Comparative study of plasminogen activators in cancers and normal mucosae of human urinary bladder.

We have developed a highly sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay for determination of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen levels in extracts of human tissues. We determined antigen levels of PAs in extracts of 31 primary cancers and 15 normal mucosal tissues of the urinary bladder using this method. U-PA antigen levels in extracts of bladder cancers were significantly higher than those in normal tissues (p less than 0.005). U-PA antigen levels significantly increased as histological grading of malignancy advanced. There was no correlation between t-PA antigen level and malignancy. These results indicate that an increase of u-PA antigen level may be a parameter of malignant transformation and may play an important role in invasiveness of cancer.

Properties of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase inactivating enzymes in rat liver lysosomes.

The intralysosomal localization of the enzymes that catalyse inactivation of rat liver fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-lyase, EC 4.1.2.13) to a form with antigenic activity was demonstrated. The inactivating enzymes like all other lysosomal markers tested except acid phosphatase, were readily solubilized by hypotonic shock. The inactivating enzyme activity was inhibited by PMSF, TPCK, TLCK and leupeptin, but not by pepstatin. On partial purification of the inactivating activity from the lysosomal fraction by DEAE-Sephadex (A-50) and Sephadex G-100 column chromatographies, it was copurified with lysosomal carboxypeptidase A and cathepsin B (EC 3.4.22.1). Studies on its substrate specificity and sensitivity to inhibitors indicated that cathepsin B and carboxypeptidase A are responsible for almost all the aldolase-inactivating activity in the lysosomal fraction.

Proteolytic modification of rat liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase by administration of leupeptin in vivo.

When leupeptin, a thiol protease inhibitor of microbial origin, was injected into rats, the activity of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-lyase, EC 4.1.2.13) in the liver decreased to about 60% of that in control rats. However, the concentration of aldolase protein in the liver extracts, measured with a specific antibody obtained with enzyme purified on a phosphocellulose column, remained unchanged. Injection of leupeptin also caused a marked increase in the activities of free lysosomal proteases, such as cathepsin B (EC 3.4.22.1), cathepsin L (EC 3.4.22.-), cathepsin D (EC 3.4.23.5) and lysosomal carboxypeptidase A in the cytosol fraction. A clear inverse relationship between aldolase and cathepsin B activities in the cytosol fraction was demonstrated. The possibility that the less active form of aldolase detected in the livers of leupeptin-treated rats was produced during homogenization was excluded by showing that the aldolase activity was not changed by addition of various protease inhibitors to the homogenization medium., When insulin was coinjected with leupeptin, increase in the activity of free cathepsin L and decrease of activity of aldolase produced by the injection of leupeptin was prevented. These findings indicate that modification of aldolase may be due to the action of a lysosomal protease(s). Enhanced sensitivity of lysosomes to osmotic shock was demonstrated in the livers of leupeptin-treated rats, suggesting that the lysosomal membrane is labilized by administration of leupeptin. Incubation of the purified aldolase with the lysosomal fraction produced the same changes in properties of aldolase as those observed in vivo on injection of leupeptin.

Urinary growth hormone levels measured by ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay in patients with renal insufficiency.

An ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay was used to measure urinary GH levels in patients with renal insufficiency and normal subjects. Urinary GH excretion varied widely, but was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in patients with renal insufficiency (median, 339; range, 2-17,000 ng/day) than in normal subjects (5.4; 1.2-15 ng/day). Urinary GH excretion correlated positively with urinary beta 2-microglobulin excretion (r = 0.79; P less than 0.001) and negatively with creatinine clearance (r = -0.83; P less than 0.001). Gel chromatography of urine from patients with renal insufficiency revealed a major peak of urinary GH corresponding to a mol wt of 22K, that of pituitary GH. These findings suggest that the kidneys play an important role in the catabolism of GH and that urinary GH may reflect, at least in part, renal function as well as hypothalamo-pituitary function.

Urinary growth hormone (GH) measurements are useful for evaluating endogenous GH secretion.

Daily (24-h) urinary GH excretion was measured using a highly sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay in 10 normal adults, 6 patients with hypopituitarism, 25 normal but short children who had normal plasma GH responses (peak plasma GH level, greater than 10 micrograms/L) to provocative tests, and 8 patients with acromegaly. The mean urinary GH values in the normal adults, patients with acromegaly, and patients with hypopituitarism were 13.8 +/- 4.0 (+/- SE) and 431.1 +/- 149.1 ng/g creatinine (Cr) (1.56 +/- 0.45 and 48.77 +/- 16.87 ng/mmol Cr) and undetectable, respectively; these mean values were significantly different from each other. In the normal but short children the urinary values ranged from undetectable to 55.8 ng/g Cr (6.31 ng/mmol Cr). All of the normal but short children and 4 patients with hypopituitarism participated in a 24-h endogenous GH secretion study. The urinary GH values correlated significantly with the mean 24-h plasma GH concentrations as an index of endogenous GH secretion (r = 0.81; P less than 0.001) and plasma somatomedin-C levels (r = 0.67; P less than 0.001), respectively. In 6 patients with acromegaly whose plasma GH levels were constant throughout a 4-h period, the urinary GH values also significantly correlated with the mean plasma GH levels (r = 0.95; P less than 0.01). These data indicate that urinary GH measurements reflect endogenous GH secretion and that measurement of urinary GH excretion is a useful, simple, and practical method for evaluating endogenous GH secretion.

Conjugation of recombinant reverse transcriptase of HIV-1 to beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli for ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay (immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay) of anti-HIV-1 IgG.

Recombinant reverse transcriptase (RT) of HIV-1 was conjugated to beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli in three different ways. Maleimide groups were introduced into beta-D-galactosidase molecules using N,N'-o-phenylenedimaleimide in the absence (method I) or presence (method II) of N-ethylmaleimide or into beta-D-galactosidase molecules, which had been treated with excess of 4,4'-dithiodipyridine to block thiol groups, using N-succinimidyl-6-maleimidohexanoate (method III). Subsequently, the maleimide groups were reacted with thiol groups introduced into recombinant RT molecules using N-succinimidyl-S-acetylmercaptoacetate. The conjugates were tested by a sensitive enzyme immunoassay (immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay). The immune complex consisting of 2,4-dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin-recombinant RT conjugate, anti-HIV-1 IgG and recombinant RT-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate was captured by polystyrene beads coated with (anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl group) IgG, eluted with N epsilon-2,4-dinitrophenyl-L-lysine and transferred to polystyrene beads with (anti-human IgG gamma chain) IgG. The conjugate prepared by method III, which showed the least polymerization, the least loss of the specific enzyme activity and the lowest nonspecific binding, improved the sensitivity of the enzyme immunoassay for anti-HIV-1 IgG approximately 30-fold compared with RT-horseradish peroxidase conjugate.

Development of highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF): determination of HGF/SF in serum and urine from normal human subjects.

A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using rabbit anti-hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) IgG for human HGF, also known as the scatter factor, has previously been developed for determining increases in serum HGF levels in various liver diseases. The sensitivity limit of the ELISA is, however, approximately 0.2 ng/ml sample, and HGF concentrations in about 50% of normal subjects are not accurately measurable by this method, because the mean level of HGF in normal serum is close to the sensitivity limit. In the present study, chicken Fab' from egg yolk anti-HGF immunoglobulin Y and rabbit Fab' from rabbit anti-HGF IgG were conjugated with beta-D-galactosidase. With these conjugates as the second antibodies, we developed two sandwich ELISAs for human HGF and found that the sensitivities were about 20 pg/ml with the former conjugate and 2 pg/ml with the latter. The HGF concentration in sera from 138 normal subjects determined by the ELISA with the rabbit conjugate was 244+/-65 (SD) pg/ml serum, and it correlated very well with the number of leukocytes. Moreover, the ELISA with the rabbit conjugate permitted the determination of HGF levels in urine from normal subjects without first concentrating the sample. The determination of HGF in various biological fluids other than blood and urine by these ELISAs may aid the diagnosis and prognosis of various diseases.

The 24-hour rhythms in plasma growth hormone, prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone: effect of sleep deprivation.

Twenty-four hour secretory rhythms of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were investigated in 9 normal adult men by means of serial blood sampling at 30 min intervals. The profiles of pituitary hormones were compared in 6 subjects between in normal nocturnal sleep condition and in delayed sleep condition. Plasma GH was measured with use of highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) recently developed. Plasma TSH was also evaluated by highly sensitive time-resolved fluorometric immunoassay (TR-FIA). Time series analysis of plasma GH and PRL was performed by auto- and cross- correlation and spectral analysis. The detection limit of EIA for GH was 0.3 pg/ml and all plasma GH levels were within the detectable range of this EIA. Cross-correlation and spectral analysis suggested the presence of approximately 2-3 h rhythmicity of plasma GH. Plasma PRL appeared to have some 24-hour rhythmicity besides its sleep-dependent component. Sleep deprivation caused marked elevation of plasma TSH during night time. It is suggested that there appears two mechanisms regulating GH secretion: one has a sleep-independent and ultradian rhythm and another has a sleep-dependent rhythm.

Ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay.

Ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay methods are reviewed not only for antigens but also for antibodies and haptens with emphasis on factors which limit the sensitivity. Ultrasensitive immunoassays can be developed by noncompetitive solid phase assay systems rather than competitive ones for antigens and antibodies. However, no noncompetitive immunoassays have been available for hapten molecules which cannot be bound simultaneously by two different antibody molecules. This has been overcome by developing methods to derivatize haptens with amino groups so that the derivatized haptens may be measured by two-site noncompetitive assays. For ultrasensitive noncompetitive solid phase immunoassays, the nonspecific binding of labeled reactants (background noise) should be minimized. This has been achieved by developing methods to transfer the complex of analytes and labeled reactants from solid phase to solid phase with minimal dissociation of the complex. Thus, the sensitivity for antigens, haptens and antibodies has been markedly improved and some applications have been made.

Detection of one milliattomole of ferritin by novel and ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay.

A novel and ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay (immune complex transfer two-site enzyme immunoassay) for ferritin is described. Ferritin was reacted simultaneously with affinity-purified dinitrophenyl biotinyl anti-ferritin IgG and affinity-purified anti-ferritin Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate. The complex formed of the three components was trapped onto affinity-purified (anti-dinitrophenyl group) IgG-coated polystyrene balls. After eliminating excess conjugate by washing, the complex was eluted from the polystyrene balls with an excess of epsilon N-dinitrophenyl-L-lysine and transferred to streptavidin-coated polystyrene balls. The beta-D-galactosidase activity bound to streptavidin-coated polystyrene balls was assayed by fluorometry. Nonspecifically bound beta-D-galactosidase activity was remarkably lowered but there was much less decrease in specifically bound beta-D-galactosidase activity. As a result, the detection limit of ferritin was lowered to 1 milliattomole (1 x 10(-21) mol, 600 molecules as calculated from Avogadro's number). This technique will be useful for measuring, for example, antigens in single cells.

A more sensitive enzyme immunoassay of anti-insulin IgG in guinea pig serum with less non-specific binding of normal guinea pig IgG.

An enzyme immunoassay of anti-insulin IgG in guinea pig serum was improved in sensitivity by reducing the non-specific binding of normal guinea pig IgG and enhancing the specific binding of anti-insulin IgG. Silicone rubber pieces or polystyrene balls were coated with normal rabbit IgG, followed by coupling of insulin using glutaraldehyde. The insulin-normal rabbit IgG-coated silicone rubber pieces or polystyrene balls were incubated with normal rabbit IgG and then with diluted guinea pig anti-insulin serum in the presence of normal rabbit IgG at a lower temperature (20 degrees C). Finally, the solid phases were incubated with rabbit (anti-guinea pig IgG) Fab'-horseradish peroxidase conjugate to measure the amount of guinea pig IgG bound. The detection limit of anti-insulin IgG in guinea pig serum was improved 10 to 100-fold compared to that of enzyme immunoassay performed by incubating insulin-bovine serum albumin-coated solid phases with diluted guinea pig anti-insulin serum at 37 degrees C and then with rabbit (anti-guinea pig IgG) Fab' conjugated to beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli, according to a previous report (Kato, K., et al. (1978) J. Biochem. 84, 93-102).

Inhibitions of cathepsin B and cathepsin L by E-64 in vivo. II. Incorporation of [3H]E-64 into rat liver lysosomes in vivo.

E-64 is a specific thiol proteinase inhibitor which inhibits lysosomal cathepsins B and L in vitro and in vivo [Hashida, S., Towatari, T., Kominami, E., & Katunuma, N. (1980) J. Biochem. 88, 1805-1811]. This work showed and that E-64 administered in vivo penetrates into lysosomes of the liver, possibly by permeation rather than by endocytosis. When [3H]E-64 was injected into rats i.p., high radioactivity was observed in the serum after a short time and it decreased rapidly. Incorporation of [3H]E-64 into the cytosol fraction of liver also began to decrease 1 h after the injection. Radioactivity in the mitochondrial-lysosomal fraction increased to a maximum after 6 h and then gradually decreased until 72 h. Dose-dependent incorporation of [3H]E-64 into the serum and liver cytosol was observed at all doses tested, but that into the lysosomal fraction increased linearly with doses of only up to 0.l5 mg/100 body weight of E-64. E-64 in the serum and liver cytosol was mostly present in the free form, whereas that in the lysosomal fraction was mostly protein-bound. The time course and dose-response of lysosomal cathepsin B activity to E-64 were closely related to the radioactivity in the protein-bound fraction of the lysosomes. These results suggest that E-64 was transported to the liver cytosol in the free form in the blood and permeated into the lysosomes, where it bound to, and inactivated, E-64 sensitive proteinases.

Inhibitions by E-64 derivatives of rat liver cathepsin B and cathepsin L in vitro and in vivo.

The mechanism of inhibition of cathepsin B [EC 3.4.22.1] and cathepsin L [EC 3.4.22.-] by E-64 was investigated. Kinetic studies indicated that E-64 was an irreversible inhibitor of these enzymes. [3H]E-64 is incorporated into cathepsin B in a one/one molar ratio in parallel with inactivation of the enzyme. Titration of one of the 10 SH groups of native cathepsin B with 2,2'-dithiodipyridine resulted in complete loss of enzyme activity. Decrease of titratable SH groups and activity of cathepsin B was proportional to the concentration of E-64 added, indicating that E-64 binds to an equimolar amount of active SH residues of cathepsin B. The effects of E-64 and its derivatives on lysosomal cathepsin B and cathepsin L in rat liver were studied in vitro and in vivo. The D form of E-64 inhibited the cathepsin both in vitro and in vivo, although its inhibitory effects were less than those of E-64-(L). E-64-b(RR), in which the terminal agmatine of E-64 is replaced by leucine, was as active as E-64-(L) in vitro, but was completely inactive in vivo. Among the E-64 derivatives tested, E-64-c(SS), in which the terminal agmatine of E-64 is replaced by isoarylamide, showed strong inhibitory activity in vivo, like E-64-(L).

A micro-scale method for the conjugation of affinity-purified Fab' to beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli.

A micro-scale method for the conjugation of affinity-purified Fab' to beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli is described. Rabbit anti-human chorionic gonadotropin serum (0.2 ml) was digested with pepsin to convert IgG to F(ab')2 and applied to a column of human chorionic gonadotropin-Sepharose 4B, followed by elution at pH 2.5. The affinity-purified anti-human chorionic gonadotropin F(ab')2 was mixed with non-specific goat F(ab')2 (0.5 mg) as a carrier, reduced with 2-mercaptoethylamine to split F(ab')2 to Fab' and conjugated to beta-D-galactosidase using N,N'-o-phenylenedimaleimide. The affinity-purified rabbit anti-human chorionic gonadotropin Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate was separated from non-specific goat Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate and unconjugated beta-D-galactosidase by affinity chromatography on a column of goat (anti-rabbit IgG) IgG-Sepharose 4B using 4 M urea. The amount of the affinity-purified conjugate obtained was 56-69 micrograms. The detection limit of human chorionic gonadotropin by a sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique was improved 30-fold by using the affinity-purified conjugate as compared with that before affinity-purification. This method is applicable to the conjugation with alkaline phosphatase from calf intestine and probably also other enzymes which are stable in 4 M urea.

Preparation of a monomeric 2,4-dinitrophenyl Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate for immunoenzymometric assay.

A method is described for the preparation of a monomeric Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate, which is required for the development of a sensitive immunoenzymometric assay. Anti-human IgG F(ab')2 was labeled with 2,4-dinitrophenyl groups, split into Fab' by reduction and reacted with excess maleimide groups which had been introduced into beta-D-galactosidase through thiol groups using N,N'-o-phenylenedimaleimide. The monomeric 2,4-dinitrophenyl Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate was subsequently separated from unconjugated beta-D-galactosidase by affinity chromatography on a column of (anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl) IgG-Sepharose 4B. In the monomeric conjugate preparation, 98% of beta-D-galactosidase activity was associated with Fab' and 90% was associated with specific (anti-human IgG) Fab'. This conjugate allowed the measurement of 0.1 fmol of human IgG by an immunoenzymometric assay technique.

Detection of one attomole of [Arg8]-vasopressin by novel noncompetitive enzyme immunoassay (hetero-two-site complex transfer enzyme immunoassay).

One attomole of [Arg8]-vasopressin (AVP) was detected by a novel noncompetitive enzyme immunoassay (hetero-two-site complex transfer enzyme immunoassay). AVP was indirectly biotinylated using N-hydroxysuccinimidobiotin and trapped onto an anti-AVP IgG-coated polystyrene ball. After washing, biotinylated AVP was eluted from the polystyrene ball with HCl and was reacted with 2,4-dinitrophenyl-fluorescein disulfide-bovine serum albumin-rabbit anti-AVP IgG conjugate. The complex formed was trapped on [anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl group] IgG-coated polystyrene balls and, after washing, reacted with avidin-beta-D-galactosidase conjugate. The polystyrene balls were washed, and the complex of the three components was eluted with 2,4-dinitrophenyl-L-lysine and transferred to anti-fluorescein IgG-coated polystyrene balls. After washing, the complex was released from the polystyrene balls by reduction with 2-mercaptoethylamine and transferred to [anti-rabbit IgG] IgG-coated polystyrene balls. beta-D-Galactosidase activity bound to the last polystyrene balls was assayed by fluorometry. The detection limit of AVP was 1.1 fg (1 amol)/tube. Interference by proteins in biological fluids was eliminated by separation of peptides from proteins using a molecular sieve. The principle of the present method may be applicable to the measurement of haptens, including peptides, that can be derivatized so as to be bound simultaneously by both anti-hapten antibody and avidin molecules.

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody to hog thyroid peroxidase and its use for immunohistochemical localization of the peroxidase in the thyroid gland.

A monoclonal antibody (30.1.2) to hog thyroid peroxidase was produced, purified, and characterized. The IgG of 30.1.2 formed an immune complex with the peroxidase in a 1:2 or 1:1 molar ratio depending on the IgG to antigen ratio in the incubation mixture. Immune complex formation did not inhibit the peroxidase activity, which was actually activated 2-fold in the 1:1 complex. Studies of the binding of the conjugate of the IgG or its Fab' with horseradish peroxidase to untreated and acetone-treated thyroid microsomes showed that the IgG conjugate could bind to only a very small portion of the total binding sites (thyroid peroxidase) present in untreated microsomes even after prolonged incubation. The binding of the Fab' conjugate to untreated microsomes, on the other hand, increased as the incubation time was increased, reaching 40% of the total sites after 20 h of incubation. These findings indicated that thyroid peroxidase is localized on the inner surface of the microsomal membranes and that the Fab' conjugate, but not the IgG conjugate, can slowly penetrate through the membrane barrier to reach the peroxidase. Immunohistochemical experiments using the Fab' conjugate as a probe revealed that most thyroid peroxidase in the thyroid gland is located in the endoplasmic reticulum and perinuclear cisternae of the follicular cell, although a small amount could occasionally be detected in the apical membrane including microvilli. In contrast to previous reports, no thyroid peroxidase could be found in other cellular structures such as Golgi apparatus and apical vesicles by the immunohistochemical technique employed.

Comparison of beta-D-galactosidase from Escherichia coli and horseradish peroxidase as labels of anti-human ferritin Fab' by sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique.

beta-D-Galactosidase from Escherichia coli and horseradish peroxidase were compared as labels of anti-human ferritin Fab' by sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique using fluorogenic substrates for enzyme assay. The anti-human ferritin Fab'-peroxidase conjugates gave lower nonspecific bindings and higher specific bindings than the corresponding Fab'-beta-D-galactosidase conjugates. As a result, the former provided more sensitive dose response curves for human ferritin than the latter. However, the peroxidase conjugates were required in a larger quantity, since peroxidase assay was much less sensitive than beta-D-galactosidase assay.

Shortening of the window period in diagnosis of HIV-1 infection by simultaneous detection of p24 antigen and antibody IgG to p17 and reverse transcriptase in serum with ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay.

Following HIV infection, there is a window period of 6-8 weeks, during which HIV antibodies are not detectable and the infection cannot be diagnosed by methods for detecting HIV antibodies. However, HIV antigens are detectable in the latter part of the window period, although the level of HIV antigens declines as the level of HIV antibodies increases. We developed an ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay (immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay) for the simultaneous detection of both p24 antigen of HIV-1 and antibody IgGs to p17 and reverse transcriptase of HIV-1 in a single assay tube and tested 11 HIV-1 seroconversion serum panels and serum samples randomly collected from 79 HIV-1 seropositive subjects and 100 HIV-1 seronegative subjects. The simultaneous detection was shown not only to shorten the window period significantly as compared with conventional methods for HIV-1 antibody detection but also to make possible a reliable diagnosis of HIV-1 infection from the time of seroconversion until late stages of the infection.