PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF REACTIVE AND NON-REACTIVE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR-1 (PAI-1) FROM HUMAN PLACENTA
Reactive and non-reactive forms of PAI-1 have been identified in various biological materials. The structural differences between these forms remain to be determined.A monoclonal antibody specific for a non-reactive PAI-1 and a monoclonal antibody reacting with both the reactive and nonreactive form of the inhibitor were obtained by immunization with a tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)-PAI-1 complex (Philips et al., Thromb Haemostas 1986; 55:213-7). These antibodies were used for the isolation of reactive and non-reactive PAI-1 by solid-phase immunoadsorption from extracts of human placenta. The inhibitor preparations were further purified by HPLC. Reactive and non-reactive PAI-1 both migrated with a Mr ∼ 52,000 when analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Furthermore, the two inhibitor forms were indistinguishable by N-terminal sequence analysis. Two N-terminal sequences were found in about equal ammounts for both the reactive and non-reactive PAI-1. They were Ser-Ala-Val-His-His-Pro-Pro- and a two residues shorter sequence (Val-His-His-Pro-Pro-). These sequences are in agreement with the published cDNA sequence of PAI-1 and shows that the inhibitor is N-terminally heterogeneously processed. The second order rate constant (ki) for the reaction between reactive PAI-1 and single-chain t-PA was about 6 106 M-1s-1. Treatment with 4 M guanidinium-HCl partially converted the non-reactive PAI-1 to a reactive form exhibiting a similar k1 for inhibition of single-chain t-PA. SDS-PAGE showed that the t-PA-PAI-1 complex could be dissociated by 1,5 M NH4OH/ 39 mM SDS resulting in the release of a PAI-1 with approximately the same Mr as native PAI-1. This indicates either that t-PA does not cleave the inhibitor or that it cleaves a peptide bond close to the C-terminus.In conclusion a non-reactive and a reactive form of PAI-1 can be purified from placenta. The two forms are distinguishable by monoclonal antibodies but they show similar Mr′ls and the same N-terminal sequences.