Expression of protease and protease-inhibitory activity in human mononuclear leukocyte cultures : Effect of conA stimulation

Trypsin-activated protease activity was observed in the supernatants of conA-treated unfractionated or monocyte-depleted cultures at 1 h of incubation and trypsin-inhibitory activity was detected at 24 h. In contrast, supernatants from wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-treated cultures or untreated cultures exhibited trypsin-inhibitory activity at 1 h and trypsinactivated protease activity after 24 h. The expression of proteases and protease inhibitors may be early events that occur during the activation of quiescent lymphocytes to a proliferative state.     

Conversion of peanut trypsin-chymotrypsin inhibitor B-III to a chymotrypsin inhibitor by deimination of the P1 arginine residues in two reactive sites

The deimination of the arginine residues in peanut trypsin-chymotrypsin inhibitor B-III caused the disappearance of its trypsin-inhibitory activity. Peanut protease inhibitor B-III was incubated with peptidylarginine deiminase, resulting in the conversion of 2.5 mol of arginine to citrulline and in the loss of its trypsin-inhibitory activity. However, the ability of the deiminated inhibitor to inhibit chymotrypsin was as strong as before. Structural analysis of the deiminated B-III indicated that the P1 arginine residues at both reactive sites, Arg(10) and Arg(38), were completely modified to citrulline by the action of peptidylarginine deiminase, and that the Arg(60) in the C-terminal region of B-III was partially deiminated. These residues seem to be exposed on the surface of the molecule. The P1' arginine residue at the first reactive site, Arg(11), was not deiminated at all.     

Inactivation of human alpha-1-antitrypsin by a tissue-destructive protease of Legionella pneumophila

Three extracellular proteases produced by Legionella pneumophila during growth in liquid medium were examined for their effects on human alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha-1-AT). One of these proteases, tissue-destructive protease (TDP) destroyed completely the trypsin-inhibitory capacity of alpha-1-AT at protease: inhibitor molar ratios down to 0.002:1. After inactivation by TDP, the Mr of alpha-1-AT was reduced by 5000 in SDS-PAGE. This suggested that inactivation entailed only limited cleavage.     

Bi-functional peptides with both trypsin-inhibitory and antimicrobial activities are frequent defensive molecules in Ranidae amphibian skins

Amphibian skins act as the first line against noxious aggression by microorganisms, parasites, and predators. Anti-microorganism activity is an important task of amphibian skins. A large amount of gene-encoded antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been identified from amphibian skins. Only a few of small protease inhibitors have been found in amphibian skins. From skin secretions of 5 species (Odorrana livida, Hylarana nigrovittata, Limnonectes kuhlii, Odorrana grahami, and Amolops loloensis) of Ranidae frogs, 16 small serine protease inhibitor peptides have been purified and characterized. They have lengths of 17-20 amino acid residues (aa). All of them are encoded by precursors with length of 65-70 aa. These small peptides show strong trypsin-inhibitory abilities. Some of them can exert antimicrobial activities. They share the conserved GCWTKSXXPKPC fragment in their primary structures, suggesting they belong to the same families of peptide. Signal peptides of precursors encoding these serine protease inhibitors share obvious sequence similarity with those of precursors encoding AMPs from Ranidae frogs. The current results suggest that these small serine protease inhibitors are the common defensive compounds in frog skin of Ranidae as amphibian skin AMPs.     

A protease inhibitor produced by Streptomyces lividans 66 exhibits inhibitory activities toward both subtilisin BPN' and trypsin.

A proteinaceous protease inhibitor was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces lividans 66 by a series of purification steps (salting out by ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, hydrophobic chromatography on Phenyl-Sepharose, and gel-filtration on Sephacryl S-200), and was named S. lividans protease inhibitor (SLPI). The purified SLPI existed in a dimeric form consisting of two identical subunits, each of which was composed of 107 amino acids. SLPI exhibited strong inhibitory activity toward subtilisin BPN'. These features were similar to those of protein protease inhibitors produced by other Streptomyces (SSI family inhibitor). In addition, SLPI was capable of inhibiting trypsin with an inhibitor constant (Ki) of about 10(-9) M. The primary structure of SLPI and location of two disulfide bridges were homologous to those of the other serine protease inhibitors of Streptomyces. The reactive site of SLPI was found to be Arg67-Glu68 from the sequence analysis of cleaved SLPI which was produced by acidification of subtilisin-SLPI complex. An Arg residue at the P1 site was consistent with the trypsin-inhibitory property of SLPI. Sequence comparison with other members of the SSI family revealed that amino acid replacements in SLPI were mainly localized on the surface of the SLPI molecule, and many of the amino acid residues in beta-sheets and hydrophobic core were well conserved.     

Impaired spermatogenesis and fertility in mice carrying a mutation in the Spink2 gene expressed predominantly in testes

Spermatogenesis is a complex process involving an intrinsic genetic program composed of germ cell-specific and -predominant genes. In this study, we investigated the mouse Spink2 (serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 2) gene, which belongs to the SPINK family of proteins characterized by the presence of a Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor-pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor domain. We showed that recombinant mouse SPINK2 has trypsin-inhibitory activity. Distribution analyses revealed that Spink2 is transcribed strongly in the testis and weakly in the epididymis, but is not detected in other mouse tissues. Expression of Spink2 is specific to germ cells in the testis and is first evident at the pachytene spermatocyte stage. Immunoblot analyses demonstrated that SPINK2 protein is present in male germ cells at all developmental stages, including in testicular spermatogenic cells, testicular sperm, and mature sperm. To elucidate the functional role of SPINK2 in vivo, we generated mutant mice with diminished levels of SPINK2 using a gene trap mutagenesis approach. Mutant male mice exhibit significantly impaired fertility; further phenotypic analyses revealed that testicular integrity is disrupted, resulting in a reduction in sperm number. Moreover, we found that testes from mutant mice exhibit abnormal spermatogenesis and germ cell apoptosis accompanied by elevated serine protease activity. Our studies thus provide the first demonstration that SPINK2 is required for maintaining normal spermatogenesis and potentially regulates serine protease-mediated apoptosis in male germ cells.     

一种苦荞麦种子蛋白酶抑制剂的纯化、特性及其抗虫活性

蛋白酶抑制剂广泛存在于生物体内, 是自然界含量最为丰富且具有一定防御作用的蛋白种类之一. 本文采用离子交换层析和凝胶层析等方法,从苦荞麦种子中分离出一种胰蛋白酶抑制剂（TBTI-Ⅱ）. SDS-PAGE分析表明,TBTI Ⅱ的分子量约9.0 kD,由80个氨基酸残基组成,分子中含有较多的 Glu, Asp 和Arg. TBTI-Ⅱ具有较高热稳定性.当在100℃加热处理10 min后,仍保留有67.6%的抑制剂活性. 动力学测定显示,来自苦荞麦中的TBTI-Ⅱ对胰蛋白酶的抑制作用常数(Ki)为1.01×10－4 mol/L. 另外,将含有不同活力单位的苦荞麦蛋白酶抑制剂掺入到棉铃虫的饲料中进行饲养试验显示,TBTI-Ⅱ具有明显的抑制棉铃虫生长的作用. 这些结果表明,来自苦荞麦种子中的小分子蛋白酶抑制剂可能是一种潜在的抗虫因子.     

Metabolism of trypsin-inhibitory proteins in the germinating seeds of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Summary A number of proteins with trypsin-inhibitory activity was separated by isoelectric focusing and their amounts measured in the extracts of the seeds of kidney bean at various stages of germination up to 16 days.The total trypsin inhibitor content of the dormant seed, 2.2 mg per g bean rose to about 3.6 mg by the seventh day and declined slowly after the tenth day of germination. The individual trypsin inhibitors however, appeared to change independently of each other and some components disappeared almost completely with the progress of germination. The emergence of an inhibitor not found in the dormant seed was also observed. Some of the inhibitor proteins attained a maximum concentration by the 7–8th day of germination. This coincided with a similar maximum in the general protein and proteolytic enzyme content of the germinating bean seeds. The results obtained suggested that the main function during germination of these protein components might not be related to their trypsin-inhibitory activity.     

Trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor from chick peas. Selective chemical modifications of the inhibitor and isolation of two isoinhibitors.

The trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor from chick peas (CI) is stable in HCl 0.001 M -- 0.01 M and in KOH 0.01 M -- 0.05 M even after 24 h. Increased KOH concentrations decrease considerably the inhibitory activity already after 1 h. Maleyation and succinylation of the inhibitor resulted in almost full loss of its trypsin-inhibitory activity but had no effect on the chymotrypsin-inhibitory activity. A series of modifications directed towards tyrosyl residues showed that iodination influenced only the chymotrypsin-inhibitory activity; however, nitration and arsanilation affected not only the chymotrypsin-inhibitory activity but also the trypsin-inhibitory activity. Treatment of the inhibitor with CNBr and chloramine T resulted only in a decrease in the chymotrypsin-inhibitory activity indicating that the only methionine is involved in the chymotrypsin-inhibitory activity. When CI-fragment A, previously treated with trypsin at pH 3.75, was further treated with carboxypeptidase B, a release of three lysyl residues per mole protein was found. CI was separated by equilibrium chromatography on SP-Sephadex column into two isoinhibitors, CII and CIII, respectively. Both inhibited trypsin and chymotrypsin with the same specific activity as CI. They differed from each other only in a glutamyl, aspartyl, glycyl and alanyl residue.     

Antiprotease activity in tears and nasal secretions

Summary A trypsin-inhibitory capacity in tears and nasal secretions is demonstrated. No correlation exists between the serum a₁-AT genotype and the level of trypsin-inhibitory capacity in these secretions. Application of the radial-immunodiffusion technique indicates that the antiprotease activity in tears is different from that associated with a₁ globulin.

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Zusammenfassung Im Nasen- und Tränensekret gelang der Nachweis von Antiproteasen-aktivität (Trypsin-Hemmkapazität). Zwischen dem Serum a₁-AT-Genotyp und dem Ausmaß der Trypsin-Hemmkapazität in diesen Sekreten besteht keine Korrelation. Mittels der Radial-Immunodiffusionstechnik konnte gezeigt werden, daß die Antiproteasenkapazität im Tränensekret immunologisch nicht mit dem Serum-a₁-Antitrypsin identisch ist.

     

Proteinase-proteinase inhibitor complex in rats under oxidative stress caused by administration of cobalt chloride

Mechanisms of proteinase-inhibitor proteinase system response was estimated following of cobalt chloride injection. The increase proteinase activity, which led to significant decrease of alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha-2-MG) level was established that indicated to the removal of the proteinase in complex with alpha-2-MG from the organism. Increase of alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha-1-PI) trypsin-inhibitory activity in the kidneys testify about removal of oxidative alpha-1-PI.     

Natural plant enzyme inhibitors. Characterization of an unusual alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitor from ragi (Eleusine coracana Geartn.).

An inhibitor I-1, capable of acting on both alpha-amylase and trypsin, was purified to homogeneity from ragi (finger-millet) grains. The factor was found to be stable to heat treatment at 100 degrees C for 1 h in the presence of NaCl and also was stable over the wide pH range 1-10. Pepsin and Pronase treatment of inhibitor I-1 resulted in gradual loss of both the inhibitory activities. Formation of trypsin-inhibitor I-1 complex, amylase-inhibitor I-1 complex and trypsin-inhibitor I-1-amylase trimer complex was demonstrated by chromatography on a Bio-Gel P-200 column. This indicated that the inhibitor is 'double-headed' in nature. The inhibitor was retained on a trypsin-Sepharose 4B column at pH 7.0. Elution at acidic pH resulted in almost complete recovery of amylase-inhibitory and trypsin-inhibitory activities. alpha-Amylase was retained on a trypsin-Sepharose column to which inhibitor I-1 was bound, but not on trypsin-Sepharose alone. Modification of amino groups of the inhibitor with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid resulted in complete loss of amylase-inhibitory activity but only 40% loss in antitryptic activity. Modification of arginine residues by cyclohexane-1,2-dione led to 85% loss of antitryptic activity after 5 h, but no effect on amylase-inhibitory activity. The results show that a single bifunctional protein factor is responsible for both amylase-inhibitory and trypsin-inhibitory activities with two different reactive sites.     

The interaction in human plasma of antiplasmin, the fast-reacting plasmin inhibitor, with plasmin, thrombin, trypsin and chymotrypsin.

The inhibition of plasmin, (EC 3.4.21.7), thrombin (EC 3.4.21.5), trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) and chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1) by antiplasmin, the recently described fast-reacting plasmin inhibitor of human plasma, was studied. To determine the quantitative importance of antiplasmin relative to the other plasma protease inhibitors, enzyme inhibition assays were performed on whole plasma and on plasma specifically depleted in antiplasmin, after addition of excess enzyme. Plasmin was the only enzyme for which the inhibitory capacity of antiplasmin-depleted plasma was lower than that of normal plasma. To determine the affinity of the enzymes for antiplasmin, as compared to the other inhibitors, various amounts of enzymes were added to normal plasma and the formation of enzyme-antiplasmin complexes studied by crossed immunoelectrophoresis using specific antisera against antiplasmin. Plasmin and trypsin, but not thrombin or chymotrypsin formed complexes with antiplasmin. It is concluded that antiplasmin is the only fast-reacting plasmin inhibitor of human plasma. It is also a fast-reacting inhibitor of trypsin but only accounts for a very small part of the fast-reacting trypsin-inhibitory activity of plasma. This can be explained by the low concentration of antiplasmin (1 muM) in normal plasma, compared to the other inhibitors (e.g. alpha1-antitrypsin: 40-80 muM).     

Blocking effect of trypsin associated with ovomucoid on the antibody binding to ovomucoid

Ovomucoid-trypsin association complex was prepared by incubating chicken egg white ovomucoid with bovine trypsin. The reactivity of ovomucoid-trypsin complex was investigated by immunodiffusion, quantitative precipitation and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). It was demonstrated that the association of trypsin with ovomucoid hindered the binding of the specific antibody at some antigenic sites of ovomucoid by lowering the antibody-binding affinity of these sites. The anti-ovomucoid antiserum was absorbed with ovomucoid-trypsin complex, and non-absorbed antibody was collected by immunoaffinity chromatography of ovomucoid-coupled Sepharose 4B. The antibody blocked the trypsin-inhibitory activity of ovomucoid in a molar ratio (antibody/ovomucoid) of about 1.2:1. The findings suggested that at least one antigenic site is located near the reactive site of trypsin inhibition (Arg89 decreases Ala90) of ovomucoid.     

Snake venom-like waprin from the frog of Ceratophrys calcarata contains antimicrobial function

A 255-bp cDNA encoding an 84-amino acid residue (aa) precursor protein containing 8 half-cysteines was cloned from the skin of the frog, Ceratophrys calcarata. By sequence comparison and signal peptide prediction, the precursor was predicted to release a 63-aa mature peptide with amino acid sequence, NVTPATKPTPSKPGYCRVMDELILCPDPPLSKDLCKNDSDCPGAQKCCYRTCIMQCLPPIFRE. The mature was named ceratoxin. Ceratoxin shares significant sequence similarity with the toxin family of waprins containing the whey acidic protein-type (WAP) four-disulfide core domain found in snake venoms. Antimicrobial and trypsin-inhibitory abilities of recombinant ceratoxin were tested. Recombinant ceratoxin showed strong antimicrobial activities against wide spectrum of microorganisms including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. It had no serine protease-inhibitory activity. The current results suggested that the snake venom-like waprin with antimicrobial activities in the frog skin plays a role in innate immunity.     

Preparation of photoreactive derivatives of trypsin-chymotrypsin inhibitors from soybeans and chick peas by selective modification of lysine residues

Photoreactive derivatives of the Bowman-Birk trypsin-chymotrypsin inhibitor (BBI) from soybeans and of CI, the trypsin-chymotrypsin inhibitor from chick peas, were prepared by selective modification of the epsilon-amino groups of lysine residues with 2-nitro-4(5)-azidophenylsulfenyl chlorides (2,4(5)-NAPS-C1). The ultraviolet absorption spectra of the photolabeled inhibitors indicated that three out of the five lysines of BBI and one of the seven lysines of CI were modified. The inhibitory activity of the modified inhibitors towards trypsin and chymotrypsin was not reduced even after photolysis. The specific lysine residues that constitute the trypsin-inhibitory sites of BBI and CI did not react with the photoreactive reagents. Further modification of the photoreactive derivatives of BBI and CI with maleic anhydride, directed towards the trypsin-reactive sites, resulted in almost complete loss of the trypsin-inhibiting activity without reducing the ability to inhibit chymotrypsin. A pronounced potentiation effect (approximately 2x) of the chymotrypsin inhibiting activity was noted for 2,5-NAPS-CI and it was retained even after maleylation followed by photolysis, raising the possibility of exposure of an additional chymotrypsin inhibitory site in CI.     

cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) as a selective modifier of the oxidation-sensitive reactive-center methionine in alpha 1-antitrypsin

Methionine 358 in the plasma protein alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) is an oxidation-sensitive reactive-center residue critical for proteinase-inhibitory activity. Reaction of alpha 1AT with 20 microM to 1.67 mM cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II) (cis-DDP) or trans-DDP afforded concentration-dependent loss of trypsin-inhibitory activity. This effect, studied by gel electrophoresis and activity assays, is essentially independent of pH over the range 4.9-8.6. Binding assays showed covalent incorporation of 1 mol of cis-DDP into each mol of alpha 1AT. cis-DDP protected a single methionine residue from oxidation and made alpha 1AT resistant to degradation by papain, which cleaves alpha 1AT at Met358. These findings strongly suggest that cis-DDP inactivates alpha 1AT by binding exclusively to its reactive-center methionine. alpha 1AT bound twice as much platinum when reacted with trans-DDP. Because carboxamidomethylated alpha 1AT incorporated nearly 1 mol of both cis- and trans-DDP, the trans isomer apparently binds to both the reactive-center methionine and to the single cysteine residue of alpha 1AT. Because of its greater selectivity, cis-DDP is the superior reagent for modification of the alpha 1AT reactive-center methionine.     

Separation of protease activity from acetylcholinesterase of the electric EEL

We examined the protease activity reported to be associated with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by extensive purification of the electric eel enzyme. Upon edrophonium-Sepharose chromatography of a commercial preparation, a majority of the protease activity was recovered in the effluent with no AChE activity, while a marginal activity was detected in the AChE fraction eluted with edrophonium chloride. Further chromatography of the edrophonium eluate on hydroxyapatite gave partially overlapping peaks of protease and AChE activities. Finally, the protease activity was mostly removed from the AChE fraction by passing through an ovoinhibitor-agarose column. The protease activity in the edrophonium eluate was inhibited by various serine protease inhibitors, but not by AChE inhibitors. These results suggest that the AChE and protease activities are physically separable, and thus that the protease activity, so far reported as intrinsic to AChE, is probably due to contaminants.     

Physicochemical and biological properties of an extracellular serine protease of Aeromonas sobria

Previously, we cloned a protease gene of Aeromonas sobria, determined its nucleotide sequence and established a method of purifying its product. In this study, we examined the properties of the purified protease. The protease was temperature-labile and had an optimal pH of 7.5. Metallo-protease inhibitors and a cysteine protease inhibitor did not block the proteolytic activity of the enzyme. The treatment with reagents to modify sulfhydryl group did not reduce the activity. But, serine protease inhibitors did, showing that it was a serine protease. Subsequently, we examined the ability of the protease to enhance vascular permeability in dorsal skin. The protease showed activity and the reaction was inhibited by a simultaneously injected antihistaminic agent. Histopathological examination showed that mast cells appeared around the site where the protease was injected. These findings show that the vascular permeability-enhancing effect of the protease is due to histamine released at the site. Furthermore, we found that a soybean trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz) did not block the proteolytic action of the protease in vitro, but inhibited its vascular permeability-enhancing activity in skin. This suggests that a trypsin-like protease from skin mediates the activity of the protease to enhance its vascular permeability.