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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Distribution of mRNA coding for alpha-2-macroglobulin, the murinoglobulins, the alpha-2-macroglobulin receptor and the alpha-2-macroglobulin receptor associated protein during mouse embryogenesis and in adult tissues.

The distribution of mRNA coding for the members of the wide-spectrum proteinase scavenging system of the alpha-2-macroglobulin family was examined in the mouse: Alpha-2-macroglobulin (MAM), the murinoglobulins (MUG), the alpha-2-macroglobulin receptor (alpha 2MR) and the receptor associated protein, the heparin binding protein-44 (alpha 2MRAP/HBP-44), a component of unknown function. The results demonstrate that MAM is expressed in the mouse embryo exclusively in the liver and not before day 13 of gestation. MUG mRNA was never detected during embryogenesis. On the other hand, both the alpha 2MR and the alpha 2MRAP/HBP-44 messages were present throughout all embryonal stages examined. The distribution of the alpha 2MR mRNA was widespread in most tissues, with stronger signals observed in developing mouse brain, in whisker follicles and in the perifollicular mesenchyme, in lung, liver, kidney, intestine and placenta. The alpha 2MRAP/HBP-44 mRNA was detected predominantly in brain, lung, liver, kidney and placenta. Interestingly, within each tissue the cellular distribution of the alpha 2MR and alpha 2MRAP/HBP-44 mRNA was quite different with the most remarkable extremes observed in kidney and in placenta. The implication of these observations for receptor expression and function are discussed. Northern analysis of adult tissues extended these observations: major signals for MAM and MUG were seen only in liver, while the expression of the alpha 2MR and the alpha 2MRAP/HBP-44 was widespread with highest levels of the 15-kb alpha 2MR mRNA in liver. Kidney was the most abundant source of alpha 2MRAP/HBP-44 mRNA with the 1.8- and 3.6-kb mRNAs, derived from the same gene by alternative mRNA splicing, present in nearly constant ratios in most tissues, except in testis. The notable absence of expression of MAM in the first half of gestation indicates that during this period the receptor is scavenging for proteinases complexed to MAM derived from the maternal circulation or is being used for endocytosis of the other documented ligands, such as plasminogen activator complexes or apolipoprotein E-containing lipoprotein particles.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Quantification of free alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 2-macroglobulin-protease complexes by a novel ELISA system based on streptococcal alpha 2-macroglobulin receptors.

An ELISA test system has been developed for the quantification of the two distinct forms of the proteinase inhibitor alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M): (i) free alpha 2M (functionally active), which is the electrophoretically slow form (alpha 2 MS), and (ii) the alpha 2 M-proteinase complex (functionally inactive), which is the electrophoretically fast form of alpha 2 M (alpha 2 MF). Discrimination between the two types of alpha 2 M was achieved using extracts of the two independent streptococcal strains, M1 and Sc1, which express receptors for alpha 2 MS and alpha 2 MF, respectively, in combination with a monoclonal antibody specific for alpha 2 M. The assay system described is easy and reliable and permits quantitation of alpha 2 MS and alpha 2 MF in complex biological samples such as plasma and cutaneous suction blister fluid.

Blister↗
PubMed1992

Identification of alpha 2-macroglobulin conformational intermediates by electron microscopy and image analysis. Comparison of alpha 2-macroglobulin-thrombin and alpha 2-macroglobulin reacted with cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) and trypsin.

Human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) exists in two well defined, highly distinct conformations and in less well described intermediate conformations. In this study, previously characterized reactions were used to partially or completely transform the conformation of alpha 2M. Electron micrographs of each preparation were subjected to image analysis. Ternary alpha 2M-trypsin (2 mol of trypsin/mol of alpha 2M) was analyzed as a control for the fully transformed state. Correspondence analysis (CORAN) and hierarchical ascendant classification (HAC) generated five image clusters from 330 aligned alpha 2M-trypsin complexes. Average images of each cluster resembled the letter "H" with four nearly equivalent lateral arms. Abnormally shaped lateral arms were not demonstrated by HAC, using a variety of factor sets. In a native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system, alpha 2M-thrombin migrated in a diffuse band partially behind alpha 2M-trypsin, suggesting conformational heterogeneity. CORAN and HAC of 733 alpha 2M-thrombin complexes identified two neighboring clusters, the average images of which showed an H-like structure in which one arm was replaced by a globular stain-excluding body. The two alpha 2M-thrombin clusters included 125 images (17.1% of image population). The complete absence of atypical lateral arm structure in the alpha 2M-trypsin clusters suggests that this variation is not the result of orientation or staining artifact. Native alpha 2M was reacted with cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) and then with trypsin to form alpha 2M-Pt-trypsin, a preparation that includes partially transformed alpha 2M structures. CORAN and HAC of 580 alpha 2M-Pt-trypsin complexes generated five clusters, the average images of which showed atypical lateral arm structure equivalent to that demonstrated with alpha 2M-thrombin. The five alpha 2M-Pt-trypsin clusters accounted for 15.2% of the image population. These studies suggest that alpha 2M conformational change intermediates demonstrate common structural characteristics, permitting an elucidation of the steps involved in this complex transformation.

Cisplatin↗
PubMed1987

Purification and characterization of alpha 2-, alpha 2-beta- and beta-macroglobulin inhibitors in the hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus: beta-macroglobulin identified as the plasma antihemorrhagic factor.

Three macroglobulin inhibitors were purified from hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) plasma by sequential chromatography on Cibacron Blue Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200 and preparative agarose gel electrophoresis. Each macroglobulin was characterized for proteinase inhibiting activity, molecular weight by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), subunit size by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE, immunological cross-reactivity to other macroglobulins and antihemorrhagic activity against European viper (Vipera berus) venom. Hedgehog alpha 2-macroglobulin is a tetramer (Mr 800,000) composed of identical monomers (Mr 200,000) that inhibits all proteinases tested and is the homologue of human alpha 2-macroglobulin, rat alpha 2-acute phase globulin, dog alpha 1-macroglobulin and swine alpha 2-macroglobulin fast. Hedgehog alpha 2-beta-macroglobulin is a dimer (Mr 450-550,000) composed of identical monomers (Mr 200,000) that inhibits all proteinases tested and appears to be structurally similar to other animal 'half-molecule' macroglobulins. Hedgehog beta-macroglobulin (Mr 700,000) gave subunits of 34,000 and 39,000 after SDS-PAGE and showed cross-reactivity with swine alpha 2-macroglobulin slow. It inhibits all proteinases tested and is the only macroglobulin with antihemorrhagic activity against V. berus venom. This antihemorrhagic activity may be due to beta-macroglobulin's different structure as compared to other macroglobulins, which may make it less susceptible to inactivation by venom proteinases.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Identification of monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors in birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, and purification and characterization of a monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitor from the American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana.

The alpha-macroglobulins are classified as broad-spectrum inhibitors because of their ability to entrap proteinases of different specificities and catalytic class. Tetrameric and dimeric alpha-macroglobulins have been identified in a wide variety of organisms including those as primitive as the mollusc Octopus vulgaris; however, monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors have been previously identified only in rodents. The monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors are believed to be analogous to the evolutionary precursor of the multimeric members of this family exemplified by the tetrameric human alpha 2-macroglobulin. Until now, monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors have only been identified in rodents and have therefore been considered an evolutionary anomaly. However, in this report we have utilized several sensitive assays to screen various plasmas and sera for the presence of monomeric alpha-macroglobulins, and our results suggest that monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors are present in organisms belonging to the avian, reptilian, amphibian and mammalian classes of the chordate phylum. This indicates that these proteins are more widespread than previously recognized and that their presence in rodents is not an anomaly. To demonstrate further that the identified proteins were indeed monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors, we purified the monomeric alpha-macroglobulin from the American bullfrog Rana catesbeiana. We conclude that this protein is a monomer of 180 kDa on the basis of its behaviour on (i) pore-limit gel electrophoresis, (ii) non-reducing and reducing SDS/PAGE and (iii) gel-filtration chromatography. In addition, we demonstrate that this protein is an alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitor by virtue of (i) its ability to inhibit proteinases of different catalytic class, (ii) the presence of a putative internal beta-cysteinyl-gamma-glutamyl thioester and (iii) an inhibitory mechanism characterized by steric protection of the proteinase active site and by sensitivity to small primary amines. The frog monomeric alpha-macroglobulin is structurally and functionally similar to the well-characterized monomeric alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitor rat alpha 1-inhibitor-3.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Human fibroblast collagenase-alpha-macroglobulin interactions. Localization of cleavage sites in the bait regions of five mammalian alpha-macroglobulins.

The interaction between human fibroblast collagenase and five mammalian alpha-macroglobulins (human alpha 2-macroglobulin and pregnancy zone protein, rat alpha 1- and alpha 2-macroglobulin, and rat alpha 1-inhibitor 3) differing in primary and quaternary structure has been investigated. Complex formation with each of these alpha-macroglobulins follows the course identified for many other proteinases, i.e. specific limited proteolysis in their bait regions inducing a set of conformational changes resulting in activation of the internal beta-cysteinyl-gamma-glutamyl thiol esters and covalent complex formation. At collagenase: alpha-macroglobulin molar ratios of less than 1:1 3.2-3.6 mol of SH groups appear for 1 mol of collagenase bound to human and rat alpha 2-macroglobulin and to rat alpha 1-macroglobulin. For these alpha-macroglobulins it can be estimated that the overall rate constant of complex formation is greater than 1.10(6) M-1 s-1 while it is much lower for human pregnancy zone protein and rat alpha 1-inhibitor 3. More than 95% of the complexed collagenase is covalently bound, and sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis shows the typical pattern of bands corresponding to reaction products of very high apparent molecular weight. The same pattern is also seen in the covalent (greater than 98%) complex very slowly formed from Clostridium histolyticum collagenase and human alpha 2-macroglobulin. The identification of the sites of specific limited proteolysis in the bait regions of the five alpha-macroglobulins shows that cleavage may take place in sequences that are not related to those identified earlier in the collagens. These results greatly expand the repertoire of sequences known to be cleaved by fibroblast collagenase and suggest that this proteinase has a primary substrate specificity resembling that of the microbial proteinase thermolysin, as it preferentially cleaves at the NH2-terminal side of large hydrophobic residues. In addition, the results highlight the unique structure of the flexible alpha-macroglobulin bait region in that it can accommodate a conformation required by the highly restrictive fibroblasts collagenase. It is suggested that alpha-macroglobulins may play an important role in locally controlling the activity of collagenases and perhaps other proteinases of the extracellular matrix.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Changes in serum and exudate levels of functional macroglobulins and anti-inflammatory effect of alpha 2-acute-phase macroglobulin on carrageenin-induced inflammation in rats.

Serum and exudate levels of functional macroglobulins that have the ability to inhibit proteinases were determined at various times after carrageenin injection into a preformed air-pouch on the back of rats. The trypsin-inhibiting activity of serum macroglobulins increased after a lag period of 3 hr, reached a maximum at 24 hr, and decreased steadily until day 16 after carrageenin injection. This change was in good agreement with the change in the serum level of alpha 2-acute-phase macroglobulin. In contrast with the serum level, the exudate level of functional macroglobulins was negligible on day 1, detectable on day 3, and remained at almost the same level from day 5 to day 16 after carregeenin injection. Macroglobulins were partially purified from rat serum obtained at 20 hr after carregeenin injection, and their anti-inflammatory activity was studied. The partially purified alpha 2-acute-phase macroglobulin and the alpha 1 macroglobulin were injected into the air-pouch immediately after carrageenin injection, with the result that a single injection of the functionally active alpha 2-acute-phase macroglobulin significantly inhibited the formation of granulation tissue on day 4 after the carrageenin injection, whereas functionally inactive alpha 1 macroglobulin was without effect. These results suggest that the inhibitory activity of macroglobulins on the development of granulation tissue is due to the proteinase-inhibiting capacity of macroglobulins.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

A conserved region in alpha-macroglobulins participates in binding to the mammalian alpha-macroglobulin receptor.

Efforts to characterize the receptor recognition domain of alpha-macroglobulins have primarily focused on human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M). In the present work, the structure and function of the alpha-macroglobulin receptor recognition site were investigated by amino acid sequence analysis, plasma clearance, and cell binding studies using several nonhuman alpha-macroglobulins: bovine alpha 2M, rat alpha 1-macroglobulin (alpha 1M), rat alpha 1-inhibitor 3 (alpha 1I3), and proteolytic fragments derived from these proteins. Each alpha-macroglobulin bound to the murine peritoneal macrophage alpha-macroglobulin receptor with comparable affinity (Kd approximately 1 nM). A carboxyl-terminal 20-kDa fragment was isolated from each of these proteins, and this fragment bound to alpha-macroglobulin receptors with Kd values ranging from 10 to 125 nM. The amino acid identity between the homologous carboxyl-terminal 20-kDa fragments of human and bovine alpha 2M was approximately 90%, while the overall sequence homology between all carboxyl-terminal fragments studied was 75%. The interchain disulfide bond present in the human alpha 2M carboxyl-terminal 20-kDa fragment was conserved in bovine alpha 2M and rat alpha 1I3, but not in rat alpha 1M. The clearance of each intact alpha-macroglobulin-proteinase complex was significantly retarded following treatment with cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) (cis-DDP). cis-DDP treatment, however, did not affect receptor recognition of purified carboxyl-terminal 20-kDa fragments of these alpha-macroglobulins. A carboxyl-terminal 40-kDa subunit, which can be isolated from rat alpha 1M, bound to the murine alpha-macroglobulin receptor with a Kd of 5 nM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

The reference range for complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin human plasma: development of a new enzyme linked in immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantitation of complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin.

Purified alpha 2-macroglobulin was complexed by reaction with methylamine and used to raise monoclonal murine antibodies. A four-step enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to determine the antibody-specificity of the produced monoclonal murine antibodies towards human native and complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin. Two monoclonal antibodies were selected, H11A11 (specific towards complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin) and 1CG4 (recognizes both forms of the molecule), and purified by affinity chromatography on protein G. The purified antibodies were used to develop a fast three-step ELISA for exact quantitation of complexed and total alpha 2-macroglobulin in human plasma. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) for measurement of complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin is 2.2-9.9%, whereas the inter-assay CV was determined to be 3.7-10.5% and the recovery of the assay is 93-108%. The assay for total alpha 2-macroglobulin has an intra-assay CV of 3.0-15.5%, an interassay CV of 5.1-21.2% and a recovery of 91-116%. Citrated plasma samples from 139 healthy blood donors were examined, resulting in a reference range for complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin of 13.5-31.1 mg 1(-1) with a median value of 21.7 mg 1(-1). The concentration of total alpha 2-macroglobulin was measured by the same assay using the monoclonal antibodies 1CG4. For total alpha 2-macroglobulin we determined the reference range to be 1.12-3.54 g 1(-1) with a median value of 2.14 g 1(-1). Based on these results the reference range for complexed alpha 2-macroglobulin as a percentage of total alpha 2-macroglobulin was calculated to be 0.8-1.9% with a median value of 1.0%.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The alpha-macroglobulin bait region. Sequence diversity and localization of cleavage sites for proteinases in five mammalian alpha-macroglobulins.

The amino acid sequence of a 90-residue segment of human pregnancy zone protein containing its bait region has been determined. Human alpha 2-macroglobulin, human pregnancy zone protein, and rat alpha 1-macroglobulin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, and alpha 1-inhibitor 3 variants 1 and 2 constitute a group of homologous proteins; but the sequences of their bait regions are not related, and they differ in length (32-53 residues). The alpha-macroglobulin bait region is located equivalently with residues 666-706 in human alpha 2-macroglobulin. In view of the extreme sequence variation of the bait regions, the evolutionary constraints for these regions are likely to differ from those of the remainder of the alpha-macroglobulin structure. The sites of specific limited proteolysis in the bait regions of human pregnancy zone protein and rat alpha 1-macroglobulin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, and alpha 1-inhibitor 3 variants 1 and 2 by a variety of proteinases differing in specificity have been determined and compared with those identified earlier in human alpha 2-macroglobulin. The sites of cleavage generally conform to the substrate specificity of the proteinase in question, but the positions and nature of the P4-P4' sites differ. Most cleavages occur in two relatively small segments spaced by 6-10 residues; and in each case, bait region cleavage leads to alpha-macroglobulin-proteinase complex formation. The rate at which a given proteinase cleaves alpha-macroglobulin bait regions is likely to show great variation. Possible structural features of the widely different bait regions and their role in the mechanism of activation are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Association of alpha 2-macroglobulin-thrombin and alpha 2-macroglobulin-plasmin complexes with isolated hepatocytes.

125I-labelled alpha 2-macroglobulin complexed with thrombin or plasmin bound to hepatocytes in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The apparent Kd values calculated from displacement experiments were 7.9 X 10(-8) M for alpha 2-macroglobulin-thrombin and 8.5 X 10(-8) M for alpha 2-macroglobulin-plasmin. Association of these complexes was only partially reversible; after a 180 min incubation period, 50-60% of the bound radioactivity was internalized by the cells. alpha 2-Macroglobulin itself bound also to hepatocytes, but the affinity of the alpha 2-macroglobulin complexes was higher than that of the inhibitor alone, and alpha 2-macroglobulin was not internalized, either. 125I-labelled thrombin or plasmin bound to hepatocytes as well. These bindings were also concentration-dependent and could be decreased with an excess of unlabelled ligands. Binding rates and amounts of the bound proteinases were higher than those of their alpha 2-macroglobulin complexes. The alpha 2-macroglobulin-thrombin complex competed with the alpha 2-macroglobulin-plasmin complex in binding to hepatocytes, whereas there was no competition between these complexes and the antithrombin III-thrombin complex. These results suggest that the binding sites of hepatocytes for alpha 2-macroglobulin-proteinase and antithrombin III-proteinase complexes are different.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Cloning and sequencing of cDNAs encoding plasma alpha-macroglobulin and murinoglobulin from guinea pig: implications for molecular evolution of alpha-macroglobulin family.

Several clones encoding plasma alpha-macroglobulin and murinoglobulin were isolated from guinea pig liver cDNA library and sequenced. The clones for alpha-macroglobulin contained overlapping sequences which together spanned a stretch of 4,546 nucleotides with one open reading frame coding for 1,476 amino acid residues. The clones for murinoglobulin contained overlapping sequences which together spanned a stretch of 4,578 nucleotides with one open reading frame coding for 1,464 amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analyses of 11 proteins of the alpha-macroglobulin family revealed that the mammalian tetrameric alpha-macroglobulins consist of two main branches: alpha M-1 subfamily (rat alpha 1- and mouse alpha-macroglobulins) and alpha M-2 subfamily (human alpha 2-, rat alpha 2-, and guinea pig alpha-macroglobulins). This dichotomy is in good accordance with their immunological, chemical, and physicochemical properties, and indicates that guinea pig alpha-macroglobulin is orthologous to human and rat alpha 2-macroglobulins but paralogous to rat alpha 1- and mouse alpha-macroglobulins. The divergence of the two subfamilies was a phylogenetically ancient event which occurred around the separation of metatherians and eutherians. The genes of the two subfamilies have been maintained in the rat, but either one became extinct in the mouse, guinea pig, or human. The tree also shows that guinea pig murinoglobulin forms one clade with mouse and rat murinoglobulins (alpha 1-inhibitor 3) prior to joining the alpha M-2 lineage, and suggests that murinoglobulin is not a primitive form of tetrameric alpha-macroglobulin, but rather has evolved under selective pressure which is different from that of the tetrameric paralogues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1981

Recognition of nucleophile-treated alpha 2-macroglobulin by the alveolar macrophage alpha-macroglobulin . protease complex receptor.

Rabbit alveolar macrophages exhibit high affinity surface receptors which recognize alpha 2-macroglobulin . protease complexes but not native alpha 2- macroglobulin. Binding of alpha 2-macroglobulin . protease complexes to surface receptors is independent of the protease used to form the complex. In this communication, we demonstrate that treatment of human alpha 2-macroglobulin with nucleophilic agents (methyl amine, ammonium salts) converts native alpha 2-macroglobulin into a form recognized by the surface receptor for alpha 2-macroglobulin protease complexes. Analysis of the concentration dependency of ligand binding revealed that the surface receptor did not distinguish between nucleophile-treated alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 2-macroglobulin . protease complexes. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that proteases or nucleophilic agents effect the hydrolysis of an internal thiol-ester bond (Tack, B. F., Harrison, R. A., Janatova, J., Thomas, M. L., and Prahl, J. W. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 77, 5764-5768), leading to an alteration in alpha 2-macroglobulin conformation. The altered conformation results in recognition of the alpha 2-macroglobulin by surface receptors.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed1991

Alpha 2 macroglobulin state in acute pancreatitis. Raised values of alpha 2 macroglobulin-protease complexes in severe and mild attacks.

Plasma values of C reactive protein, alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor, alpha 2 macroglobulin, and complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin have been determined in serial samples from 27 patients with acute pancreatitis. Complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin was measured by a novel enzyme linked immunosorbent assay with a monoclonal antibody specific for the complexed form. Patients with severe illness had lower concentrations of total alpha 2 macroglobulin and higher concentrations of complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin than those with mild illness, and in the majority of severe attacks the abnormal amounts of complexed alpha 2 macroglobulin were present throughout the eight days of the study. The proportion of total alpha 2 macroglobulin in the uncomplexed form, however, was generally greater than 90%, and in 26% of the mild cases completely normal concentrations of uncomplexed alpha 2 macroglobulin (greater than 99% of total) were found throughout the eight days of the study. This suggests that exhaustion of alpha 2 macroglobulin in plasma is unlikely to be a major factor in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Comparative binding of biotinylated neurotrophins to alpha(2)-macroglobulin family of proteins: relationship between cytokine-binding and neuro-modulatory activities of the macroglobulins.

Human alpha(2)-macroglobulin (alpha(2)M), pregnancy zone protein (PZP), rat alpha(1)M and acute-phase rat alpha(2)M belong to the alpha(2)M gene family of proteins, which can react covalently with nucleophilic monoamines to yield monoamine-activated (MA) macroglobulins. The MA forms of human alpha(2)M, PZP and rat alpha(2)M have been demonstrated previously to inhibit various neurotrophin-promoted neuronal activities, whereas MA-alpha(1)M is neurostimulatory and all native macroglobulins are generally inactive. The mechanism of neuromodulation is unknown, but it has been postulated that MA macroglobulins might inhibit neurons via their binding and sequestration of neurotrophins. This study employed a novel biotinylation-Western blot technique to compare the neurotrophin-binding properties of the four macroglobulins, and to correlate their binding activities with their known neuro-modulatory activities. In comparison with their respective native counterparts, human and rat MA-alpha(2)M bound slightly more NGF, but significantly less BDNF or NT-3. Native human alpha(2)M and PZP in general have no neuro-modulatory activity, but native PZP bound significantly more NGF, BDNF or NT-3 than either native alpha(2)M or MA-alpha(2)M, which is neuro-inhibitory. It is known that MA-PZP is neuro-inhibitory, but it fails to bind more NGF, BDNF, or NT-3 than native PZP. MA-alpha(1)M is the only macroglobulin known to stimulate NGF-promoted neurite outgrowth, but it bound NGF with similar affinities as native alpha(1)M and rat alpha(2)M; in addition, it bound significantly less BDNF or NT-3 than native alpha(1)M. All the bindings were non-covalent and appeared specific. In conclusion, PZP and rat macroglobulins are versatile carriers of neurotrophins with diverse binding capacities, and the neurotrophin-binding property does not appear to mediate the neuro-modulatory activity of these human and rat macroglobulins.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Methanethiolation of the liberated cysteine residues of human alpha 2-macroglobulin treated with methylamine generates a derivative with similar functional characteristics as native alpha 2-macroglobulin.

The thiol-modifying reagent methyl methanethiosulfonate reacts with the cysteine residues of thiol esters released upon treatment of human alpha 2-macroglobulin with methylamine. This methanethiolation generates a derivative of alpha 2-macroglobulin, with an 'open trap' and slow mobility in non-denaturing PAGE, similar to native alpha 2-macroglobulin. This similarity is further substantiated by surface hydrophobicity determinations and by the fact that neither the derivative nor native alpha 2-macroglobulin are cleared from the circulation in mice. Cleavages of bait regions in the derivative and native alpha 2-macroglobulin, however, result in electrophoretically fast forms which are cleared from the circulation in mice. In contrast to native alpha 2-macroglobulin, which can bind 2 mol chymotrypsin/mol, alpha 2-macroglobulin treated with methylamine and methylmethanethiosulfonate binds only 0.8 mol chymotrypsin/mol. Protection of trypsin against inhibition by soybean trypsin inhibitor is significantly better when alpha 2-macroglobulin is modified by methylamine and methylmethanethiosulfonate than when it is modified by dinitrophenyl thiocyanate, which cyanylates the exposed thiol group. The methanethiolated derivative is also more stable than the corresponding cyanylated derivative in that it is transformed to an electrophoretically fast form with a half-life of 9 h as compared to a half-life of 7 h for the latter. The transformation to the fast form is not due to instability of the thiol modification.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Murinoglobulin, a novel protease inhibitor from murine plasma. Isolation, characterization, and comparison with murine alpha-macroglobulin and human alpha-2-macroglobulin.

Two glycoproteins having trypsin-protein esterase activity were purified to apparent homogeneity from murine plasma. One was alpha-macroglobulin, a homologue of human alpha-2-macroglobulin, while the other, tentatively named murinoglobulin, did not correspond to any of the known plasma protease inhibitors that have been well characterized in men or other mammals. Murinoglobulin contained about 7.6% carbohydrate and was composed of a single-polypeptide chain of Mr = 180,000 as judged by the equilibrium sedimentation analysis and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions. Murinoglobulin did not cross-react immunologically with mouse alpha-macroglobulin nor with human alpha-2-macroglobulin. Protease-inhibiting properties of murinoglobulin were compared with those of mouse alpha-macroglobulin and human alpha-2-macroglobulin. All the three proteins inhibited trypsin, papain, and thermolysin, although they differed considerably in both the degree of inhibition and the binding stoichiometry of protease-inhibitor complexes. The two macroglobulins inhibited pepsin at pH 5.5, whereas murinoglobulin was inactivated at this pH. Murinoglobulin was more sensitive to methylamine than the two macroglobulins. No protein corresponding to murinoglobulin was detected in human plasma.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Identification of targeting proteinase for rat alpha 1-macroglobulin in vivo. Mast-cell tryptase is a major component of the alpha 1-macroglobulin-proteinase complex endocytosed into rat liver lysosomes.

The alpha 1-macroglobulin-proteinase complex endocytosed into rat liver lysosomes was purified by a series of column chromatographic steps on concanavalin A-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-300, DEAE-cellulose and TSK gel DEAE-5PW columns. The complex contained no detectable alpha 2-macroglobulin. Studies on the substrate specificity indicated that the complex had tryptase-like activities towards various synthetic substrates, but no elastase, chymotrypsin, cathepsin-B and cathepsin-L activities. The proteinase activity was completely inhibited by di-isopropyl fluorophosphate, leupeptin and antipain, indicating that the proteinase bound to alpha 1-macroglobulin is a serine proteinase. Two protein bands (62 and 59 kDa) of the complex were labelled with [3H]diisopropyl fluorophosphate and both bands cross-reacted with anti-(mast-cell tryptase)antibody. These results suggest that mast-cell tryptase is a major targeting proteinase for alpha 1-macroglobulin in vivo. The main alpha-macroglobulin-proteinase complex in the adjuvant-treated rats was also the alpha 1-macroglobulin-tryptase complex, even though the plasma level of alpha 2-macroglobulin was elevated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗