Arginine carboxypeptidase (CPR) in human plasma determined with sandwich ELISA.

There are two types of carboxypeptidases present in human blood, carboxypeptidase N (CPN) and arginine carboxypeptidase (CPR). CPR is generated during coagulation from a precursor (proCPR) which can be converted to the active form by trypsin in vitro. Since it is difficult to distinguish the two types of carboxypeptidases in human blood by the measurement of enzyme activity, we established a quantitative sandwich ELISA by which CPR can be quantitated. The amount of CPR in plasma, fresh serum and heated serum were essentially the same. Therefore the ELISA assay does not distinguish proCPR, activated CPR and inactivated CPR. With the ELISA method, CPR was quantitated in plasma from fifty patients with rheumatoid arthritis and eleven patients with severe hepatitis as well as healthy individuals. The amount of CPR in plasma obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis was not found to be lower than that of normal subjects. Furthermore, the patients who suffered severe hepatitis and had very low levels of CPR-total were fatal. This suggests that a decrease of CPR level might be a good indication of a patient's prognosis to death by hepatitis.     

Molecular cloning and partial characterization of rat procarboxypeptidase R and carboxypeptidase N

Carboxypeptidase R (EC 3.4.17.20) (CPR) and carboxypeptidase N (EC 3.4.17.3) (CPN) cleave carboxy-terminal arginine or lysine residues from biologically active peptides such as kinins or anaphylatoxins in the circulation thereby regulating their activities. Although CPN is present in a stable active form in plasma, CPR is generated from proCPR, a plasma zymogen, by proteolytic enzymes such as thrombin, thrombin-thrombomodulin complex and plasmin. We have isolated rat proCPR and CPN cDNA clones which can induce enzymatic activities in culture supernatants of the transfected cells. mRNA of proCPR was detected only in rat liver by Northern hybridization and showed hepatocyte-specific expression. Expression of proCPR mRNA was enhanced following LPS injection, indicating that proCPR production is increased under inflammatory conditions.     

Heat stability of carboxypeptidase R of experimental animals

Carboxypeptidase N (CPN) and carboxypeptidase R (CPR) are present in fresh serum, and cleave C-terminal arginine or lysine residues from bioactive peptides such as anaphylatoxins and kinins resulting in regulation of peptide activity. Although CPN is present in the active form in plasma, CPR is generated from proCPR by trypsin-like enzymes such as thrombin. CPR regulates not only inflammatory peptides but also restricts fibrinolysis. To elucidate the complex role of CPN and CPR in vivo, studies in animal models will be essential. CPR of guinea pig, rat and rabbit decayed at 37 C rapidly as in the case of human CPR. However, at 25 C, CPR of those species decayed to some extent, although human serum CPR did not decay within 60 min. In the presence of thrombin inhibitor, CPR in the sera of animals tested decayed more rapidly than CPR in serum without thrombin inhibitor suggesting that additional generation of CPR may have been prevented during decay evaluation. However, human serum CPR decayed more rapidly in the absence of thrombin inhibitor indicating that thrombin may accelerate the decay in human serum.     

Pro-carboxypeptidase R is an acute phase protein in the mouse, whereas carboxypeptidase N is not

Carboxypeptidase R (EC 3.4.17.20; CPR) and carboxypeptidase N (EC 3. 4.17.3; CPN) cleave carboxyl-terminal arginine and lysine residues from biologically active peptides such as kinins and anaphylatoxins, resulting in regulation of their biological activity. Human proCPR, also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, plasma pro-carboxypeptidase B, and pro-carboxypeptidase U, is a plasma zymogen activated during coagulation. CPN, however, previously termed kininase I and anaphylatoxin inactivator, is present in a stable active form in plasma. We report here the isolation of mouse proCPR and CPN cDNA clones that can induce their respective enzymatic activities in culture supernatants of transiently transfected cells. Potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor can inhibit carboxypeptidase activity in culture medium of mouse proCPR-transfected cells. The expression of proCPR mRNA in murine liver is greatly enhanced following LPS injection, whereas CPN mRNA expression remains unaffected. Furthermore, the CPR activity in plasma increased 2-fold at 24 h after LPS treatment. Therefore, proCPR can be considered a type of acute phase protein, whereas CPN is not. An increase in CPR activity may facilitate rapid inactivation of inflammatory mediators generated at the site of Gram-negative bacterial infection and may consequently prevent septic shock. In view of the ability of proCPR to also inhibit fibrinolysis, an excess of proCPR induced by LPS may contribute to hypofibrinolysis in patients suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation caused by sepsis.     

Inactivation of C3a and C5a octapeptides by carboxypeptidase R and carboxypeptidase N

Pro-carboxypeptidase R (proCPR), also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), precursor of carboxypeptidase U and plasma carboxypeptidase B is present in plasma and following activation by thrombin/thrombomodulin and/or plasmin can remove arginine from the carboxyterminal of C3a and C5a. We have shown that this enzyme can remove terminal arginine from the C5a octapeptide much more efficiently than the classical anaphylatoxin inactivator, carboxypeptidase N (CPN). Since we have previously demonstrated that proCPR is significantly upregulated in the inflammatory state, this enzyme would appear to significantly contribute to the inactivation of C5a, the most potent of the complement derived anaphylatoxins.     

Elastase from activated human neutrophils activates procarboxypeptidase R

Carboxypeptidase R (EC 3.4.17.20; CPR) is an unstable basic carboxypeptidase found in fresh serum in addition to carboxypeptidase N (CPN) which is a stable enzyme. CPR in fresh serum is generated from its zymogen (proCPR) during coagulation by trypsin-like enzymes such as thrombin and thrombin/thrombomodulin complexes. Since removal of the C-terminal arginine abrogates the anaphylatoxin activity of C3a and C5a, CPR and CPN are regarded as anaphylatoxin inactivators. We report here that the culture supernatant of activated human neutrophils converts proCPR to CPR. Addition of an elastase specific inhibitor, N-methoxysuccinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Val-chloromethyl ketone (MSAAPVCK) to the supernatant of stimulated neutrophils completely inhibited activation of proCPR. On the other hand, a thrombin specific inhibitor, p-Nitrophenyl-p'-amidinophenyl-methanesulfonate hydrochloride (pNP-pAPMS) inhibited only 16% of proCPR activation by the neutrophil supernatant. Furthermore, purified elastase converted proCPR to CPR. Therefore, elastase can activate proCPR directly, or indirectly through activation of some proteases, which have been contaminating in reagents. Release of CPR generating enzymes from neutrophils should play an important role in regulation of excess inflammation.     

Modulation of procarboxypeptidase R (ProCPR) activation by complementary peptides to thrombomodulin

We designed complementary peptides (C-peptides) using a novel computer program (MIMETIC), which generates a series of peptides designed to interact with a target peptide sequence. Carboxypeptidase R (CPR) is an unstable basic carboxypeptidase found in fresh serum in addition to carboxypeptidase N (CPN) which is stable. CPR is generated from its precursor form (proCPR) by trypsin-like enzymes, and its activation is mediated by thrombin generated in the coagulation cascade. The efficiency of activation is enhanced approximately 1,200-fold when thrombin (T) is bound to thrombomodulin (TM). We attempted to generate C-peptides which recognize the T-binding site within TM assuming that some of these might interfere with the generation of T and TM complexes (T-TM). Among three peptides designed, two inhibited the enhancement in activation of proCPR by T in the presence of TM. One of the peptides at 16 microM reduced the activation of proCPR to the level obtained by T alone.     

Preferential detection of pro-carboxypeptidase R by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

We generated two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), 2A16 and 10G1, against pro-carboxypeptidase R (proCPR), also known as thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI). By use of these mAbs, we developed a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system to detect proCPR. Since the amount of the antigen detectable by the ELISA was essentially the same in fresh plasma and serum incubated at 37 C for 1 hr, we concluded that the ELISA system detected not only proCPR, but also inactivated CPR generated from proCPR. However, an appreciable amount of proCPR remained unactivated in serum. For extensive activation of proCPR in plasma, thrombin and thrombomodulin complexes (TTM) can be used together with CaCl2. Following extensive conversion of proCPR to CPR by T-TM and CaCl2, converting plasma to serum (T-TM serum), antigenicity became undetectable by ELISA. Further analysis revealed that 2A16 reacts only with proCPR although 10G1 reacts with proCPR, active CPR and inactivated CPR. Therefore, we concluded that the ELISA system preferentially detects proCPR and not CPR. Our sandwich ELISA system utilizing 2A16 and 10G1 provides a suitable method for detecting proCPR and can be used to determine levels of proCPR in plasma samples from patients.     

Absence of procarboxypeptidase R induces complement-mediated lethal inflammation in lipopolysaccharide-primed mice

Carboxypeptidase R (CPR) is a heat-labile enzyme found in serum in addition to stable carboxypeptidase N. CPR cleaves the C-terminal basic amino acids, arginine and lysine, from inflammatory peptides such as complement C3a and C5a, bradykinin, and enkephalin. This enzyme is generated from procarboxypeptidase R (proCPR), also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor, following cleavage by proteolytic enzymes such as thrombin, plasmin, and trypsin. We generated proCPR-deficient mice by knocking out exons 4 and 5 of the proCPR gene, which are regarded as essential for CPR function. At LPS challenge, there was virtually no difference in lethality among proCPR(+/+), proCPR(+/-), and proCPR(-/-) mice. However, challenge with cobra venom factor, which can activate and deplete almost all complement in vivo, induced a lethal effect on proCPR(-/-) mice following LPS sensitization which up-regulates C5a receptor expression. In contrast, proCPR(+/+) and proCPR(+/-) mice were able to tolerate the cobra venom factor challenge with the limited dose (30 U). Although carboxypeptidase N plays a role in inactivation of inflammatory peptides in vivo, CPR may also be important in the regulation of hyperinflammation.     

CPR-Total (TAFI and activated TAFI) levels in plasma/serum of hemophiliacs

Arginine carboxypeptidase (CPR) is a single-chain plasma protein generated during coagulation from a precursor (proCPR). proCPR is the same molecule as thrombin activable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), which retards fibrin clot lysis in vitro and most likely modulates fibrinolysis in vivo. In this study, the amount of CPR-total, which includes proCPR (TAFI) and CPR (activated TAFI), in hemophiliac patients was evaluated using a newly developed enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The amount of CPR-total in plasma or serum of most of the hemophiliac patients was in the range of healthy individuals. There was no significant difference in hemophiliac patients with or without HIV-1 infection. However, two out of the 74 hemophiliac patients showed a significantly high level. The upregulation of CPR-total might contribute to compensate for inefficient coagulation in some hemophiliac individuals.     

Hepatitis induced by an IgM monoclonal antibody against procarboxypeptidase R

Procarboxypeptidase R (proCPR), also known as thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), is present in plasma and can be activated to carboxypeptidase R (CPR) by trypsin-like enzymes such as thrombin and plasmin. CPR has the carboxypeptidase B-like activity that can inactivate the inflammatory peptides such as C5a by removing the C-terminal arginine and can interfere with fibrinolysis by removing C-terminal lysine residue of fibrin. In the present study, we conducted to produce monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by using spleen cells from proCPR-deficient mice immunized by partially purified mouse proCPR. The mAbs obtained were IgM isotype and reacted with proCPR and interfered with activation of proCPR to CPR by thrombin-thrombomodulin complex. Some BALB/c mice implanted with the hybridoma died in 7 days, and intravenous injection of the mAb to BALB/c mice induced transient elevation of GOT and GPT in plasma although injection to the deficient mice did not. Furthermore, the histological features showed the focally lesions in liver tissue of BALB/c mice injected with the mAb. Since liver is the major site of proCPR synthesis, IgM mAb to proCPR should have induced local inflammation at the side resulting in induction of hepatitis.     

Crystal structure of the human carboxypeptidase N (kininase I) catalytic domain

Human carboxypeptidase N (CPN), a member of the CPN/E subfamily of "regulatory" metallo-carboxypeptidases, is an extracellular glycoprotein synthesized in the liver and secreted into the blood, where it controls the activity of vasoactive peptide hormones, growth factors and cytokines by specifically removing C-terminal basic residues. Normally, CPN circulates in blood plasma as a hetero-tetramer consisting of two 83 kDa (CPN2) domains each flanked by a 48 to 55 kDa catalytic (CPN1) domain. We have prepared and crystallized the recombinant C-terminally truncated catalytic domain of human CPN1, and have determined and refined its 2.1 A crystal structure. The structural analysis reveals that CPN1 has a pear-like shape, consisting of a 319 residue N-terminal catalytic domain and an abutting, cylindrically shaped 79 residue C-terminal beta-sandwich transthyretin (TT) domain, more resembling CPD-2 than CPM. Like these other CPN/E members, two surface loops surrounding the active-site groove restrict access to the catalytic center, offering an explanation for why some larger protein carboxypeptidase inhibitors do not inhibit CPN. Modeling of the Pro-Phe-Arg C-terminal end of the natural substrate bradykinin into the active site shows that the S1' pocket of CPN1 might better accommodate P1'-Lys than Arg residues, in agreement with CPN's preference for cleaving off C-terminal Lys residues. Three Thr residues at the distal TT edge of CPN1 are O-linked to N-acetyl glucosamine sugars; equivalent sites in the membrane-anchored CPM are occupied by basic residues probably involved in membrane interaction. In tetrameric CPN, each CPN1 subunit might interact with the central leucine-rich repeat tandem of the cognate CPN2 subunit via a unique hydrophobic surface patch wrapping around the catalytic domain-TT interface, exposing the two active centers.     

Distribution,properties, and functions of midgut carboxypeptidases and dipeptidases from Musca domestica larvae

Dipeptidase and carboxypeptidase A activities were determined in cells and luminal contents of the fore-, mid-, and hind-midgut of Musca domestica larvae. Dipeptidase activity was found mainly in hind-midgut cells, whereas carboxy-peptidase activity was recovered in major amounts in both cells and in luminal contents of hind-midguts. The subcellular distribution of dipeptidase and part of the carboxypeptidase A activities is similar to that of a plasma membrane enzyme marker (aminopeptidase), suggesting that these activities are bound to the microvillar membranes. Soluble carboxypeptidase A seems to occur both bound to secretory vesicles and trapped in the cell glycocalyx. Based on density-gradient ultracentrifugation and thermal inactivation, there seems to be only one molecular species of each of the following enzymes (soluble in water or solubilized in Triton X-100): membrane-bound dipeptidase (pH optimum 8.0; Km 3.7 mM GlyLeu, M_r 111,000), soluble carboxypeptidase (pH optimum 8.0; Km 1.22 mM N-carbobenzoxy-glycyl-L-phenylalanine (ZGlyPhe), M_r45,000) and membrane-bound carboxypeptidase (pH optimum 7.5, Km 2.3 mM ZGlyPhe, M_r58,000). The results suggest that protein digestion is accomplished sequentially by luminal trypsin and luminal carboxypeptidase, by membrane-bound carboxypeptidase and aminopeptidase, and finally by membrane-bound dipeptidase.     

The association of tubulin carboxypeptidase activity with microtubules in brain extracts is modulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation processes

Tubulin carboxypeptidase, the enzyme which releases the COOH terminal tyrosine from the a-chain of tubulin, remains associated with microtubules through several cycles of assembly/disassembly (Arce CA, Barra HS: FEBS Lett 157: 75–78, 1983). Here, we present evidence indicating that in rat brain extract the carboxypeptidase/microtubules association is regulated by the relative activities of endogenous protein kinase(s) and phosphatase(s) which seem to determine the phosphorylation state of the enzyme (or another entity) and in some way the affinity of the enzyme for microtubules. The presence of 2.5 mM ATP during the in vitro microtubule formation resulted in a low recovery of carboxypeptidase activity in the microtubule fraction. This ATP-induced effect was not due to alteration of the enzyme activity or to inhibition of microtubule assembly but to a decrease of the association of the enzyme with microtubules. We found that the ATP-induced effect was not mediated by modifications on the microtubules but, presumably, on the enzyme molecule. The non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue, AMP-PCP, did not reproduce the effect of ATP. The inclusion of phosphatase inhibitors in the homogenization buffer also led to a decrease in the amount of tubulin carboxypeptidase associated with microtubules. Finally, we found that, in concordance with the mechanism hypothesized, the magnitude of the carboxypeptidase/microtubule association correlated well with the different incubation conditions created to favor maximal, minimal or intermediate protein phosphorylation states.     

An arginine specific carboxypeptidase generated in blood during coagulation or inflammation which is unrelated to carboxypeptidase N or its subunits

An unstable carboxypeptidase N or B like enzyme is generated as a result of coagulation. This enzyme is derived from some plasma component (s) and not from blood cells or platelets. Furthermore, the activity generated is specific for arginine substrates insofar as small synthetic substrates are concerned. The enzyme is unrelated to CPN or any of its subunits or subunit fragments. This transient carboxypeptidase may be involved in the processing and/or scheduling of different functions of bioactive peptides generated during inflammation.     

Plasma levels of unactivated thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) are down-regulated in young adult women: analysis of a normal Japanese population

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is an anaphylatoxin-inactivating enzyme generated by proteolytic cleavage of its zymogen, and is the same enzyme as that first designated by our group as procarboxypeptidase R (proCPR). TAFI in plasma is presumed to influence vascular disease in its role as a fibrinolysis inhibitor. The activity of TAFI is strongly influenced by genetic polymorphism, especially at amino acids Thr/Ala-147 and Thr/Ile-325. In this study, we analyzed 202 healthy controls who were not on any medication, had no unusual medical history and whose blood data were normal. In a previous report, we established an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for non-activated TAFI (proCPR), and investigated levels of unactivated TAFI as an estimate of anti-fibrinolytic capacity. In this study, we determined normal Japanese TAFI levels for each age, sex, and genetic polymorphism of Thr/Ala-147 and Thr/Ile-325, and also showed that the TAFI level in young adult women is lower than in aged women.     

Carboxypeptidase N (kininase I) activity in blood and synovial fluid from patients with arthritis

Carboxypeptidase N (CPN, kininase I) and kininase II (angiotensin converting enzyme) activities were measured simultaneously in blood plasma and synovial fluid in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and in the plasma of normal volunteers. CPN levels (defined as the rate of hydrolysis of furylacryloyl-Ala-Lys) in blood were modestly increased and correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate in RA and PA. Based on the hydrolysis of synthetic substrates, CPN activity was much higher than kininase II activity in synovial fluid (SF). SF kininase activities were always inferior to the blood levels in all patients and were correlated with the logarithm of SF leukocyte counts, an indicator of the intensity of inflammation. In addition, CPN and albumin levels in SF were highly correlated when expressed as a percent of the plasma concentrations. Biochemical properties of CPN in crude SF confirmed its similarity to blood CPN. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes derived from inflammatory SF did not release CPN. It is concluded that kininases diffuse from the blood into SF through increased vascular permeability and that CPN could be a major metabolic pathway for kinins in this form of exudate. CPN leads to the formation of des-Arg kinins, selective agonists of the B1 receptors for kinins.     

Isolation,partial purification,characterization, and tissue distribution of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride-inhibited feline carboxypeptidase

Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF)-inhibited carboxypeptidase from cat liver was purified 148-fold by chromatography on CM- and DEAE-cellulose with 27.3% yield. Molecular weight of the enzyme is 100-110 kD as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. The enzyme has maximum activity at pH 5.50-5.75; its activity is completely inhibited by PMSF or p-chloromercuribenzoate and partially inhibited by iodoacetamide. EDTA, 2-mercaptoethanol, N-ethylmaleimide, Co²⁺ and Ca²⁺, basic carboxypeptidase inhibitor guanidinoethylmercaptosuccinic acid, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril do not influence its activity. The enzyme cleaves arginine from enkephalin-Leu5-Arg6 and dansyl-Phe-Leu-Arg to form enkephalin-Leu5 and dansyl-Phe-Leu, respectively, and very slowly cleaves leucine from carbobenzoxy-Gly-Leu. Further cleavage of either enkephalin-Leu5 or dansyl-Phe-Leu was not detected. The highest activity of this enzyme was found in adrenal glands and testicles; this activity was 30% lower in hypophysis, and still lower in liver and kidney. The PMSF-inhibited carboxypeptidase activity in brain was about 6-16 times lower than that in adrenal gland. In brain regions, the highest activity was detected in gray matter of cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum, and slightly lower activity was found in thalamus/hypothalamus, striatum, and hippocampus. The lowest activity was found in quadrigeminal bodies, medulla oblongata, and white matter of cerebral hemispheres. The enzyme exists mainly in soluble form; the activity of membrane-associated enzyme is 7-25% of soluble enzyme activity depending on tissue type. We consider here a possible involvement of PMSF-inhibited carboxypeptidase in the metabolism of biologically active peptides.     

Amino acid sequence of the N-terminus and selected tryptic peptides of the active subunit of human plasma carboxypeptidase N: comparison with other carboxypeptidases

Human plasma carboxypeptidase N was purified to homogeneity and its active and inactive subunits were separated. By introducing a novel technique, both forms of the active subunit (Mr = 55,000 and Mr = 48,000) were isolated. N-terminal sequencing of the active subunit of human carboxypeptidase N revealed significant homology with the N-terminal sequence of bovine carboxypeptidase H (43% identity) and to a lesser extent with carboxypeptidase A (29% identity) or carboxypeptidase B (18% identity). The active subunit of carboxypeptidase N was hydrolyzed with trypsin and 4 of the tryptic peptides were isolated by HPLC and sequenced. The sequences of the four peptides were homologous (39-64% identity) with regions of carboxypeptidase H corresponding to the middle (residues 148-175) and C-terminal portion (residues 321-408). These regions had essentially no homology with carboxypeptidase A or B. These data indicate that carboxypeptidase H and the active subunit of carboxypeptidase N may have diverged from a common ancestral gene.     

The effect of a single dose of arecholine and atropine administration on activities of carboxypeptidase H and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride-inhibited carboxypeptidase in the nervous system of rats

The effect of a single dose of arecholine and atropine administration on the activities of carboxypeptidase H and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride-inhibited carboxypeptidase involved into the final stage of formation of biologically active neuropeptides from precursors has been studied in brain and adrenals. Changes in the enzyme activities were evident during at least 72 h after administration of these drugs to rats. These results suggest that the decrease in the activity of these enzymes may represent one of possible mechanisms involved into reduction of neuropeptide levels during inhibition and activation of cholinergic system.