Poster in AACC 2010: The Role of Furin and Corin in Processing of Human B-type Natriuretic Peptide Precursor

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The Role of Furin and Corin in Processing of Human B-type Natriuretic Peptide Precursor

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Alexander G. Semenov ¹, Natalia N. Tamm ¹, Karina R. Seferian ¹, Alexander B. Postnikov ¹, Natalia S. Karpova ², Daria V. Serebryanaya ², Alexey G. Katrukha ¹.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and its N-terminal fragment (NT-proBNP) are the products of the enzyme-mediated cleavage of their precursor molecule, proBNP (Fig. 1). The clinical significance of proBNP-derived peptides as biomarkers of heart failure (HF) has been explored thoroughly, whereas little is known about the mechanisms of proBNP processing itself. It is still unknown what protease(s) is responsible for proBNP processing. However, the comprehensive assessment of proBNP processing mechanisms could be of value for better understanding of HF development and reliable interpretation of the results of BNP, NT-proBNP and proBNP measurements.

Conclusions:
Both furin and corin could be involved in the proBNP processing pathway, giving rise to distinct BNP forms: BNP 1-32 (furin) and BNP 4-32 (corin). The phenomenon of the existance in circulation of unprocessed proBNP that could be processed by the endogenous convertase(s) should be further investigated for better understanding the BNP physiology.