Immunoreactive Endothelin in Plasma of Nonmammalian Vertebrates

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Abstract
Immunoreactive endothelin (ir-ET) was estimated in plasma of nonmammalian vertebrates, using radioimmunoassay (RIA) for endothelin-1 (ET-1). Blood samples were collected from unanesthetized animals. Plasma ET was determined by RIA after extraction. Plasma levels of ir-ET were 0.7 ± 0.2 pg/ml n = 6) in the hagfish Eptatretus burgeri, 4.3 ± 0.9 pg/ml n = 5) in the banded dogfish Triakis scyllia, 3.6 ± 0.8 pg/ml (n = 3) in the common Japanese conger Conger myriaster, 9.6 ± 1.4 pg/ml (n = 7) in the carp Cyprinus carpio, 6.4 ± 0.8 pg/ml (n = 5) in the bullfrog Rana catesbeiana, 6.7 ± 0.6 pg/ml (n = 3) in the soft-shelled turtle Trionyx sinensis japonica, and 3.3 ± 0.6 pg/ml (n = 8) in the Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica. The dilution curves of the plasma extracts from each species almost paralleled the standard curve for ET-1. Analysis of the plasma extracts of the carp by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that ir-ET consisted of three components, a predominant peak being located at the elution position of synthetic ET-1. The present results demonstrate clearly that an ET-1-like substance circulates in blood of nonmammalian vertebrates, suggesting an endocrine function of the peptide in these species.

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