A lipophilic heparin derivative protects elastin against degradation by leucocyte elastase.

An oleolylated derivative (I) of partially N-desulphated heparin was prepared containing an average number of three oleoyl residues for one molecule of heparin. The inhibitory capacity of I (IC50 = 0.55 microM) for leucocyte elastase resembles that of heparin (IC50 = 0.2 microM). In contrast to heparin, I is also an inhibitor of porcine pancreatic elastase (IC50 = 0.68 microM) and it also has the capacity to protect elastin fibres against the degradation by leucocyte elastase. When insoluble elastin is pretreated with I its degradation by leucocyte elastase is inhibited by almost 90% while pretreatment of elastin with heparin exhibited only a moderate effect on elastolysis (10% inhibition).     

The inhibition of human leucocyte elastase and chymotrypsin-like protease by elastatinal and chymostatin.

The ability of elastatinal and chymostatin, protease inhibitors of microbial origin, to inhibit human leucocyte proteases (EC 3.4.-) was studied. Elastatinal and chymostatin are capable of inhibiting the pancreatic enzymes elastase and chymotrypsin, respectively. It was found in these studies, with synthetic substrates, that elastatinal is a much weaker inhibitor of human leucocyte elastase than it is of porcine pancreatic elastase. Elastatinal caused no inhibition of the activity of human leucocyte chymotrypsin-like protease. Chymostatin was found to be a powerful inhibitor of human leucocyte chymotrypsin-like protease. Its affinity to the leucocyte protease was higher than its affinity to bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin. Chymsotatin had a weak inhibitory effect on the activity of human leucocyte elastase. Studies were also carried out on the ability of chymostatin to inhibit the release of 35SO2-4 from rabbit articular cartilage by human leucocyte chymotrypsin-like protease. Preincubation of the chymostatin with the protease before the latter was added to the 35SO2-4 -labeled cartilage caused inhibition of proteolysis as measured by 35SO2-4 release. Preincubation of chymostatin with 35SO2-4 -labeled cartilage prior to addition of the human chymotrypsin-like protease to the tissue also inhibited 35SO2-4 release. However, in the case of preincubation of cartilage with alpha1 -antitrypsin there was no such inhibition. It therefore appeared that chymostatin, unlike alpha1 -antitrypsin, was capable of penetrating the cartilage matrix and exerting its inhibitory effect upon the human leucocyte chymotrypsin-like protease that was subsequently added to the tissue.     

Variations in elastaselike esterase activities in human leucocytes during cell maturation.

Granules of human peripheral blood leucocytes contain four well-characterized elastase isozymes and one or two slow-moving elastaselike esterases (SE) which have not been as well characterized. SE are capable of hydrolyzing typical elastase synthetic sybstrates such as N-acetyl-dl-alanine-alpha-naphthyl ester (Ac-DL-Ala-1-ONap) and N-t-butyloxycarbonyl-L-alanine-p-nitrophenyl ester (Boc-Ala-ONp), but unlike the highly basic elastase isozymes, SE barely migrate into 13% acrylamide gels during cationic electrophoresis at pH 4.3. Hydrolysis of Ac-DL-Ala-1-ONap by SE requires the presence of Triton in the gel, and hydrolysis of Boc-Ala-ONp by the same enzyme(s) is also enhanced in the presence of the detergent. Triton is not required for these activities, in the case of the elastase isozymes. Diisopropylfluorophosphate (Dip-F) inactivates both SE and the elastase isozymes, whereas Ac-(Ala)2-Pro-AlaCH2Cl (a powerful inactivator of the leucocyte elastase isozymes at 10-4 M concentration) does not inactivate SE at the same concentration. Immunochemical studies revealed antigenic cross-reaction between the rapidly migrating leucocyte elastase isozymes and SE. Two preparations of leucocyte granules from nonleukemic bone marrow cells showed no activity of the rapidly migrating elastase isozymes, but did contain SE activity. SE may be a precursor or zymogen form of the elastase isozymes, present in immature cells and partly retained through later stages of development.     

Acyloxybenzyl halides, inhibitors of elastases

3-Benzyl-6-chloromethyl-3,4-dihydrocoumarin inhibits human leucocyte elastase (HLE) and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) through a mechanism-based process characterized by the following apparent enzyme-inhibitor dissociation constants, Ki, and limiting inactivation rate constants k2: 200 microM (HLE), 69 microM (PPE) and 5.10(-2) s-1 (HLE), 17.7.10(-2) s-1 (PPE) at pH 8.0, 37 degrees C. Bis(4-acyloxyphenyl)methane derivatives with a benzylic halogen as potential leaving group have also been synthesized and studied. They transiently inactivate PPE and HLE through the formation of an acyl-enzyme.     

Plasma proteinase inhibitors in Morris hepatoma-bearing rats: changes in the blood level and synthesis in tissue slices

The antiproteinase activities against trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, papain and rat leucocyte proteinases were determined in plasma from control and Morris hepatoma-bearing rats. Bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin were similarly inhibited by the two types of plasma whereas porcine pancreatic elastase, papain and rat leucocyte neutral proteinases were more efficiently inhibited by plasma from tumour-bearing rats. The increased plasma concentrations of some proteinase inhibitors, as determined by rocket immunoelectrophoresis, are suggested to be responsible for the observed differences in inhibition. The highest increases in plasma of tumour-bearing rats were observed for alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 1-acute-phase globulin. The synthesis and secretion of six proteinase inhibitors: antithrombin III, alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, alpha 1-macroglobulin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, alpha 1-acute-phase globulin and haptoglobin, as well as albumin, were measured in tissue slices from rat liver and Morris hepatoma after incubation with [14C]leucine. Local inflammation inflicted upon the tumour-bearing rats increased formation of acute-phase proteins in liver slices but not in hepatoma slices.     

Inactivation of human antithrombin by neutrophil elastase. Kinetics of the heparin-dependent reaction

Human neutrophil elastase catalyzes the inactivation of antithrombin by a specific and limited proteinolytic cleavage. This inactivation reaction is greatly accelerated by an active anticoagulant heparin subfraction with high binding affinity for antithrombin. A potentially complex reaction mechanism is suggested by the binding of both neutrophil elastase and antithrombin to heparin. The in vitro kinetic behavior of this system was examined under two different conditions: 1) at a constant antithrombin concentration in which the active anticoagulant heparin was varied from catalytic to saturating levels; and 2) at a fixed, saturating heparin concentration and variable antithrombin levels. Under conditions of excess heparin, the inactivation could be continuously monitored by a decrease in the ultraviolet fluorescence emission of the inhibitor. A Km of approximately 1 microM for the heparin-antithrombin complex and a turnover number of approximately 200/min was estimated from these analyses. Maximum acceleratory effects of heparin on the inactivation of antithrombin occur at heparin concentrations significantly lower than those required to saturate antithrombin. The divergence in acceleratory effect and antithrombin binding contrasts with the anticoagulant functioning of heparin in promoting the formation of covalent antithrombin-enzyme complexes and is likely to derive from the fact that neutrophil elastase is not consumed in the inactivation reaction. A size dependence was observed for the heparin effect since an anticoagulantly active octasaccharide fragment of heparin, with avid antithrombin binding activity, was without effect on the inactivation of antithrombin by neutrophil elastase. Despite the completely nonfunctional nature of elastase-cleaved antithrombin and the altered physical properties of the inhibitor as indicated by fluorescence and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the inactivated inhibitor exhibited a circulating half-life in rabbits that was indistinguishable from native antithrombin. These results point to an unexpected and apparently contradictory function for heparin which may relate to the properties of the vascular endothelium in pathological situations.     

Heparin strongly decreases the rate of inhibition of neutrophil elastase by alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor

Heparin depresses the second-order rate constant ka for the inhibition of neutrophil elastase by alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. High molecular mass heparin decreases ka from 1.3 x 10(7) M-1 s-1 to a limit of 4.6 x 10(4) M-1 s-1. Low molecular mass heparin is about 7-fold less effective. Dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are less efficient. Heparin preparations used in clinical care also strongly depress ka when tested at concentrations corresponding to their clinical efficacy. Heparin also decreases the ka for the elastase/eglin c and the cathepsin G/alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor systems but not that for the alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor/pancreatic elastase or trypsin pairs. These results, together with Sepharose-heparin binding studies, indicate that the ka-depressing effect of the polymer is related to its ability to form a tight complex with elastase but not with alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. One mol of high molecular mass heparin binds 3 mol of neutrophil elastase with a Kd of 3.3 nM. Low molecular mass heparin binds elastase with a 1:1 stoichiometry and a Kd of 89 nM. For both heparins ka is lowest when elastase is fully saturated with heparin. From this we conclude that heparin decreases ka, because the heparin-elastase complex is able to slowly react with alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and not because the inhibitor slowly dissociates the heparin-elastase complex. These findings may have important pathophysiological bearing.     

Selection of human elastase inhibitors from a conformationally constrained combinatorial peptide library.

A resin-bound cyclic peptide library was constructed based on the sequence of the reactive-site loop of Bowman-Birk inhibitor, a proteinase inhibitor protein. The constrained loop sequence, which incorporates the minimal proteinase-binding motif, was retained throughout the library, but selected residues known to be important for inhibitor specificity were randomised. The approach was used to create a 'one bead, one peptide' library with 8000 variants resulting from randomization at three target locations in the sequence (P4, P1 and P2'). This library allows us to examine the degree to which variations in this proteinase-binding motif can redirect activity, as well as providing information about the binding specificity of a proteinase target. Screening this library for binding to human leucocyte elastase identified sequences with a strong consensus, and on resynthesis all were found to act as inhibitors, with Ki values as low as 65 nM. Human leucocyte elastase is known to have a substrate preference for small alkyl chains at the P1 locus, with valine being preferred. However, alanine and not the expected valine was found in 21 out of 23 identified sequences. The remaining two sequences had threonine at P1, a finding that would be hard to predict based on substrate specificity alone. Further analysis of resynthesized peptides demonstrated that valine substitution results in an analogue that is hydrolysed far more rapidly than ones having library-selected P1 residues. Testing of the human leucocyte elastase-selected sequences as inhibitors of porcine pancreatic elastase demonstrates a significant difference in the specificity of the P4 locus between these two proteinases.     

Comparison of specificity of human and horse leucocyte proteinases with synthetic peptide substrates

Highly purified horse leucocyte proteinases 1, 2A and 2B hydrolyze synthetic substrates which are decomposed also by human leucocyte elastase but they are unable to hydrolyze typical substrates of cathepsin G. Thus in distinction to other mammalian species horse leucocytes are devoid of cathepsin G and contain only elastases.     

Human bronchial leucocyte proteinase inhibitor. Rapid isolation and kinetic analysis with human leucocyte proteinases.

Bronchial leucocyte proteinase inhibitor (BLPI) is an 11 000 Mr protein found in human mucous secretions. This inhibitor apparently controls the serine proteinases elastase and cathepsin G, released from extravascular polymorphonuclear leucocytes. A simple, single-step chromatographic procedure for the isolation of BLPI based on its affinity for chymotrypsin was developed. The purified inhibitor was homogeneous by electrophoresis and gel filtration. Amino acid analyses were in close agreement with previous reports, and showed BLPI to be rich in proline and cystine, but lacking histidine. We have further characterized the role of BLPI with respect to human leucocyte elastase and cathepsin G by close examination of the kinetic parameters. Additionally, we have determined the kinetics of association (kon) and dissociation (koff) for BLPI with bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin. Equilibrium dissociation constants (Ki) of 1.87 X 10(-10) M, 4.18 X 10(-9) M, 8.28 X 10(-9) M and 2.63 X 10(-8) M were obtained for human leucocyte elastase, cathepsin G, bovine trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. These results are discussed with respect to BLPI's possible function in vivo and its role relative to other inhibitors in bronchial secretions.     

Dissection of laminin by cathepsin G into its long-arm and short-arm structures and localization of regions involved in calcium dependent stabilization and self-association

Native laminin-nidogen complex isolated from mouse Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm tumor was treated with purified cathepsin G or leucocyte elastase, two neutral serine proteases which play a role in inflammatory processes accompanied by degradation of basement membranes. Both enzymes were found to be more active than porcine pancreatic elastase. In the absence of Ca2+, laminin fragments produced by leucocyte elastase resembled those formed by the pancreatic enzyme but at physiological concentrations of Ca2+ cleavage by cathepsin G was much more selective. Initially laminin (900 kDa) was cleaved at two major sites only with similar rates leading to three fragments. Fragment C1-4 (about 550 kDa) comprises the intact three short arms of the molecule and fragment C8-9 (about 350 kDa) contains the entire triple-coiled region by which its three chains are assembled and the major part of the terminal globular domain of the long arm. The remaining C-terminal region of this domain was recovered as fragment C3 of about 50 kDa. Stabilization against proteolytic attack was restricted to the region of fragment C1-4 and only this fragment exhibited strong Ca2+ dependent self-association similar to that of intact laminin or of its complex with nidogen. The associative properties of fragment C1-4 were dramatically diminished upon removal of the tip of one of the short arms comprising fragment 4. In addition, this provides a clear assignment of the important laminin function to a distinct domain in one of its short arms. The new fragment C8-9 may be employed for exploring the properties and possible functions of the upper long-arm region which so far has not been available as a fragment.     

Kinetics of the inhibition of human leucocyte elastase by eglin from the leech Hirudo medicinalis.

The rate constants for the inhibition of human leucocyte elastase by eglin from the leech Hirudo medicinalis were determined by using a pre-steady-state kinetic approach. kon and koff for complex-formation and dissociation were 1 X 10(6)M-1 X S-1 and 8 X 10(-4)S-1 respectively. Ki was calculated as the ratio koff/kon = 8 X 10(-10)M, the binding of eglin to elastase was reversible and the inhibition mechanism was of the fully competitive type. The mechanistic properties of the system and the biological significance of the rate constants are discussed.     

Release of granulocyte elastase in lethal canine endotoxin shock.

The release of granulocyte elastase and its interaction with plasma protease inhibitors was studied in dogs receiving a slow infusion of a lethal dose of Escherichia coli endotoxin. During endotoxin infusion a marked decline in leucocyte counts was parallelled by a rapid increase in plasma granulocyte elastase concentrations. Maximal values were reached after 3 h, when the infusion was ended. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis with antiserum against granulocyte elastase did not reveal the presence of elastase components with the electrophoretic mobility of free elastase, but elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin complexes were detected. A gradually decreasing plasma concentration of alpha2-macroglobulin was noted during the experiments. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis, however, did not reveal any electrophoretic heterogeneity. It is concluded that the release of granulocyte proteases might be of significance for several pathophysiological changes seen in endotoxin shock.     

Heparin interferes with the inhibition of neutrophil elastase by its physiological inhibitors.

Heparin depresses the second-order rate constant kass for the inhibition of neutrophil elastase by alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. For high and low molecular weight heparin the decrease in kass is 290-fold and 40-fold, respectively. This is due to a tight binding of the polymer to elastase: Kd = 3.3 nM or 89 nM for high or low molecular weight heparin respectively. In contrast heparin increases the rate of inhibition of elastase by mucus proteinase inhibitor. For low molecular weight heparin, there is a 27-fold increase in kass. This is due to a strong binding of the polymer to the inhibitor (Kd = 50 nM) which undergoes a conformational change.     

Synthesis of low-molecular-weight carbohydrate mimetics of heparin

Natural glycosaminoglycan heparin remains the most commonly prescribed anticoagulant for hospitalized patients in modern medical practice. Unfortunately, its administration can be accompanied by a series of clinical side effects, including thrombocytopenia and bleeding. This determines the urgency of the development of alternative anticoagulant drugs based on modified heparin and polyanionic oligo- and polysaccharide derivatives, such as sulfated glucans, phosphomannans, and fucoidans. Here we review work on the synthesis of oligosaccharides corresponding to low-molecular-weight heparin fragments and their derivatives, as well as oligosaccharides imitating parts of heparin chains that are responsible for biological activity. The reviewed works were aimed at developing pharmaceutical preparations lacking the aforementioned disadvantages of heparin.     

Noncatalytic protein component of elastase from horse leucocytes. A protein with regulatory function

1. Noncatalytic protein component (NPC), a strongly acidic protein (pH = 4.5) was separated from native horse leucocyte elastase 1. 2. This protein reduces elastinolytic properties of elastases: 1 and 2A probably by decreasing their isoelectric points. 3. A possible regulatory role of this protein may be inferred from a higher affinity of elastase 1 to NPC rather than to elastin.     

Separation of the human leucocyte enzymes alanine aminopeptidase, cathepsin G, collagenase, elastase and myeloperoxidase

A simple and rapid procedure is described for the separation of the human leucocyte enzymes alanine aminopeptidase, cathepsin G, collagenase, elastase and myeloperoxidase. The enzymes are prepared from leucocytes, obtained from buffy coat, by repeated extraction with buffer A(1 M salt concentration). The pooled extracts are successively subjected to batch adsorption on concanavalin A-Sepharose, gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300, affinity chromatography on collagen-Sepharose 4-B, batch adsorption on CM-Sephadex C-50 and adsorption chromatography on hydroxyapatite. The yields of the isolated enzymes of a typical preparation are 47% alanine aminopeptidase, 9% cathepsin G, 90% latent and active collagenase, 23% elastase and approximately 100% myeloperoxidase with respect to the pooled extracts. The cathepsin G, collagenase and elastase preparations are essentially free from other proteolytic enzymes and may be used without further purifications.     

Influence of elastin on the inhibition of leucocyte elastase by alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and bronchial inhibitor. Potent inhibition of elastin-bound elastase by bronchial inhibitor.

We have investigated the effect of human lung elastin on the inhibition of human leucocyte elastase by human alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor and bronchial inhibitor. Elastin was unable to dissociate the elastase-inhibitor complexes during the 150 min of the elastolysis reaction. When elastase was added to mixtures of elastin and alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor, it was fully bound to the latter. The competition between elastin and bronchial inhibitor was also in favour of the latter, but a 1.5 molar excess of inhibitor over elastase was required to achieve total binding of the enzyme. About 25% of elastin-bound elastase was found to be resistant to the inhibitory effect of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. The major isoenzyme and the mixture of the three minor isoenzymes of elastase exhibited similar behaviour. By contrast, bronchial inhibitor was as efficient in inhibiting the elastin-bound elastase as it was in inhibiting the free enzyme. This inhibitor was also able to inhibit fully the fraction of elastin-bound elastase that was resistant to alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor. We also describe a rapid procedure for the isolation of gram quantities of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor.     

Effect of heparin modification on its activity in enhancing the inhibition of thrombin by antithrombin III

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of modifying specific functional groups of heparin on its antithrombin III-enhancing activity. The derivatives employed were heparin methyl ester, heparinylglycine and N-desulfated heparin. The carboxyl-modified derivatives increase the rate of inhibition of thrombin by antithrombin III, although not to the same extent as heparin. N-Desulfated heparin is devoid of any activity. Heparin methyl ester is more potent than heparinylglycine in activating antithrombin III, as exhibited by its immediate effect on the thrombin-fibrinogen reaction. However, heparinylglycine is the more effective of the two, in increasing the rate of thrombin deactivation by antithrombin III. The results indicate that although free carboxyl groups of heparin are not crucial for its binding to antithrombin III, they are important for the combination of the latter with thromobin. In contrast, N-sulfates are critical for the interaction of heparin with antithrombin III.     

The effect of anticoagulants on Blennius pholis L. Leucocytes

The effects of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA), heparin and tri-sodium citrate (TSC) on various haematological parameters in the blenny, Blennius pholis, were investigated. EDTA and heparin, at the concentrations tested, proved adequate in preventing coagulation although leucocyte viability was reduced when the higher levels were used. TSC failed to prevent coagulation at all concentrations tested. Short (5 min) and long (20 min) term contact of these anticoagulants with blood did not produce any significant changes in leucocyte proportions. Heparin is regarded as the most suitable anticoagulant for use with B. pholis blood.