The conversion of recombinant human mast cell prochymase to enzymatically active chymase by dipeptidyl peptidase I is inhibited by heparin and histamine

Chymase, a major product of mast cell activation, is secreted as a fully active enzyme. We have prepared recombinant human prochymase and have investigated the conditions under which it may be activated by dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPP I). The gene for human chymase was cloned in a baculovirus vector and expressed in High Five insect cells, and the recombinant protein purified by heparin-agarose and gel-filtration chromatography. The purified prochymase was homogeneous by SDS/PAGE with the same molecular mass as native human chymase, and its identity confirmed by N-terminal sequence analysis and Western blotting with chymase-specific antibodies. Treatment with DPP I to remove the N-terminal dipeptide prosequence resulted in enzymatically active chymase, with substrate and inhibitor profiles very similar to those of the native human enzyme. The activation of prochymase by DPP I was strongly inhibited by heparin (IC50 = 0.5 microg ml[-1]) and histamine (IC50 = 2 mM), though these mast cell products had little effect on the action of DPP I towards a low molecular-mass substrate. The pH optimum of DPP I was also higher and narrower with prochymase. The inhibitory action of heparin was lost at NaCl or KCl concentrations sufficient to elute prochymase from a heparin agarose column. Dextran sulphate was as inhibitory as heparin, whereas chondroitin sulphate C was more than 10-fold less effective. Our findings suggest that the activation of prochymase might be restricted to the early stages of vesicle maturation, when the pH is close to neutrality and the histamine and heparin concentrations are low.