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Determination of pancreatic carboxypeptidase A in human blood serum.

A method has been designed for the assay of pancreatic carboxypeptidase A in blood serum. It uses Z-Gly-Phe as the substrate and fluorimetric determination of the released phenylalanine in an amino acid analyser, which yields a measure of free carboxypeptidase A. In addition, the sum (free carboxypeptidase A + procarboxypeptidase A) can be determined on a second portion preincubated with trypsin, which converts the proenzyme to the active form. Determinations made in fifteen healthy individuals showed the presence of a measurable concentration of free carboxypeptidase A. In acute pancreatitis, total carboxypeptidase A is raised. An increase in circulating proenzyme is observed in some cases. Data from 46 patients show a good correlation between total carboxypeptidase A, lipase and immunoreactive trypsin. Differential determination of procarboxypeptidase A and free carboxypeptidase A provides an interesting new tool for the diagnosis of pancreatic disorders.

Acute Disease↗

An angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor is a tight-binding slow substrate of carboxypeptidase A.

Carboxypeptidase A-catalyzed hydrolysis of peptides and depsipeptides is competitively inhibited by N-(1-carboxy-5-t-butyloxycarbonylaminopentyl)-L-phenylalanine (Boc-CA-Phe, Ki = 1.3 microM) and the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, N-(1-carboxy-5-carbobenzoxyaminopentyl)-glycyl-L-phenylalanine (Z-CA-Gly-Phe, Ki = 4.5 microM). The latter compound is actually a slow substrate of carboxypeptidase. Indirect observation of inhibitor binding by stopped-flow measurement of radiationless energy transfer between carboxypeptidase tryptophans and dansylated substrates reveals slow binding for both compounds. The visible absorption spectrum of the complex of cobalt(II)-substituted carboxypeptidase and Z-CA-Gly-Phe, which differs from the corresponding spectrum of the Boc-CA-Phe complex, is remarkable in its resemblance to the spectrum of the complex between Co(II)carboxypeptidase and a transient intermediate previously observed during hydrolysis of peptide substrates. The spectrum slowly changes to that of the free enzyme indicating hydrolysis. Chromatographic quantitation of substrate and products confirms that carboxypeptidase converts Z-CA-Gly-Phe to Z-CA-Gly and L-Phe with an apparent kcat of 0.02 s-1. Absorption spectroscopy indicates that the Z-CA-Gly-Phe-Co(II)carboxypeptidase spectrum is not that of bound products. Moreover, spectral titrations indicate that the products (both with spectral Ki values of about 3 mM), as well as D-Phe, compete for the same site on the enzyme.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Excess zinc ions are a competitive inhibitor for carboxypeptidase A.

The mechanism for inhibition of enzyme activity by excess zinc ions has been studied by kinetic and equilibrium dialysis methods at pH 8.2, I = 0.5 M. With carboxypeptidase A (bovine pancreas), peptide (carbobenzoxyglycyl-L-phenylalanine and hippuryl-L-phenylalanine) and ester (hippuryl-L-phenyl lactate) substrates were inhibited competitively by excess zinc ions. The Ki values for excess zinc ions with carboxypeptidase A at pH 8.2 are all similar [Ki = (5.2-2.6) X 10(-5) M]. The apparent constant for dissociation of excess zinc ions from carboxypeptidase A was also obtained by equilibrium dialysis at pH 8.2 and was 2.4 X 10(-5) M, very close to the Ki values above. With arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A ([(Azo-CPD)Zn]), hippuryl-L-phenylalanine, carbobenzoxyglycyl-L-phenylalanine, and hippuryl-L-phenyl lactate were also inhibited with a competitive pattern by excess zinc ions, and the Ki values were (3.0-3.5) X 10(-5) M. The apparent constant for dissociation of excess zinc ions from arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A, which was obtained from absorption changes at 510 nm, was 3.2 X 10(-5) M and is similar to the Ki values for [(Azo-CPD)Zn]. The apparent dissociation and inhibition constants, which were obtained by inhibition of enzyme activity and spectrophotometric and equilibrium dialysis methods with native carboxypeptidase A and arsanilazotyrosine-248 carboxypeptidase A, were almost the same. This agreement between the apparent dissociation and inhibition constants indicates that the zinc binding to the enzymes directly relates to the inhibition of enzyme activity by excess zinc ions. Excess zinc ions were competitive inhibitors for both peptide and ester substrates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

The insulin-secretory-granule carboxypeptidase H. Purification and demonstration of involvement in proinsulin processing.

A carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme was detected in the soluble fraction of purified insulin secretory granules, and implicated in insulin biosynthesis. To investigate the role of this activity further, we purified the enzyme from rat insulinoma tissue by gel-filtration chromatography and affinity elution from p-aminobenzoyl-arginine. A yield of 42%, with a purification factor of 674 over the homogenate, was achieved. Analysis of the purified carboxypeptidase by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis under either reducing or non-reducing conditions showed it to be a monomeric protein of apparent Mr 55,000. The preparation was also homogeneous by high-performance gel-filtration chromatography. The enzyme bound to concanavalin A, showing it to be a glycoprotein. Amino acid analysis or chemical deglycosylation and SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis indicated a protein Mr of 50,000, suggesting a carbohydrate content of approx. 9% by weight. The purified enzyme was able to remove basic amino acids from the C-terminus of proinsulin tryptic peptides to generate insulin, but did not further degrade the mature hormone. It was inhibited by EDTA, 1,10-phenanthroline and guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid, and stimulated 5-fold by CoCl2. The pH optimum of the conversion of diarginyl-insulin into insulin was in the range 5-6, with little activity above pH 6.5. Activity was also expressed towards a dansylated tripeptide substrate (dansyl-phenylalanyl-leucyl-arginine; Km = 17.5 microM), and had a pH optimum of 5.5. These properties are indistinguishable from those of the activity located in secretory granules, and are compatible with the intragranular environment. The insulin-secretory-granule carboxypeptidase shared several properties of carboxypeptidase H from bovine adrenal medulla and pituitary. We propose that the carboxypeptidase that we purified is the pancreatic isoenzyme of carboxypeptidase H (crino carboxypeptidase B; EC 3.4.17.10), and is involved in the biosynthesis of insulin in the pancreatic beta-cell.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗

Serodiagnosis of cancer using porcine carboxypeptidase A as an animal antigen recognized by human monoclonal antibody HB4C5.

Protein from hog which is recognized by human monoclonal antibody (HB4C5), generated from a patient with large cell lung carcinoma, was identified as carboxypeptidase A by comparison of the protein with carboxypeptidase A in enzymatic activity, immunologic reactivity, and amino acid sequence. Carboxypeptidase A activity was also found in human cancer tissue, and purified antigen from cancer tissue recognized by the antibody HB4C5 was reacted with rabbit anti-carboxypeptidase A serum, indicating that carboxypeptidase A is an antigen of HB4C5. Since large amounts of carboxypeptidase A can be obtained from porcine sources, a simple method for its purification was established. The fraction which was most reactive with HB4C5 was obtained from acetone powder of porcine pancreas by successive applications of water extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, trypsin treatment, and Mono Q column chromatography. Its apparent molecular weight was 40,000, according to SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When the reactivity of IgG in sera with the purified carboxypeptidase A was measured, the detection rates for lung, ovary, larynx, uterus, and liver cancer were more than 50%, while the rates for stomach and breast cancer were around 30%, and pancreatic cancer, benign diseases, and normal controls were minimally detected.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation, molecular cloning, and partial characterization of a novel carboxypeptidase B from human plasma.

A novel plasminogen-binding protein has been isolated from human plasma utilizing plasminogen-Sepharose affinity chromatography. This protein copurified with alpha 2 antiplasmin when the plasminogen affinity column was eluted with high concentrations of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (greater than 20 mM). Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate suggests this protein has an apparent Mr of 60,000. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence showed no similarity to other protein sequences. Based on the amino-terminal amino acid sequence, oligonucleotide probes were designed for polymerase chain reaction primers, and an approximately 1,800 base pair cDNA was isolated that encodes this Mr 60,000 protein. The deduced amino acid sequence reveals a primary translation product of 423 amino acids that is very similar to carboxypeptidase A and B and consists of a 22-amino acid signal peptide, a 92-amino acid activation peptide, and a 309-amino acid catalytic domain. This protein shows 44 and 40% similarity to rat procarboxypeptidase B and human mast cell procarboxypeptidase A, respectively. The residues critical for catalysis and zinc and substrate binding of carboxypeptidase A and B are conserved in the Mr 60,000 plasminogen-binding protein. The presence of aspartic acid at position 257 of the catalytic domain suggests that this protein is a basic carboxypeptidase. When activated by trypsin, it hydrolyzes carboxypeptidase B substrates, hippuryl-Arg and hippuryl-Lys, but not carboxypeptidase A substrates, and it is inhibited by the specific carboxypeptidase B inhibitor (DL-5-guanidinoethyl)mercaptosuccinic acid. We propose that the Mr 60,000 plasminogen-binding protein isolated here is a novel human plasma carboxypeptidase B and that it be designated pCPB.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of a novel carboxypeptidase produced by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae.

Preparative isoelectric focusing and gel filtration chromatography were used to purify a carboxypeptidase produced by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae during growth on cockroach cuticle. The enzyme was inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, implying involvement of a serine residue in catalysis. However, the M. anisopliae enzyme differed from most serine carboxypeptidases in also being inhibited by the metal chelator 1,10-phenanthroline and in being a small (30 kDa), basic (pI 9.97) protein with a neutral pH optima (pH 6.8). These properties resemble those exhibited by some metalloproteases but the enzyme is not inhibited by Cd2+; nor do Zn2+ or Co2+ restore activity in enzyme inhibited with phenanthroline. The amino-terminal sequence (22 residues) showed no similarity to other protein sequences. Unlike previously reported fungal carboxypeptidases, the M. anisopliae enzyme is powerfully inhibited by potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor. The carboxypeptidase shows a broad primary specificity toward amino acids with hydrophobic side groups in a series of N-blocked dipeptides, with substrates with phenylalanine being the most rapidly hydrolyzed. The S1 subsite also accommodated Glu, confirming its low selectivity. Proline at P1 or P1 resulted in a very poor substrate. The specificity of the carboxypeptidase complements that of the subtilisin-like protease (Pr1) of M. anisopliae. Both Pr1 and the carboxypeptidase are produced during carbon and nitrogen deprivation, which indicates that the exopeptidase functions with Pr1 to degrade peptides to supply amino acids during starvation and pathogenicity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Stoichiometry of the human lysosomal carboxypeptidase-beta-galactosidase complex.

The understanding of the lysosomal beta-galactosidase-carboxypeptidase-neuraminidase multienzymatic complex structure and function requires an efficient system for dissociation and association of its isolated protein components under controlled conditions. In this paper such a system was used to determine the stoichiometry of the two main components of this complex--beta-galactosidase and carboxypeptidase. The complex, after affinity purification from human placenta, was dissociated at pH 7.5 and beta-galactosidase and carboxypeptidase were separated and purified to homogeneity by FPLC anion-exchange chromatography. The 680 kD complex of beta-galactosidase and carboxypeptidase was reconstituted in vitro by mixing the isolated enzymes in a 1:2 molar ratio at pH 7.5 and then progressively acidifying the medium towards the intralysosomal pH value of 4.75. Under the same conditions, beta-galactosidase and carboxypeptidase independently existed as 306 kDa tetramer and 98 kDa dimer, respectively. Reconstitution experiments with various ratios of purified beta-galactosidase and carboxypeptidase allowed us to conclude that the whole complex is made of 4 beta-galactosidase and 8 carboxypeptidase monomers. Cross-linking of the native and reconstituted complexes with dimethylsuberimidate or glutaric dialdehyde suggested that the native and the reconstituted complexes have the same supramolecular structure.

Carboxypeptidases↗

Mechanism of digestion of bradykinin and lysylbradykinin (kallidin) in human serum. Role of carboxypeptidase, angiotensin-converting enzyme and determination of final degradation products.

Degradation of bradykinin and lysylbradykinin was studied in plasma and serum, and the results were compared to those seen with mixtures of carboxypeptidase N and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), the two recognized kininases in blood. Angiotensin-converting enzyme was an effective kininase in mixtures with carboxypeptidase N at physiologic concentration and digested bradykinin to the dipeptides Phe- Arg and Ser-Pro plus the pentapeptide Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe. Carboxypeptidase N slowly removed the C-terminal Arg from bradykinin to yield des-Arg9-bradykinin (DBK); the latter was digested by ACE to yield the aforementioned pentapeptide and the tripeptide Ser-Pro-Phe. In serum, however, the C-terminal Arg was removed from bradykinin about five times faster than was accounted for by the activity of carboxypeptidase N. The primary substrate of ACE in serum, therefore, was des-Arg9-bradykinin and not bradykinin. The products of this reaction, pentapeptide and tripeptide, were unstable in serum and were cleaved by enzymes that have not yet been characterized. One product, free phenylalanine, was used to monitor these reactions by HPLC. Our studies indicate that the final products of bradykinin degradation were the tripeptide Arg-Pro-Pro, one mole each of Ser, Pro, Gly, and Arg, and two moles of phenylalanine. Since the serum level of carboxypeptidase N did not account for the rapid kinin degradation seen, other carboxypeptidases may have been operative, perhaps released as a result of blood clotting, or a serum cofactor may augment carboxypeptidase N activity.

Animals↗

Inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and 2A decrease the level of tubulin carboxypeptidase activity associated with microtubules.

The association of tubulin carboxypeptidase with microtubules may be involved in the determination of the tyrosination state of the microtubules, i.e. their proportion of tyrosinated vs. nontyrosinated tubulin. We investigated the role of protein phosphatases in the association of carboxypeptidase with microtubules in COS cells. Okadaic acid and other PP1/PP2A inhibitors, when added to culture medium before isolation of the cytoskeletal fraction, produced near depletion of the carboxypeptidase activity associated with microtubules. Isolation of the native assembled and nonassembled tubulin fractions from cells treated and not treated with okadaic acid, and subsequent in vitro assay of the carboxypeptidase activity, revealed that the enzyme was dissociated from microtubules by okadaic acid treatment and recovered in the soluble fraction. There was no effect by nor-okadaone (an inactive okadaic acid analogue) or inhibitors of PP2B and of tyrosine phosphatases which do not affect PP1/PP2A activity. When tested in an in vitro system, okadaic acid neither dissociated the enzyme from microtubules nor inactivated it. In living cells, prior stabilization of microtubules with taxol prevented the dissociation of carboxypeptidase by okadaic acid indicating that dynamic microtubules are needed for okadaic acid to exert its effect. On the other hand, stabilization of microtubules subsequent to okadaic acid treatment did not reverse the dissociating effect of okadaic acid. These results suggest that dephosphorylation (and presumably also phosphorylation) of the carboxypeptidase or an intermediate compound occurs while it is not associated with microtubules, and that the phosphate content determines whether or not the carboxypeptidase is able to associate with microtubules.

Animals↗

Pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activities in the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid and hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axes of rats with mammary gland cancer induced by N-methyl nitrosourea.

Pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase is an omega-peptidase that hydrolyses N-terminal pyroglutamyl residues from biologically active peptides such as gonadotropin-releasing and thyrotrophin-releasing hormones. We previously described a decrease in both rat and human pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activity with breast cancer, suggesting that gonadotropin-releasing hormone may be an important local intracrine, autocrine and/or paracrine hormonal factor in the pathogenesis of breast cancer while playing a role in the tumoral process. However, the other susceptible substrate of pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase, thyrotrophin-releasing hormone, may also be modified with breast cancer, supporting an association between breast cancer and thyroid disorders. The present work analyses soluble and membrane-bound pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activities in the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid and hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axes in N-methyl nitrosourea-induced breast cancer in rats. Our aim was to determine the possible relationship between gonadotropin-releasing hormone and thyrotrophin-releasing hormone regulation through pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activity. We propose that pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activity dysregulation at various local and systemic levels may participate in the initiation, promotion and progression of breast cancer induced in rat by N-methyl nitrosourea through the increase in gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Since pyrrolidon carboxypeptidase activity also acts on thyrotrophin-releasing hormone, the dysregulation of this enzyme's activity could indirectly affect hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis function, and thus potentially represent a link between the diseases of thyroid and breast cancer.

Animals↗

Carboxypeptidase M, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein, is localized on both the apical and basolateral domains of polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.

Carboxypeptidase M, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane glycoprotein, is highly expressed in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, where it was previously shown that the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor and N-linked carbohydrate are apical targeting signals. Here, we show that carboxypeptidase M has an unusual, non-polarized distribution, with up to 44% on the basolateral domain of polarized MDCK cells grown on semipermeable inserts. Alkaline phosphatase, as well as five other glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, and transmembrane gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase exhibited the expected apical localization. Basolateral carboxypeptidase M was readily released by exogenous phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, showing it is glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored, whereas apical carboxypeptidase M was more resistant to release. In contrast, the spontaneous release of carboxypeptidase M into the medium was much higher on the apical than the basolateral domain. In pulse-chase studies, newly synthesized carboxypeptidase M arrived in equal amounts within 30 min on both domains, indicating direct sorting. After 4-8 h of chase, the steady-state distribution was attained, possibly due to transcytosis from the basolateral to the apical domain. These data suggest the presence of a unique basolateral targeting signal in carboxypeptidase M that competes with its apical targeting signals, resulting in a non-polarized distribution in MDCK cells.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Association of tubulin carboxypeptidase with microtubules in living cells.

Tubulin carboxypeptidase is the enzyme that releases the C-terminal tyrosine from alpha-tubulin, converting tyrosine-terminated (Tyr) to detyrosinated (Glu) tubulin. The present study demonstrates that this enzyme is associated with microtubules in living cells. We extracted cultured cells (COS-7) with Triton X-100 under microtubule-stabilizing conditions and found tubulin carboxypeptidase activity in the cytoskeleton fraction. We ruled out, by using several control experiments, the possibility that this result was due to contamination of the isolated cytoskeletons by non-associated proteins contained in the detergent fraction or to an artifact in vitro during the extraction procedure. The associated carboxypeptidase activity showed characteristics similar to those of brain tubulin carboxypeptidase and different from those of pancreatic carboxypeptidase A. In comparison with cultures at confluence, those at low cell density contained small (if any) amounts of carboxypeptidase activity associated with microtubules. In addition, the enzyme was shown to be associated only with cold-labile microtubules. The tubulin carboxypeptidase/microtubule association was also demonstrated in Chinese hamster ovary, NIH 3T3 and PC12 cells. Interestingly, this association was not observed in cultured embryonic brain cells. Our results demonstrate that tubulin carboxypeptidase is indeed associated with microtubules in living cells. Furthermore, the findings that this association occurs with a subset of microtubules and that its magnitude depends on the degree of confluence of the cell culture indicate that it could be part of the mechanism that regulates the tyrosination state of microtubules.

Animals↗

[Isolation and properties of carboxypeptidase from the Kamchatka crab Paralithodes camtshatica].

Homogeneous carboxypeptidase PC from a hematopancreas of kamchatka crab Paralithodes camtshatica was obtained by means of an affinity chromatography on sorbents containing arginine, protamine hydrolysate, and phenylalanine as ligands with an yield 23% and purification degree 37.4. The isolated enzyme has a molecular mass 34 kDa, as evidenced by an SDS-PAGE; pI 3.1; an optimum pH 6.5, as estimated for hydrolysis of Dnp-Ala-Ala-Arg; pH-stability range 5-8 in the presence of Ca2+; a temperature optimum 55 degrees C; and Km 0.4 mM. The carboxypeptidase is activated by Co2+ and Ca2+ ions and is inhibited by EDTA and o-phenanthroline, and therefore, it is a metallocarboxypeptidase. The enzyme can effectively split off C-terminal residues Phe and Tyr, as well as Arg and Lys. Residues Pro, Glu, and Asp cannot be split off, and they stop the cleaving of a preceding bond. Thus, the carboxypeptidase PC of kamchatka crab has a mixed substrate specificity, which is characteristic of carboxypeptidase from crawfish and of microbial carboxypeptidases T and SG. The new carboxypeptidase has an amino acid composition Asp41Thr24Ser22Glu32Pro15Gly32Ala291/2Cys5Val19Met8Ile14Leu20Ty r18Phe8Lys7His4 Arg8Trp4. The N-terminal sequence of the enzyme demonstrate a 40% homology with the N-terminal sequence of carboxypeptidase from crawfish.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The isolation and partial characterization of precursor forms of ostrich carboxypeptidase.

Ostrich carboxypeptidases A and B were recently purified and characterized. The aim of this study was to isolate and purify, and partially characterize in terms of molecular weight, pI, amino acid composition and N-terminal sequencing, the precursor forms of carboxypeptidases from the ostrich pancreas. Inhibition studies with soybean trypsin inhibitor and activation studies with three proteases (bovine trypsin, bovine chymotrypsin and porcine elastase) were performed on crude ostrich acetone powder and the carboxypeptidase A and B activities were determined. SDS-PAGE was carried out after every incubation to monitor the rate and degree of conversion of a M(r) 66K component to procarboxypeptidase and carboxypeptidase A and B. The precursor forms were purified by Toyopearl Super Q and Pharmacia Mono Q chromatography. All three proteases converted the M(r) 66K component to procarboxypeptidases and carboxypeptidases over a set time interval, with carboxypeptidase A and B activities being detected in the acetone powder. Chymotrypsin was the preferred protease since it exhibited a more controlled activation of the procarboxypeptidases. The amino acid composition of procarboxypeptidase A revealed 525 residues. The N-terminal sequence of procarboxypeptidase A showed considerable homology when compared with several other mammalian sequences. M(r) and pI values of 52K and 5.23 were obtained for procarboxypeptidase A, respectively. This study indicated that ostrich procarboxypeptidase A is closely related to other mammalian procarboxypeptidase A molecules in terms of physicochemical properties.

Acetone↗

Pancreatic secretion of zinc and carboxypeptidase A and B in growing pigs.

The secretion of zinc and the level of carboxypeptidase A and B activity in pancreatic juice were studied in three pigs fitted with a pancreatic pouch re-entrant cannula (PM pigs) and three different pigs with a catheter surgically implanted in their pancreatic duct (CM pigs). The zinc in the pancreatic juice appeared to be primarily associated with carboxypeptidase A and B. Both the concentration of zinc in pancreatic juice and the daily secretion of zinc in PM pigs were greater than in CM pigs. However, compared to the daily intake of zinc, its secretion in pancreatic juice was low. The specific activity levels of carboxypeptidase A and B in pancreatic juice collected from PM pigs were higher than in CM pigs. The total activity of carboxypeptidase A in pancreatic juice did not differ between collection methods. The total activity of carboxypeptidase B was higher in pancreatic juice collected from PM than from CM pigs. The differences in zinc and carboxypeptidase secretion between PM and CM pigs were probably due to physiological changes induced following the different surgical preparations of the animals.

Animals↗

Isolation and characterization of the subunits of human plasma carboxypeptidase N (kininase i).

Carboxypeptidase N (kininase I, arginine carboxypeptidase; EC 3.4.17.3) cleaves COOH-terminal basic amino acids of kinins, anaphylatoxins, and other peptides. The tetrameric enzyme of Mr 280,000 was purified from human plasma by ion-exchange and arginine-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Treatment with 3 M guanidine dissociated the enzyme into subunits of 83,000 and 48,000 molecular weight, which were separated and purified by gel filtration or affinity chromatography. When tested with hippurylarginine, hippurylargininic acid, benzoylalanyllysine, or bradykinin, the Mr 48,000 subunit was as active as the intact enzyme and was easily distinguished from human pancreatic carboxypeptidase B (EC 3.4.17.2). However, the Mr 48,000 subunit was less stable at acid pH or at 37 degrees C than the intact enzyme was. The carbohydrate-containing Mr 83,000 subunit was enzymatically inactive but stabilized the Mr 48,000 subunit at 37 degrees C. Trypsin, plasmin, and plasma or urinary kallikrein cleaved carboxypeptidase N into lower molecular weight active fragments, which were unstable at 37 degrees C. Cleavage of the Mr 48,000 subunit with the same enzymes increased activity and yielded fragments of Mr 29,000 or less. Antibodies to the Mr 83,000 of Mr 48,000 subunits crossreacted with the intact enzyme, and antibody to carboxypeptidase N also recognized both subunits. However, antibody to the Mr 83,000 subunit did not recognize Mr 48,000 subunit and antibody to the Mr 48,000 subunit did not crossreact with the Mr 83,000 subunit. Thus, this study indicates that carboxypeptidase N is composed of two immunologically distinct subunits, a Mr 48,000 subunit that is responsible for the enzymatic activity and a Mr 83,000 subunit that may stabilize the enzyme in blood.

Carboxypeptidase B↗

Immunochemical characterization of carboxypeptidase B-like peptide-hormone-processing enzyme.

Specific rabbit antisera against purified bovine pituitary carboxypeptidase processing enzyme (which has also been referred to as "enkephalin convertase") have been prepared and characterized. The antisera recognized both the purified soluble and the membrane-bound forms of the enzyme with equal affinity, suggesting that these two forms of the enzyme may possess many regions of structural homology. Since the antisera did not crossreact with carboxypeptidases B, N, A, Y, and P, the carboxypeptidase processing enzyme may be a structurally distinct form of carboxypeptidase. Carboxypeptidase immunostaining, as seen by light microscopy, was found throughout the rat brain and in bovine adrenal medulla, reflecting the widespread distribution of neuropeptides. Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry of rat paraventricular nucleus and other brain areas showed that the enzyme was present in some dendrites and nerve terminals, which contain storage vesicles. These findings support the hypothesis that this carboxypeptidase is involved in the processing of many peptide hormone precursors.

Adrenal Medulla↗