Lys-plasminogen is a significant intermediate in the activation of Glu-plasminogen during fibrinolysis in vitro.

Plasminogen, the zymogen form of the fibrinolytic enzyme plasmin, is known to undergo plasmin-mediated modification in vitro. The modified form, Lys-plasminogen, is superior to the native Glu-plasminogen in fibrin binding and as a substrate for activation by tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). The present study was undertaken to determine the existence and significance of the Glu- to Lys-plasminogen conversion during t-PA-mediated lysis of plasma clots in vitro. When human plasma was supplemented with exogenous Lys-plasminogen and clotted, a dose-dependent shortening of lysis time was observed. Formation of Lys-plasminogen in situ during fibrinolysis was determined using 131I-Glu-plasminogen-supplemented plasma. By the time of lysis, Lys-plasminogen had accumulated to about 20% of the initial concentration of Glu-plasminogen. Quantitation of activation of both Glu- and Lys-plasminogen as well as the conversion of Glu- to Lys-plasminogen in plasma supplemented with both 131I-Glu-plasminogen and 125I-Lys-plasminogen was accomplished by determining the flux of the isotopically labeled species along three pathways: Glu-plasminogen-->Glu-plasmin, Glu-plasminogen-->Lys-plasminogen, and Lys-plasminogen-->Lys-plasmin. After a brief lag, the Glu-plasminogen activation rate was constant until lysis was achieved, at which point activation ceased. The Lys-plasminogen activation rate also was essentially constant until lysis but was not characterized by a lag phase. The rate of conversion of Glu- to Lys-plasminogen was nonlinear and correlated directly with the rate of fibrinolysis. By the time lysis had occurred, Glu-plasminogen consumption had been distributed equally between direct activation to plasmin and conversion to Lys-plasminogen, and 45% of the plasmin which had been formed was derived from Lys-plasminogen. These results demonstrate both the formation and the subsequent activation of Lys-plasminogen during fibrinolysis. As a result of improved fibrin binding and activation of Lys-plasminogen compared to Glu-plasminogen, the formation of Lys-plasminogen within a clot constitutes a positive feedback mechanism that can further stimulate the activation of plasminogen by t-PA as fibrinolysis progresses.     

Oxidative degradation of rat mast-cell heparin proteoglycan.

The mechanism of activation of human Glu-plasminogen by fibrin-bound tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) in a plasma environment or in a reconstituted system was characterized. A heterogeneous system was used, allowing the setting of experimental conditions as close as possible to the physiological fibrin/plasma interphase, and permitting the separate analysis of the products present in each of the phases as a function of time. The generation of plasmin was monitored both by spectrophotometric analysis and by radioisotopic analysis with a plasmin-selective chromogenic substrate and radiolabelled Glu-plasminogen respectively. Plasmin(ogen)-derived products were identified by SDS/PAGE followed by autoradiography and/or immunoblotting. When the activation was performed in a plasma environment, the products identified on the fibrin surface were Glu-plasmin (90%) and Glu-plasminogen (10%), whereas in the soluble phase only complexes between Glu-plasmin and its fast-acting inhibitor were detected. Identical results were obtained with a reconstituted system comprising solid-phase fibrin, t-PA, Glu-plasminogen and and alpha 2-antiplasmin. In contrast, when alpha 2-antiplasmin was omitted from the solution, Lys-plasmin was progressively generated on to the fibrin surface (30%) and released to the soluble phase. In the presence of alpha 2-antiplasmin or in plasma, the amount of active plasmin generated on the fibrin surface was lower than in the absence of the inhibitor: in a representative experiment the initial velocity of plasmin generation was 2.8 x 10(-3), 2.0 x 10(-3) and 1.8 x 10(-3) (delta A405/min) for 200 nM-plasminogen, 200 nM-plasminogen plus 100 nM-alpha 2-antiplasmin and native plasma respectively. Our results indicate that in plasma or in a reconstituted purified system containing plasminogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin at a ratio similar to that found in plasma (1) the activation pathway of native Glu-plasminogen proceeds directly to the formation of Glu-plasmin, (2) Lys-plasminogen is not an intermediate of the reaction and therefore (3) Lys-plasmin is not the final active product. However, in the absence of the inhibitor, Lys-plasmin and probably Lys-plasminogen, which is more readily activated to plasmin than is Glu-plasminogen, are generated as well.     

Isolation and characterization of the affinity chromatography forms of human Glu- and Lys-plasminogens and plasmins.

Affinity chromatography forms, 1 and 2, were each isolated from human Glu- and Lys-plasminogens by gradient elution from a L-lysine-substituted Sepharose column with a linear gradient of epsilon-aminocaproic acid. Although each of the two zymogen forms contains two affinity chromatography forms, the relative concentrattions of these forms in each of the zymogen preparations depended upon the plasma sample or enriched plasma fraction used for the preparation of the zymogen. Specific analytical acrylamide gel electrophoretic systems were used for the characterization of the zymogen and enzyme forms, and their component affinity chromatography forms, 1 and 2. The four zymogen affinity chromatography forms, Glu-1-plasminogen, Glu-2-plasminogen, Lys-1-plasminogen, and Lys-2-plasmingoen, show distinct stepwise differences in their molecular size and charge. The Glu-1-form is the largest in molecular size and the most acidic, and the Lys-2-form is the smallest in molecular size and the most basic. The proteolytically altered Lys-1- and Lys-2- forms appear to be specifically df the zymogen affinity chromatography forms showed a different distribution of isoelectric forms. The major isoelectric forms isolated from Glu-plasminogen with pI values of 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, and 6.6, and the major isoelectric forms isolated from Lys-plasminogen with pI values of 6.7, 7.2, 7.5, 7.8, and 8.1, (Summaria, L., Arzadon, L., Bernabe, P., Robbins, K. C., and Barlow, G. H. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 2984-2991) were shown to be mixtures of the Glu-1- and Glu-2- forms, or the Lys-1- and Lys-2- forms, respectively. Although the sialic acid contents of the Glu- and Lys- forms appear to be similar, the isolated affinity chromatography forms show distinct differences. The sialic acid contents of the Glu-1- and Lys-1- forms are identical, and are substantially higher than the sialic acid contents of the Glu-2- and Lys-2- forms which are also identical to each other. It is possible that the charge difference between the zymogen-1- and -2- forms may be related to the differences in their sialic acid content. Each of the four zymogen affinity chromatography forms, when activated by urokinase in the presence of the plasmin inhibitor, Trasylol, was converted to an apparently unique and different enzyme form. The four enzyme forms show distinct stepwise differences in molecular size; Glu-1-plasmin is the largest in size whereas Lys-2-plasmin is the smallest in size. Each plasmin-derived carboxymethyl heavy(A) chain was found to be different in molecular size, but the two carboxymethyl light(B) chains found in each of the four enzyme forms appeared to be identical and of the same molecular sizes. The four heavy(A) chains show a stepwise difference in molecular size; the Glu-1-heavy(A) chain is the largest in size whereas the Lys-2-heavy(A) chain is the smallest in size...     

A monoclonal antibody specific for Lys-plasminogen. Application to the study of the activation pathways of plasminogen in vivo

Human plasminogen, a glycoprotein with NH2-terminal Glu, is rapidly converted by traces of plasmin to proteolytic derivatives with NH2-terminal Met 68, Lys 77, or Val 78 ("Lys-plasminogen"), which are much more readily activated to plasmin than is Glu-plasminogen. It has, therefore, been proposed that physiological activation of Glu-plasminogen occurs mainly via Lys-plasminogen intermediates (Wiman, B., and Wallén, P. (1973) Eur. J. Biochem. 36, 25-31). In the present study we have characterized a murine monoclonal antibody (LPm1) directed against an epitope exposed in Lys-plasminogen but not in Glu-plasminogen. The antibody was secreted by a hybridoma obtained by fusion of mouse myeloma cells (P3X63-Ag8-6.5.3) with spleen cells of a mouse immunized with purified Lys-plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin complex. Coupling of the alpha-amino groups of Lys-plasminogen with phenylisothiocyanate resulted in complete loss of immunoreactivity for LPm1, which was, however, fully restored by cleavage of the derivatized NH2-terminal amino acid. After a second cycle, immunoreactivity was not restored, indicating that the LPm1 antibody-binding site depends on the presence of Lys 77 and/or Val 78 as NH2-terminal amino acids. The immunoreactivity of Lys-plasminogen with LPm1 is abolished by reduction of the protein, suggesting that conversion of Glu-plasminogen to Lys-plasminogen is associated with a conformational alteration exposing the epitope for the LPm1 monoclonal antibody. In order to investigate the pathways of plasminogen activation in vivo, total plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin and Lys-plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin complexes were measured with sandwich-type micro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Therefore, microtiter plates were coated with monoclonal antibodies against alpha 2-antiplasmin, and bound antigen was quantitated with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated LPm1 or a monoclonal antibody reacting equally well with Glu-plasmin as with Lys-plasmin. In 25 healthy subjects the plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin levels in plasma were undetectable (less than 0.1 nM). Infusion of tissue-type plasminogen activator in patients with thromboembolic disease resulted in generation of high concentrations of Glu-plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin complex (620 +/- 150 nM, n = 7) whereas neither Lys-plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin complex nor Lys-plasminogen were consistently detected. It is, therefore, concluded that activation of the fibrinolytic system in vivo occurs by direct cleavage of the Arg 560-Val 561 bond in Glu-plasminogen and not via formation of the Lys-plasminogen intermediates.     

Hydrodynamic studies on the streptokinase complexes of human plasminogen, Val442-plasminogen, plasmin, and the plasmin-derived light (B) chain

Sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium studies have been carried out on the Glu- and Lys-plasminogen-streptokinase complexes as well as on the complexes formed by Val442-plasmin and the light (B) chain of plasmin. Sedimentation equilibrium molecular weights are consistent with a 1 to 1 molar complex in all cases and give values consistent with the differences in size of the plasminogen moieties. Sedimentation velocity determinations in the presence of protease inhibitors give values consistent with the conformational differences already reported for the Glu- and Lys-plasminogen molecules. However, unlike Glu-plasminogen, the addition of epsilon-aminocaproic acid or lysine does not alter the conformation of the Glu-plasminogen complex. The values of the sedimentation coefficient and the molecular weight of the plasmin and the Val442-plasmin-streptokinase complexes increase to those of a dimer when determined in the absence of active-site inhibitors but return to monomer values when these inhibitors are added. Thus, dimer formation requires the presence of an available active site in at least one of the two molecules involved and is reversible.     

Topography of the high-affinity lysine binding site of plasminogen as defined with a specific antibody probe

An antibody population that reacted with the high-affinity lysine binding site of human plasminogen was elicited by immunizing rabbits with an elastase degradation product containing kringles 1-3 (EDP I). This antibody was immunopurified by affinity chromatography on plasminogen-Sepharose and elution with 0.2 M 6-aminohexanoic acid. The eluted antibodies bound [125I]EDP I, [125I]Glu-plasminogen, and [125I]Lys-plasminogen in radioimmunoassays, and binding of each ligand was at least 99% inhibited by 0.2 M 6-aminohexanoic acid. The concentrations for 50% inhibition of [125I]EDP I binding by tranexamic acid, 6-aminohexanoic acid, and lysine were 2.6, 46, and 1730 microM, respectively. Similar values were obtained with plasminogen and suggested that an unoccupied high-affinity lysine binding site was required for antibody recognition. The antiserum reacted exclusively with plasminogen derivatives containing the EDP I region (EDP I, Glu-plasminogen, Lys-plasminogen, and the plasmin heavy chain) and did not react with those lacking an EDP I region [miniplasminogen, the plasmin light chain or EDP II (kringle 4)] or with tissue plasminogen activator or prothrombin, which also contain kringles. By immunoblotting analyses, a chymotryptic degradation product of Mr 20,000 was derived from EDP I that retained reactivity with the antibody. The high-affinity lysine binding site was equally available to the antibody probe in Glu- and Lys-plasminogen and also appeared to be unoccupied in the plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin complex. alpha 2-Antiplasmin inhibited the binding of radiolabeled EDP I, Glu-plasminogen, or Lys-plasminogen by the antiserum, suggesting that the recognized site is involved in the noncovalent interaction of the inhibitor with plasminogen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Quantitative characterization of the binding of plasminogen to intact fibrin clots, lysine-sepharose, and fibrin cleaved by plasmin

The binding of human Glu- and Lys-plasminogens to intact fibrin clots, to lysine-Sepharose, and to fibrin cleaved by plasmin was quantitatively characterized. On intact fibrin clots, there was one strong binding site for Glu-plasminogen with a dissociation constant, Kd, of 25 microM and one strong binding site for Lys-plasminogen with a Kd of 7.9 microM. In both cases, the number of plasminogen binding sites per fibrin monomer was 1. Also, a much weaker binding site for Glu-plasminogen was observed with a Kd of about 350 microM. Limited digestion of fibrin by plasmin created additional binding sites for plasminogen with Kd values similar to the binding of plasminogen to lysine-Sepharose. This was predictable given the observations that plasminogen binds to lysine-Sepharose and can be eluted with epsilon-aminocaproic acid [Deutsch, D.G., & Mertz, E.T. (1970) Science (Washington, D.C.) 170, 1095-1096] and that plasmin preferentially cleaves fibrin at the carboxy side of lysyl residues [Weinstein, M.J., & Doolittle, R.F. (1972) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 258, 577-590], because the structures of the lysyl moiety in lysine-Sepharose and of epsilon-aminocaproic acid are identical with the structure of a COOH-terminal lysyl residue created by plasmin cleavage of fibrin. The Kd for the binding of Glu-plasminogen to lysine-Sepharose was 43 microM and for fibrin partially cleaved by plasmin 48 microM. The Kd for the binding of Lys-plasminogen to lysine-Sepharose was 30 microM. With fibrin partially cleaved by plasmin, there were two types of binding sites for Lys-plasminogen, one with a Kd of 7.6 microM and the other with a Kd of 44 microM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Activation of human plasminogen by equimolar levels of streptokinase.

Native Glu-human plasminogen (Mr approximately 92,000 with NH2-terminal glutamic acid) is able to combine directly with streptokinase in an equivalent molar ratio, to yield a stoichiometric complex. The plasminogen moiety in the complex then undergoes streptokinase-induced conformational changes. As a result of such, an active center develops in the plasminogen moiety of the complex. This proteolytically active complex then activates plasminogen in the complex to plasmin and at least two peptide bonds are cleaved in the process. The data presented in this paper reveal that initially an internal peptide bond of plasminogen (in the complex) is cleaved to yield a two-chain, disulfide-linked plasmin molecule. The heavy chain (Mr approximately 67,000 with NH2-terminal glutamic acid) of this plasmin molecule has an identical NH2-terminal amico acid as the native plasminogen. The light chain (Mr approximately 25,000 with NH2-terminal valine) of plasmin is known to be derived from the COOH-terminal portion of the parent plasminogen molecule. A second peptide is then cleaved from the NH2-terminal end of the heavy chain of plasmin producing a proteolytically modified heavy chain (Mr =60.000 with NH2-terminal lysine). This cleavage of the NH2-terminal peptide from the heavy chain of plasmin is shown to be mediated by the dissociated free plasmin present in the activation mixture. Plasmin in the streptokinase-plasmin complex is unable to cleave this NH2-terminal peptide. This same NH2-terminal peptide can also be cleaved from native Glu-plasminogen or from the Glu-plasminogen-streptokinase complex by free plasmin and not by a complex of streptokinase-plasmin. From these studies we conclude (a) in the streptokinase-plasminogen complex, the NH2-terminal peptide need not be released prior to the cleavage of the essential Arg-Val peptide bond which leads to the formation of a two chain plasmin molecule and (b) that this peptide is cleaved from the native plasminogen or from the heavy chain of the initially formed plasmin in the streptokinase complex by free plasmin and not by the plasmin associated with streptokinase. In agreement with this, plasmin associated with streptokinase was unable to cleave the NH2-terminal peptide from the isolated native heavy chain possessing glutamic acid as the NH2-terminal amino acid; whereas free plasmin readily cleaved this peptide from the same isolated Glu-heavy chain.     

Secondary-site binding of Glu-plasmin, Lys-plasmin and miniplasmin to fibrin

Active-site-inhibited plasmin was prepared by inhibition with d-valyl-l-phenylalanyl-l-lysylchloromethane or by bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz inhibitor). Active-site-inhibited Glu-plasmin binds far more strongly to fibrin than Glu-plasminogen [native human plasminogen with N-terminal glutamic acid (residues 1–790)]. This binding is decreased by α₂-plasmin inhibitor and tranexamic acid, and is, in the latter case, related to saturation of a strong lysine-binding site. In contrast, α₂-plasmin inhibitor and tranexamic acid have only weak effects on the binding of Glu-plasminogen to fibrin. This demonstrates that its strong lysine-binding site is of minor importance to its binding to fibrin. Active-site-inhibited Lys-plasmin and Lys-plasminogen (Glu-plasminogen lacking the N-terminal residues Glu¹–Lys⁷⁶, Glu¹–Arg⁶⁷ or Glu¹–Lys⁷⁷)display binding to fibrin similar to that of active-site inhibited Glu-plasmin. In addition, α₂-plasmin inhibitor or tranexamic acid similarly decrease their binding to fibrin. Glu-plasminogen and active-site-inhibited Glu-plasmin have the same gross conformation, and conversion into their respective Lys- forms produces a similar marked change in conformation [Violand, Sodetz & Castellino (1975) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 170, 300–305]. Our results indicate that this change is not essential to the degree of binding to fibrin or to the effect of α₂-plasmin inhibitor and tranexamic acid on this binding. The conversion of miniplasminogen (Glu-plasminogen lacking the N-terminal residues Glu¹–Val⁴⁴¹) into active-site-inhibited miniplasmin makes no difference to the degree of binding to fibrin, which is similarly decreased by the addition of tranexamic acid and unaffected by α₂-plasmin inhibitor. Active-site-inhibited Glu-plasmin, Lys-plasmin and miniplasmin have lower fibrin-binding values in a plasma system than in a purified system. Results with miniplasmin(ogen) indicate that plasma proteins other than α₂-plasmin inhibitor and histidine-rich glycoprotein decrease the binding of plasmin(ogen) to fibrin.     

A new method of isolation and some properties of the heavy chain of human plasmin.

A method is described by which the heavy chain of human plasmin, obtained by partial reduction of urokinase-activated plasminogen with 2-mercaptoethanol, is adsorbed on lysine coupled to polyacrylamide. The heavy chain is recovered from the adsorbent by elution with 6-aminohexanoic acid (yield 60-65%). Sulfhydryl titrations of the heavy chain showed that the partial reduction involved primarily the cleavage of the sole interchain disulfide bridge of plasmin. Dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis gave essentially a single band corresponding to a component of about 60000 molecular weight. The NH2-terminal amino acid was predominantly threonine. 6-Aminohexanoic acid at different concentrations caused significant variations of the sedimentation and diffusion constants of the heavy chain indicating inhibitor-induced conformational alterations of the protein. The present results suggest that in plasmin only the heavy chain is capable of interacting with 6-aminohexanoic acid, and it appears that it is primarily this chain which plays an important role in the inhibition of the enzyme by 6-aminohexanoic acid.     

The blockage of the high-affinity lysine binding sites of plasminogen by EACA significantly inhibits prourokinase-induced plasminogen activation

Prourokinase-induced plasminogen activation is complex and involves three distinct reactions: (1) plasminogen activation by the intrinsic activity of prourokinase; (2) prourokinase activation by plasmin; (3) plasminogen activation by urokinase. To further understand some of the mechanisms involved, the effects of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA), a lysine analogue, on these reactions were studied. At a low range of concentrations (10-50 microM), EACA significantly inhibited prourokinase-induced (Glu-/Lys-) plasminogen activation, prourokinase activation by Lys-plasmin, and (Glu-/Lys-) plasminogen activation by urokinase. However, no inhibition of plasminogen activation by Ala158-prourokinase (a plasmin-resistant mutant) occurred. Therefore, the overall inhibition of EACA on prourokinase-induced plasminogen activation was mainly due to inhibition of reactions 2 and 3, by blocking the high-affinity lysine binding interaction between plasmin and prourokinase, as well as between plasminogen and urokinase. These findings were consistent with kinetic studies which suggested that binding of kringle 1-4 of plasmin to the N-terminal region of prourokinase significantly promotes prourokinase activation, and that binding of kringle 1-4 of plasminogen to the C-terminal lysine158 of urokinase significantly promotes plasminogen activation. In conclusion, EACA was found to inhibit, rather than promote, prourokinase-induced plasminogen activation due to its blocking of the high-affinity lysine binding sites on plasmin(ogen).     

Features of the interaction of Glu- and Lys-forms of plasminogen with native and partially hydrolyzed fibrin]

Glu- and Lys-plasminogen interaction with native and desAABB-fibrin obtained from fibrinogen partially hydrolyzed by plasmin was studied. It was found that native fibrin adsorbs 6 times more Lys-plasminogen as compared to the native form of the proenzyme. The range of the Lys-plasminogen binding does not change, if part of the fibrinogen molecules hydrolyze down to X-fragments. At the same time, the appearance in the system of 1% Xi-fragments leads to a 6-fold increase in the Glu-plasminogen binding. The amount of adsorbed Glu-plasminogen reaches the level of Lys-plasminogen adsorption both in the native and partially hydrolyzed fibrin. It was found that kringle K 1-3 or 6-aminohexanoic acid at saturating for high-affinity lysine-binding sites concentrations do not influence the Glu-plasminogen binding to native fibrin but inhibit it when the partially purified form is used. It is assumed that the manyfold increase of the Glu-plasminogen binding to partially hydrolyzed fibrin is due to the alteration of the proenzyme conformation at the initial steps of fibrin hydrolysis during the formation of Xi fragments.     

Physical and chemical properties of the NH2-terminal glutamic acid and lysine forms of human plasminogen and their derived plasmins with an NH2-terminal lysine heavy (A) chain.

Comparative physical and chemical data are described for the human NH2-terminal Glu-plasminogen and Lys-plasminogen forms in order to determine the exact relationship between these two types of the zymogen. The molecular weights of Glu-plasminogen and Lys-plasminogen were similar and were determined to be 83, 800 plus or minus 4, 500 and 82, 400 plus or minus 3, 300, respectively, by sedimentation equilibrium methods. The molecular weights were identical in dodecyl sulfate solutions, approximately 83, 000, by sedimentation equilibrium methods. The sedimentation coefficients, s-020, w of Glu-plasminogen and Lys-plasminogen were determined to be 5.0 S, and 4.4 S, respectively. These two plasminogen forms had different partial specific volumes, and calculations of the frictional coefficients from sedimentation coefficients and molecular weights indicated conformation differences. Glu-plasminogen appeared to be larger in size than Lys-plasminogen in acrylamide gel-dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis. The amino acid compositions of Glu-plasminogen and Lys-plasminogen, and their major isolated isoelectric forms, were found to be similar, but several amino acid residues (glutamic acid, alanine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and lysine) were found to be significantly higher in the Glu-plasminogen forms. The derived plasmins from both the Glu- and Lys-plasminogens with an nh2-terminal Lys- heavy (A) chain were found to have identical molecular weights of 76, 500 plus or minus 2, 500, and sedimentation coefficients, s-020, w of 4.3 S.     

The mechanism of activation of rabbit plasminogen by urokinase.

The data presented in this paper show that when rabbit plasminogen is activated to plasmin by urokinase at least two peptide bonds are cleaved in the process. Urokinase first cleaves an internal peptide bond in plasminogen, leading to two-chain disulfide-linked plasmin molecule. The plasmin heavy chain of molecular weight 66,000 to 69,000 possesses an NH2-terminal amino acid sequence identical with the original plasminogen (molecular weight 88,000 to 92,000). The plasmin light chain of molecular weight 24,000 to 26,000 is known to be derived from the COOH-terminal portion of plasminogen. The plasmin generated during the activation of plasminogen is capable, by a feedback process, of cleaving a peptide of molecular weight 6,000 to 8,000 from the NH2 terminus of the heavy chain, producing a proteolytically modified heavy chain of molecular weight 58,000 to 62,000. Plasmin also can cleave this same peptide from the original plasminogen, yielding an altered plasminogen of molecular weight 82,000 to 86,000. This plasmin-altered plasminogen and the plasmin heavy chain derived from it by urokinase activation process NH2-terminal amino acid sequences which are identical with each other and with the plasminolytic product of the original plasmin heavy chain. These studies support a mechanism of activation of plasminogen by urokinase which involves loss of a peptide located on the NH2 terminus of plasminogen. However, these same results show that this NH2-terminal peptide need not be released from rabbit plasminogen prior to the cleavage of the internal peptide bond which leads to the two-chain plasmin molecule. Furthermore, these studies show that urokinase cannot remove this peptide from either the original rabbit plasminogen molecule or from the heavy chain of the initial plasmin formed.     

The mechanism of activation of rabbit plasminogen by urokinase. Lack of a preactivation peptide

We have obtained direct evidence which we interpret to prove that an amino terminal peptide need not be released from rabbit plasminogen prior to its conversion to plasmin by urokinase. The single chain plasminogen molecule possesses an amino terminal amino acid sequence of NH₂-glu-pro-leu-asp-asp. When this plasminogen is activated to plasmin by urokinase in the presence of the Kunitz bovine trypsin-plasmin-kallikrein inhibitor (BTI), a two chain disulfide linked molecule of plasmin is obtained. The heavy chain of this plasmin is directly derived from the original amino terminus of plasminogen since it possesses the identical amino terminal sequence as does native plasminogen. When the same plasminogen activation is carried out in the absence of BTI, the heavy chain of the plasmin obtained has a molecular weight of 6,000–8,000 less than the heavy chain of the plasmin obtained in the presence of this inhibitor. In addition, the heavy chain of this latter plasmin has an amino terminal sequence which differs from the original native plasminogen. These data show, in agreement with others, that the activation of plasminogen by urokinase is accompanied by the loss of an amino terminal peptide from plasminogen but also show, in contrast to the human plasminogen system, that cleavage of the internal peptide bond, leading to plasmin formation, can occur without cleavage of the amino terminal peptide.     

Kringle domains and plasmin denaturation.

The rate of plasmin denaturation was in the order of Lys-plasmin greater than miniplasmin greater than microplasmin. Fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) dose dependently increased the denaturation rate of Lys-plasmin and mini-plasmin with a maximal rate constant at the FDP/plasmin ratio of about 0.5. The denaturation rate constant of microplasmin was not affected. FDP increased the rate of plasmin denaturation was in parallel with its effect on the interaction among kringle domains. Without FDP only trace amounts of plasminogen dimer could be detected by cross-linking with bis-(sulfo-succinimidyl)-suberate followed by SDS gel electrophoresis. In the low concentration of FDP significant amounts of oligomers of Glu-, mini-plasminogens, kringle 1-3 and kringle 1-5 were observed. High concentration of FDP, however, decreased plasminogen oligomer.     

Plasminogen activation by single-chain urokinase in functional isolation. A kinetic study

The kinetics of the activation of Glu- and Lys-plasminogen by single-chain urokinase (sc urokinase) derived from the transformed human kidney cell line TCL-598 have been studied and compared with two-chain urokinase (tc urokinase). Plasminogen activation was determined by the increase in fluorescence polarization of fluorescein-labeled aprotinin, a high affinity inhibitor of plasmin. This methodology allows plasmin generation by sc urokinase to be measured in functional isolation, with no interfering generation of tc urokinase, sc urokinase was found to activate plasminogen to plasmin with apparent Michaelis-Menten-type kinetics. The Km for Glu-plasminogen activation was 47.7 microM, with a catalytic constant of 2.91 min-1. Lys-plasminogen activation by sc urokinase was characterized by a Km of 11.7 microM and a kcat of 5.60 min-1. The Km values for the activation of Glu- and Lys-plasminogen by tc urokinase were found to be similar to those for activation by sc urokinase (36.8 and 9.0 microM, respectively), but the catalytic constants were higher at 36.0 and 118 min-1, respectively. Therefore, on the basis of the catalytic efficiency kcat/Km, sc urokinase seems to have 16-27-fold lower activity than tc urokinase. This activity of sc urokinase is in contrast to its lack of activity against a low molecular weight peptide substrate (less than 0.2% of the activity of sc urokinase). The activation of sc urokinase to tc urokinase by plasmin was also characterized (Km = 3.0 microM, kcat = 105 min-1). Using these data, it was possible to calculate the theoretical rate of plasminogen activation by sc urokinase in the absence of aprotinin, when tc urokinase is generated by the action of plasmin. The calculated rate was in good agreement with that determined experimentally using the chromogenic substrate D-Val-Leu-Lys-p-nitroanilide. These data demonstrate that sc urokinase has properties which distinguish it from conventional serine protease zymogens. The lack of activity against low molecular weight peptide substrates demonstrates the inaccessibility of the substrate-binding pocket. However, there is a moderate activity against plasminogen, suggesting that plasminogen may be acting as both an effector and a substrate for sc urokinase.     

Mechanism of the urokinase-catalyzed activation of human plasminogen.

When human plasminogen (Glu-Pga) is activated by urokinase in the presence of pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, the plasmin produced (Glu-Pma) exclusively contains a heavy chain (Glu-Ha) derived intact from the original NH2 terminus of Glu-Pga. Similar activations, utilizing a low molecular weight synthetic plasmin acylating agent, p-nitrophenyl-p-(pyridiniummethyl) benzoate, still result in a plasmin molecule with approximately 50% of the plasmin heavy chain containing the intact NH2 terminus of the original Glu-Pga. Activations performed at high levels of urokinase in the absence of any inhibitors initially produce Glu-Pma. However, the final stable plasmin, Lys-Pmb, which is obtained contains a heavy chain (Lys-Hb) which arises by plasminolysis of a small peptide from the NH2 terminus of Glu-Ha. Alternatively, Lys-Pmb can be formed in a separate series of reactions initially involving plasminolysis of Glu-Pga to yield Lys-Pgb. The peptide removed in this step is identical to the peptide removed in the Glu-Ha to Lys-Hb reaction. Next, urokinase catalyzes the conversion of Lys-Pgb to Lys-Pmb without further loss of peptide material. This latter pathway involving Lys-Pgb is probably the major pathway for human Lys-Pmb generation. These studies support a mechanism of activation of human plasminogen which involves at least two bond cleavages in Glu-Pga. However, these same studies strongly indicate that the Nh2-terminal peptide need not be released from Glu-Pga prior to plasmin formation. Further, we feel that plasmin and not urokinase catalyzes cleavage of the NH2-terminal peptide bond from Glu-Pga and the Glu-Ha heavy chain of Glu-Pma.     

Two structurally different types of rabbit light chains

Disulphide bonds of rabbit γ-G-globulin and the antibody of the γ-G-globulin type against the 2,4-dinitrophenyl group were split both by the oxidative sulphitolysis at pH 8.6 and by the reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol followed by carboxymethylation. The fractionation was carried out in 0.05 m formic acid containing 6m urea, in 1m propionic acid or in 6m guanidine hydrochloride. Both heavy (H) and light) (L) chains are released from the I+J fraction preceding on an elution diagram H chains when rechromatographed in a stronger desaggregation medium. A small amount of the L chains is also released on rechromatography of the H chains (isolated from 1m propionic acid) in 6m guanidine hydrochloride. The separation of the degraded γ-G-globulin in 0.05m formic acid containing 6m urea or in 6m guanidine hydrochloride showed a separation of the L chains to two fractions differing by electrophoretic properties, peptide maps and N-terminal amino acids. However, these chains exhibit a similar molecular weight, immunoelectrophoretic behaviour and similar properties on reactivation of the antibody H chain.     

Functional hierarchy of plasminogen kringles 1 and 4 in fibrinolysis and plasmin-induced cell detachment and apoptosis

Plasmin(ogen) kringles 1 and 4 are involved in anchorage of plasmin(ogen) to fibrin and cells, an essential step in fibrinolysis and pericellular proteolysis. Their contribution to these processes was investigated by selective neutralization of their lysine-binding function. Blocking the kringle 1 lysine-binding site with monoclonal antibody 34D3 fully abolished binding and activation of Glu-plasminogen and prevented both fibrinolysis and plasmin-induced cell detachment-induced apoptosis. In contrast, blocking the kringle 4 lysine-binding site with monoclonal antibody A10.2 did not impair its activation although it partially inhibited plasmin(ogen) binding, fibrinolysis and cell detachment. This remarkable, biologically relevant, distinctive response was not observed for plasmin or Lys-plasminogen; each antibody inhibited their binding and activation of Lys-plasminogen to a limited extent, and full inhibition of fibrinolysis required simultaneous neutralization of both kringles. Thus, in Lys-plasminogen and plasmin, kringles 1 and 4 act as independent and complementary domains, both able to support binding and activation. We conclude that Glu-/Lys-plasminogen and plasmin conformations are associated with transitions in the lysine-binding function of kringles 1 and 4 that modulate fibrinolysis and pericellular proteolysis and may be of biological relevance during athero-thrombosis and inflammatory states. These findings constitute the first biological link between plasmin(ogen) transitions and functions.