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Human skin proteases. Fractionation of psoriasis scale proteases and separation of a plasminogen activator and a histone hydrolysing protease.

Psoriatic scale proteases were found to be extracted effectively in salt solution (1 mol/l) containing Triton X-100 (5 g/l). The extraction in dilute buffer or sucrose yielded low activities. The acid (0.25 N H2SO4) and KSCN (2 mol/l) solutions effectively extracted plasminogen activator. Fibrinolysin was most active in salt (1 mol/l KCl) and in KSCN (2 mol/l) extracts. Psoriatic scale proteases were fractionated by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and further by DEAE cellulose chromatography. Five different enzyme preparations were obtained. The first preparation, resembling cathepsin D, effectively hydrolysed hemoglobin at pH 3.5 and casein at pH 5.8 and was insensitive to protease modifiers. The second preparation effectively hydrolysed trypsin substrates (AGLME, TAME, BAEE and BANA) and also histone and casein at pH 7.2 and was inhibited by protease inhibitors, TLCK and E-600. The third preparation hydrolysed histone and casein at pH 10.2 and was effectively inhibited by E-600 and partially by protease inhibitors and TPCK. The fourth preparation, resembling cathepsin B1, hydrolysed BANA and BAEE at pH 5.8 and was activated by SH-reagents and EDTA. The fifth enzyme preparation hydrolysed ATEE and was inhibited by E-600 and TPCK. Plasminogen activator was found mainly in the second enzyme preparation and fibrinolysin activity in the third and fifth enzyme preparations. The second, third and fifth enzyme preparations were different from the enzymes found in healthy human skin. The proteases of psoriatic scale resemble those of tissue and cell cultures undergoing rapid cell division. The possible role of proteases in the increased cell division in psoriasis plaque is discussed.

Histones

The structure and function of acid proteases. VI. Effects of acid protease-specific inhibitors on the acid proteases from Aspergillus niger var. macrosporus.

1. The Type B acid protease from Aspergillus niger var. macrosporus was inactivated by reaction with diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (DAN), DL-1-diazo-3-tosylamido-2-heptanone (DTH), and L-1-diazo-3-tosylamido-4-phenyl-2-butanone (DTPB) in the presence of cupric ions. The reaction with DAN took place with 1:1 stoichiometry. The enzyme was also inactivated by reaction with 1, 2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)-propane (EPNP) with concomitant incorporation of approximately two EPNP molecules per molecule of protein. Moreover, these reactions of DAN and of EPNP were markedly inhibited by pepstatin. These results seem to indicate that, as in the case of porcine pepsin [EC 3.4.23.1] and related acid proteases, the enzyme has two essential carboxyl groups at the active site, one reactive with DAN and related diazo reagents in the presence of cupric ions and the other reactive with EPNP, and that pepstatin binds in the vicinity of these residues. 2. The Type A acid protease from the same mold, on the other hand, was found to be markedly less sensitive to these specific inhibitors. Under conditions where the Type B enzyme was completely inactivated by DAN and related diazo reagents, only partial inactivation of this enzyme occurred. The effect of prior mixing of DAN and cupric ions on the pH profile of inactivation was also different from that for the Type B enzyme. Moreover, the Type A enzyme was not inactivated by EPNP. These results thus indicate that the nature of the active site of the Type A enzyme is rather different from that of the Type B enzyme and hence that the Type A enzyme belongs to a different class of acid proteases from the Type B enzyme.

Aspergillus

The structure and function of acid proteases. IV. Inactivation of the acid protease from Mucor pusillus by acid protease-specific inhibitors.

Mucor pusillus acid protease was rapidly inactivated with 1 : 1 stoichiometry by reaction with diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (DAN) in the presence of cupric ions. Cupric ions were essential for this inactivation. The rate of inactivation was maximal at around pH 6 when the enzyme was mixed with DAN and cupric ions without prior mixing of the reagents, and at pH 5.3 when DAN and cupric ions were mixed and incubated before addition to the enzyme solution. In both cases, the rate of inactivation decreased as the pH was either increased or decreased. The amino acid composition of an acid hydrolysate of the DAN-Modified enzyme was indistinguishable from that of the native enzyme except for the incorporation of about one norleucine residue per molecule of protein. The enzyme was also inactivated by reaction with 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)-propane (EPNP). At the stage of about 90% inactivation, 1.50 residues of EPNP were incorporated per molecule of protein and the rate of inactivation followed pseudo-first order kinetics. The optimal pH for the inactivation was pH 3.0 and the rate of inactivation decreased as the pH was either increased or decreased. Furthermore, the enzyme was strongly inhibited by pepstatin, and the reactions of DAN and of EPNP was also inhibited significantly by prior treatment of the enzyme with pepstatin. These results suggest that the enzyme may have two essential carboxyl groups at the active site, one reactive with DAN in the presence of cupric ions and the other with EPNP, and that pepstatin binds part of the active site to inhibit the reactions with DAN and EPNP as well as the enzyme activity.

Aminocaproates

Human skin proteases. Separation and characterization of two acid proteases resembling cathepsin B1 and cathepsin D and of an inhibitor of cathepsin B1.

Two acid proteases, one hydrolysing hemoglobin and the other hydrolysing benzoyl arginine naphthyamide (BANA), were separated and partially purified from human skin buffer extract. The acid protease hydrolysing hemoglobin was purified about 190 fold by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. It hydrolysed hemoglobin at pH 3.5, casein at pH 5.8 and skin protein substrate at pH 6.0. It did not markedly hydrolyse synthetic protease substrates. The molecular size of this protease was 38000. The protease was insensitive to common protease modifiers and closely resembles cathepsin D purified from other organs. The BANA-hydrolysing acid protease was purified about 760 fold by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and affinity chromatography on organomercurial Sepharose 4B gel. It preferentially hydrolysed BAEE, BANA and BAA with an optimum at pH 5.8. The hydrolysis of BAPA, LeuNA and protein substrates was very low. This acid protease was found to be highly dependent on reducing agents, as DTT, and chelating agents, as EDTA, and was inhibited by pCMB and TLCK. The molecular size of the enzyme was 28000. This protease closely resembles cathepsin B1 purified from other organs. Human skin was also shown to contain a low activity of benzoyl arginine amide (BAA) hydrolysing acid protease with a molecular size of about 50000 and resembling cathepsin B2. Human skin contained an inhibitor with a molecular size of about 13000 against human skin cathepsin B1. This inhibitor did not inhibit trypsin, chymotrypsin or skin proteases other than cathepsin B1.

Benzoylarginine-2-Naphthylamide

Studies on extracellular proteases of Streptococcus sanguis. Purification and characterization of a human IgA1 specific protease.

Extracellular caseinolytic activity was found in the culture fluid of Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10556 grown in a dialyzed culture medium. This activity was due to multiple proteases that differed in their elution from hydroxyapatite, sensitivity to enzyme inhibitors, specificity and optimum pH. IgA protease, which splits human immunoglobulin A1 into intact Fc and Fab could be effectively separated from these relatively non-specific proteases and purified to apparent homogeneity in 20% yield by a five-step procedure. Although the bulk of the dextran sucrase activity was separated from the IgA protease, a small amount of sucrase activity remained with the final IgA protease preparation. In polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 9.5 both activities were located in the single protein band detected in this preparation. A quantitative method for the assay of IgA protease was developed, based on radial immunodiffusion to quantitate the Fab produced. This was used to follow the specific activity and yield during purification, and to characterize some of the catalytic properties of the enzyme. At an enzyme/substrate ratio of 1: 400 (w/w) the protease could effect 50% proteolysis of IgA in overnight incubation at 37 degrees C. The optimum activity was at pH 8.0, and 50% inhibition was achieved at 4 . 10(-4) M o-phenanthroline or 8 . 10(-4) M ethylene diamine tetraacetate. Concentrations of diisopropyl phosphofluoridate, phenylmethyl-sulfonyl fluoride, iodoacetate and p-chloromercuribenzoate up to 10(-2) M were without effect on the IgA protease activity. Full reactivation of the chelator inhibited enzyme could be achieved by the addition of Mg2+, Mn2+ or Ca2+.

Edetic Acid

On the appearance of Bacillus subtilis intracellular serine protease in the cell membrane and culture medium. Comparison of the enzyme and other Bacillus subtilis serine proteases.

While about 80% of the cell-bound intracellular serine protease of Bacillus subtilis A-50 have been recovered in the soluble fraction upon disruption of cells, the rest of the enzyme was found to be associated with the membrane fraction. Soluble cytoplasmic intracellular serine protease, as well as membrane-bound serine protease liberated by non-ionic detergent treatment, have been isolated in a pure state and shown to be identical. The same protease might also be found extracellularly, due presumably to cell lysis or altered membrane permeability. Intracellular serine protease of Bacillus subtilis A-50 was clearly related to Bacillus subtilis serine proteases W1 and bacillopeptidase F described as extracellular enzymes.

Amino Acids

Human skin proteases: effect of separated proteases on vascular permeability and leukocyte emigration in skin.

The effect of human skin proteases on vascular permeability and leukocyte emigration in rabbit skin was investigated. The alkaline protease of human skin capable of hydrolysing trypsin substrate effectively increased vascular permeability. This effect was not inhibited by antihistamine, but almost totally so by Trasylol. The reaction was protracted. Leukocyte emigration in skin, primarily of PMN-cells at 12 hrs, and later a migration of mononuclear cells, also resulted. Swelling of the dermal fibres was noted. The alkaline protease of human skin capable of hydrolysing chymotrypsin substrate also increased vascular permeability, but this phenomenon was effectively inhibited by antihistamine and the reaction was of brief duration. The leukocyte emigration caused by this enzyme was remarkable. The acid proteases of human skin resembling cathepsin B1 and D also caused brief increased vascular permeability, which was effectively inhibited by antihistamine. The cellular reactions to these acid proteases were mild. The role of protease inhibitors in skin in the enzyme reactions is discussed.

Animals

A study of proteases and protease-inhibitor complexes in biological fluids.

We have (a) screened a variety of cell lines and body fluids for plasminogen activators and (b) studied the activity of proteases bound to alpha2- macroglobulin after exposing the complexes to partial degradation and/or denaturing procedures to unmask proteolytic activity. The respective results show (a) that the plasminogen activators in urine and cell culture media are generally of lower molecular weight than those in plasma; and (b) that proteases bound to alpha2-macroglobulin recover the ability to attack macromolecular substrates after exposure to sodium dodecyl sulfate while retaining the electrophoretic mobility of the protease inhibitor complex. This indicates that the protease and inhibitor are probably linked by covalent bonds. In contrast, other complexes formed between proteases and inhibitors of lower molecular weight (such as soybean or Kunitz inhibitors) are fully dissociated by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The experiments described were based on a new procedure for detecting proteolytic enzyme activity in SDS-polyacrylamide gels. The method relies on solutions of nonionic detergents for extracting SDS, after which the electrophoretic gel is applied to an indicator gel consisting of a fibrin- agar mixture. The method is sensitive, permitting the detection of proteinases in less than 1 mul of fresh plasma, and it is effective for resolving small differences in molecular weight. The procedure can be quantitated and, with minor modifications appropriate to each particular system, it has been applied to a broad spectrum of serine enzymes and proenzymes, including some that function in the pathways of fibrinolysis, coagulation and kinin-generation. Other potential applications appear likely.

Agar

Protease inhibitors in porcine serum and their immunological relationships to human protease inhibitors.

A close molecular relationship exists between the protease inhibitors of porcine serum and those of human serum as shown by studying their immunological cross-reactivities with gel diffusion and immunoelectrophoretic methods. On studying seven different antisera to human protease inhibitors, five were found to cross-react with porcine serum, and on this bisis it was possible to identify alpha 2 -macroglobulin f, alpha 2 -macroglobulin s, alpha 1 -protease inhibitor, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor, antithrombin and alpha 2 -antiplasmin in porcine serum. Antisera to four of these porcine serum inhibitors (alpha 2 -macroglobulin f, alpha 2 -macroglobulin s, alpha 1 -protease inhibitor and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor) were produced and were shown to react immunologically with their human serum protease inhibitor counterparts.

Animals

A new method for the determination of alpha1-protease inhibitor (alpha1-antitrypsin) phenotypes based on the formation of alpha1-protease inhibitor allele product-elastase complexes.

Up until now it has been assumed that the protease-binding property of alpha1-protease inhibitor (alpha1PI) was destroyed by acid starch gel electrophoresis (pH 4.9). Analyses on acid starch gel blocks for pH and conductivity changes during and following a typical electrophoretic run showed that it was unlikely that the separating alpha1PI would be exposed to pH values lower than 6.2, and that the allele products, following the passage of the buffer front, were in an environment of constant pH(6.3), extremely low conductivity and high field strength. These results strongly suggested the likelihood that alpha1-PI would be chemically and physically unchanged as a result of exposure to acid starch gel electrophoresis. In order to test this likelihood, human serum was electrophoretically separated in acid starch gel and following electrophoresis, was immersed in 0.1 M diethylbarbiturate buffer, pH 8.6, containing 20 mug/ml of pancreatic elastase. The pH-adjusted (8.15) and elastase-impregnated starch gel layer was superimposed on hemoglobin-agar for 2.5 h at 37 degrees C followed by immersion of the hemoglobin-agar layer in 1% NaCl overnight, distilled water for 2 h, drying under filter paper and staining. The results showed zones of undigested hemoglobin indicating, unequivocally, that the separated alpha1PI allele products are capable of forming complexes with proteases and that alpha1PI is not inactivated following exposure to acid starch gel electrophoresis. Densitometric analysis of the transparent stained zones on a clear agar gel background offers an alternative to analysis of the acid starch gel-separated zones by antigen-antibody crossed electrophoresis and as such is suitable for identification of alpha1-protease inhibitor phenotypes. Further, the method is specific for alpha1PI and a densitometric scan provides direct information relative to the protease-binding capacity of the sample as well as the contribution of each alpha1PI allele product to that capacity.

Alleles

Structural studies of staphylococcal protease. I. Spin labelling of the active site and a comparison with other proteases.

Staphylococcus aureus protease has been spin-labelled at the active-site serine residue with the monocyclic-phosphorus spin label (MSL), 1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-peperi-dinylethylphosphorofluoridate. The electron paramagnetic resonance (E.P.R.) sbectra of the protease in different buffers at various pH's have been analyzed and compared with those of trypsin, subtilisin BPN', and alpha-chymotrypsin under identical conditions. In a given buffer, the shape of E.P.R. signals of spin-labelled staphylococcal protease is unaffected by pH changes except below pH 4.0, at which a gradual loss of conformational integrity of the active site occurs. In bicarbonate buffer and particularly in acetate buffer, the mobility of the label is much more restricted than in phosphate buffer or in potassium chloride solution. The implications of this finding are discussed in terms of a model whereby the label is able to orient towards two different but adjacent regions of the active site. The relative population of the label in each of these orientations is believed to be buffer-dependent. An attempt to correlate the shape of the te.p.r. signals with the pH values of maximal proteolytic avtivity of the enzyme is also presented. These results show that to obtain meaningful information from a comparative spin label study of the geometry of the active site of serine proteases, particular care should be exercised to assure that the different proteases experience identical conditions of pH, buffer, and temperature.

Binding Sites

The structure and function of acid proteases. VII. Distribution and some properties of acid proteases in monkey tissues.

1. The distribution of acid protease activity in various tissues of Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata fuscata) was investigated with hemoglobin as a substrate at pH 3.0. The activity per protein weight in crude extracts was highest in spleen and lung, and decreased in the order: spleen, lung greater than kidney, testis greater than brain greater than liver, placenta greater than thyroid gland, muscle. The activity in crude muscle extract was about one-tenth those of spleen and lung. The activity per wet tissue weight was in roughly the same order except for a lower activity per wet weight of brain. 2. Upon chromatography of each crude extract on a Sephadex G-100 column, one major activity peak was eluted at a position corresponding to a molecular weight of about 41,000. This enzyme activity is attributed to cathepsin D [EC 3.4.23.5]. In addition, a minor activity peak was eluted in the case of spleen, lung and kidney at the break-through position, corresponding to a molecular weight of more than 100,000. This activity peak is presumably due to cathepsin E. These acid protease activities were, in most cases, strongly inhibited by pepstatin, an acid protease-specific peptide inhibitor. 3. The distribution of acid protease activity was investigated in the brain of crab-eating monkey (Macaca fascicularis). The activity was fairly evenly distributed among several regions of the brain, and its distribution was similar to those of other acid hydrolases, especially N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase [EC 3.2.1.30] and acid phosphatase [EC 3.1.3.2], which are marker enzymes of lysosomes.

Acetylglucosaminidase

Comparison of the reactions of neutral granulocyte proteases with the major plasma protease inhibitors and with antiplasmin.

Reaction mixtures of human serum and increasing amounts of granulocyte collagenase, elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzyme were studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis utilizing antibodies against alpha1-antitrypsin, alpha1-antichymotrypsin, and antiplasmin. The increasing complex formation of alpha1-antitrypsin and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin with the different granulocyte proteases was not accompanied by any changes in the electrophoretic mobility or precipitate pattern of antiplasmin until the protease binding capacity of serum was saturated. The antiplasmin component in the reaction mixtures of human serum and granulocyte collagenase or elastase was not precipitated by antibodies against the proteases. The results indicate that none of the granulocyte proteases are bound by antiplasmin and that these enzymes do not activate plasminogen in serum.

Antibodies

[Changes of protein metabolism following irradiation. II. Protease activity, protease pattern, protein and free amino acids in the cytoplasm and cell organelles of the rat liver following 600 R whole-body irradiation].

The protease activity of cytoplasm and cell organelles of the rat liver against liver protein and hemoglobin as a substrate increases during an initial reaction phase on the first day after 600 R whole body X-irradiation. This is probably a consequence of the degradation of cellular debris. The protein, the protease activity and the free amino acids of the cytoplasm and the cell organelles decrease during the disease phase on day 3 and 4 after irradiation. The protein loss of the liver is therefore not explained by an increased protease activity. The protease activity and the free amino acids are increased in the cytoplasm and the cell organelles during the regeneration phase of the organism between day 15 and 18 after irradiation.

Amino Acids

The 2.8 A resolution structure of Streptomyces griseus protease B and its homology with alpha-chymotrypsin and Streptomyces griseus protease A.

The 2.8 A (1 A = 0.1 nm) resolution structure of the crystalline orthorhombic form of the microbial serine protease Streptomyces griseus protease B (SGPB) has been solved by the method of multiple isomorphous replacement using five heavy-atom derivatives. The geometrical arrangement of the active site quartet, Ser-214, Asp-102, His-57, and Ser-195, is similar to that found for pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin. SGPB and alpha-chymotrypsin have only 18% identity of primary structure but their tertiary structures are 63% topologically equivalent within a root mean square deviation of 2.07 A. The major tertiary structural differences between the bacterial enzyme SGPB and the pancreatic enzymes is due to the zymogen requirement of the multicellular organisms in order to protect themselves against autolytic degradation. The two pronase enzymes, SGPB and Streptomyces griseus protease A (SGPA), have 61% identity of sequence and their tertiary structures are 85% topologically equivalent within a root mean square deviation of 1.46 A. The active site regions of SGPA and SGPB are similar and their tertiary structures differ only in three minor regions of surface loops.

Amino Acid Sequence

Purification and characterization of a human neutrophil neutral protease. The neutral peptide-generating protease.

A human neutrophil neutral protease which generates a low molecular weight peptide from a plasma protein substrate and cleaves the basic amino acid ester substrates alpha-N-p-tosyl-l-arginine methyl ester HCl, alpha-N-benzoyl-l-arginine-methyl ester HCl, and alpha-N-carbobenzoxy-l-lysine-p-nitrophenyl ester has been purified to homogeneity and distinguished from the known lysosomal neutrophil proteases. The starting activity was obtained from purified human neutrophils by homogenization, sedimentation by low-speed centrifugation, and high salt elution of the insoluble material. Purification was achieved by aprotinin-affinity chromatography, precipitation at low ionic strength, and gel filtration. The overall recovery, relative to the activity in the starting eluate of the neutrophil fraction, was congruent with50% with a 200- to 400-fold increase in specific activity. After treatment with diisopropylfluorophosphate to eliminate autodegradation, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of reduced and unreduced protein gave a single protein band of 29,000-30,000 mol wt. The isoelectric point determined in sucrose gradients ranged from pH 7.8 to 8.3 with a peak at pH 8.0. This neutrophil protease, like cathepsin G and elastase, is composed of a single polypeptide chain of congruent with30,000 mol wt, but differs from cathepsin G and elastase in its less cationic isoelectric point and its failure to cleave synthetic substrates presenting an aromatic amino acid ester linkage and alanyl peptide bonds, respectively.

Chromatography, Affinity

The structure and function of acid proteases. V. Comparative studies on the specific inhibition of acid proteases by diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester, 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy) propane and pepstatin.

Comparative studies have been made on the effects of diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (DAN), 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane (EPNP) and pepstatin on acid proteases, including those from Acrocylindrium sp., Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus saitoi, Mucor pusillus, Paecilomyces varioti, Rhizopus chinensis, and Trametes sanguinea, and also porcine pepsin [EC 3.4.23.1] and calf rennin [EC 3.4.23.4] for comparative purposes. These enzymes were rapidly inactivated at similar rates and in 1:1 stiochiometry by reaction with DAN in the presence of cupric ions. The pH profiles of inactivation of these enzymes were similar and had optima at pH 5.5 to 6. They were also inactivated at similar rates by reaction with EPNP, with concomitant incorporation of nearly 2 EPNP molecules per molecule of enzyme. The pH profiles of inactivation were again similar and maximal inactivation was observed at around pH 3 to 4. Some of the EPNP-inactivated enzymes were treated with DAN and shown still to retain reactivity toward DAN. All these enzymes were inhibited strongly by pepstatin, and the reactions of DAN and EPNP with them were also markedly inhibited by prior treatment with pepstatin. These results indicate that the active sites of these enzymes are quite similar and that they presumably have at least two essential carboxyl groups at the active site in common, one reactive with DAN in the presence of cupric ions and the other reactive with EPNP, as has already been demonstrated for porcine pepsin and calf rennin. Pepstatin appears to bind at least part of the active site of each enzyme in a simmilar manner.

Aminocaproates

Acid proteases. II. Fluorescence study of the interaction of Cladosporium acid protease with glycyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester in the presence of cupric ions.

Glycyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (GN), a diazoacetyl-DL-norleucine methyl ester (DAN) analog, in the presence of cupric ions was found to partially quench the protein fluorescence of acid protease from Cladosporium sp. No. 45-2, and cupric ions were also found to quench the fluorescence. These quenchings were pH-dependent. GN alone did not quench the fluorescence of the enzyme. The interaction between the enzyme and GN in the presence of cupric ions was studied statically at pH 5.4 in terms of fluorescence change. The dissociation constant, Kd, of the enzyme-GN complex in the presence of a 20-fold molar excess of cupric ions (0.08 mM) determined by fluorescence titration at 30 degrees C (Kd = 1.86 mM) was in good agreement with that obtained for GN from kinetics of inhibition of DAN-induced inactivation in the presence of a 20-fold molar excess of cupric ions at 30 degrees C (KA = 1.94 mM) (Kanazawa, H. (1977) J. Biochem. 81, 1739-1744). At various concentrations of cupric ions, no change of Kd was found. These results suggest that cupric ions are attracted to a negatively charged carboxyl group responsible for the formation of the enzyme-GN complex.

Binding Sites