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Kinetic analysis of the effects of heparin and lipoproteins on tissue plasminogen activator mediated plasminogen activation.

Heparin sulfate and the less sulfated glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate enhance human plasminogen (Pg) conversion to plasmin by tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). Kinetic studies indicate that both heparin and heparan increase the kcat of t-PA-mediated Pg activation by 25- and 3.5-fold, respectively. The Km of plasmin formation is unaltered by the presence of either heparin or heparan. Both heparin and heparan stimulate the activity of t-PA by interacting with the finger domain of t-PA, with association constants of 1 microM and 200 nM, respectively. Additionally, the lipoproteins lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) inhibit the heparin enhancement of Pg activation. Lp(a) is a competitive inhibitor and LDL is a mixed inhibitor of t-PA-mediated Pg activation, with inhibition constants of 30 and 70 nM, respectively. The inhibition constants correspond to physiologic concentrations of these lipoproteins. These data suggest that heparin, heparan, and lipoproteins may play an important in vivo role in regulating cell surface associated activation of the fibrinolytic system.

Heparin↗

Resolution of Michaelis complex, acylation, and conformational change steps in the reactions of the serpin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, with tissue plasminogen activator and trypsin.

Michaelis complex, acylation, and conformational change steps were resolved in the reactions of the serpin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and trypsin by comparing the reactions of active and Ser 195-inactivated enzymes with site-specific fluorescent-labeled PAI-1 derivatives that report these events. Anhydrotrypsin or S195A tPA-induced fluorescence changes in P1'-Cys and P9-Cys PAI-1 variants labeled with the fluorophore, NBD, indicative of a substrate-like interaction of the serpin reactive loop with the proteinase active-site, with the P1' label but not the P9 label perturbing the interactions by 10-60-fold. Rapid kinetic analyses of the labeled PAI-1-inactive enzyme interactions were consistent with a single-step reversible binding process involving no conformational change. Blocking of PAI-1 reactive loop-beta-sheet A interactions through mutation of the P14 Thr --> Arg or annealing a reactive center loop peptide into sheet A did not weaken the binding of the inactive enzymes, suggesting that loop-sheet interactions were unlikely to be induced by the binding. Only active trypsin and tPA induced the characteristic fluorescence changes in the labeled PAI-1 variants previously shown to report acylation and reactive loop-sheet A interactions during the PAI-1-proteinase reaction. Rapid kinetic analyses showed saturation of the reaction rate constant and, in the case of the P1'-labeled PAI-1 reaction, biphasic changes in fluorescence indicative of an intermediate resembling the noncovalent complex on the path to the covalent complex. Indistinguishable K(M) and k(lim) values of approximately 20 microM and 80-90 s(-1) for reaction of the two labeled PAI-1s with trypsin suggested that a diffusion-limited association of PAI-1 and trypsin and rate-limiting acylation step, insensitive to the effects of labeling, controlled covalent complex formation. By contrast, differing values of K(M) of 1.7 and 0.1 microM and of k(lim) of 17 and 2.6 s(-1) for tPA reactions with P1' and P9-labeled PAI-1s, respectively, suggested that tPA-PAI-1 exosite interactions, sensitive to the effects of labeling, promoted a rapid association of PAI-1 and tPA and reversible formation of an acyl-enzyme complex but impeded a rate-limiting burial of the reactive loop leading to trapping of the acyl-enzyme complex. Together, the results suggest a kinetic pathway for formation of the covalent complex between PAI-1 and proteinases involving the initial formation of a Michaelis-type noncovalent complex without significant conformational change, followed by reversible acylation and irreversible reactive loop conformational change steps that trap the proteinase in a covalent complex.

Acylation↗

Cisplatin resistant glioblastoma cells may have increased concentration of urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1.

Gliomas are the most common form of intrinsic primary brain tumors, that extensively invade the surrounding normal brain tissue. The failure of chemotherapy treatment of these tumors is chiefly attributed to drug-resistance. From human glioblastoma we developed two cell sublines resistant to cisplatin due to acute (AT cells) or continuous (CT cells) treatment with clinically relevant doses of cisplatin. We examined their sensitivity to different cytostatics by colorimetric MTT assay. The concentrations of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) were determined by the ELISA assay. The results reveal that both AT and CT cells became resistant to cisplatin and vincristine; AT cells became resistant also to etoposide. Both AT and CT cells did not significantly change their sensitivity to doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil and chlorambucil. Concentrations of uPA and PAI-1 were increased in CT cells, with no change in AT cells. In the conditioned medium of both, AT and CT cells, the level of uPA were increased. No differences in concentrations of PAI-1 in the conditioned medium of these cells were found. Thus, our results show that drug-resistance of glioblastoma cells may be accompanied with the increased levels of markers for tumor invasion.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Collagen metabolism and enzymes of the urokinase plasminogen activator system in chronic myeloproliferative disorders: correlation between plasma-soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and serum markers for collagen metabolism.

Extracellular proteolytic enzymes of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) system and the family of metalloproteinases (MMPs) catalyse the matrix degradation and remodelling processes characteristic of invasive malignant disorders. In a cohort of 50 patients with chronic myeloproliferative disorders (MPD) serum markers for collagen metabolism were compared to plasma levels of enzymes of the uPA and MMP system. Serum aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (S-PIIINP) (P < 0.0001) concentration was significantly higher in the patients (median 3.7 micro g/L vs. 2.5 micro g/L) compared with controls. In a subgroup analysis comprising patients with myelofibrosis (MF), polycythaemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythaemia (ET), respectively, S-PIIINP levels differed significantly with the highest values found in patients with MF (MF vs. PV vs. ET; P = 0.0027). Serum concentration of carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (S-ICTP) (P = 0.0006), reflecting type I collagen degradation, was significantly higher in patients compared with controls (median 4.0 micro g/L vs. 2.7 micro g/L). When comparing S-ICTP measurements between patient subgroups and controls there were only significantly higher values among MF and PV patients (MF vs. controls; P < 0.0001, PV vs. controls; P = 0.0016). A significant correlation between the marker for collagen synthesis (S-PIIINP) and degradation (S-ICTP) (r = 0.59; P < 0.0001) was demonstrated. A correlation analysis between serum markers for bone marrow remodelling processes (S-PIIINP, S-ICTP and S-hyaluronan) and plasma-soluble urokinase plasminogen receptor (suPAR) disclosed a significant relationship between suPAR and S-PIIINP (r = 0.48; P = 0.0009), S-hyaluronan (r = 0.56; P < 0.0001) and S-ICTP (r = 0.47; P = 0.0013), respectively. Plasma levels of MMP-2 and -9 were not correlated to serum markers for collagen metabolism. These findings suggest that enzymes of the uPA system might participate in the bone marrow remodelling processes characteristic of MPD.

Adult↗

Analysis of a two-domain binding site for the urokinase-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 complex in low-density-lipoprotein-receptor-related protein.

The low-density-lipoprotein-receptor (LDLR)-related protein (LRP) is composed of several classes of domains, including complement-type repeats (CR), which occur in clusters that contain binding sites for a multitude of different ligands. Each approximately 40-residue CR domain contains three conserved disulphide linkages and an octahedral Ca(2+) cage. LRP is a scavenging receptor for ligands from extracellular fluids, e.g. alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)M)-proteinase complexes, lipoprotein-containing particles and serine proteinase-inhibitor complexes, like the complex between urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). In the present study we analysed the interaction of the uPA-PAI-1 complex with an ensemble of fragments representing a complete overlapping set of two-domain fragments accounting for the ligand-binding cluster II (CR3-CR10) of LRP. By ligand blotting, solid-state competition analysis and surface-plasmon-resonance analysis, we demonstrate binding to multiple CR domains, but show a preferential interaction between the uPA-PAI-1 complex and a two-domain fragment comprising CR domains 5 and 6 of LRP. We demonstrate that surface-exposed aspartic acid and tryptophan residues at identical positions in the two homologous domains, CR5 and CR6 (Asp(958,CR5), Asp(999,CR6), Trp(953,CR5) and Trp(994,CR6)), are critical for the binding of the complex as well as for the binding of the receptor-associated protein (RAP) - the folding chaperone/escort protein required for transport of LRP to the cell surface. Accordingly, the present work provides (1) an identification of a preferred binding site within LRP CR cluster II; (2) evidence that the uPA-PAI-1 binding site involves residues from two adjacent protein domains; and (3) direct evidence identifying specific residues as important for the binding of uPA-PAI-1 as well as for the binding of RAP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structural requirements of position A alpha-157 in fibrinogen for the fibrin-induced rate enhancement of the activation of plasminogen by tissue-type plasminogen activator.

The sequence fibrinogen-A alpha-(148-160) can mimic part of the fibrin-induced rate enhancement of the activation of plasminogen by tissue-type plasminogen activator. Previously we have reported that the lysine residue at position A alpha-157 is crucial. During our further investigations on A alpha-157 we found that lysine at position A alpha-157 may be replaced by glutamic acid. This unexpected finding prompted us to re-investigate the requirements of this position. We prepared analogues of A alpha-(148-160) in which the lysine residue at position A alpha-157 was replaced by lysine derivatives (acetyl-lysine, benzyloxycarbonyl-lysine and methanesulphonylethyloxycarbonyl-lysine), acidic residues (aspartic acid and glutamic acid), basic residues (arginine and ornithine), polar residues (glutamine and methanesulphonylethyloxycarbonylornithine), apolar residues (alanine, valine, norleucine and glutamic acid 4-nitrobenzyl ester) and glycine. These analogues were tested for their stimulatory activity. When aspartic acid, glutamic acid 4-nitrobenzyl ester or norleucine is present at position A alpha-157 in A alpha-(148-160) virtually all stimulatory capacity is lost. With valine at position A alpha-157 the stimulatory activity is marginal. None of the other replacements at position A alpha-157 caused loss of rate-enhancing properties. From these results we conclude that for the rate-enhancing effect of A alpha-(148-160) the side chain of the amino acid residue at position A alpha-157 must fulfill certain requirements: there must be one (as in alanine) or no (as in glycine) carbon atom in the side chain, or at least two carbon atoms and a polar group (charged or uncharged) to which a rather bulky group (such as the benzyloxycarbonyl group) or a polar group (such as the methanesulphonylethyloxycarbonyl group) may be attached. The highest activity [even higher than native A alpha-(148-160)] was obtained with ornithine, methanesulphonylethyloxycarbonylornithine or methanesulphonylethyloxycarbonyl-lysine at position A alpha-157.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Binding of urokinase-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 complex to the endocytosis receptors alpha2-macroglobulin receptor/low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein and very-low-density lipoprotein receptor involves basic residues in the inhibitor.

The complex of the type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and its target proteinases, the urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activators (uPA and tPA), but not the free components, bind with high affinity to the endocytosis receptors alpha2-macroglobulin receptor/low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (alpha2MR/LRP) and very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR). To characterize the molecular interaction between the complexes and the receptors, alanine codons were introduced into the human PAI-1 cDNA to replace the four basic residues, Arg-78, Lys-82, Arg-120 and Lys-124, as double mutations. The purified recombinant mutant proteins, rPAI-1/R78A-K124A and rPAI-1/K82A-R120A, produced by the yeast Pichia pastoris, were indistinghuisable from wild-type recombinant and natural human PAI-1 with respect to inhibitory activity against uPA, stability of SDS-resistant complexes with uPA, and vitronectin binding. Radiolabelled mutant uPA.PAI-1 complexes bound with a 10- to 20-fold, and 3- to 7-fold reduced affinity to purified alpha2MR/LRP and VLDLR respectively. alpha2MR/LRP-mediated endocytosis of the mutant complexes by COS-1 cells was reduced to 48 and 38% of the level of endocytosis of wild-type PAI-1. Binding of the mutant complexes to the uPA receptor was not affected. These findings suggest that the binding mode of the uPA.PAI-1 complex to both alpha2MR/LRP and VLDLR is similar. The four residues are surface exposed in the region defined by alpha-helix D and beta-strand 1A in the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) structure. Our study represents the first identification of residues in a surface region implicated in molecular recognition of protease.serpin complexes by endocytosis receptors of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family.

Animals↗

Lipoprotein(a), tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels in hyperlipidaemic patients in Kuwait.

Plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) were assessed in addition to anthropometry and levels of glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and apo A1 and B in 73 patients (36 men and 37 women) with primary hyperlipidaemia (group NDHL) in Kuwait. Lp(a) levels (212 mg L-1, 8-600 mg L-1, median and range) were similar to those obtained in a matched group of 32 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with hyperlipidaemia (218 mg L-1, 50-610 mg L-1) and slightly higher, although not significantly so (P = 0.06), than levels seen in 68 healthy normolipidaemic control subjects (182 mg L-1, 70-488 mg L-1). tPA levels (8.4 ng mL-1, 3.8-18.4 ng mL-1, median and range) in group NDHL were lower than in the diabetic group (11.4 ng mL-1, 5.2-14.2 ng mL-1) but higher than in the healthy control subjects (7.4 ng mL-1, 2.8-12.6 ng mL-1). PAI-1 levels in group NDHL (40.4 ng mL-1, 8.6-55 ng mL-1, median and range) were higher than in the control subjects (32.5 ng mL-1, 14.6-46.4 ng mL-1) but lower than in diabetic patients (43.8 ng mL-1, 15.6-55 ng mL-1). Hyperlipidaemia phenotype (hypercholesterolaemia or hypertriglyceridaemia) did not influence tPA and PAI-1 levels, but Lp(a) levels were significantly lower with hypertriglyceridaemia. Gender, cigarette smoking and racial origin (Kuwaitis, other Arabs or South Asians) did not affect Lp(a), tPA and PAI-1 levels, but tPA levels were higher in postmenopausal subjects. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (whether in total cholesterol or as apo B) correlated significantly (P < 0.05) with Lp(a) levels. tPA levels were correlated with age and the plasma levels of glucose and uric acid (P < 0.05); this correlation with glucose may explain the high levels associated with diabetes, whereas the age association might account not only for the differences observed between group NDHL and the younger control group but also for the higher levels in the postmenopausal women. PAI-1 levels correlated with tPA and triglyceride (TG) levels in the groups of subjects (normo- and hyperlipidaemic). In the normolipidaemic control group, the significant associations of tPA and PAI-1 were with body mass, expressed as the body mass index or the waist-hip ratio. These results suggest that different factors influence the plasma levels of the prothrombotic factors Lp(a), tPA and PAI-1 in healthy control subjects and in patients with hyperlipidaemia. In the latter, hyperlipidaemia phenotype, age, glycaemic status and uric acid levels are important determinants of the levels of these prothrombotic variables, whereas in the healthy, young control population, body mass was the single important association with tPA and PAI-1.

Adolescent↗

Do plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) or tissue plasminogen activator PAI-1 complexes predict complications in Type 1 diabetes: the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study.

AIMS: To examine the predictive power of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and the complexes it forms with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA-PAI-1) for the two major Type 1 diabetes (T1D) complications (coronary artery disease (CAD) and overt nephropathy) in the context of standard risk factors. METHODS: Observational prospective study of 454 participants with childhood onset (< 17 years) T1D, aged 18+ years at baseline. PAI-1 and tPA-PAI-1 were determined using ELISA methodology. Follow-up (6 years) was limited to 382 individuals for CAD and 294 individuals for overt nephropathy, after excluding baseline cases. Total, HDL and LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), leucocyte count, Beck depression score and fibrinogen were also examined. RESULTS: The 56 incident cases of CAD had marginally lower PAI-1 and higher tPA-PAI-1 levels compared with those free of CAD. However, marginally higher PAI-1 and significantly higher tPA-PAI-1 (P = 0.04) levels were seen in those who developed nephropathy. After controlling for age, both PAI-1 and tPA-PAI-1 showed significant negative correlations with HDL-cholesterol, and positive correlations with triglycerides, WHR, HbA1 and fibrinogen. tPA-PAI-1 was also positively correlated with total and LDL-cholesterol. In multivariate analyses, neither PAI-1 nor tPA-PAI-1 was an independent predictor of CAD or overt nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest little association between PAI-1 and later CAD in patients with T1D. However, tPA-PAI-1 complexes may be involved in the pathogenesis of overt nephropathy.

Adult↗

Normal tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity in plasma from patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The fibrinolytic system was investigated in 38 patients (21 males and 17 females) affected by type 1 diabetes mellitus (18 free from complications, 10 with retinopathy, and 10 with autonomic neuropathy) and in 8 healthy controls. Two separate fibrinolysis-stimulating tests were done: standardized venous occlusion and 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin infusion. Plasma tissue plasminogen activator antigen and activity and plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor activity were measured. All the patients were in good metabolic control (mean HbA1c 7.4%, range 6.1-8.0%). No significant differences were observed either between the diabetic patients and the control subjects, nor among the subgroups of diabetic patients. The fibrinolytic system is probably not involved in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Deamino Arginine Vasopressin↗

High accumulation of plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator at the flow surface of mural fibrin in the human arterial system.

PURPOSE: We assessed the fibrinolytic activity of the organized mural thrombus lining of aneurysms and prosthetic grafts. METHODS: Between May 1995 and April 1998, the full-thickness mural thrombi of aneurysms and the pseudointima lining of vascular grafts were obtained from 12 patients, ranging from 55 to 78 years in age, who underwent elective surgery. These included five aortic arch aneurysms, four abdominal aortic aneurysms, and three patent synthetic vascular grafts. The specimens were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)/immunoblot and immunohistochemistry for human plasmin/plasminogen, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and fibrin degradation product (D-dimer). RESULTS: In the SDS-PAGE/immunoblot, 25- and 27-kd bands appeared specifically in experimental fibrin plates after limited digestion by plasmin and were also recognized in the mural thrombi. The presence of bands at 25 and 27 kd, which were most prominent in sections near the flow surface layer, was consistent with the hypothesis that the mural fibrin was digested by the endogenous plasmin. Apparent immunoreactivity was found at the flow surface of the masses at a thickness of 10 to 400 micrometer suggesting the presence of a plasminogen and tPA-rich layer, with D-dimer as a consequential product of fibrinolysis. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that fibrin surfaces in the arterial system acquire fibrinolytic activity because of digestion by circulating endogenous plasmin was confirmed; this may contribute to the antithrombogenicity of these flow surfaces.

Aged↗

Sialic acid content of plasminogen 2 glycoforms as a regulator of fibrinolytic activity. Isolation, carbohydrate analysis, and kinetic characterization of six glycoforms of plasminogen.

Six glycoforms of plasminogen 2 were isolated using a combination of lectin affinity chromatography and chromatofocussing, and the sialic acid content of each glycoform was determined. The kinetics of activation of each glycoform by tissue-type plasminogen activator were analyzed on a fibrin surface and in solution. The second-order rate constant (measured on a fibrin surface) decreased from 1.65 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 to 3.77 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 as the sialic acid content of the glycoforms increased from 1.3 mol/mol of protein to 13.65 mol/mol of protein. A similar correlation was noted for activation in solution. Each glycoform was converted to plasmin, and the inhibition constants for the reaction between alpha 2-antiplasmin and plasmin glycoforms were determined. All overall Ki values, reflecting the final essentially irreversible complex, were in the picomolar range. Sialic acid does not affect inhibition of plasmin by alpha 2-antiplasmin; however, hypersialylated plasmin does not appear to have a kringle-dependent component to inhibition.

Chromatography, Affinity↗

Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) interacts with urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) via tPA's lysine binding site. An explanation of the poor fibrin affinity of recombinant tPA/uPA chimeric molecules.

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to study the domain structure and intramolecular interactions of tPA/uPA chimeras. A high temperature transition centered near 90 degrees C was observed upon melting of the tPA/uPA chimera (amino acids 1-274 of tPA and 138-411 of uPA) and its variant lacking the finger and epidermal growth factor-like modules (residues 1-3 and 87-274 of tPA and 138-411 of uPA). Since neither of the two parent plasminogen activators display such a stable structure, one may suggest that a new stabilizing intramolecular interaction occurs in the chimeras. We found that occupation of the lysine binding site of tPA by a lysine or arginine side chain from the urokinase moiety is responsible for the high temperature transition as well as for the failure of the chimeras to exhibit the expected fibrin binding properties. All uPA species, single- and two-chain high molecular weight uPA (Pro-Uk and HMW-Uk) and two-chain low molecular weight uPA (LMW-Uk), interact intermolecularly with tPA and its kringle-containing derivatives. This intermolecular interaction was strongly inhibited by epsilon-aminocaproic acid indicating that the lysine binding site of tPA is involved. The binding of uPA with the fluorescein-labeled A-chain of tPA, registered by changes in fluorescence anisotropy, was estimated to have a Kd range of 1-7 microM. The interaction of tPA with uPA determined by solid-phase assays appeared to be tighter, with a Kd range of 50-300 nM. Two synthetic peptides, with and without carboxyl-terminal lysine, corresponding to urokinase residues 144-158 and 144-157, were approximately 100-fold more potent than epsilon-aminocaproic acid with respect to inhibition of the tPA-uPA interaction, indicating that the tPA binding site on urokinase is located within this sequence, close to the activation site Lys158-Ile159. The discovered intermolecular interaction may be related to the reported synergistic effect of simultaneous administration of these two plasminogen activators.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Selective screening of a large phage display library of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 mutants to localize interaction sites with either thrombin or the variable region 1 of tissue-type plasminogen activator.

Phage display technology has been exploited to study in detail the interaction between plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and either thrombin or an essential positively charged "loop" of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), denoted variable region 1 (VR1). For this purpose, a PAI-1 mutant phage library was used that served as a reservoir of PAI-1 proteins potentially deficient in the interaction with either VR1 or thrombin. A stringent two-step selection procedure was developed. (i) A negative selection was performed by incubating the pComb3/PAI-1 mutant library with an excess of a thrombin mutant with its VR1 domain substituted with that of t-PA (thrombin-VR1). (ii) The remaining phages were complexed with t-PA (positive selection) and selected by panning with an immobilized anti-t-PA monoclonal antibody. Four consecutive panning rounds yielded an enrichment of pComb3/PAI-1 mutant phages of approximately 50-fold. Sequence analysis of 16 different cDNAs, encoding PAI-1 mutants that are hampered in the binding to thrombin-VR1, revealed the following mutations. Four independent variants share a mutation of the P4' residue (Glu350 --> Lys). Nine independent PAI-1 variants share a substitution of P1' (Met347 --> Lys), whereas three others share a P2 substitution (Ala345 --> Asp). Kinetic analysis of representative PAI-1 mutants provides evidence that the P4' residue is essential for the interaction with the VR1 domain, consistent with the data of Madison et al. (Madison, E.L., Goldsmith, E.J., Gething, M.J., Sambrook, J.F., and Gerard, R.D. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 21423-21426), whereas the P1' and P2 residues confer thrombin specificity. Concordant with the design of the selection procedure, mutants were obtained that inhibit thrombin-VR1 at least 100-fold slower than wild-type PAI-1, identifying residues that are central to the interaction with either thrombin or VR1. This study demonstrates that phage technology can be used to analyze large numbers of mutants defective in their interaction with other (domains of) proteins, provided an adequate selection scheme is devised.

Alanine↗

Directing sequence-specific proteolysis to new targets. The influence of loop size and target sequence on selective proteolysis by tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator.

We have previously used substrate phage display to identify peptide sequences that are efficiently and selectively cleaved by tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) or urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA). We demonstrate that this information can be used to direct selective proteolysis to new protein targets. Sequences that were labile to selective cleavage by t-PA or u-PA when in the context of a peptide were introduced into the 43-52 (or Omega) loop of staphylococcal nuclease. Both t-PA and u-PA hydrolyze the engineered proteins at the inserted target sequences, and Km values for protein cleavage were reduced up to 200-fold relative to values for cleavage of analogous sequences within 15 residue peptides. Variation of loop size surrounding a target sequence affects the efficiency of t-PA approximately 5-fold more strongly than that of trypsin, suggesting that cleavage by t-PA is more dependent on target site mobility. Cleavage of proteins by t-PA and u-PA is sequence selective. u-PA is 47-fold more active than t-PA for cleavage of a sequence known to be u-PA selective within small peptide substrates, whereas t-PA is 230-fold more active toward a t-PA-selective sequence.

Catalysis↗

Distortion of the catalytic domain of tissue-type plasminogen activator by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 coincides with the formation of stable serpin-proteinase complexes.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a typical member of the serpin family that kinetically traps its target proteinase as a covalent complex by distortion of the proteinase domain. Incorporation of the fluorescently silent 4-fluorotryptophan analog into PAI-1 permitted us to observe changes in the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and the proteinase domain of tPA during the inhibition reaction. We demonstrated three distinct conformational changes of the proteinase that occur during complex formation and distortion. A conformational change occurred during the initial formation of the non-covalent Michaelis complex followed by a large conformational change associated with the distortion of the proteinase catalytic domain that occurs concurrently with the formation of stable proteinase-inhibitor complexes. Following distortion, a very slow structural change occurs that may be involved in the stabilization or regulation of the trapped complex. Furthermore, by comparing the inhibition rates of two-chain tPA and the proteinase domain of tPA by PAI-1, we demonstrate that the accessory domains of tPA play a prominent role in the initial formation of the non-covalent Michaelis complex.

Catalytic Domain↗

Protonation state of a single histidine residue contributes significantly to the kinetics of the reaction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 with tissue-type plasminogen activator.

Stopped-flow fluorometry was used to study the kinetics of the reactive center loop insertion occurring during the reaction of N-((2-(iodoacetoxy)ethyl)-N-methyl)amino-7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-3-diazole (NBD) P9 plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with tissue-(tPA) and urokinase (uPA)-type plasminogen activators and human pancreatic elastase at pH 5.5-8.5. The limiting rate constants of reactive center loop insertion (k(lim)) and concentrations of proteinase at half-saturation (K(0.5)) for tPA and uPA and the specificity constants (k(lim)/K(0.5)) for elastase were determined. The pH dependences of k(lim)/K(0.5) reflected inactivation of each enzyme due to protonation of His57 of the catalytic triad. However, the specificity of the inhibitory reaction with tPA and uPA was notably higher than that for the substrate reaction catalyzed by elastase. pH dependences of k(lim) and K(0.5) obtained for tPA revealed an additional ionizable group (pKa, 6.0-6.2) affecting the reaction. Protonation of this group resulted in a significant increase in both k(lim) and K(0.5) and a 4.6-fold decrease in the specificity of the reaction of tPA with NBD P9 PAI-1. Binding of monoclonal antibody MA-55F4C12 to PAI-1 induced a decrease in k(lim) and K(0.5) at any pH but did not affect either the pKa of the group or an observed decrease in k(lim)/K(0.5) due to protonation of the group. In contrast to tPA, the k(lim) and K(0.5) for the reactions of uPA with NBD P9 PAI-1 or its complex with the monoclonal antibody were independent of pH in the 6.5-8.5 range. Since slightly acidic pH is a feature of a number of malignant tumors, alterations in PAI-1/tPA kinetics could play a role in the cancerogenesis. Changes in the protonation state of His(188), which is placed closely to the S1 site and is unique for tPA, has been proposed to contribute to the observed pH dependences of k(lim) and K(0.5).

Binding Sites↗

Tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor in patients with acute ischemic stroke: relation to stroke etiology.

Recent studies suggest that high plasma levels of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and its inhibitor (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, PAI-1) are markers of an increased risk of atherothrombotic ischemic events such as stroke and myocardial infarction. In this prospective study, we measured tPA antigen, PAI-1 antigen and activity, as well as tPA/PAI-1 complex in patients with acute stroke. Stroke subtypes were classified according to the TOAST criteria. From 132 consecutively screened patients, 89 (100%) were enrolled in this study, including 42 patients (47%) with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), 32 (36%) with small vessel occlusion (SVO), and 15 (17%) with cardioembolism (CE). Nineteen age-matched neurologic patients without manifestations of cerebrovascular disease served as control subjects (CS). Patients with acute stroke had significantly higher plasma levels of tPA antigen (p < 0.001), PAI-1 antigen (p < 0.05) and PAI activity (p < 0.05) than patients in the control group. t-PA antigen, PAI activity and tPA/PAI-1 complex levels were similar regardless of stroke etiology. Only PAI-1 antigen was lower in patients with cardioembolic stroke than in stroke patients with LAA (p < 0.05). Plasma tPA antigen, PAI-1 antigen, and PAI activity are significantly increased in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Except for PAI-1 antigen, this increase appears not to be related to the underlying stroke etiology.

Acute Disease↗