Erkki Koivunen

Activation of Type IV Procollagenases by Human Tumor-associated Trypsin-2

Increased production of proteinases, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), is a characteristic feature of malignant tumors. Some human cancers and cell lines derived from them also express trypsinogen, but the function of the extrapancreatic trypsin has remained unclear. In this study we cloned and sequenced trypsinogen-2 cDNA from human COLO 205 colon carcinoma cells and characterized the ability of the enzyme to activate latent human type IV procollagenases (proMMP-2 and proMMP-9). As shown by cloning and N-terminal amino acid sequencing, the amino acid sequence of tumor-associated trypsin-2 is identical to that of pancreatic trypsin-2. We found that both pancreatic trypsin-2 and tumor cell-derived trypsin-2 are efficient activators of proMMP-9 and are capable of activating proMMP-9 at a molar ratio of 1:1000, the lowest reported so far. Human trypsin-2 was a more efficient activator than widely used bovine trypsin and converted the 92-kDa proMMP-9 to a single 77-kDa product that was not fragmented further. The single peptide bond cleaved by trypsin-2 in proMMP-9 was Arg87-Phe88. The generation of the 77-kDa species coincided with the increase in specific activity of MMP-9. In contrast, trypsin-2 only partially activated proMMP-2. Trypsin-2 cleaved the Arg99-Lys100 peptide bond of proMMP-2 generating 62–65-kDa MMP-2 species. Trypsin-2-induced proMMP-2 and -9 conversions were inhibited by tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor added either prior to or during activation indicating that proMMPs were not activated autocatalytically. Trypsin-2 also activated proMMPs associated with tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, the complexes of which are thought to be the major MMP forms in vivo. The ability of human tumor cell-derived trypsin-2 to activate latent MMPs suggests a role for trypsin-2 in initiating the proteinase cascade that mediates tumor invasion and metastasis formation.

Biology and Function of Tumor-Associated Trypsin Inhibitor, Tati

Tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) is a 6,000 Daltons peptide, which is synthesized by several tumors and cell lines. TATI is identical to pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI). This peptide is also produced by the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, where it is thought to protect the mucosal cells from proteolytic breakdown. Elevated serum and urine levels of TATI occur in connection with many types of cancer, especially mucinous ovarian cancer. Elevated levels may also occur in nonmalignant diseases, e.g. in pancreatitis, severe infections and tissue destruction. Thus TATI may behave as an acute phase reactant. Tumors producing TATI often express tumor-associated trypsinogen. Elevation of TATI in cancer and pancreatic disease is therefore associated with expression of trypsin, but such a connection has not been demonstrated in inflammatory disease. TATI can inhibit trypsin-mediated degradation of extracellular matrix by tumor cells. Therefore its role may be to control the activation of tumor-associated trypsinogen. TATI has also been shown to possess growth factor activity in vitro, but it is not known whether this is a physiological function.

Development of novel peptide ligands modulating the enzyme activity of prostate-specific antigen

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a serine proteinase produced mainly by epithelial cells of the prostate. Measurement of PSA in serum is widely used for diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer. The major problem of the PSA determination in early diagnosis is the high false positive rate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia, but the clinical accuracy can be improved by determining the proportions of various molecular forms of PSA. The main biological function of PSA is liquefaction of the seminal gel formed after ejaculation, but PSA has also been suggested to regulate invasiveness and metastatic potential of prostatic tumors. Thus, agents binding to and affecting the function of PSA have the potential to be used for diagnosis and therapy of prostate cancer. We have developed peptides specific for PSA by using cyclic phage display peptide libraries. After deducing the amino acid sequence of the peptides by sequencing the relevant part of phage genome, the peptides were expressed as glutathione- S -transferase (GST) fusion proteins or produced by chemical synthesis. The peptides were shown to bind to PSA specifically as indicated by lack of binding to other related serine proteinases. The binding of the peptides with PSA was strongly inhibited by monoclonal antibodies specific for free PSA and they did not bind to PSA-inhibitor complexes indicating that they bind close to the active site of the enzyme. Most of the peptides enhanced the enzyme activity of PSA against a chromogenic substrate. The affinity of the peptides could be increased by including Zn 2+ in the reaction mixture. These results show that peptides that bind to PSA and modulate its enzyme activity can be developed by phage display techniques. These peptides have the potential to be used for targeting of prostatic tumors and diagnostics of prostate cancer.

Detection of trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like proteases using p-nitroanilide substrates after sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Specific chromogenic p-nitroanilide substrates have proved useful for localizing proteolytic enzymes, such as trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase after separation by agarose gel electrophoresis and when immobilized on nitrocellulose. This procedure was further developed for use with sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). After SDS-PAGE, proteins were transferred electrophoretically to a nitrocellulose membrane. The membrane was incubated for 10-60 min with Bz-Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg-p-nitroanilide as a substrate for detection of trypsin-like proteases and with MeO-Suc-Arg-Pro-Tyr-p-nitroanilide for detection of chymotrypsin. The yellow p-nitroanilide released at the site of proteolytic activity was converted into a visible and stable red azo dye. By this method was identified and determined the molecular weight of a trypsin-like protease that occurs at high concentrations in mucinous ovarian tumour cyst fluid together with its specific inhibitor peptide, tumour-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI). The method was also used to visualize trypsin and chymotrypsin in human pancreatic juice. Using the trypsin substrate, three proteolytic bands, corresponding to Mr of 22,000, 24,000 and 26,000 daltons, were visualized in pancreatic juice, while the proteolytic zones in cyst fluid had Mr of 25,000 and 28,000 daltons. With the chymotrypsin substrate, a band of 29,000 daltons was visualized in pancreatic juice, whereas no activity was detected in cyst fluid. By incubation of the blotted cyst fluid proteins with 125I-labelled TATI, a pattern of bands at 25,000 and 28,000 daltons was detected identical to that obtained with the chromogenic substrate.