Identification of the U‐937 membrane‐associated proteinase interacting with the V3 loop of HIV‐1 gp12O as cathepsin G

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Abstract
We have purified a serine proteinase from the membrane of U-937 cells that was inhibited in a tight-binding manner by recombinant gp120 and by peptides mimicking the V3 loop of gp12O [(1993) FEBS Lett. 317, 167–172]. This proteinase has now been characterized, both structurally and functionally. It has a dual trypsin- and chymotrypsin-like specificity, and N-terminal sequence analysis of the first 32 residues indicates complete identity with leukocyte cathepsin G. Cathepsin G-like material was located at the surface of U-937 cells using a monoclonal antibody directed against leukocyte cathepsin G, and polyclonal anti-cathepsin G antibodies precipitated the purified proteinase. However, the U-937 enzyme differs slightly from commercial leukocyte cathepsin G in its apparent M r because of different glycosylation. No other protein structurally related to cathepsin G was found upon screening a U-937 cDNA library using several oligonucleotide probes constructed from the membrane proteinase N-terminal amino acid sequence. The possible interaction of a cathepsin G-like proteinase at the surface of U-937 cells with the V3 loop of HIV-1 gp120 is discussed.