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Characterization of human pancreatic kallikrein.

Human pancreatic kallikrein (H.Panc.K.) was purified from human pancreas by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, affinity chromatographies on p-aminobenzamidine Sepharose 6B and aprotinin aminocellulofine, followed by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. The final preparation had a specific activity of 9.2 AU/A280 (AU; amidase unit for H-Pro-Phe-Arg-MCA) and its N-terminal sequence coincided with the reported sequence for H.Panc.K.. In HPLC (gel filtration), one symmetrical peak corresponding to a molecular weight of 48,000 was obtained. In SDS-PAGE without 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME), one band corresponding to a molecular weight of 52,000 was obtained, but with 2-ME, 2 bands, 52,000 and 30,000, were obtained. Km value for MCA was 4.9 x 10(-2) mM. Proteinase inhibitor specificities of H.Panc.K. were the same as those of human urinary kallikrein (HUK) and hog pancreatic kallikrein (hog Panc.K.), while anti-HUK antibody inhibited the activities of H.Panc.K. and HUK, but not that of hog Panc.K.. From the analysis of affinity for concanavalin A (Con A) and erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (E-PHA), the carbohydrate parts of H.Panc.K. are relatively rich in biantennary complex type sugar chains with bisecting GlcNAc compared with those of human salivary kallikrein (H.Saliv.K.) and HUK.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Bile acids and the intestinal kallikrein-kinin system.

We have measured concentrations of tissue kallikrein-like amidase (TKLA) in blood-free rat gastrointestinal tissue. TKLA was present in the gut wall from the stomach to the rectum with concentration peaks in the duodenum and caecum. When rats, fasted for 24 hr were compared with normally fed animals, the mean fasted TKLA levels rose significantly in the duodenum and proximal and distal colons and fell in the caecum. No other tissues showed concentration changes. Sodium chenodeoxycholate and other bile acids have biological actions on the rat intestinal wall which are similar to those produced by the kallikrein-kinin system. We have previously reported that bile acids released TKLA from the rat colon wall. This TKLA was totally inhibited by aprotinin. We now report that intraluminal sodium chenodeoxycholate (30 mM) increases both colonic motility and colonic mucosal leakage. These increases are largely blocked by aprotinin. The ability of intraluminal sodium taurochenodeoxycholate to increase vascular leakage in the rat stomach and colon was parallelled by its ability to release TKLA from these issues. Our results are compatible with the mediation of these biological actions of the tested bile acids via activation of a serine proteinase, possibly tissue kallikrein.

Animals↗

A comparative study of the measurement of urinary kallikrein by various methods in patients with essential hypertension and patients with proteinuria.

In order to investigate the validity of urinary kallikrein (KAL) measurement, comparative studies were performed among the values obtained by various methods of urinary KAL measurements. Daily urine samples were collected from 37 hospitalized normal subjects (NS, 21 essential hypertensives without complications (EHT) and 20 patients with renal diseases associated with proteinuria (PU). Urinary KAL excretions were determined by direct radioimmunoassay (RIA), kininogenase assay (K-genase), TAMe esterase assay (TAMe), and PPA-MCA (MCA) and PPA-NE amidase assay (NE). By the desalting procedure, urinary KAL levels showed significant changes in TAMe, MCA and NE, but not in d-RIA and K-genase in all three groups. In TAMe, MCA and NE, the recovery of added KAL in urine was significantly lower in non-desalted samples in both EHT and PU, but not in NS. Impaired recovery and correlations between d-RIA or K-genase and TAMe, MCA or NE in non-desalted samples were improved by desalting. Although good correlations were observed between d-RIA or K-genase and TAMe, MCA or NE in desalted samples, the slopes of curves were steeper in EHT and PU than in NS, suggesting that the synthetic substrate methods still have some problems in the KAL measurement in these pathological states, KAL inhibitor, aprotinin and gabezate mesilate did not suppress the esterclytic and amidolytic activities completely, but suppressed K-genase activity completely in PU urine samples, suggesting that certain kinds of non-KAL esterases might remain in PU urine samples. Thus, d-RIA and K-genase appear to be the most reliable methods in the measurement of urinary KAL quantity and activity, respectively.

Humans↗

Biological assay for tissue kallikrein: comparison with the synthetic substrate S2266.

A highly sensitive biological assay for tissue kallikrein is described, using human kininogen as substrate; and quantitation, by radioimmunoassay, of generated kinins. Using purified human urinary kallikrein as a reference standard we have correlated the kininogenase activity of kallikrein with amidase activity as measured by cleavage of the synthetic substrate S2266.

Animals↗

Pseudomonas marginalis: its degradative capability on organic nitriles and amides.

Pseudomonas marginalis, capable of utilizing acetonitrile as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen, was isolated from an industrial waste site. P. marginalis metabolized acetonitrile into ammonia and acetate. The minimal inhibitory concentration values of different nitriles and amides for P. marginalis were in the range 5-300 mM. The bacterium was able to transform high-molecular-mass nitrile compounds and their respective amides into ammonia. The data from substrate-dependent kinetics showed that the Km and Vmax values of P. marginalis for acetonitrile were 33 mM and 67 nmol oxygen consumed min-1 (ml cell suspension)-1 respectively. The study with [14C]acetonitrile indicated that nearly 66% of the carbon was released as 14CO2 and 12% was associated with the biomass. The enzyme system involved in the hydrolysis of acetonitrile was shown to be intracellular and inducible. The specific activities of the enzymes nitrile aminohydrolase and amidase were determined in the cell-free extracts of P. marginalis. Both the enzymes could hydrolyze a wide range of nitriles and amides. The present study suggests that the biodegradation of organic nitriles and the bioproduction of organic acids may be achieved with the cells of P. marginalis.

Acetonitriles↗

Interaction of alpha 2-macroglobulin with L-asparaginase.

Obvious protection of the catalytic activity of Esch. coli L-asparaginase by alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) was observed under conditions otherwise propitious to the dissociation of the tetrameric molecule into inactive subunits, i.e. very diluted enzyme solutions or the presence of either SDS or urea. The degree of protection depended on enzyme and alpha 2M concentrations respectively, and on the preincubation time of the alpha 2M-enzyme mixture prior to substrate addition. The formation of a catalytically active complex between alpha 2M and L-asparaginase was confirmed by gel filtration on a Sephadex-G column and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The fact that the migration distance of the active complex corresponded to the migration of alpha 2M and the absence in that case of a migration band corresponding to the intact molecule suggest that complexing of the enzyme with alpha 2M prevented its dissociation into subunits and thus its inactivation. Addition of alpha 2M to the already dissociated enzyme molecule did not restore its catalytic activity. Alpha2-macroglobulin was shown to have an inhibiting effect on the proteolytic activity of almost all proteases and no effect on their esterolytic activity. Furthermore, it prevents the inhibition of esterolytic activity by some natural compounds. The effect of alpha 2M on other types of catalytic activity has not been investigated enough to afford a generalization of the possible role of this macroglobulin in the control of enzyme activity in the body. This paper reports the results of an in vitro study of the effect of alpha 2M on the catalytic activity of an important amidase, i.e. L-asparaginase (L-asparagine amidohydrolase 3.5.1.1), which in recent years has been used in the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia in children.

Asparaginase↗

Structure-function relationships in human alpha- and gamma-thrombins.

Human pro-coagulant alpha-thrombin may be proteolyzed under controlled conditions to the non-coagulant beta- and gamma-thrombin forms. These derivative forms nonetheless retain esterase and amidase activities with small substrates as well as several other thrombin functions. Structurally, human gamma-thrombin consists of three non-covalently associated fragments which retain structural integrity as measured by several spectroscopic criteria as well as enzymatic function. The protein folding characteristics of three-chain gamma-thrombin indicate that each fragment (domain) contains sufficient information to result in a correct renaturation of protein conformation. Those subtle structural differences which distinguish gamma- from alpha-thrombin are most likely the obstructions to fibrinogen binding which account for the loss of clotting activity.

Binding Sites↗

Asparagine and glutamine metabolism in Rhodopseudomonas acidophila.

Rhodopseudomonas acidophila strain 7050 achieved balance growth when provided with either asparagine or glutamine as nitrogen source. Under these growth conditions R. acidophila synthesized a mixed amidase which exhibited similar activity (223--422 nmol/min . mg protein) against either nitrogen source. Determination of the free intracellular amino acid pools show that deamidation of asparagine and glutamine resulted in elevated levels of both aspartate and glutamate. Cell-free extracts of R. acidophila showed significant aminotransferase activity, particularly glutamine-oxaloacetate aminotransferase (89.7--209.3 nmol/min . mg protein), glycine oxaloacetate aminotransferase (135--227 nmol/min . mg protein), alanine glyoxylate aminotransferase (66.3--163.2 nmol/min . mg protein) and serine-glyoxylate aminotransferase (57.1--68.4 nmol/min . mg protein). Short term labelling experiments using 14C-glyoxylate show that glycine plays an important role in amino nitrogen transfer in R. acidophila and that the enzymes for the metabolism of glyoxylate via glycine, serine and hydroxypyruvate were present in cell-free extracts. These data confirm that R. acidophila can satisfy all its' nitrogen requirements by transamination.

Asparaginase↗

Chemical composition of Eubacterium alactolyticum cell wall peptidoglycan.

The mechanism of lysis of Eubacterium alactolyticum cell walls by Streptomyces albus G enzyme was studied. The analysis of the peptide terminal groups and peptide subunits isolated from the cell wall digest, released during solubilization of the cell walls, revealed that lytic action of S. albus G enzyme was mainly due to D-alanyl-A2pm endopeptidase, N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase, N-acetylmuramidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase. E. alactolyticum cell wall peptidoglycan is composed mainly of glucosamine, muramic acid, D-glutamic acid, L- and D-alanine, meso-diaminopimelic acid and glycine. The peptide subunit consists of L-alanyl-D-glutamyl-meso-A2pm-D-alanine. D-Alanine is connected directly with the amino group of the meso-A2pm residue of another peptide subunit. All of the L-amino groups of meso-diaminopimelic acid are involved in cross-linking. The possible structure of the peptide moiety of E. alactolyticum cell wall peptidoglycan is presented.

Amino Acids↗

Chemical composition of Eubacterium nodatum cell wall peptidoglycan.

The structure of Eubacterium nodatum cell wall peptidoglycan was investigated. The peptide subunit of E. nodatum peptidoglycan has the following structure: L-Ala-D-Glu (Gly)-L-Orn-D-Ala. The carboxyl group of alanine occupying position 4 is attached to the delta-amino group of ornithine of an other subunit by the cross-linking bridge L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Orn. All glycine molecules are connected with the alpha-carboxyl group of glutamic acid with the ratio being 0.5-1. The hydrolysis of E. nodatum peptidoglycan by the S. albus G enzyme proceeds primarily due to the activity of alanyl-alanine endopeptidase, ornithyl-ornithine endopeptidase, ornithyl-alanine endopeptidase, N-acetyl-muramyl-alanine amidase, N-acetylmuramidase and N-acetylglucosaminidase.

Amino Acids↗

Induction of autolysis of staphylococci by the basic peptide antibiotics Pep 5 and nisin and their influence on the activity of autolytic enzymes.

Pep 5 and nisin are cationic bactericidal peptides which were shown to induce autolysis in Staphylococcus cohnii 22. In contrast to nisin, Pep 5 induced lysis could be stimulated in the presence of glucose. Addition of lipoteichoic acids (LTA) (D-alanine:phosphorus = 0.475:1) inhibited all effects of Pep 5 on susceptible cells in a molar ratio LTA:Pep 5 of 10:1. Treatment of S. cohnii 22 with Pep 5 or nisin for 20 min and subsequent washing with 2.5 M NaCl released autolysin activity. Crude preparations of the hydrolyzing enzymes produced free amino groups as well as polysaccharide fragments from the murein backbone, suggesting the presence of a muramidase or glucosamidase, and endopeptidase or amidase. Both enzyme activities were inhibited by lipoteichoic acid; they could be fully reactivated by addition of Pep 5 in sufficient concentrations. The velocity of hydrolysis was not influenced by nisin, whereas it was doubled in presence of Pep 5. The results are discussed in view of a possible mechanism of induction of lysis by Pep 5 and nisin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Microbial degradation of acrylamide monomer.

Acrylamide, a neurotoxic monomer with extensive industrial applications was found to be degraded by the microorganisms present in a tropical garden soil. A bacterium capable of degrading acrylamide was isolated from this soil by enrichment. It was found to be aerobic, gram-negative, motile, short rod and identified as Pseudomonas sp. The bacterium degraded high concentrations of acrylamide (4 g/l) to acrylic acid and ammonia which were utilized as sole carbon and nitrogen source for growth. An amidase was involved in the hydrolysis of acrylamide, which could act on other short chain amides like formamide and acetamide but not on acrylamide analogues: methacrylamide and N,N-methylene bisacrylamide. The enzyme was sensitive to catabolite repression by succinate both in presence as well as absence of nitrogen source.

Acrylamides↗

A histochemical study about changes in rat liver plasma membrane enzyme activities after galactosamine administration.

In rats changes in plasma membrane enzyme activities due to Gal-N intoxication were studied by enzymehistochemical methods. The bile canalicular 5'-nucleotidase and nucleoside polyphosphatase activities decreased; the sinusoidal 5'-nucleotidase remained unchanged. The bile canalicular leucyl-beta-naphthyl-amidase showed an increase in activity; the alkaline phosphatase activity remained unchanged. In contrast to the spotty necrosis, changes in plasma membrane enzyme activities were seen in all liver cells, suggesting that changes of these activities, occurring after Gal-N treatment, do not correlate with cell death. The conclusion was drawn that the deviations of the enzyme activities might be due to changes in the lipid environment of the enzyme proteins in the membrane. With the exception of alkaline phosphatase, partial hepatectomy caused the same changes in enzyme activities as did Gal-N intoxication. Nevertheless Gal-N administration to partial hepatectomized rats did not lead to hepatic necrosis. Galactose given simultaneously or within two hours after Gal-N prevented both changes in plasma membrane enzyme activities and hepatocellular damage. This suggests an important role of galactolipids and galactoproteins in the plasma membrane alterations.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Glycosylation of the thrombin-like serine protease ancrod from Agkistrodon rhodostoma venom. Oligosaccharide substitution pattern at each N-glycosylation site.

In a previous study, we determined the structures of the glycans present in ancrod, a thrombin-like serine protease from the venom of the Malayan pit viper Agkistrodon rhodostoma (Pfeiffer et al. (1992) Eur J Biochem 205:961-78). In order to allocate the various carbohydrate chains to distinct N-glycosylation sites of the molecule, we have now isolated individual glycopeptides. Peptide moieties were identified after deglycosylation with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F by amino acid analysis and sequencing. Liberated oligosaccharides were assigned to the previously deduced carbohydrate structures by high performance liquid chromatography. Although only quantitative differences were observed, the results indicate that each glycosylation site of ancrod carries its characteristic oligosaccharide pattern. Furthermore, all potential sites were shown to be substituted by carbohydrates.

Agkistrodon↗

Alpha 1-6(alpha 1-3)-difucosylation of the asparagine-bound N-acetylglucosamine in honeybee venom phospholipase A2.

Chymotryptic glycopeptides were prepared from a honeybee (Apis mellifica) venom phospholipase A2 (E.C. 3.1.1.4) fraction, with high affinity towards lentil (Lens culinaris) lectin. Treatment of the glycopeptide mixture with peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase A, followed by HPLC fractionation, yielded two oligosaccharides, which were analysed by 500 MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy to give the following structures [formula: see text] This is the first report on a naturally occurring glycoprotein N-glycan with two fucose residues linked to the asparagine-bound N-acetylglucosamine.

Acetylglucosamine↗

Protective effect of seminal plasma proteins on the degradation of ascorbic acid.

The objectives of this study were to determine ascorbic acid stability and its effect on antiproteinase activity of seminal plasma in the presence of an oxidant. Effect of seminal plasma, and additives: glutathione, albumin, hydrogen peroxide and Tris buffer, on ascorbic acid degradation was investigated by UV absorbance. Antiproteinase against trypsin amidase activity was measured spectrophotometrically using N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) as substrate. Ascorbic acid was destroyed much more rapidly with the addition of hydrogen peroxide than in Tris buffer at pH 8.2 alone. Seminal plasma protected ascorbic acid more efficiently than glutathione and albumin alone. The protective effect of seminal plasma on ascorbic acid degradation may closely relate to the function of ascorbic acid in reproductive system of scurvy-prone animals including teleost fish. Within the range of 1-8 mM concentrations, ascorbic acid had a pro-oxidant action on seminal plasma antiproteinase activity in vitro when they were incubated with hydrogen peroxide.

Animals↗

Use of different derivatives of D-Val-Leu-Arg for studying kallikrein activities in cat submandibular glands and saliva.

Glandular kallikrein shows a special selectivity for D-Val-Leu-Arg-4-methoxy-2-naphthylamide in comparison with other potential oligopeptide substrates and it provides a useful histochemical substrate, although the reaction may not always be specific. However, in cat submandibular saliva, a biochemical assay using the closely related D-Val-Leu-Arg-7-amino-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin (AFC) as substrate, which affords more sensitive detection, showed that soya bean trypsin inhibitor causes no inhibition. This indicates that there are unlikely to be contaminating enzymes competing for the substrate in this body fluid. Support for this observation has been gained by the useful new enzyme overlay membrane technique for fluorescent assessment of reactive bands of enzymes after isoelectric focusing, using membranes of cellulose acetate impregnated with D-Val-Leu-Arg-AFC. Comparison of results after isoelectric focusing of purified cat submandibular kallikrein with samples of cat submandibular saliva confirmed that the substrate is monospecific for kallikrein in saliva of the cat. This knowledge has enabled us to start assessing the dynamics of the secretion of kallikrein by the gland. Testing individual drops of saliva has shown that an amazingly rapid mobilization of kallikrein occurs in high concentrations on sympathetic nerve stimulation. The corresponding oligopeptide-based inhibitor D-Val-Leu-Arg-chloromethyl ketone was found to be strongly inhibitory of the amidase reaction by kallikrein but showed a low specificity for kallikrein. Nevertheless, its effects have been tested in vivo by the intravascular route and it caused an increase in the resting salivary vascular resistance whether administered close-arterially or intravenously. Thus, it would seem that a kallikrein-like protease does influence the background tone in the vessels and the source of this enzyme is thought to be mast cells.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗

Biochemical studies in peritoneal fluid from patients with acute pancreatitis. Relationship to etiology.

The levels of pancreatic digestive enzymes, lysosomal hydrolases, and protease inhibitors were evaluated in ascites fluid from 24 patients with acute pancreatitis diagnosed as alcoholic, gallstone-induced, or idiopathic. In this group the concentrations of amylase (354 +/- 98 ng/ml), immunoreactive cationic trypsinogen (1840 +/- 238 ng/ml), and immunoreactive elastase 2 (1492 +/- 262 ng/ml) were greatly elevated in comparison to the corresponding serum values. Enzyme levels in ascites from the idiopathic pancreatitis group tended to be higher than the levels from the other two groups. Activity of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase was significantly higher in ascites compared to serum in all groups. On the other hand, levels of immunoreactive alpha 1-protease inhibitor and alpha 2-macroglobulin in ascites fluid were about half the average concentrations reported for normal serum. Significant amounts of tryptic amidase activity (61.7 +/- 13.7 micrograms/ml) were observed, indicating a trypsin-alpha 2-macroglobulin complex. These data indicate an imbalance in the protease-to-inhibitor ratio in ascites fluid from patients with acute pancreatitis. Coupled with elevated ribonuclease activity (27.4 +/- 3.4 units), a positive methemalbumin test in 23 of 24 patients (1.1 +/- 0.4 mg hematin/100 ml), and an average protein concentration of 4.0 +/- 0.2 g/100 ml, these observations demonstrate that abdominal paracentesis and the biochemical analyses of ascites fluid provide useful information related to the biochemical events in acute pancreatitis and may be useful in the diagnosis of difficult cases, but their predictive value of severity remains to be established.

Acute Disease↗