NH2-terminal big gastrin immunoreactivity in human urine.

The concentrations and molecular forms of urinary and plasma gastrin from normal subjects were studied by radioimmunoassays using two region-specific antisera. Urinary concentration of NH2-terminal big gastrin (G-34) immunoreactivity was several hundred times as great as that of COOH-terminal gastrin immunoreactivity. Fractionation of urine extract showed a broad giant peak of NH2-terminal G-34 immunoreactivity (gastrin fragments "U") eluting in a later position than G-34(1-17) by Sephadex G-50 column chromatography. HPLC revealed that urinary NH2-terminal G-34 immunoreactivity was composed of four fragments including G-34(1-8), G-34(1-9), and G-34(1-10). Sephadex G-50 column chromatography of plasma extract revealed two or three peaks of NH2-terminal G-34 immunoreactivity, and a major peak eluted in the same position as urinary gastrin fragments "U". These results and data on renal clearances suggest that most of all gastrin fragments "U" in plasma are excreted in urine without renal reabsorption, whereas almost all of plasma COOH-terminal gastrin peptides including G-34 and little gastrin (G-17) are removed and metabolized in the kidney.