Angiotensin II and its heptapeptide (2-8), hexapeptide (3-8), and pentapeptide (4-8) metabolites in arterial and venous blood of man.

We made separate measurements of angiotensin II (A II) and of its immunoreactive metabolites (2-8 heptapeptide, 3-8 hexapeptide, and 4-8 pentapeptide) in arterial and venous plasma from subjects with widely different plasma levels of the peptides. A II and its three metabolites were extracted from blood, separated by paper chromatography, and measured by radioimmunoassay using an A II antiserum which had a 100% cross-reaction with each metabolite. In contrast to results of previous studies, A II was found to predominate in both arterial (60-100%) and venous (55-100%) blood. The biologically active 2-8 heptapeptide metabolite accounted for only 10% of the activity in arterial plasma. Radioimmunoassay of venous plasma extracts using an A II antiserum which had a low cross-reaction with the 3-8 hexapeptide and the 4-8 pentapeptide confirmed the results obtained using the antiserum which had a 100% cross-reaction with the metabolites. We conclude that radioimmunoassay methods for measuring A II in venous blood may be more accurate and relevant than has previously been recognized. The small difference between A II concentrations in arterial and venous plasma suggests further that there may be significant conversion of angiotensin I (A I) to A II in the limb vasculature.