Characterization of a new kallikrein-like enzyme (KLP-S3) of the rat submandibular gland.

The submandibular gland of the rat contains several enzymes belonging to the kallikrein family. These include tissue kallikrein, antigen gamma (T-kininogenase), esterase B and tonin. In the present study, a new member of this family, which we have named KLP-S3, was identified and purified from the submandibular gland. KLP-S3 was classified as a kallikrein-like enzyme on the basis of its immunological similarity to other kallikrein-like enzymes and its showing 70% and 73% identity in partial amino acid sequence with tissue kallikrein and tonin respectively. Furthermore, the 44 sequenced amino acid residues showed complete correspondence to the mRNA S3 of the kallikrein gene family, which was the rationale for the name kallikrein-like protein (KLP) S3. KLP-S3 consisted of three isoenzymes with pI 6.75, 6.90 and 6.95, which significantly differed from those of other kallikrein-like enzymes. In conjunction with its immunological relationship to kallikrein, this parameter (pI) was considered robust enough to identify the enzyme during purification, since a specific physiological substrate for KLP-S3 has yet to be identified. In SDS/PAGE the three isoenzymes ran as one band with a molecular mass of 25,800 Da, which after reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol was split into two chains with molecular masses of 16,500 and 13,300 Da. In common with other kallikrein-like enzymes, KLP-S3 was inhibited by phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride, and was thus classified as a serine protease. It was also inhibited by soya-bean trypsin inhibitor but not by aprotinin. It showed weak reactivity against the chromogenic substrates S2288, S2266, S2366 and S2302 (D-Ile-Pro-Arg 4-nitroanilide, D-Val-Leu-Arg 4-nitroanilide, Glu-Pro-Arg 4-nitroanilide and D-Pro-Phe-Arg 4-nitroanilide respectively) and did not cleave rat T-kininogen or dog high-molecular-mass/low-molecular-mass kininogen. Its specific angiotensin II-generating activity (angiotensin I as substrate) was 0.04% of that of rat tonin. KLP-S3 (1-100 nM) induced a statistically significant angiotensin-independent contraction of isolated rat aorta rings. The maximum contraction was 15% of the response to the alpha-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (1 microM). The concentration of KLP-S3 in the rat submandibular gland was by single radial immunodiffusion estimated to be 47 +/- 3 micrograms/mg of protein.