Epidermal growth factor-binding protein activates soluble and receptor-bound single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator

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Abstract
Epidermal growth factor-binding protein (EGF-BP) is a serine proteinase that reversibly associates with epidermal growth factor (EGF). We analyzed the reaction of EGF-BP with urokinase type plasminogen activator (u-PA), a serine proteinase that promotes pericellular proteolysis and cellular migration. EGF-BP cleaved single chain u-PA (scu-PA) between Lys158 and Ile159, converting the zymogen into enzymatically active two-chain u-PA (tcu-PA), as shown by SDS-PAGE, N-terminal sequence analysis, and enzymatic assay. The kcat and Km of the activation reaction were (5.6 ± 0.6) × 10−2s−1 and 2,0 ± 0.3 μM, yielding a catalytic efficiency of 2.8 × 104 M−1. EGF-BP also activated scu-PA bound to receptors on U937 monocytes as demonstrated by the generation of amidase activity against a tcu-PA-specific fluorogenic substrate. By activating scu-PA, EGF-BP may initiate u-PA-dependent cell surface proteolysis and therefore enhance EGF activities that require cellular migration and/or tissue remodeling