凝血酶激活的单链尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活剂的构建、表达、纯化和性质研究

用Ｋｕｎｋｅｌ突变法,将单链尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活剂（ｓｃｕ－ＰＡ）ｃＤＮＡ基因中编码Ｐｒｏ１５５—Ｌｙｓ１５８的片段定点突变,并将此突变的ｓｃｕ－ＰＡ（ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ）的ｃＤＮＡ克隆到表达载体ｐＣＭ－β－ｎｅｏ中,与ｐＣＭ－ｄｈｆｒ共转染ＣＨＯ／ＤＨＦＲ－细胞．获得的稳定表达株在无血清培养基中２４ｈ的表达量为６２０ＩＵ／１０６细胞．经锌离子螯合Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ亲和层析得到ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ纯品．ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ显示ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ分子量为５３ｋＤ左右,与预期的结果相符．ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ是由凝血酶激活而不是由纤溶酶激活,但激活后也能转变为双链分子（ｔｃｕ－ＰＡ）．ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ仍保持了ｓｃｕ－ＰＡ的血纤维蛋白亲和性．酶动力学研究表明,激活后的ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ水解Ｓ２４４４的Ｋｍ和Ｋｃａｔ值与高分子量尿激酶（ＨＵＫ）相似．体外溶栓实验结果表明,ｔｓｃｕ－ＰＡ可以选择性地溶解富含凝血酶的血凝块,对贫凝血酶的血凝块作用不大     

人胎肺细胞的条件化培养液中两种类型纤溶酶原活化物的分离

用正常人胎肺细胞体外培养,从其培养液中分离纤溶酶原活化物（ＰＡ）,通过ＣＭ－ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＣ－５０层析,硫酸铵沉淀和Ｆｉｂｒｉｎ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ,Ｌｙｓｉｎｅ－Ｓｅｐｈａｒｏｓｅ亲和层析及ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－５０凝胶过滤等步骤,从１０．５ｌ条件培养液中分离纯化得到两种类型的纤溶酶原活化物,ｔ－ＰＡ９０μｇ,ｕ－ＰＡ８００μｇ．在还原条件下ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ均显示单带,分子量ｔ－ＰＡ为７２ｋＤ,ｕ－ＰＡ为５４ｋＤ,纤溶比活分别为１５６０００ＩＵ／ｍｇ蛋白和１０６０００ＩＵ／ｍｇ蛋白．     

尿激酶原变体（Ser^175—His^187—mscu—PA）的构建及性质

尿激酶原，即单链尿激酶（ｓｃｕ－ＰＡ）是双链尿激酶（ｔｃｕ－ＰＡ）的前体，属于丝氨酸蛋白酶家族，但其内在酶活性高于一般的丝氨酸蛋白酶原。广泛存在于丝氨酸蛋白酶原家族中的Ａｓｐ－Ｈｉｓ－Ｓｅｒ酶原三要素在尿激酶原中仅存Ａｓｐ，为了恢复该结构，降低尿激酶原的内在酶活性，利用寡核苷酸介导的定点突变方法，将尿激酶原基因中的特定核苷酸改变，使Ａｌａ＾１７５突变为Ｓｅｒ＾１７５，同时Ｔｙｒ＾１８７突变为Ｈｉｓ     

纳豆激酶

纳豆激酶 (ｎａｔｔｏｋｉｎａｓｅ)是一种枯草杆菌蛋白激酶 ,是在纳豆发酵过程中由纳豆枯草杆菌 (Ｂａｃｉｌｌｕｓｓｕｂｔｉｌｉｓ/ｎａｔｔｏ)产生的一种丝氨酸蛋白酶。 1 987年由日本的须见洋行等首先发现[1～ 3] 。研究发现 ,纳豆激酶具有纤溶活性 ,可治疗和预防血栓病 ,它还可激活体内的纤溶酶原 ,从而增加内源性纤溶酶的量与作用[4] 。目前常用的及一些还在开发的治疗心脑血管栓塞疾病的药品 ,如链激酶 (ｓｔｒｅｐ ｔｏｋｉｎａｓｅ ,ＳＫ)、尿激酶 (ｕｒｏｋｉｎａｓｅ ,ＵＫ)、重组组织型纤溶酶原激活剂 (ｒｅｃｏｍｂｉｎａｎｔ…     

t-PA K1区的同源模建及Kringle区与Lysine相互作用的研究

利用同源模建方法预测了ｔ－ＰＡＫ１区的三维结构。通过结构叠合确定了ｔ－ＰＡＫ１、Ｋ２区,纤溶酶原Ｋ１、Ｋ４区及ＵＫ Ｋ区的Ｌｙｓｉｎｅ结合口袋。静电势计算及疏水性分析表明,在ｔ－ＰＡ Ｋ２Ｃ Ａ２区以及纤溶酶原Ｋ１、Ｋ４区与纤维蛋白裸露的Ｌｙｓｉｎｅ之间在明显的的静电势互补和疏水面契合。确定了Ｋｒｉｎｇｌｅ区结合口袋与Ｌｙｓｉｎｅ亲和重要所基酸,分析了ｔ－ＰＡＫ１区,ＵＫ Ｋ区不能结合Ｌｙｓｉｎｅ     

Cloning and high-level expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 cDNA derived from human glomerular mesangial cells

Ｐｌａｓｍｉｎｏｇｅｎａｃｔｉｖａｔｏｒｉｎｈｉｂｉｔｏｒ1(ＰＡＩ1)ｉｓａｓｐｅｃｉｆｉｃｐｈｙｓｉｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｉｎｈｉｂｉｔｏｒｏｆｕｒｏｋｉｎａｓｅｔｙｐｅｐｌａｓｍｉｎｏｇｅｎａｃｔｉｖａｔｏｒ(ｕＰＡ)ａｎｄｔｉｓｓｕｅｔｙｐｅｐｌａｓｍｉｎｏｇｅｎａｃｔｉｖａｔｏｒ(ｔＰＡ)[1].ＣｈａｎｇｅｓｏｆＰＡＩ1ｍａｙｉｎｄｕｃｅｉｍｂａｌａｎｃｅｂｅｔｗｅｅｎｇｌｏｍｅｒｕｌａｒｅｘｔｒａｃｅｌｌｕｌａｒｍａｔｒｉｘ(ＥＣＭ)ｓｙｎｔｈｅｓｉｓａｎｄｄｅｇｒａｄａｔｉｏｎ,ｔｈｕｓｌｅａｄｉｎｇ…     

组织型纤溶酶原激活剂A链与尿激酶原B链嵌合分子的构建与表达

利用 Ｄ Ｎ Ａ 重组技术和定位删除技术,将组织型纤溶酶原激活剂（ｔ Ｐ Ａ）的 Ａ 链（ Ｓｅｒｌ Ｔｈｒ２６３）基因与尿激酶原（ｐｒｏ Ｕ Ｋ）的 Ｂ链（ Ｓｅｒ１３８ Ｌｅｕ４１１）基因相连,得到嵌合分子基因ｔｕ ｐａ,并在昆虫杆状病毒系统中进行表达,表达量可达 ５００ Ｉ Ｕ／ｍ ｌ．经单克隆抗体免疫亲和层析纯化细胞表达上清液,得到ｔｕ Ｐ Ａ 嵌合分子,其比活为 ２００ ０００ Ｉ Ｕ／ｍ ｇ 蛋白． Ｓ Ｄ Ｓ Ｐ Ａ Ｇ Ｅ 及 Ｗ ｅｓｔｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ 鉴定证明此表达产物分子量约为 ６０ ｋ Ｄ,与预期值相符．纤维蛋白平板测活及纤维蛋白亲和性分析初步证明,此嵌合分子的溶纤活性与ｐｒｏ Ｕ Ｋ 相近,而纤维蛋白亲和性高于 ｐｒｏ Ｕ Ｋ．     

u-PA/t-PA嵌合型纤溶酶原激活剂(ut-PA)的构建、表达、纯化和性质研究

将尿激酶原（ｐｒｏ－ＵＫ）ｃＤＮＡ和组织型纤溶酶原激活剂（ｔ－ＰＡ）Ａ链ｃＤＮＡ克隆到Ｍ１３ｍｐ１８中,经过二次寡核甘酸诱导的大片段定点删除和一次寡核苷酸诱导的多位点突变,得到ｕ－ＰＡ（Ｌｅｕ１４４－Ｇｌｙ４０８）／ｔ－ＰＡ（Ｓｅｒ１－Ｔｈｒ２６３）（ｕｔ－ＰＡ）融合基因．将ｕｔ－ＰＡ融合基因克隆到表达载体ｐＣＭ－βｎｅｏ中,与ｐＣＭ－ｄｈｆｒ共转染ＣＨＯ／ＤＨＦＲ－细胞,筛选稳定表达株．收集无血清表达上清,经苯甲脒柱纯化得到ｕｔ－ＰＡ纯品,ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ和纤维蛋白自显影显示ｕｔ－ＰＡ有两种分子量形式,分子量分别为６８ｋＤ和６１ｋＤ．纤维蛋白亲和性试验表明,ＬＵＫ（低分子量尿激酶）对纤维蛋白没有亲和性,而含有ＬＵＫ的ｕｔ－ＰＡ则对纤维蛋白表现出很强的亲和性,但ｕｔ－ＰＡ的亲和性略低于亲本ｔ－ＰＡ．     

蚯蚓体内一种纤溶酶原激活剂(e-PA)对BAEE的降解

以苯甲酰－Ｌ－精氨酸乙酯（ｂｅｎｚｏｙｌ－Ｌ－ａｒｇｉｎｉｎｅｅｔｈｙｌｅｓｔｅｒ,ＢＡＥＥ）为底物,研究了蚯蚓体内纤溶酶原激活剂（ｐｌａｓｍｉｎｏｇｅｎａｃｔｉｖａｔｏｒｆｒｏｍＥｉｓｅｎｉａｆｅｔｉｄａ,ｅ－ＰＡ）的酶学性质．酶促反应的最适ｐＨ为８．４,ｅ－ＰＡ降解ＢＡＥＥ的Ｋｍ为１．２４±０．１６×１０－５ｍｏｌ／Ｌ,Ｋｃａｔ为１３．８０±４．０２ｓ－１．测定了构成ｅ－ＰＡ的大,小亚基分别降解ＢＡＥＥ的Ｋｍ和Ｋｃａｔ．结果表明,大亚基的Ｋｍ与全酶的Ｋｍ相差不多,但比小亚基小约１０倍,即对底物的亲和力比小亚基强约一个数量级．大小亚基的Ｋｃａｔ比较接近,分别是全酶的１／６和１／３．研究了８种抑制剂对ｅ－ＰＡ降解ＢＡＥＥ活性的影响,其中ｐｅｐｓｔａｔｉｎ和Ｅ－６４（一种巯基抑制剂）对酶促反应有激活作用,ＴＰＣＫ,ＴＬ－ＣＫ,ＰＭＳＦ,ｃｈｙｍｏｓｔａｔｉｎ和ｌｅｕｐｅｐｔｉｎ对其有不同程度的抑制作用,ＥＤＴＡ对ｅ－ＰＡ的活性没有影响．对ｅ－ＰＡ的ＢＡＥＥ活性和ｅ－ＰＡ的纤溶活性之间作了比较．     

蚯蚓体内一种纤溶酶原激活剂(e-PA)的部分性质研究

从赤子爱胜蚓（Ｅｉｓｅｎｉａｆａｅｔｉｄａ）中纯化出的一种纤溶酶原激活剂（ｅ－ＰＡ）在纤维蛋白平板上可表现出三种活性,分别记为：ＣＦＰｇ,ｕＣＦＰｇ和ｕＣＦ．为更好了解各种活性与ｅ－ＰＡ的纤溶能力的关系,考察了在ＳＤＳ和不同抑制剂存在下各种活性的变化．结果表明,ＳＤＳ可以增强ＣＦＰｇ活性且使得ｅ－ＰＡ变得对一些抑制剂更敏感;ｌｅｕｐｅｐｔｉｎ,ｃｈｙｍｏｓｔａｔｉｎ,ｐｅｐｓｔａｔｉｎ,ａｐｒｏ－ｔｉｎｉｎ,ｐｈｅｎｙｌｍｅｔｈｙｌｓｕｌｆｏｎｙｌｆｌｕｏｒｉｄｅ（ＰＭＳＦ）和ｄｉｔｈｉｏｔｈｒｅｉｔｏｌ（ＤＴＴ）对ｕＣＦ没有影响;ｐｅｐ－ｓｔａｔｉｎ能增强ＣＦＰｇ和ｕＣＦＰｇ活性,Ｅ－６４（一种巯基抑制剂）能增强ｕＣＦＰｇ和ｕＣＦ活性．这些现象说明不能简单将ｅ－ＰＡ归结为丝氨酸蛋白酶或巯基蛋白酶．此外又以纤溶酶原为底物,分析了ｅ－ＰＡ在体外降解天然蛋白质的肽键特异性,结果表明：ｅ－ＰＡ可以切割碱性氨基酸,小的中性氨基酸及Ｍｅｔ的羧基端,同时ｅ－ＰＡ确能将纤溶酶原切割为纤溶酶;这一结论为ｅ－ＰＡ有可能成为新型溶栓药物提供了生化基础．     

Activation with plasmin of tow-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator derived from single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator by treatment with thrombin

Thrombin converts single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) to an inactive two-chain derivative (thrombin-derived tcu-PA) by hydrolysis of the Arg-156--Phe-157 peptide bond. In the present study, we show that inactive thrombin-derived tcu-PA (specific activity 1000 IU/mg) can be converted with plasmin to active two-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (specific activity 43,000 IU/mg) by hydrolysis of the Lys-158--Ile-159 peptide bond. This conversion follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a Michaelis constant Km of 37 microM and a catalytic rate constant k2 of 0.013 s-1. The catalytic efficiency (k2/Km) for the activation of thrombin-derived tcu-PA by plasmin is about 500-fold lower than that for the conversion of intact scu-PA to tcu-PA. tcu-PA, generated by plasmin treatment of thrombin-derived tcu-PA, has similar properties to tcu-PA obtained by digestion of intact scu-PA with plasmin (plasmin-derived tcu-PA); its plasminogen activating potential and fibrinolytic activity in an in vitro plasma clot lysis system appear to be unaltered. These observations confirm that the structure of the NH2-terminal region of the B chain of u-PA is an important determinant for its enzymatic activity, whereas that of the COOH-terminal region of the A chain is not.     

Characterization of a fusion protein consisting of amino acids 1 to 263 of tissue-type plasminogen activator and amino acids 144 to 411 of urokinase-type plasminogen activator

A hybrid human cDNA was constructed by splicing of a cDNA fragment of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), encoding 5'-untranslated, the pre-pro region and amino acids Ser1-Thr263, with a cDNA fragment of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), encoding amino acids Leu144-Leu411. The cDNA fragments were obtained from full length t-PA cDNA, cloned from Bowes melanoma poly(A)+ mRNA, and from full length u-PA cDNA, cloned from CALU-3 lung adenocarcinoma poly(A)+ mRNA. The hybrid (t-PA/u-PA) cDNA was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and the translation product purified from the conditioned cell culture media. On SDS-gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions, the protein migrated as a single band with approximate Mr 70,000. On immunoblotting, it reacted both with rabbit antisera raised against human t-PA and against human u-PA. The urokinase-like amidolytic activity of the protein was only 320 IU/mg but increased to 43,000 IU/mg after treatment with plasmin, which resulted in conversion of the single-chain molecule (t-PA/scu-PA) to a two-chain molecule (t-PA/tcu-PA). The specific activity of the protein on fibrin plates was 57,000 IU/mg by comparison with the International Reference Preparation for Urokinase. Both the single-chain hybrid (t-PA/scu-PA) and the two-chain plasmin derivative (t-PA/tcu-PA) bound specifically to fibrin, albeit more weakly than t-PA. The t-PA/tcu-PA hybrid had a higher selectivity for fibrin than tcu-PA, measured in a system composed of a whole human 125I-fibrin-labeled plasma clot immersed in human plasma. Both hybrid proteins activated plasminogen directly with Km = 1.5 microM and k2 = 0.0058 s-1 for t-PA/scu-PA and with Km = 80 microM and k2 = 5.6 s-1 for t-PA/tcu-PA. CNBr-digested fibrinogen stimulated the activation of plasminogen with t-PA/tcu-PA (Km = 0.20 microM and k2 = 1.2 s-1). It is concluded that these t-PA/u-PA hybrid proteins combine, at least to some extent, the fibrin-affinity of t-PA with the enzymatic properties of u-PA (either scu-PA or tcu-PA), which in some assays result in improved fibrin-mediated plasminogen activation.     

Purification and properties of a single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator form produced by subcultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Single-chain Mr 54,000 u-PA (scu-PA) was isolated, in the presence of aprotinin, from 3-liter batches of 60-h serum-free conditioned media obtained from subcultured (4-6th passage) human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs, approximately 1.8 x 10(9) cells). In the presence of heparin and endothelial cell growth factor, subcultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells produced u-PA proteins consisting of about 85-90% Mr 54,000 scu-PA and 10-15% two-chain Mr 54,000. The major scu-PA form was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-50, immunoadsorption on purified anti-u-PA IgG-Sepharose and affinity chromatography on p-amino-benzamidine-Agarose. Typically, about 8-10 micrograms of purified scu-PA protein (antigen/protein ratio = 1) was isolated from 3-liter batches of heparin-containing serum-free conditioned media with a yield of about 41% of the total starting u-PA antigen. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of this purified u-PA protein showed a single Ag-stained band (nonreduced and reduced), with an estimated molecular weight of about 54,000, which exhibited very low fibrinolytic activity. Purified HUVEC-derived scu-PA did not incorporate 3H-labeled diisopropyl fluorophosphate. This protein did, however, exhibit very low amidolytic activity (approximately 5,000 IU/mg) on the u-PA-specific synthetic substrate pyroglu-Gly-Arg-p-nitroanilide, very low plasminogen-dependent fibrinolytic activity on 125I-labeled fibrin coated plates, and directly activated 125I-labeled plasminogen following Michaelis-Menten kinetics with high affinity, Km = 0.72 microM and low turnover number, kcat = 0.0005 s-1. Treatment with plasmin rapidly converted the HUVEC-derived scu-PA to the active two-chain Mr 54,000 u-PA form (approximately 90,000 IU/mg). Binding to fibrin clots, using antigen quantitation, indicated about 20, 10, and 90% binding for equimolar amounts of HUVEC-derived scu-PA, two-chain u-PA, and tissue plasminogen activator standards, respectively. These results indicate that subcultured HUVECs synthesize and secrete their u-PA protein as a single-chain molecule with low intrinsic amidolytic and fibrinolytic activity, high affinity for plasminogen and no specific affinity for fibrin. The role of scu-PA in endothelial cell-mediated vascular function has yet to be clearly defined.     

The inactivation of single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator by thrombin on cultured human endothelial cells

Single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) is cleaved by thrombin, resulting in an inactive molecule called thrombin-cleaved two-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (tcu-PA/T). There is no knowledge about cell-mediated inactivation of scu-PA. We have studied whether scu-PA bound to cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) could be inactivated by thrombin. High molecular weight scu-PA was bound to HUVEC and incubated with increasing amounts of thrombin for 30 min at 37 degrees C. Cell-bound urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) was released and levels of scu-PA, tcu-PA/T and active two-chain u-PA were measured using sensitive bioimmunoassays. Cell-bound scu-PA was efficiently inactivated by thrombin. Fifty percent inactivation of scu-PA occurred at about 0.2 nM thrombin. In the presence of monoclonal anti-urokinase receptor IgG, at least 50% of the binding of scu-PA to HUVEC was inhibited. The relative amount of tcu-PA/T that was generated by thrombin was not affected by the monoclonal antibody. These results indicated that scu-PA bound to HUVEC via the urokinase receptor can be inactivated by thrombin. The efficient inactivation of cell-bound scu-PA suggests that a cofactor for thrombin may be involved, like thrombomodulin or glycosaminoglycans. It is concluded that scu-PA bound to the urokinase receptor on a cell surface can be inactivated by thrombin, which may have profound effects on u-PA-mediated local fibrinolysis and extracellular proteolysis during processes in which thrombin is also involved.     

Interaction of single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator with human endothelial cells

The interaction of urokinase-type plasminogen activators with receptors on the surface of endothelial cells may play an important role in the regulation of fibrinolysis and cell migration. Therefore, we investigated whether human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) express receptors for single-chain urokinase (scu-PA) on the cell surface and examined the effect of such binding on plasminogen activator activity. Binding of 125I-labeled scu-PA to HUVEC, performed at 4 degrees C, was saturable, reversible, and specific (k+1 4 +/- 1 X 10(6) min-1 M-1, k-1 6.2 +/- 1.4 X 10(-3) min-1, Kd 2.8 +/- 0.1 nM; Bmax 2.2 +/- 0.1 X 10(5) sites/cell; mean +/- S.E.). Binding of radiolabeled scu-PA was inhibited by both natural and recombinant wild-type scu-PA, high molecular weight two-chain u-PA (tcu-PA), catalytic site-inactivated tcu-PA, an amino-terminal fragment of u-PA (amino acids 1-143), and a smaller peptide (amino acids 4-42) corresponding primarily to the epidermal growth factor-like domain. Binding was not inhibited by low molecular weight urokinase or by a recombinant scu-PA missing amino acids 9-45. Cell-bound scu-PA migrated at its native molecular mass on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the presence of plasminogen, scu-PA bound to endothelial cells generated greater plasmin activity than did scu-PA in the absence of cells. In contrast, when tcu-PA was added directly to HUVEC, sodium dodecyl sulfate-stable complexes formed with cell or matrix-associated plasminogen activator inhibitors with a loss of plasminogen activator activity. These studies suggest that endothelial cells in culture express high affinity binding sites for the epidermal growth factor domain of scu-PA. Interaction of scu-PA with these receptors may permit plasminogen activator activity to be expressed at discrete sites on the endothelial cell membrane.     

Two distinct urokinase-serpin interactions regulate the initiation of cell surface-associated plasminogen activation.

Single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) possesses enzymatic activity that increases by 2-3 orders of magnitude upon binding to its cellular cofactor, the u-PA receptor (u-PAR), hence activating an enzymatic cascade initially composed of zymogens. The present study demonstrates that plasminogen activator inhibitor type 3 (PAI-3) reversibly inhibits scu-PA in solution, maintaining the system "off." Because the scu-PA/PAI-3 interaction is reversible, cellular expression of u-PAR allows partitioning of scu-PA from PAI-3 to u-PAR with resultant expression of full enzymatic activity. PAI-3 that was originally complexed to scu-PA remains in solution, retaining its functional activity. Importantly, the scu-PA on cell surface u-PAR is protected from PAI-3 inhibition, remaining an effective activator in a PAI-rich environment. Plasmin formed as a result of scu-PA activity then cleaves scu-PA to the mature protease, two-chain u-PA (tcu-PA), which is efficiently and irreversibly inhibited by PAI-3 via the standard serpin mechanism, even on u-PAR. This data generates a new hypothesis which, in contrast to the previous paradigm, holds that receptor bound scu-PA is the initiating enzyme and that tcu-PA is generated not to augment enzymatic activity but rather to allow for inhibition and therefore appropriate regulation of the process.     

Comparative kinetic analysis of the activation of human plasminogen by natural and recombinant single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator

Single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) may be obtained from conditioned cell culture media (natural scu-PA) or by expression of the cDNA encoding human scu-PA in Escherichia coli (recombinant scu-PA). The activation of Glu-plasminogen by natural and recombinant scu-PA can be described by a sequence of three reactions, each of which obeys Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Initial activation of plasminogen to plasmin by scu-PA (reaction I) occurs with a high affinity (Km below 0.8 microM) for both scu-PAs, while the catalytic rate constant (k2) is 0.017 s-1 for recombinant scu-PA but only 0.0009 s-1 for natural scu-PA. Subsequent conversion of scu-PA to urokinase (two-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator, tcu-PA) by generated plasmin (reaction II) occurs with a comparable affinity (Km about 5 microM) for natural and recombinant scu-PA and with a k2 of 0.23 s-1 for natural and 1.2 s-1 for recombinant scu-PA. Finally, activation of plasminogen by tcu-PA (reaction III) occurs with low affinity (Km 30-50 microM) but with a high catalytic rate constant (k2 about 5 s-1) for both natural and recombinant tcu-PA. The differences in the kinetic parameters of the activation of plasminogen by natural or recombinant scu-PA are thus mainly due to differences in turnover rate in the first reaction. Indeed, the catalytic rate constant of the first reaction is about 20-times higher for recombinant scu-PA than for natural scu-PA. Thus, surprisingly, the artificial, unglycosylated recombinant scu-PA molecule has a better catalytic efficiency than its natural glycosylated counterpart.     

Structural and functional characterization of mutants of recombinant single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator obtained by site-specific mutagenesis of Lys158, Ile159 and Ile160

Single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) is converted to urokinase by hydrolysis of the Lys158-Ile159 peptide bond. Site-directed mutagenesis of Lys158 to Gly or Glu yields plasmin-resistant mutants with a 10-20-fold reduced catalytic efficiency for the activation of plasminogen [Nelles et al. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 5682-5689]. In the present study, we have further evaluated the enzymatic properties of derivatives of recombinant scu-PA (rscu-PA), produced by site-directed mutagenesis of Lys158, Ile159 or Ile160, in order to obtain additional information on the structure/function relations underlying the enzymatic properties of the single- and two-chain u-PA moieties. [Arg158]rscu-PA (rscu-PA with Lys158 substituted with Arg) appeared to be indistinguishable from wild-type rscu-PA with respect to plasminogen-activating potential (catalytic efficiency k2/Km = 0.21 mM-1 s-1 versus 0.64 mM-1 s-1), conversion to active two-chain urokinase by plasmin (k2/Km = 0.13 microM-1 s-1 versus 0.28 microM-1 s-1), as well as its specific activity (48,000 IU/mg as compared to 60,000 IU/mg) and its fibrinolytic potential in a plasma medium (50% lysis in 2 h with 2.8 micrograms/ml versus 2.1 micrograms/ml). [Pro159]rscu-PA (Ile159 substituted with Pro) and [Gly159]rscu-PA (Ile159 converted to Gly) are virtually inactive towards plasminogen (k2/Km less than 0.004 mM-1 s-1). They are however converted to inactive two-chain derivatives by plasmin following cleavage of the Arg156-Phe157 peptide bond in [Pro159]rscu-PA and of the Lys158-Gly159 peptide bond in [Gly159]rscu-PA. [Gly158,Lys160]rscu-PA (with Lys158 converted to Gly and Ile160 to Lys) has a low catalytic efficiency towards plasminogen both as a single-chain form (k2/Km = 0.012 mM-1 s-1) and as the two-chain derivative (k2/Km = 0.13 mM-1 s-1) generated by cleavage of both the Arg156-Phe157 and/or the Lys160-Gly161 peptide bonds by plasmin. These findings suggest that the enzymatic properties of rscu-PA are critically dependent on the amino acids in position 158 (requirement for Arg or Lys) and position 159 (requirement for Ile). Conversion of the basic amino acid in position 158 results in a 10-20-fold reduction of the catalytic efficiency of the single-chain molecule but yields a fully active two-chain derivative. The presence of Ile in position 159 is not only a primary determinant for the activity of the two-chain derivative, but also of the single-chain precursor. Cleavage of the Arg156-Phe157 or the Lys160-Gly161 peptide bonds by plasmin yields inactive two-chain derivatives.     

Characterization of recombinant human single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator mutants produced by site-specific mutagenesis of lysine 158

The cDNA encoding full-length single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) was cloned and sequenced, and the recombinant scu-PA (rscu-PA) was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Two mutants, constructed by in vitro site-specific mutagenesis of Lys158 in rscu-PA to Gly158 (rscu-PA-Gly158) or to Glu158 (rscu-PA-Glu158), were also expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Wild type and mutant rscu-PAs were purified to homogeneity by immunoadsorption on an insolubilized monoclonal antibody raised against natural scu-PA (nscu-PA), followed by gel filtration. The specific activity of the mutant scu-PAs on fibrin plates is very low (less than 1,000 IU/mg) compared to that of the wild type rscu-PA (44,000 IU/mg). The mutants, in contrast to the wild type rscu-PA, are not converted to amidolytically active two chain u-PA (tcu-PA) by plasmin and do not cause lysis of a 125I-fibrin-labeled plasma clot immersed in citrated plasma. However, in a purified system, both rscu-PA-Gly158 and rscu-PA-Glu158 activate plasminogen following Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with a much lower affinity (Km = 60-80 microM) but with a higher turnover rate constant (k2 = 0.01 s-1) as compared to the wild type rscu-PA (Km = 1.0 microM, k2 = 0.002 s-1). We conclude that conversion of scu-PA to tcu-PA is not a prerequisite for the activation of plasminogen. Substitution of Lys158 by Gly158 or Glu158 does, however, markedly decrease the stability of the Michaelis complex.     

The optimization of serum-free medium for the production of the scu-PA by the addition of algal extracts

The addition of 2.8 g/ml algal extracts enhanced both scu-PA production and cell growth in a serum-free medium, compared to a conventional serum-free medium for the cultivation of recombinant CHO cells. The growth rate and scu-PA production were relatively lower in the serum-free medium than 5% serum containing medium: however, specific scu-PA production rate was higher in the serum-free medium due to the long-term period of cultivation (3.66×10^–4 vs. 2.48×10^–4 IU/cell/day). Overall scu-PA production rate was also greater in an enforced serum-free medium as 25,000 IU/day over 50 d of perfusion cultivation. The conversion ratio of scu-PA to tcu-PA was greatly reduced in the serum-free medium during perfusion cultivation (10% compared to 20% conversion in a serum containing medium).