Naomi Fukusen

Chymotrypsin- and trypsin-type serine proteases in rat mast cells: Properties and functions

Two of the major enzymes present in and released from rat mast cells are chymotrypsin-type serine protease (chymase) and trypsin-type serine protease (tryptase), and these have been postulated to be important in the inflammatory reactions. There have been no clear data regarding the trypsin-type protease in rat mast cells. Tryptase was recently purified from rat peritoneal mast cells with an associated protein (trypstatin) that inhibited the protease activity above pH 7.5. Chymase was also purified from rat peritoneal cells by employing a one-step method involving hydrophobic chromatography on octyl-Sepharose 4B or arginine-Sepharose 4B. The properties of chymase and tryptase were described in relation to substrate specificity and their relative sensitivity to inhibitors. It was found that proteolytic activities of these enzymes were modulated by naturally occurring substances, such as phosphoglycerides, long-chain fatty acids, and trypstatin. There is as yet little evidence for the physiological roles of these enzymes in the inflammatory reaction. It has been found that the specific, low-molecular-weight inhibitor of chymase, chymostatin, and that of tryptase, leupeptin, inhibit histamine release induced by addition of anti-rat IgE to mast cells. However, the inhibitors with molecular weights of more than 6000 were found to have no effect in this process. The data suggest that chymase and tryptase in mast cell granules play a crucial or significant role in the process of degranulation.

Diacylglycerol amplifies the induction in vivo of tyrosine aminotransferase and ornithine decarboxylase by glucocorticoid

In adrenalectomized rats, diacylglycerol, a potent activator of protein kinase C, specifically enhanced the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase and ornithine decarboxylase by even maximally effective doses of dexamethasone phosphate, but itself had no effect on these enzyme inductions in the absence of glucocorticoid. The amplifications of enzyme induction by diacylglycerol was dose-dependent and the time courses of the amplified inductions were similar to those of the inductions by dexamethasone phosphate alone. Since diacylglycerol did not affect the induction of these enzymes by glucagon and insulin, its amplifying effect seemed to be specific for induction by glucocorticoids.

Tryptase from rat mast cells converts bovine prothrombin to thrombin

The effect of tryptase purified from rat peritoneal mast cells on bovine prothrombin was examined. Tryptase activated prothrombin, as evidenced by the increase in thrombin activity with a synthetic substrate, t-butyloxy-carbonyl-Val-Pro-Arg-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide. The apparent Km value toward bovine prothrombin and the kcat value were 2.3 microM and 46.3 s-1, respectively. Studies on the time course of prothrombin activation by tryptase and by activated factor X (Xa), and analysis of the activation products on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis showed that the process of activation of prothrombin by tryptase was similar to that by Xa except that an intermediate of 67,000 daltons was formed.

A simple method for purification of chymase from rat tongue and rat peritoneal cells

Chymase was purified from rat tongue and rat peritoneal cells by a simple new method involving hydrophobic chromatography on octyl-Sepharose 4B and hydroxylapatite column chromatography. This procedure can be completed in 1 or 2 days and the recovery is 45-60% from rat tongue and 32-47% from rat peritoneal cells. The specific activity of the purified enzyme is higher than that of crystallized enzyme previously reported (Y. Sanada, N. Yasogawa, and N. Katunuma (1978) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 82, 108-113). This procedure should be particularly useful for purifying chymase on a large scale from tissues in which it is present in relatively low concentrations.

Inhibition by 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, of enzyme induction by glucocorticoid and of nuclear translocation of glucocorticoid-receptor complexes

Induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by glucocorticoid in rat hepatocytes was inhibited concentration-dependently by 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7), an inhibitor of protein kinase C, but not by N- [2-(methyl-amino)-ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide dihydrochloride, an inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide dependent protein kinases. H-7 also inhibited the accumulation of glucocorticoid-receptor complexes in the nuclear fraction with associated accumulation of these complexes in the cytoplasmic fraction, but did not affect incorporation of glucocorticoid into hepatocytes. These results indicate that protein kinase C may be essential in translocation of glucocorticoid-receptor complexes to the nuclei.

Kinetic studies on the inhibitions of mast cell chymase by natural serine protease inhibitors: Indications for potential biological functions of these inhibitors

We have found that degranulation from mast cells is specifically inhibited by the inhibitors of chymase (10). Among the natural serine protease inhibitors tested, Bowman-Birk soybean protease inhibitor, Eglin C, and human alpha 1-antichymotrypsin inhibited chymase more strongly than did chymostatin, Kunitz soybean protease inhibitor, and phosphatidylserine. Of the inhibitors tested, Bowman-Birk soybean protease inhibitor was the strongest inhibitor of chymase, its Ki value being 13.2 X 10(-9) M. Kinetic studies showed that these inhibitors were all noncompetitive inhibitors of chymase. Bowman-Birk and Kunitz soybean protease inhibitors inhibited both chymotrypsin-type and trypsin-type serine proteases but Eglin C specifically inhibited chymotrypsin-type proteases.

Inhibition of chymase activity by long chain fatty acids.

The activity of chymase was markedly inhibited by fatty acids with carbon chain lengths of 14-22 at doses greater than 0.02 microM, irrespective of the number of double bonds. Cis acids with a carbon chain length of 18, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid were potent inhibitors, whereas the trans isomer of oleic acid, elaidic acid, showed less inhibitory activity. The extent of inhibition by oleyl alcohol was almost the same as that by oleic acid, suggesting that the acid moiety itself was not necessary for the inhibition; but a fatty acid with a terminal functional amide, oleamide, showed little inhibitory activity. The inhibition was noncompetitive and was reversible, and the Ki value of oleic acid was 2.7 microM. Stearic acid and oleic acid inhibited all chymotrypsin-type serine endopeptidases tested. The ID50 values of these fatty acids for atypical mast cell protease were higher than those for the other chymotrypsin-type serine endopeptidases tested. Other proteases, such as papain, trypsin, collagenase, and carboxypeptidase A, except cathespin D, were not affected by stearic or oleic acid.

Epidermal growth factor as a new regulator of induction of tyrosine aminotransferase and tryptophan oxygenase by glucocorticoids

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) dose‐dependently enhanced the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase and tryptophan oxygenase by glucocorticoids in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes without itself having any effect on these enzymes in the absence of glucocorticoids. The amplifications were observed even with dexamethasone at high concentrations (10−6 M−10−5 M) that had a maximal effect. EGF had no effect on induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by glucagon or Bt2cAMP. The effect of EGF was also observed in adrenal‐ectomized and submaxillar gland‐ectomized rats. These results suggest that EGF is an endogenous amplifier of the action of glucocorticoids.

Inhibition of chymase activity by phosphoglycerides.

The activity of chymase was markedly inhibited by phosphoglycerides such as phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylinositol, but was not affected by acylglycerides, phosphoglyceroserine, serine, inositol, or glycerol. These results suggest that both the nonpolar hydrophobic hydrocarbon tails and the polar hydrophilic head are essential for the inhibitory effects of phosphoglycerides. Binding of a primary amine to an anionic polar head of phosphatidic acid, such as in phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine, slightly decreased the inhibitory effect of phosphatidic acid and, conversely, binding of a strong cation to the head, such as in phosphatidylcholine, resulted in its activation of chymase. Phosphatidic acid containing an unsaturated fatty acid, such as dioleoyl phosphatidic acid, caused the same extent of inhibition as natural phosphatidic acid from bovine brain, but was 20 times more inhibitory than phosphatidic acid containing a saturated fatty acid, such as distearoyl phosphatidic acid. The inhibition by phosphatidylserine was noncompetitive and pseudoirreversible, and the Ki value was 0.54 microM. The inhibition of chymase by phosphatidylserine was pH dependent, being strong at pH 8.5 to 9.5 but weak below pH 7.5. Phosphatidylserine specifically inhibited chymase and elastase; it did not inhibit the other chymotrypsin-type serine endopeptidases tested, trypsin, papain, collagenase, carboxypeptidase A, or cathepsin D.

Diacylglycerols Enhance the Anti‐tumor Effect of Glucocorticoid on L5178Y Lymphoblasts in vivo

1,2‐Dioleoyl‐rac‐glycerol, a potent activator of protein kinase C, was found to enhance the growth‐inhibitory effect of triamcinolone acetonide on L5178Y lymphoblasts in adrenalectomized, male DBA/2 mice. On the other hand, in mice without adrenalectomy, it markedly inhibited tumor growth without increasing the plasma level of corticosterone or adrenocorticotropic hormone or reducing the body weight. These results suggest that diacylglycerol enhances the action of endogenous glucocorticoid to a sufficient level to inhibit the growth of lymphoblasts. Of various diacylglycerols with different carbon chain lengths tested, 1,2‐dioleoyl‐rac‐glycerol was the most potent growth inhibitor and was maximally effective at a dose of above 30 μg/100 g body weight. This finding suggests that diacylglycerols may he useful for enhancing the antitumor effect of a low dose of glucocorticoid or endogenous glucocorticoid on lymphoblasts without any significant side effect.