scholarly journals Helodermatine, a kallikrein-like, hypotensive enzyme from the venom of Heloderma horridum horridum (Mexican beaded lizard).

1986 ◽  
Vol 164 (6) ◽  
pp. 1835-1845 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Alagon ◽  
L D Possani ◽  
J Smart ◽  
W D Schleuning

We have purified and characterized the major N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester hydrolase from the venom of Heloderma horridum horridum. The enzyme belongs to the serine proteinase family, and its activity vs. peptide amide substrates and human high-molecular-weight kininogen suggests a similarity to the family of kallikreins. This interpretation is corroborated by its reactivity with the natural inhibitors soybean trypsin inhibitor and Kunitz-type bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (aprotinin). Injection of the enzyme (2-16 micrograms/kg) into anesthetized rabbits leads to a rapid dose-dependent transient decrease of the arterial blood pressure. Like glandular kallikrein it specifically converts single-chain tissue type plasminogen activator into its double chain form. In contrast to other kallikrein-like enzymes from snake venoms it shows no thrombin-like or plasminogen activator activity. The enzyme is a single-chain glycoprotein (Mr 63,000). The N-terminal sequence revealed significant homology to pig pancreatic kallikrein and to kallikrein like enzymes from Crotalus atrox and Crotalus adamanteus venom. This enzyme, which we name Helodermatine, is the first purified from Sauria with kallikrein-like properties.

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1105-1111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Matsui ◽  
Naoharu Takano ◽  
Akihiko Moriyama ◽  
Takayuki Takahashi

1988 ◽  
Vol 60 (02) ◽  
pp. 247-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
H R Lijnen ◽  
L Nelles ◽  
B Van Hoef ◽  
F De Cock ◽  
D Collen

SummaryRecombinant chimaeric molecules between tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) or two chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (tcu-PA) have intact enzymatic properties of scu-PA or tcu-PA towards natural and synthetic substrates (Nelles et al., J Biol Chem 1987; 262: 10855-10862). In the present study, we have compared the reactivity with inhibitors of both the single chain and two chain variants of recombinant u-PA and two recombinant chimaeric molecules between t-PA and scu-PA (t-PA/u-PA-s: amino acids 1-263 of t-PA and 144-411 of u-PA; t-PA/u-PA-e: amino acids 1-274 of t-PA and 138-411 of u-PA). Incubation with human plasma in the absence of a fibrin clot for 3 h at 37° C at equipotent concentrations (50% clot lysis in 2 h), resulted in significant fibrinogen breakdown (to about 40% of the normal value) for all two chain molecules, but not for their single chain counterparts. Preincubation of the plasminogen activators with plasma for 3 h at 37° C, resulted in complete inhibition of the fibrinolytic potency of the two chain molecules but did not alter the potency of the single chain molecules. Inhibition of the two chain molecules occurred with a t½ of approximately 45 min. The two chain variants were inhibited by the synthetic urokinase inhibitor Glu-Gly-Arg-CH2CCl with apparent second-order rate constants of 8,000-10,000 M−1s−1, by purified α2-antiplasmin with second-order rate constants of about 300 M−1s−1, and by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with second-order rate constants of approximately 2 × 107 M−1s−1.It is concluded that the reactivity of single chain and two chain forms of t-PA/u-PA chimaers with inhibitors is very similar to that of the single and two chain forms of intact u-PA.


1989 ◽  
Vol 62 (02) ◽  
pp. 699-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob J Aerts ◽  
Karin Gillis ◽  
Hans Pannekoek

SummaryIt has recently been shown that the fibrinolytic components plasminogen and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) both bind to cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). After cleavage of t-PA by plasmin, “single-chain” t-PA (sct-PA) is converted into “two-chain” t-PA (tct-PA), which differs from the former in a number of respects. We compared binding of sct-PA and tct-PA to the surface of HUVEC. Removal of t-PA bound to HUVEC by a mild treatment with acid and a subsequent quantification of eluted t-PA both by activity- and immunoradiometric assays revealed that, at concentrations between 10 and 500 nM, HUVEC bind about 3-4 times more sct-PA than tct-PA. At these concentrations, both sct-PA and tct-PA remain active when bound to HUVEC. Mutual competition experiments showed that sct-PA and tct-PA can virtually fully inhibit binding of each other to HUVEC, but that an about twofold higher concentration of tct-PA is required to prevent halfmaximal binding of sct-PA than visa versa. These results demonstrate that sct-PA and tct-PA bind with different affinities to the same binding sites on HUVEC.


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (06) ◽  
pp. 906-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
D C Rijken ◽  
E Groeneveld ◽  
M M Barrett-Bergshoeff

SummaryBM 06.022 is a non-glycosylated mutant of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) comprising only the kringle-2 and proteinase domains. The in vivo half-life of BM 06.022 antigen is 4- to 5-fold longer than that of t-PA antigen. The in vitro half-life of the activity of BM 06.022 at therapeutic concentrations in plasma is shorter than that of t-PA. In this study the inactivation of BM 06.022 in plasma was further investigated.Varying concentrations of BM 06.022 were incubated in plasma for 0-150 min. Activity assays on serial samples showed a dose-dependent decline of BM 06.022 activity with a half-life from 72 min at 0.3 μg/ml to 38 min at 10 μg/ml. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by fibrin autography showed the generation of several BM 06.022-complexes. These complexes could be completely precipitated with antibodies against Cl-inactivator, α2-antiplasmin and α1-antitrypsin.During the incubation of BM 06.022 in plasma, plasmin was generated dose-dependently as revealed by varying degrees of a2-anti-plasmin consumption and fibrinogen degradation. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting showed that single-chain BM 06.022 was rapidly (i. e. within 45 min) converted into its two-chain form at concentrations of 5 μg/ml BM 06.022 and higher.In conclusion, BM 06.022 at therapeutic concentrations in plasma was inactivated by Cl-inactivator, a2-antiplasmin and a j-antitrypsin. The half-life of the activity decreased at increasing BM 06.022 concentrations, probably as a result of the generation of two-chain BM 06.022 which may be inactivated faster than the single-chain form.


1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (05) ◽  
pp. 867-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dingeman C Rijken ◽  
Gerard A W de Munk ◽  
Annie F H Jie

SummaryIn order to define the possible effects of heparin on the fibrinolytic system under physiological conditions, we studied the interactions of this drug with plasminogen and its activators at various ionic strengths. As reported in recent literature, heparin stimulated the activation of Lys-plasminogen by high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) two-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) 10- to 17-fold. Our results showed, however, that this stimulation only occurred at low ionic strength and was negligible at a physiological salt concentration. Direct binding studies were performed using heparin-agarose column chromatography. The interaction between heparin and Lys-plasminogen appeared to be salt sensitive, which explains at least in part why heparin did not stimulate plasminogen activation at 0.15 M NaCl. The binding of u-PA and t-PA to heparinagarose was less salt sensitive. Results were consistent with heparin binding sites on both LMW u-PA and the amino-terminal part of HMW u-PA. Single-chain t-PA bound more avidly than two-chain t-PA. The interactions between heparin and plasminogen activators can occur under physiological conditions and may modulate the fibrinolytic system.


1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (05) ◽  
pp. 466-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Colucci ◽  
L G Cavallo ◽  
G Agnelli ◽  
A Mele ◽  
R Bürgi ◽  
...  

SummaryTwo hybrid plasminogen activators (K2tu-PA and FK2tu-PA), linking the kringle 2 domain or the finger plus the kringle 2 domains of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) to the catalytic domain of single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) were studied. At variance with similar constructs previously reported, they were obtained by fusion of the t-PA and scu-PA derived portions at their plasmin cleavage site (between Arg275 of t-PA and Ile159 of scu-PA), thus eliminating from scu-PA the two peptide bonds (Glu143-Leu144 and Arg156-Phe157) that lead to low molecular weight scu-PA and to thrombin-inactivated tcu-PA. The specific activities of K2tu-PA and FK2tu-PA, as measured by fibrin plate were 2.5 × 106 and 1.0 × 106 t-PA equivalent units/mg, respectively. Activation of plasminogen by hybrid PAs was stimulated by both CNBr-digested fibrinogen (40- and 80-fold) and Des-A-fibrin monomers (6- and 12-fold). The relatively weak stimulation of chimeric PAs by minimally degraded fibrin monomers was consistent with their reduced fibrin binding capacity. Like scu-PA, the chimeric PAs, in the single-chain form, were insensitive to inhibition, as they retained full activity after prolonged incubation in plasma and did not interact with SDS-reactivated recombinant PAI-1. The concentration producing 50% lysis of blood clots in 3 h was 0.5 μg/ml for K2tu-PA and 1 μg/ml for FK2tu-PA, as compared to 0.5 μg/ml and >2 μg/ml for t-PA and scu-PA, respectively. Plasminogen and α2-antiplasmin consumption induced by the hybrid PAs in clot-free plasma was comparable to (K2tu-PA) or lower than (FK2tu-PA) that induced by either t-PA or scu-PA. When exposed to plasmin, the hybrids were completely converted into two-chain molecules with full enzymatic activity. At variance with u-PA, however, the two-chain recombinant activators still required fibrin for full expression of activity. These data indicate that the products of such “artificial” fusion behave like true chimeras without loss of biological activity. The insensitivity to thrombin inactivation and to the proteolytic cleavage leading to low molecular weight scu-PA might confer enhanced stability to the molecules, especially at thrombus level. Moreover, if the thrombolytic activity observed in vitro is maintained in vivo, the prolonged half life of these hybrids should result in higher plasma levels of activator and thus in more extensive and rapid lysis.


1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (03) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Izaki ◽  
T Hibino ◽  
Y Isozaki ◽  
P S Hsu ◽  
M Izaki ◽  
...  

SummaryPlasminogen activator that is associated with the development of hypersensitivity granulomas (gPA) was partially purified from a saline soluble fraction of murine lepromas elicited in “resistant” mice, C57BL/6N. The gPA was shown to consist of two subspecies (23,000 and 48,000 in molecular weight) with essentially identical enzymologic properties. The gPA was found to be a relatively heat stable weakly alkaline serine proteinase with trypsin-like characteristics in the specificity for synthetic substrates and proteinase inhibitors. It showed a high affinity for H- D-Ile-Pro-Arg-pNA (Km = 1.4 × 10-4 M) H-D-Val-Leu-Lys- pNA (Km = 5.2 × 10-4 M), and L-pyroGlu-Gly-Arg-pNA (Km = 9.3 × 10-4 M). The gPA did not demonstrate antigenic cross reaction with urokinase-type or tissue-type plasminogen activator.Two distinct enzymatic regulators of the gPA were also demonstrated in the saline soluble fraction of the hypersensitivity granulomas. The gPA and its regulation are assumed to be correlated with macrophage activation in the hypersensitivity granulomas


1986 ◽  
Vol 56 (01) ◽  
pp. 035-039 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Collen ◽  
F De Cock ◽  
E Demarsin ◽  
H R Lijnen ◽  
D C Stump

SummaryA potential synergic effect of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scuPA) or urokinase on clot lysis was investigated in a whole human plasma system in vitro. The system consisted of a human plasma clot labeled with 125I-fibrinogen, immersed in titrated whole human plasma, to which the thrombolytic agents were added. Clot lysis was quantitated by measurement of released 125I, and activation of the fibrinolytic system in the surrounding plasma by measurements of fibrinogen and α2-antiplasmin.t-PA, scu-PA and urokinase induced a dose-dependent and time-dependent clot lysis; 50 percent lysis after 2 h was obtained with 5 nM t-PA, 20 nM scu-PA and 12 nM urokinase. At these concentrations no significant activation of the fibrinolytic system in the plasma was observed with t-PA and scu-PA, whereas urokinase caused significant α2-antiplasmin consumption and concomitant fibrinogen degradation. The shape of the dose-response curves was different; t-PA and urokinase showed a log linear dose-response whereas that of scu-PA was sigmoidal.


1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Stassen ◽  
D Collen

t-PA and scu-PA, in molar ratios between 1:4 and 4:1 do not act synergically in vitro (Thromb. Haemost. 56,35,1986) but display marked synergism in a rabbit model (Circulation 74, 838, 1986) and in man (Am. Heart J. 112, 1083, 1986). To investigate the mechanism of in vivo synergism in the rabbit model (J. Clin. Invest. 71, 368, 1983), t-PA and scu-PA were infused 1) simultaneously over 4 hrs, 2) t-PA over 1 hr, then 15 min later scu-PA over 2 hrs and 3) scu-PA over 1 hr, then 15 min later t-PA over 2 hrs.Significant synergism on thrombolysis is observed when t-PA and scu-PA are infused simultaneously or when t-PA is followed by scu-PA but not when scu-PA is followed by t-PA. These results suggest that low dose t-PA induces some plasminogen activation, sufficient to partially degrade fibrin, exposing COOH-terminal lysines with high affinity for plasminogen (Eur. J. Biochem. 140, 513, 1984). scu-PA might then activate surface-bound Glu-pla-minogen more efficiently.Sequential therapy with t-PA (or any other agent which "predigests" the thrombus), followed by scu-PA might constitute an alternative to simultaneous infusion of synergistic thrombolytic agents.


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