Studies on Human Urinary Arginine Esterases

Abstract

A new arginine ester hydrolyzing enzyme in the human urine (human urinary arginine esterase, HUAE) was found. The content levels of this new enzyme, determined by N-α-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (Tos-Arg-Me) hydrolyzing activity, were measured to be 0.34 to 0.86 nmol/min/ml of human urine and the percentage of content level of this enzyme was calculated to be about 10 to 20 per cent of the total Tos-Arg-Me hydrolyzing activity. HUAE was partially purified and then separated into two forms (HUAE-1 and -2) by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The approximate molecular weights of HUAE-1 and -2 were estimated to be 4.8×10⁴ and 3.0×10⁴ by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, respectively.