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Thromb Haemost 1990; 64(01): 053-060
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1647253
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

Characterization of Domain Deletion and/or Duplication Mutants of a Recombinant Chimera of Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator and Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator (rt-PA/u-PAI)[*]

L Nelles
The Center for Thrombosis and Vascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
,
H R Lijnen
The Center for Thrombosis and Vascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
,
A Van Nuffelen
The Center for Thrombosis and Vascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
,
E Demarsin
The Center for Thrombosis and Vascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
,
D Collen
The Center for Thrombosis and Vascular Research, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 02 October 1990

Accepted after revision 07 May 1990

Publication Date:
25 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

Chimeric molecules comprising the A-chain of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and the catalytic domain of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) have intact enzymatic characteristics of u-PA, but only partial fibrin-binding properties of t-PA (Nelles et al., J Biol Chem 1987; 262: 10855–62). The following domain deletion and/or duplication mutants of such a t-PA/u-PA chimera were constructed, purified and charactertzed: rt-PA-ΔFE∇/u-PA, with deletion of the finger-like (F) and epidermal growth factor-like (E) domains, rt-PA-ΔK1∇K2/u-PA, with kringle 1 (K1) replaced by a second copy of kringle 2 (K2), and rt-PA-ΔFEK1∇K2/u-PA, with F and E domain deletions in rt-PAΔK1∇K2/u-PA.

The specific activities on fibrin plates of the single-chain (sc) chimeras ranged between 68,000 IU/mg for rt-PA-ΔK1∇K2/scu-PA and 200,000 IU/mg for rt-PA-ΔFEK1∇K2/scu-PA, as compared to L20,000 IU/mg for rscu-PA. The specific activities of their plasmin-generated two-chain (tc) derivatives ranged between 120,000 IU/mg for rt-PA-ΔK1∇K2/tcu-PA and 240,000 IU/mg for rt-PA-ΔFEK1∇K2/tcu-PA, as compared to 100,000 IU/mg for rtcu-PA. All two-chain chimeras activated plasminogen following Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with catalytic efficiencies between 0.072 μM−1s−1 for rt-PA-ΔK1∇K2/tcu-pA and 0.081 pM−1 s−1 for rt-PA-ΔFEK1∇K2/tcu-PA, as compared to 0.088 μM−1 s−1 for rtcu-PA. CNBr-digested fibrinogen enhanced the initial rate of plasminogen activation by a factor 2.2 to 6.2, as compared to 4.9 for rtcu-PA. The fibrin-affinity of the chimeras decreased in the order rt-PA > rt-PA-ΔK1∇K2/u-PA > u-PA and that for lysine in the order rt-PA-ΔFEK1∇K2/u-PA > > t-PA/u-PA ⩽ st-PA > rt-PA-ΔFE/u-PA > u-PA. All single-chain plasminogen activators caused a time and concentration-dependent clot lysis in an in vitro plasma clot lysis system, with equi-effective doses (causin g 50% clot lysis in 2 h) ranging between 0.53 and 0.90 μg/ml, as compared to 1 .7 μg/ml for rscu-PA, and were associated with comparable residual fibrinogen levels of approximately 80%.

Thus, substitution of K1 by a second copy of K2 in the chimeric protein t-PA/u-PA enhances the affinity for both fibrin and lysine significantly and improves the fibrinolytic potency in an in vitro clot lysis system marginally.

Dedicated to Prof. M. Verstraete on the occasion of his 65th birthday.


 

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