP(1-30) and pr
oANP(3167) have roles in fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. The aim of the
present study was to develop a plasma assay for proANP(1-30) and proANP(31-
67) and to compare results in trained athletes and sedentary subjects.
Methods: Two competitive enzyme immunoassays were established with affinity
-purified sheep antiserum against synthetic ANP fragments. The immunoreacti
vity (ir) of proANP(1-30) and proANP(31-67) was measured in 10-mu L plasma
samples without extraction in a microwell-based assay. Plasma concentration
s in sedentary male subjects (n = 22) and male endurance athletes (n = 14)
were examined.
Results: In the assay for ir-proANP(1-30) and irproANP(31-67), the concentr
ations at 95% B/B-0 were 4.7 and 14.2 pmol/L, respectively. Within-run CVs
were 4-6% and 5-6%, and between-run CVs were 9% for both assays. Both assay
s were linear on dilution (y 0.9945x - 0.7291 and y = 1.0001x - 3.428), and
the recoveries were 102-112% and 102-106%, respectively. In the sedentary
and athletic groups, the ir-proANP(1-30) concentrations were similar: 318 /- 38 pmol/L and 312 +/- 25 pmol/L (mean +/- SE), respectively, whereas the
ir-proANP(31-67) was higher in the rowers (713 +/- 81 pmol/L) than in the
sedentary subjects (387 +/- 71 pmol/L; P <0.005).
Conclusions: The proANP fragment assays are precise (CV <10%) and exhibit n
early quantitative recovery (102-112%). Only ir-proANP(31-67) responds to p
hysical training. (C) 2000 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.