Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.21.73 (urokinase-type plasminogen activator)
 10,685 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The development of a simple, sensitive fluorimetric assay for the measurement of cell surface-associated urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) on viable, adherent HCT116 cells in microtitre plates, after a preincubation with purified human plasminogen is described. The assay determines plasmin activity by the cleavage of H-D-Val-Leu-Lys 4-aminomethyl coumarin under near physiological pH and ionic conditions with a sensitivity in the range of 5-100 mIU uPA/well at excitation 355 nm and emission 460 nm. Plasmin generated during the assay converted all cell-surface sc-uPA to tc-uPA, allowing the determination of total uPA activity. Inhibitor studies (PAI-2, amiloride or Glu-Gly-Arg chloromethylketone) confirmed the specificity of the uPA assay. Removal of these agents prior to assay allowed determination of the cell surface sc-uPA:tc-uPA ratio. Cell surface activity was only partially removed by acid elution. This corresponded with the loss of a number of proteins and uPA-containing species as detected by SDS-PAGE, gelatin enzymography and Western blotting. Although the major protein species eluted had a M(r) of 55 kDa, reacted with a commercial anti-human uPA mAb and correlated with the main lytic zone, other higher M(r) species were also eluted from HCT116 cells. Exogenous uPA increased cell-surface activity markedly on cells previously treated with acid. Following acid elution, cell surface uPA activity was restored after 30h in culture suggesting either de novo synthesis or release of pre-formed uPA with subsequent secretion and binding to uPAR. The assay has enabled studies on adherent cells to address questions about the regulation and expression of cell-surface uPA.
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PMID:Occupancy of the cancer cell urokinase receptor (uPAR): effects of acid elution and exogenous uPA on cell surface urokinase (uPA). 138 63

Using a biochemical technique, the authors characterized and identified a plasminogen activator (PA) derived from tissue extracts of antrochoanal polyp (AP) and paranasal mucous membrane (PMM) with chronic sinusitis. The results of fibrin zymography indicated that the tissue extracts of AP revealed two lytic zones and that those of PMM revealed a single lytic zone on fibrin-agarose plates. One of the AP zones exhibited the same relative mobility as the PMM zone (molecular weight: 65 kd), while the other AP zone had a smaller molecular weight (about 54 kd). Goat immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction of antihuman uterine tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) inhibited the 65-kd lytic zones of AP and PMM. Antihuman low-molecular-weight urokinase inhibited only the 54-kd lytic zone of AP, and nonspecific goat IgG failed to inhibit any of the lytic zones. On the other hand, 10(-2) mol trans 4-(aminomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxylic acid (t-AMCHA) inhibited all of the lytic zones. No lytic zones could be observed on plasminogen-free fibrin-agarose plates. These findings confirmed that the tissue extracts of PMM contained t-PA, and that those of AP contained both t-PA and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA). In addition, it appeared that u-PA in inflammatory tissue was related to proliferative changes of the mucous membrane.
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PMID:Presence of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) in tissue extracts of antrochoanal polyp. 151 51

An experimental cerebral embolic model was prepared by an injection of [125I]fibrin clot particles (20-100 microns) into the left internal carotid artery in rats, and the changes in radioactivity of the brain were continuously monitored by a gamma-ray detector. The autoradiograms of the caput transections showed the existence of emboli in small vessels of the left hemicerebrum. After the injection of [125I]fibrin clots, the radioactivity spontaneously decreased to a half of the initial radioactivity at 90 min. The decrease in radioactivity which represented the embolus dissolution was markedly suppressed by an antiplasmin agent, trans-4-aminomethyl cyclohexane carboxylic acid, indicating that the endogenous fibrinolysis through the activation of plasminogen is generated in the cerebral small vessels after the embolization. Consecutive injection of fibrin clots caused a summation of the radioactivity and decreased the rate of dissolution at every embolus preparation. The thrombolytic agents were infused via the left internal carotid artery for 30 min after the second successive injection of fibrin clots. Although the spontaneous dissolution of emboli was observed during the infusion of saline, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) as well as urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) produced a further dissolution. Approximately half of the emboli disappeared 60 min after the infusion of t-PA at a dose of 75 micrograms/kg and at a dose of 10000 IU/kg, respectively.
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PMID:Thrombolytic effect of tissue plasminogen activator in a cerebral embolic model. 180 87

The kinetics of plasminogen activation catalysed by urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activator were investigated. Kinetic measurements are performed by means of a specific chromogenic peptide substrate for plasmin, D-valyl-L-leucyl-L-lysine 4-nitroanilide. Two methods are proposed for the analysis of the resulting progress curve of nitroaniline formation in terms of zymogen-activation kinetics: a graphical transformation of the parabolic curve and transformation of the curve for nitroaniline production into a linear progress curve by the addition of a specific inhibitor of plasmin, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor. The two methods give similar results, suggesting that the reaction between activator and plasminogen is a simple second-order reaction at least at plasminogen concentrations up to about 10 microM. The kinetics of both Glu1-plasminogen (residues 1-790) and Lys77-plasminogen (residues 77-790) activation were investigated. The results confirm previous observations showing that trans-4-(aminomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid at relatively low concentrations enhances the activation rate of Glu1-plasminogen but not that of Lys77-plasminogen. At higher concentrations both Glu1- and Lys77-plasminogen activation are inhibited. The concentration interval for the inhibition of urokinase-catalysed reactions is shown to be very different from that of the tissue-plasminogen activator system. Evidence is presented indicating that binding to the active site of urokinase (KD = 2.0 mM) is responsible for the inhibition of the urokinase system, binding to the active site of tissue-plasminogen activator is approx. 100-fold weaker, and inhibition of the tissue-plasminogen activator system, when monitored by plasmin activity, is mainly due to plasmin inhibition. Poly-D-lysine (Mr 160 000) causes a marked enhancement of plasminogen activation catalysed by tissue-plasminogen activator but not by urokinase. Bell-shaped curves of enhancement as a function of the logarithm of poly-D-lysine concentration are obtained for both Glu1- and Lys77-plasminogen activation, with a maximal effect at about 10 mg/litre. The enhancement of Glu1-plasminogen activation exerted by trans-4-(aminomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid is additive to that of poly-D-lysine, whereas poly-D-lysine-induced enhancement of Lys77-plasminogen activation is abolished by trans-4-(aminomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid. Analogies are drawn up between the effector functions of poly-D-lysine and fibrin on the catalytic activity of tissue-plasminogen activator.
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PMID:Zymogen-activation kinetics. Modulatory effects of trans-4-(aminomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid and poly-D-lysine on plasminogen activation. 257 38

Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis utilizing a large pore gel showed that human fibrinogen (Fbg) in plasma resolved into 3 components which were tentatively designated as high molecular weight Fbg (HMW), low molecular weight Fbg1 (LMW1) and low molecular weight Fbg2 (LMW2) in order of their electrophoretic mobilities. Their estimated molecular weight were 360,000, 325,000 and 290,000 respectively. In normal plasma the ratio of HMW: LMW1: LMW2 was 71: 27: 2. Subunit chain analysis of Fbg species suggests that one of the A alpha chains in the predominant type of LMW1 is an A alpha remnant designated as A alpha', the molecular weight of which is about half that of the A alpha chain of HMW. The subunit chain formulas for the major forms of HMW and LMW1 are considered as (A alpha/1, 2)2 (B beta)2 (gamma)2 and (A alpha/1, 2) (A alpha') (B beta)2 (gamma)2 respectively. Although it is widely accepted that limited proteolysis of A alpha chain by plasmin might be the cause of Fbg heterogeneity, the conversion of HMW to LMW1 was not observed in the earliest stage of fibrinogenolysis induced by urokinase. However incubation of plasma induced the conversion of HMW to LMW1, even when t-aminomethyl-cyclohexane carboxylic acid or heparin was added to the plasma. These findings suggest that an unknown mechanism independent of plasmin or thrombin is responsible for the Fbg heterogeneity in blood. Clinically it is noticeable that the relative amount of LMW1 decreased markedly in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Animal models of DIC also exhibited essentially the same Fbg heterogeneity pattern as observed in DIC patients, when the levels of Fbg were recovering after the consumption caused by intravascular coagulation. In DIC it is considered that the consumption and compensatory production of Fbg results in the relative increase of HMW which is the freshly synthesized Fbg.
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PMID:[Studies on fibrinogen heterogeneity in disseminated intravascular coagulation]. 717 13

The purpose of this study was to characterize the stimulus that activates the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in human peripheral monocytes (PM) during the process of contact activation. Incubation of PM, but not of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), in contact-activated, recalcified plasma induced a time-dependent release of leukotrienes (LT). The presence of platelets was required for the generation of cysteinyl-LT, but LTB4 formation also proceeded in their absence, although to a lesser extent. Plasmin, presumably generated via the intrinsic fibrinolytic pathway, was liable for the 5-lipoxygenase stimulation during contact activation inasmuch as (1) the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in PM was stimulated by contact-activated, recalcified, autologous or homologous plasma, but not by factor XII-deficient or prekallikrein-deficient plasma; (2) lysine analogs such as N alpha-acetyl-L-lysine, 6-aminohexanoic acid (6-AHA), or trans-4- (aminomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid (t-AMCA), which inhibit plasmin(ogen) binding to PM plasmin(ogen) binding sites, concentration-dependently reduced the cysteinyl-LT release; (3) plasminogen activators such as urokinase or streptokinase concentration-dependently enhanced the cysteinyl-LT release up to 10 and 1,000 IU/mL, respectively, while higher concentrations were less effective leading to bell-shaped concentration-response curves; (4) plasmin inhibitors such as aprotinin or alpha 2-antiplasmin concentration-dependently inhibited the cysteinyl-LT release; and (5) preincubation of plasma with monoclonal antibodies directed against plasminogen and capable of preventing plasminogen activation blocked the contact-mediated 5-lipoxygenase stimulation. Moreover, incubation of PM with plasmin, but not with plasma kallikrein, in Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS)-bovine serum albumin (BSA) 0.4% triggered a concentration-dependent release of LTB4 up to 0.1 caseinolytic units (CU)/mL, with higher concentrations being less effective. By contrast, release of cyclooxygenase metabolites such as thromboxane (TX) B2 and prostaglandin (PG) E2 was not stimulated by plasmin, indicating specificity for the 5-lipoxygenase pathway. With plasmin as a hitherto unknown stimulus of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway in PM, a novel link between contact activation and inflammation has been established.
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PMID:Contact activation triggers stimulation of the monocyte 5-lipoxygenase pathway via plasmin. 814 60

We have previously reported that the serine protease plasmin generated during contact activation of human plasma triggers biosynthesis of leukotrienes (LTs) in human peripheral monocytes (PMs), but not in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). We now show that purified plasmin acts as a potent chemoattractant on human monocytes, but not on PMNs. Human plasmin or plasminogen activated with urokinase, but not active site-blocked plasmin or plasminogen, elicited monocyte migration across polycarbonate membranes. Similarly, stimulation of monocytes with plasmin, but not with active site-blocked plasmin or plasminogen, induced actin polymerization. As assessed by checkerboard analysis, the plasmin-mediated monocyte locomotion was a true chemotaxis. The plasmin-induced chemotactic response was inhibited by the lysine analog trans-4-(aminomethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylic acid (t-AMCA), which prevents binding of plasmin/ogen to the appropriate membrane binding sites. In addition, active site-blocked plasmin inhibited monocyte migration triggered by active plasmin. Further, plasmin-induced monocyte chemotaxis was inhibited by pertussis toxin (PTX) and 1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycerol (HMG) and chelerythrine, two structurally unrelated inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC). Plasmin, but not active site-blocked plasmin or plasminogen, triggered formation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in monocytes. LY83583, an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase, inhibited both plasmin-induced cGMP formation and the chemotactic response. The latter effect could be antagonized by 8-bromo-cGMP. In addition, KT5823 and (Rp)-8-(p-chlorophenylthio)guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate [(Rp)-8-pCPT-cGMPs], two structurally unrelated inhibitors of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, inhibited plasmin-mediated monocyte chemotaxis. Thus, beyond being a stimulus for lipid mediator release, plasmin is a potent and specific chemoattractant for human monocytes acting via a cGMP-dependent mechanism. Therefore, plasmin represents a proinflammatory activator for human monocytes.
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PMID:Plasmin is a potent and specific chemoattractant for human peripheral monocytes acting via a cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent pathway. 919 82

Increased expression of the serine protease urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in tumor tissues is highly correlated with tumor cell migration, invasion, proliferation, progression, and metastasis. Thus inhibition of uPA activity represents a promising target for antimetastatic therapy. So far, only the x-ray crystal structure of uPA inactivated by H-Glu-Gly-Arg-chloromethylketone has been reported, thus limited data are available for a rational structure-based design of uPA inhibitors. Taking into account the trypsin-like arginine specificity of uPA, (4-aminomethyl)phenylguanidine was selected as a potential P1 residue and iterative derivatization of its amino group with various hydrophobic residues, and structure-activity relationship-based optimization of the spacer in terms of hydrogen bond acceptor/donor properties led to N-(1-adamantyl)-N'-(4-guanidinobenzyl)urea as a highly selective nonpeptidic uPA inhibitor. The x-ray crystal structure of the uPA B-chain complexed with this inhibitor revealed a surprising binding mode consisting of the expected insertion of the phenylguanidine moiety into the S1 pocket, but with the adamantyl residue protruding toward the hydrophobic S1' enzyme subsite, thus exposing the ureido group to hydrogen-bonding interactions. Although in this enzyme-bound state the inhibitor is crossing the active site, interactions with the catalytic residues Ser-195 and His-57 are not observed, but their side chains are spatially displaced for steric reasons. Compared with other trypsin-like serine proteases, the S2 and S3/S4 pockets of uPA are reduced in size because of the 99-insertion loop. Therefore, the peculiar binding mode of the new type of uPA inhibitors offers the possibility of exploiting optimized interactions at the S1'/S2' subsites to further enhance selectivity and potency. Because crystals of the uPA/benzamidine complex allow inhibitor exchange by soaking procedures, the structure-based design of new generations of uPA inhibitors can rely on the assistance of x-ray analysis.
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PMID:(4-aminomethyl)phenylguanidine derivatives as nonpeptidic highly selective inhibitors of human urokinase. 1080 74

DPC423, 1-[3-(aminomethyl)phenyl]-N-[3-fluoro-2'-(methylsulfonyl)[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl]-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide, is a synthetic, orally bioavailable, competitive, and selective inhibitor of human coagulation factor Xa (K(i) [nM]: factor Xa, 0.15; trypsin, 60; thrombin, 6000; plasma kallikrein, 61; activated protein C, 1800; factor IXa, 2200; factor VIIa, >15,000; chymotrypsin, >17,000; urokinase, >19,000; plasmin, >35,000; tissue plasminogen activator, >45,000; complement factor I, 44,000 [IC(50)]). In vitro, DPC423 produced anticoagulant effects in human plasma in which it doubled prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and Heptest clotting time at 3.1 +/- 0.4, 3.1 +/- 0.4, and 1.1 +/- 0.5 microM, respectively. In dogs, DPC423 had a good pharmacokinetic profile with an oral bioavailability of 57%, a plasma clearance of 0.24 L/kg/h, and a plasma half-life of 7.5 h. In rabbit and rat models of arteriovenous shunt thrombosis, DPC423 was an effective antithrombotic agent with an IC(50) of 150 and 470 nM, respectively. The antithrombotic effect of DPC423 is likely to be related to the inhibition of factor Xa but not to the inhibition of thrombin or due to direct inhibition of platelet aggregation. Therefore, based on potency, selectivity, efficacy, and oral bioavailability, DPC423 was selected for clinical development as an oral anticoagulant for the potential treatment of thrombotic disorders. Preliminary human data suggest that DPC423 is orally bioavailable in humans and has a long plasma half-life.
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PMID:Nonpeptide factor Xa inhibitors: DPC423, a highly potent and orally bioavailable pyrazole antithrombotic agent. 1217 91