Factor VII and single-chain plasminogen activator-activating protease: activation and autoactivation of the proenzyme

Structural and biological characteristics of a recently described plasma serine protease, which displayed factor VII as well as pro-urokinase-activating properties in vitro, indicated a dual role for this factor VII-activating protease (FSAP) in hemostasis. Only the active protease (two-chain FSAP) has been isolated from plasma and from a prothrombin complex concentrate, whereas activators of the proenzyme have not been identified so far. After purification of the FSAP proenzyme from cryo-poor plasma by adsorption to an immobilized mAb and subsequent ion-exchange chromatography, activation to generate two-chain FSAP was followed by a direct chromogenic assay as well as by the ability of two-chain FSAP to activate pro-urokinase. Purified single-chain FSAP underwent autoactivation leading to the typical protease two-chain pattern and subsequent degradation products, as demonstrated by Western-blotting analysis using a site-specific mAb. This autoactivation was significantly enhanced in the presence of heparin, whereas Ca2+ ions stabilized single-chain FSAP (the proenzyme) resulting in slower autoactivation kinetics. Correspondingly, the heparin-augmented reaction, which was associated with autodegradation particularly of the protease domain, was slowed down by co-incubation with Ca2+. Of the other proteases and cofactors tested, only urokinase (uPA) was able to generate the typical two-chain FSAP pattern. Studies with different forms of uPA suggest that the catalytic activity of pro-urokinase/uPA is needed to activate single-chain FSAP, indicating that it is the only hemostatic protease that can act as a physiological activator of FSAP.