| Abstrakt: |
Indirect experiments using irreversible enzyme inhibitors have shown that the human lymphokine leukocyte migration inhibitory factor (LIF) is a serine esterase and protease exhibiting specific affinity towards arginine esters and amides. A sensitive assay for direct measurement of esterase activity using p-tosyl-L-arginine (3H) methyl ester (3H-TAME) as substrate is described. Esterolytic activities are demonstrated in crude supernatants of human lymphocytes stimulated with concanavalin A (LIF-rich) and, more pronounced, in supernatants of unstimulated cells (control). To follow the effects of purification procedures, the serine esterases of LIF-rich and control preparations were specifically labeled with the irreversible, active site directed agent (1,3-3H)di-isopropylphosphorofluoridate. Most of these enzymes, visualized by Sephadex chromatography, were removed by a gentle three-step procedure, allowing at least 50% of the initial LIF activity to be recovered. The resulting LIF-rich preparation, purified to contain serine esterases at a concentration corresponding to less than 1 ng per ml original supernatant, still showed estrolytic activity towards 3H-TAME. The optimal conditions for the radioenzymatic assay of purified LIF and the inhibitory effect of 10(-4) M cGMP, which on the basis of indirect experiments has been implicated as a specific regulator of LIF activity, are described. |
