Proenzymic C1s associated with catalytic amounts of C1r. Study of the activation process

1. Proenzymic C1s isolated from human plasma by euglobulin precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography is associated with trace amounts of C1r (0.5--1% on a molar basis). Incubation for 2 h at 37 degrees C leads to the proteolytic activation of C1s. The proteolysis is characterized by the sigmoidal appearance of C1s esterase activity and of the typical heavy (57 000-dalton) and light (28 000-dalton) fragments of C1s on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 2. The C1s activation process observed is markedly temperature and concentration dependent, and the rate of activation is decreased by calcium and high ionic strength (I = 0.9). Diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, benzamidine, polyanethol sulfonate and pentosane polysulphate inhibit the activation, which is also sensitive to C1-inactivator and anti-C1r IgC. From the kinetic experiments and from the inhibition characteristics, the activation of C1s can be attributed to the presence of C1r, which appears to undergo activation and then to activate secondarily C1s.