High-performance liquid chromatographic-radioimmunoassay method for the measurement of angiotensin II peptides in human plasma.

A highly selective high-performance liquid chromatographic-radioimmunoassay method for the measurement of individual endogenous angiotensin peptides in human plasma is described. This method allows the complete resolution of the immunoreactive angiotensin II peptides. We have also measured the angiotensin peptide levels and compared them in both pooled and individual human plasma. The effects of inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme on the angiotensin peptide levels have also been observed in a patient with renovascular hypertension with the plasma angiotensin II level being reduced greater than seven-fold. This new methodology was validated by recovery experiments in plasma over a range of physiological levels using two methods of detection, radioimmunoassay and liquid scintillation counting. Consistent recoveries near 80% have been achieved for each peptide in plasma at concentrations over a physiological range. The described method enables the direct measurement of the circulating angiotensin peptides and the elucidation of their specific roles in physiological and disease states.