Characterization of an analog enzyme to cathepsin L produced by tumor cells

The activity of cathepsin L is examined in the culture supernatants of 38 human, murine and hamster tumor cell lines. It is found that all cell lines secrete the enzyme possessing cathepsin L activity. The supernatant of HPC-YP cell cultures is purified and characterized as the enzyme preparation, because this supernatant shows the highest cathepsin L activity. The results indicate that the enzyme produced in HPC-YP cells is different from cathepsin L of normal liver in the several points. The molecular weight of the enzyme is 68 kd, whereas it is 34 kd for the liver cathepsin L. The enzyme is more stable to heat treatment and at the various pH than the liver cathepsin L. Furthermore, the inhibitors, which inhibit the liver cathepsin L activity, do not inhibit the activity of this enzyme. It is concluded that the enzyme showing cathepsin L activity in the culture supernatants of human tumor cells is different from human normal liver cathepsin L.