Characterization of N-linked oligosaccharides of human urinary kallikrein molecules

The micro-heterogeneity due to varied N-linked oligosaccharides of both active- and pro-types of human urinary kallikrein (HUK) in normal subjects and some patients were investigated by the methods of serial lectin affinity chromatography and crossed affino-immunoelectrophoresis. In the case of both types of normal HUK, the species carrying tri- and/or tetra-antennary oligosaccharide(s), corefucosylated bi-antennary oligosaccharide(s), and bi-antennary oligosaccharides containing outer galactose residues and an N-acetylglucosamine residue linked beta 1,4 to a beta-linked mannose residue (bisecting N-acetylglucosamine residue) amounted to approximately 36, 33 and 17% of the total of each type of HUK, respectively. On the other hand, in some diseases, i.e. essential hypertension, Bartter's syndrome and acute pancreatitis, alterations of the chromatographic and electrophoretic patters were observed and are assumed to correspond to glycosylation changes in each HUK molecule.