Evidence of two forms of basic arginine esterases in human male urine

Two forms of basic arginine ester hydrolyzing enzymes were found in human male urine, and their partial purification was performed using lima bean trypsin inhibitor (LBTI) affinity adsorption and Cellulofine GCL-2000 gel chromatography. The forms tentatively called basic human urinary arginine esterase-1 (BHUAE-1) and -2 (BHUAE-2), had respective estimated molecular weights of about 4.5 x 10(4) and 1.8 x 10(4) daltons, with pH optima observed at 9.5 and 10.0. These two new enzymes in the human male urine were different from human renal urokinases.