[Benzoyl-kallikrein: kallikrein activity and kinin generation in plasma]

The inactive acyl-derivative benzoyl-kallikrein was prepared from porcine pancreatic kallikrein. By deacylation the enzymatically active kallikrein was generated in plasma from benzoyl-kallikrein demonstrated by means of its amidolytic activity. Benzoyl-kallikrein was protected from being inactivated by plasma inhibitors. Therefore, the kallikrein activity in plasma was higher following incubation of benzoyl-kallikrein than following incubation of the free enzyme. A comparatively high kinin activity was found in rabbit plasma. In human plasma, this effect was prevented by rapid degradation of kinin.