Tryptase Inhibitors Research Articles

Inhibition of allergen-induced pulmonary responses by the selective tryptase inhibitor 1,5-bis-{4-[(3-carbamimidoyl-benzenesulfonylamino)-methyl]-phenoxy}-pentane (AMG-126737)

Emerging evidence suggests that mast cell tryptase is a therapeutic target for the treatment of asthma. The effects of this serine protease are associated with both pathophysiologic pulmonary responses and pathologic changes of the asthmatic airway. In this study, the tryptase inhibitor 1,5-bis-{4-[(3-carbamimidoyl-benzenesulfonylamino)-methyl]-phenoxy}-pentane (AMG-126737) was evaluated for its pharmacologic effects against allergen-induced airway responses. AMG-126737 is a potent inhibitor of human lung mast cell tryptase (Ki = 90 nM), with greater than 10- to 200-fold selectivity versus other serine proteases. Intratracheal administration of AMG-126737 inhibited the development of airway hyperresponsiveness in allergen-challenged guinea pigs with an ed50 of 0.015 mg/kg. In addition, the compound exhibited oral activity in the guinea pig model. The in vivo activity of AMG-126737 was confirmed in a sheep model of allergen-induced airway responses, where the compound inhibited early and late phase bronchoconstriction responses and the development of airway hyperresponsiveness. These results support the proposed role of tryptase in the pathology of asthma and suggest that AMG-126737 has potential therapeutic utility in this pulmonary disorder.

The structure of the human betaII-tryptase tetramer: fo(u)r better or worse.

Tryptases, the predominant serine proteinases of human mast cells, have recently been implicated as mediators in the pathogenesis of allergic and inflammatory conditions, most notably asthma. Their distinguishing features, their activity as a heparin-stabilized tetramer and resistance to most proteinaceous inhibitors, are perfectly explained by the 3-A crystal structure of human betaII-tryptase in complex with 4-amidinophenylpyruvic acid. The tetramer consists of four quasiequivalent monomers arranged in a flat frame-like structure. The active centers are directed toward a central pore whose narrow openings of approximately 40 A x 15 A govern the interaction with macromolecular substrates and inhibitors. The tryptase monomer exhibits the overall fold of trypsin-like serine proteinases but differs considerably in the conformation of six surface loops arranged around the active site. These loops border and shape the active site cleft to a large extent and form all contacts with neighboring monomers via two distinct interfaces. The smaller of these interfaces, which is exclusively hydrophobic, can be stabilized by the binding of heparin chains to elongated patches of positively charged residues on adjacent monomers or, alternatively, by high salt concentrations in vitro. On tetramer dissociation, the monomers are likely to undergo transformation into a zymogen-like conformation that is favored and stabilized by intramonomer interactions. The structure thus provides an improved understanding of the unique properties of the biologically active tryptase tetramer in solution and will be an incentive for the rational design of mono- and multifunctional tryptase inhibitors.

Functional phage display of leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (LDTI): construction of a library and selection of thrombin inhibitors

The recombinant phage antibody system pCANTAB 5E has been used to display functionally active leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (LDTI) on the tip of the filamentous M13 phage. A limited combinatorial library of 5.2×10 4 mutants was created with a synthetic LDTI gene, using a degenerated oligonucleotide and the pCANTAB 5E phagemid. The mutations were restricted to the P1–P4′ positions of the reactive site. Fusion phages and appropriate host strains containing the phagemids were selected after binding to thrombin and DNA sequencing. The variants LDTI-2T (K8R, I9V, S10, K11W, P12A), LDTI-5T (K8R, I9V, S10, K11S, P12L) and LDTI-10T (K8R, I9L, S10, K11D, P12I) were produced with a Saccharomyces cerevisiae expression system. The new inhibitors, LDTI-2T and -5T, prolong the blood clotting time, inhibit thrombin ( K i 302 nM and 28 nM) and trypsin ( K i 6.4 nM and 2.1 nM) but not factor Xa, plasma kallikrein or neutrophil elastase. The variant LDTI-10T binds to thrombin but does not inhibit it. The relevant reactive site sequences of the thrombin inhibiting variants showed a strong preference for arginine in position P1 (K8R) and for valine in P1′ (I9V). The data indicate further that LDTI-5T might be a model candidate for generation of active-site directed thrombin inhibitors and that LDTI in general may be useful to generate specific inhibitors suitable for a better understanding of enzyme-inhibitor interactions.

Mast cells in developing subepidermal bullous diseases: emphasis on tryptase, chymase and protease inhibitors.

The possible involvement of mast cell tryptase and chymase in subepidermal bullous diseases was studied enzyme-histochemically in specimens from erythematous and vesicular skin and from non-involved skin of patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, bullous pemphigoid, erythema multiforme, infective bullous eruption and linear IgA dermatosis. Patients with pemphigus were biopsied for comparison. The immunoreactivity of chymase inhibitors, alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1-PI) and alpha1-antichymotrypsin (alpha1-AC), in mast cells was demonstrated using the sequential double staining method. Tryptase-positive mast cells were unchanged or only slightly increased in number in erythematous lesions and slightly decreased in blistering skin compared with healthy-looking skin. Only occasionally were mast cells seen in apparent contact with the basement membrane zone. Chymase-positive mast cells and the chymase/tryptase ratio steadily decreased during the development of the lesions in each subepidermal bullous disease. The percentage of alpha1-PI+ and/or alpha1-AC+ mast cells increased simultaneously, which could explain the disappearance of chymase activity. Similar results were obtained regardless of the bullous disease. The results were also similar in pemphigus, which is an intraepidermal bullous disease. In conclusion, these results show significant alterations in mast cell chymase and protease inhibitors in a range of different bullous diseases, suggesting mast cell involvement. The apparent inactivation of chymase could be due to the action of chymase inhibitors detected in numerous mast cells. However, these alterations probably reflect general inflammation rather than a specific reaction in a certain bullous disease.

Potent selective nonpeptidic inhibitors of human lung tryptase.

Human lung tryptase, a homotetrameric serine protease unique to mast cell secretory granules, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. A hypothesis that tethered symmetrical inhibitors might bridge two adjacent active sites was explored via a rationally designed series of bisbenzamidines. These compounds demonstrated a remarkable distanced-defined structure-activity relationship against human tryptase with one series possessing subnanomolar potencies. Additional evidence supporting the concept of active-site bridging is also presented.

Neutrophil Myeloperoxidase Is a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Mast Cell Tryptase

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an important component of the neutrophil response to microbial infection. In this paper we report an additional activity of MPO, the potent and selective inhibition of human mast cell tryptase. MPO inhibits human mast cell tryptase in a time-dependent manner with an IC50of 16 nM at 1 h. In contrast, MPO does not inhibit trypsin, thrombin, plasmin, factor Xa, elastase, or cathepsin G. It is the native protein conformation of MPO and not its enzyme activity that is responsible for tryptase inhibition. Heparin, at high concentrations, can prevent the inhibition of tryptase by MPO. We have shown by size-exclusion chromatography that MPO promotes the dissociation of active tryptase tetramer to inactive monomer. These data suggest that MPO inhibits tryptase by interfering with the heparin stabilization of tryptase tetramer. We have previously shown that lactoferrin (another neutrophil-associated protein) also inhibits tryptase activity by a similar mechanism. The finding that MPO is a potent inhibitor of tryptase lends further support to the hypothesis that neutrophil proteins, such as MPO and lactoferrin, may play a regulatory role as endogenous suppressers of tryptase enzyme activity.

Solid-phase synthesis of benzisothiazolones as serine protease inhibitors

An efficient solid-phase synthesis of benzisothiazolone-1,1-dioxide-based serine protease inhibitors involving alkylation of carboxylic acids with N-(bromomethyl)benzisothiazolone-1,1-dioxide has been developed. An example using this procedure for preparation of a library of human mast cell tryptase inhibitors is described.

ChemInform Abstract: Inhibitors of Tryptase for the Treatment of Mast Cell‐Mediated Diseases

AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

Tryptase mediates hyperresponsiveness in isolated Guinea Pig bronchi

Hyperresponsiveness of airway smooth muscle to allergens and environmental factors has long been associated with the pathophysiology of asthma. Tryptase, a serine protease of lung mast cells, has been implicated as one of the mediators involved in the induction of hyperresponsiveness. As a consequence, tryptase inhibitors have become the subject of study as potential novel therapeutic agents for asthma. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a naturally occurring protein of human airways which exhibits anti-tryptase activity. To assess the potential therapeutic utility of SLPI in asthma, its effects were evaluated using in vitro and ex vivo models of airway hyperresponsiveness and compared with the effects of the small molecule tryptase inhibitor APC-366. Our results demonstrate that SLPI inhibits tryptase-mediated hyperresponsiveness in vitro and attenuates the hyperresponsiveness observed in airway smooth muscle from antigen-sensitized animals subjected to antigen exposure. The small molecule tryptase inhibitor APC-366 has a similar inhibitory effect. Thus, tryptase appears to be a significant contributor to the development of hyperresponsiveness in these models. To the extent that tryptase contributes to the development and progression of asthma, SLPI may posses therapeutic potential in this disease setting.

Activation of matrix-degrading metalloproteinases by mast cell proteases in atherosclerotic plaques.

Recent studies suggest that mast cell-derived neutral proteases can activate matrix-degrading metalloproteinases (MMPs). We have investigated the role of the mast cell proteases tryptase and chymase in the activation of MMPs in human carotid endarterectomy specimens (atherosclerotic, n=32) and postmortem carotid arteries (control, n=17). In vitro degranulation of mast cells in atherosclerotic carotid arteries by compound 48/80 caused a significant increase in MMP activity. Addition of the nonselective tryptase inhibitor antipain, the specific trypsinlike protease inhibitor 4-amidinophenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, and the chymase inhibitor chymostatin reduced this increase in MMP activity by 30+/-6%, 23+/-6%, and 9+/-2%, respectively. Immunocytochemistry identified significantly higher numbers of tryptase-containing cells (mast cells) and cells expressing MMP-1 and MMP-3 in the "shoulder" regions of atherosclerotic artery lesions compared with the tunica media of control arteries. Dual immunocytochemistry showed collocation of MMP-1 and MMP-3 with mast cells in the shoulder regions. Degranulation was observed in 78+/-5% (mean+/-SEM) of mast cells in this area, whereas nonactivated mast cells were observed in all other areas. In situ zymography revealed caseinolytic and gelatinolytic activity in these areas. In conclusion, in vitro mast cell degranulation, which releases mast cell proteases, in carotid arteries increases MMP activity. Furthermore, elevated MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression is collocated with increased numbers of degranulated mast cells and with greater MMP activity in the shoulder regions of atherosclerotic plaques. Activation of MMPs by mast cell-derived proteases may be an important mechanism in atherosclerotic plaque destabilization.

1,2-Benzisothiazol-3-one 1,1-dioxide inhibitors of human mast cell tryptase.

A library of compounds were prepared by reacting 2-(bromomethyl)-1, 2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one 1,1-dioxide (5) with commercially available carboxylic acids in the presence of potassium carbonate or a tertiary amine base. From this library, (1,1-dioxido-3-oxo-1, 2-benzisothiazol-2(3H)-yl)methyl N-[(phenylmethoxy)carbonyl]-beta-alanate (7b) emerged as a potent inhibitor of human mast cell tryptase (IC50 = 0.85 microM). Extension of the side chain of 7b by two carbons gave (1, 1-dioxido-3-oxo-1,2-benzisothiazol-2(3H)-yl)methyl 5-[[(phenylmethoxy)carbonyl]amino]pentanoate (7d) which was an 8-fold more potent inhibitor (IC50 = 0.1 microM). Further modification of this series produced benzoic acid derivative (1, 1-dioxido-3-oxo-1,2-benzisothiazol-2(3H)-yl)methyl 4-[[(phenylmethoxy)carbonyl]amino]benzoate (7n) which is the most potent inhibitor identified in this series (IC50 = 0.064 microM). These compounds exhibit time-dependent inhibition consistent with mechanism-based inhibition. For 7b, the initial enzyme velocity is not a saturable function of the inhibitor concentration and the initial Ki could not be determined (Ki > 10 microM). The steady-state rate constant, Ki, was determined to be 396 nM. On the other hand, compounds 7d and 7n are time-dependent inhibitors with a saturable initial complex. From these studies, an initial rate constant, Ki, for 7d and 7n was found to be 345 and 465 nM, respectively. The steady-state inhibition constants, Ki, for 7d and 7n were calculated to be 60 and 52 nM, respectively. Compound 7n is a 13-fold more potent inhibitor than 7b, and these kinetic studies indicate that the increase in inhibitory activity is due to an increase in initial affinity toward the enzyme and not an increase in chemical reactivity. These inhibitors generally show high selectivity for tryptase, being 40-fold weaker inhibitors of elastase, being 100-fold weaker against trypsin, and showing no inhibition against thrombin. These compounds are not inhibitors of thrombin, plasmin t-PA, urokinase, and factor Xa (IC50 > 33 microM). In the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) mouse model, a model of skin inflammation, a 5% solution of 7d reduced edema by 69% compared to control animals.

Inhibitors of Tryptase for the Treatment of Mast Cell-Mediated Diseases

Abstract: Human tryptase is a structurally unique and mast cell specific trypsin-like serine protease. Recent biological and immunological investigations have implicated tryptase as a mediator in the pathology of numerous allergic and inflammatory conditions including rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and most notably asthma. A growing body of data further implicates tryptase in certain gastrointestinal, dermatological, and cardiovascular disorders as well. The recent availability of potent, and selective tryptase inhibitors, though, has facilitated the validation of this protease as an important therapeutic target as well. Herein, we describe the design and potency of four classes of selective tryptase inhibitors, of which the first three types are synthetic and the fourth is natural in origin: 1) peptidic inhibitors (e.g., APC-366), 2) dibasic inhibitors (i.e., pentamidine-like), 3) Zn2+-mediated inhibitors (i.e., BABIM-like), and 4) heparin antagonists (e.g., lactoferrin). These inhibitors have been tested in the airways and skin of allergic sheep. Aerosol administration of tryptase inhibitors from each structural class 30 minutes before, and 4 hours and 24 hours after allergen challenge, abolishes late phase bronchoconstriction and airway hyperresponsiveness in a dose­ dependent manner. Moreover, intradermal injection of APC-366 blocks the cutaneous response to antigen. These studies provide the essential proof-of-concept for the further pursuit of tryptase inhibitors for the treatment of asthma, and perhaps other allergic diseases. Results from clinical studies with the first generation tryptase inhibitor APC-366, currently in phase II trials for the treatment of asthma, provide additional support for a pathological role for tryptase in this disease. Notable advances in the area of tryptase inhibitor design at Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. include a novel, zinc­ mediated, serine protease inhibitor technology (described herein), and the discovery of a unique class of extremely potent and selective dibasic tryptase inhibitors. Independently, an X-ray crystal structure of active tryptase tetramer complexed with 4-amidinophenyl pyruvic acid has been reported. It is anticipated that these discoveries will further accelerate the design of structurally novel tryptase inhibitors as well as the development of new drugs for the treatment of mast cell tryptase-mediated disorders.

Identification of Man alpha1-3Man alpha1-2Man and Man-linked phosphate on O-mannosylated recombinant leech-derived tryptase inhibitor produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and determination of the solution conformation of the mannosylated polypeptide.

The production of recombinant leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (rLDTI) by two different strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in the secretion of non-glycosylated and glycosylated rLTDI. Monosaccharide analysis and a-mannosidase treatment demonstrated that glycosylated rLDTI was exclusively alpha-mannosylated. A trypsin digest of reduced and S-carboxymethylated glycosylated rLDTI was separated on a reverse-phase HPLC column. Glycopeptides identified by a combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry, amino acid sequence analysis, and monosaccharide analysis revealed the presence of different glycoforms. It was found that Ser24, Ser33 and Ser36 were partially glycosylated with a single mannose residue, whereas Thr42 in glycosylated rLDTI from both strains was fully occupied with manno-oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization ranging over 1-3 and 1-13 depending on the yeast strain. In phosphorylated rLDTI a single phosphate group was predominantly located at the innermost Man residue of units of mannobiose, mannotriose, mannotetraose and mannopentaose at Thr42. Oligosaccharides released by alkaline treatment were reduced by sodium borohydride and separated by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography on a CarboPac MA1 column, and analyzed by one- and two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Besides the major oligosaccharide Man alpha1-2Man-ol, the (for yeast protein O-glycosylation) unusual Man alpha1-3Man alpha1-2Man-ol was determined. The solution conformation of glycosylated rLDTI was investigated by two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. Structure calculations by means of distance geometry showed that glycosylated rLDTI is compactly folded and contained small secondary structure elements. Analysis of the chemical shifts showed that amino acids Val32-Ser33, Ser36-Ser39 and Thr42 were affected by the O-mannosylation. In addition, changes in chemical shift were observed within the beta-hairpin peptide regions Val13-Ser16 and Gly18-Tyr21 attributed to direct interactions of the mannose residue at Ser36. Furthermore, the protein-linked oligosaccharides were spatially grouped in a position opposite of the canonical binding loop.

Human beta-tryptase is a ring-like tetramer with active sites facing a central pore.

Human tryptase, a mast-cell-specific serine proteinase that may be involved in causing asthma and other allergic and inflammatory disorders, is unique in two respects: it is enzymatically active only as a heparin-stabilized tetramer, and it is resistant to all known endogenous proteinase inhibitors. The 3-A crystal structure of human beta-tryptase in a complex with 4-amidinophenyl pyruvic acid shows four quasi-equivalent monomers arranged in a square flat ring of pseudo 222 symmetry. Each monomer contacts its neighbours at two different interfaces through six loop segments. These loops are located around the active site of beta-tryptase and differ considerably in length and conformation from loops of other trypsin-like proteinases. The four active centres of the tetramer are directed towards an oval central pore, restricting access for macromolecular substrates and enzyme inhibitors. Heparin chains might stabilize the complex by binding to an elongated patch of positively charged residues spanning two adjacent monomers. The nature of this unique tetrameric architecture explains many of tryptase's biochemical properties and provides a basis for the rational design of monofunctional and bifunctional tryptase inhibitors.

Structure of the complex of leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (LDTI) with trypsin and modeling of the LDTI-tryptase system.

Tryptase is a trypsin-like serine proteinase stored in the cytoplasmic granules of mast cells, which has been implicated in a number of mast cell related disorders such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Unlike almost all other serine proteinases, tryptase is fully active in plasma and in the extracellular space, as there are no known natural inhibitors of tryptase in humans. Leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (LDTI), a protein of 46 amino acids, is the first molecule found to bind tightly to and specifically inhibit human tryptase in the nanomolar range. LDTI also inhibits trypsin and chymotrypsin with similar affinities. The structure of LDTI in complex with an inhibited proteinase could be used as a template for the development of low molecular weight tryptase inhibitors. The crystal structure of the complex between trypsin and LDTI was solved at 2.0 A resolution and a model of the LDTI-tryptase complex was created, based on this X-ray structure. LDTI has a very similar fold to the third domain of the turkey ovomucoid inhibitor. LDTI interacts with trypsin almost exclusively through its binding loop (residues 3-10) and especially through the sidechain of the specificity residue Lys8. Our modeling studies indicate that these interactions are maintained in the LDTI-tryptase complex. The insertion of nine residues after residue 174 in tryptase, relative to trypsin and chymotrypsin, prevents inhibition by other trypsin inhibitors and is certainly responsible for the higher specificity of tryptase relative to trypsin. In LDTI, the disulfide bond between residues 4 and 25 causes a sharp turn from the binding loop towards the N terminus, holding the N terminus away from the 174 loop of tryptase.

Mast cell tryptase regulates rat colonic myocytes through proteinase-activated receptor 2.

Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is cleaved and activated by trypsin-like enzymes. PAR-2 is highly expressed by small intestinal enterocytes where it is activated by luminal trypsin. The location, mechanism of activation, and biological functions of PAR-2 in the colon, however, are unknown. We localized PAR-2 to the muscularis externa of the rat colon by immunofluorescence. Myocytes in primary culture also expressed PAR-2, assessed by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. Trypsin, SLIGRL-NH2 (corresponding to the PAR-2 tethered ligand), mast cell tryptase, and a filtrate of degranulated mast cells stimulated a prompt increase in [Ca2+]i in myocytes. The response to tryptase and the mast cell filtrate was inhibited by the tryptase inhibitor BABIM, and abolished by desensitization of PAR-2 with trypsin. PAR-2 activation inhibited the amplitude of rhythmic contractions of strips of rat colon. This response was unaffected by indomethacin, l-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester, a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist and tetrodotoxin. Thus, PAR-2 is highly expressed by colonic myocytes where it may be cleaved and activated by mast cell tryptase. This may contribute to motility disturbances of the colon during conditions associated with mast cell degranulation.

Lactoferrin, a potent tryptase inhibitor, abolishes late-phase airway responses in allergic sheep.

Tryptase, a serine protease released exclusively from activated mast cells, has been implicated as a potential causative agent in asthma. Enzymatically active tryptase is comprised of four subunits, and heparin stabilizes the associated tetramer. Lactoferrin, a cationic protein released from activated neutrophils, binds tightly to heparin, therefore we investigated lactoferrin as an inhibitor of tryptase and found that it is both a potent (Ki' is 24 nM) and selective inhibitor. Size exclusion chromatography studies revealed that lactoferrin disrupted the quaternary structure of active tryptase. Lactoferrin was tested in an allergic sheep model of asthma; aerosolized lactoferrin (10 mg in 3 ml phosphate-buffered saline, 0.5 h before as well as 4 and 24 h after inhalation challenge by Ascaris suum) abolished both late-phase bronchoconstriction (no significant increase in specific lung resistance 4 to 8 h following provocation, p < 0.05 versus vehicle treatment) and airway hyperresponsiveness (no detectable increase in airway sensitivity to carbachol challenge 24 h after antigen challenge, p < 0.05 versus vehicle). These data suggest tryptase involvement in both late-phase bronchoconstriction and airway hyperreactivity and furthermore suggest that a physiological function of neutrophil lactoferrin is the inhibition of tryptase released from mast cells.

Soybean Bowman–Birk Protease Inhibitor Is a Highly Effective Inhibitor of Human Mast Cell Chymase

Soybean Bowman–Birk protease inhibitor (BBI) is an inhibitor of serine proteases with two functional inhibitory domains of different specificities: one is specific for chymotrypsin-like proteases, the other for trypsin-like proteases. Chymase and tryptase are serine proteases which are stored in mast cell granules and released upon degranulation. This work investigated the inhibition of human chymase and tryptase by BBI. Active-site titration of human skin chymase by BBI demonstrated that BBI was a highly effective inhibitor of human chymase. Virtually stoichiometric inhibition of chymase by BBI was observed at 10 nmchymase. Kinetic studies of the inhibition reaction yielded an association rate constant of 4.0 × 105m−1s−1and a dissociation rate constant of 1.7 × 10−5s−1. From these two constants we estimate aKiof 50 pm. Chymase/BBI complexes did not dissociate in SDS–PAGE analyses under nonreducing conditions, consistent with the formation of a very tight complex with little tendency to dissociate. In contrast to chymase, human tryptase was not inhibited by BBI. These studies demonstrate that BBI is a good inhibitor of human chymase, exhibiting reaction properties better than physiological inhibitors described to date.

The Three-dimensional Structure of Recombinant Leech-derived Tryptase Inhibitor in Complex with Trypsin: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE STRUCTURE OF HUMAN MAST CELL TRYPTASE AND ITS INHIBITION

The x-ray crystal structure of recombinant leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (rLDTI) has been solved to a resolution of 1.9 A in complex with porcine trypsin. The nonclassical Kazal-type inhibitor exhibits the same overall architecture as that observed in solution and in rhodniin. The complex reveals structural aspects of the mast cell proteinase tryptase. The conformation of the binding region of rLDTI suggests that tryptase has a restricted active site cleft. The basic amino terminus of rLDTI, apparently flexible from previous NMR measurements, approaches the 148-loop of trypsin. This loop has an acidic equivalent in tryptase, suggesting that the basic amino terminus could make favorable electrostatic interactions with the tryptase molecule. A series of rLDTI variants constructed to probe this hypothesis confirmed that the amino-terminal Lys-Lys sequence plays a role in inhibition of human lung tryptase but not of trypsin or chymotrypsin. The location of such an acidic surface patch is in accordance with the known low molecular weight inhibitors of tryptase.

Structure-based Design of a Potent Chimeric Thrombin Inhibitor

Using the three-dimensional structures of thrombin and the leech-derived tryptase inhibitor (LDTI), which does not inhibit thrombin, we were able to construct three LDTI variants inhibiting thrombin. Trimming of the inhibitor reactive site loop to fit thrombin's narrow active site cleft resulted in inhibition constants (Ki) in the 10 nM concentration range; similar values were obtained by the addition of an acidic C-terminal peptide corresponding to hirudin's tail to LDTI. Combination of both modifications is additive, resulting in very strong inhibition of thrombin (Ki in the picomolar range). On the one hand, these results confirm the significance of the restricted active site cleft of thrombin in determining its high cleavage specificity; on the other, they demonstrate that sufficient binding energy at the fibrinogen recognition exosite can force thrombin to accept otherwise unfavorable residues in the active site cleft. The best inhibitor thus obtained is as effective as hirudin in plasma-based clotting assays.