Prostate specific antigen: a critical assessment of the most useful tumor marker for adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Immunologic measurements of the serum concentration of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), an abundant prostatic-secreted serine proteinase, are frequently used to monitor patients with prostate cancer, though it has not been ascertained whether this immunoreactivity represents a PSA zymogen, the active proteinase, or PSA complexed to extracellular proteinase inhibitors. To characterize the PSA immunoreactivity in serum, we used monoclonal antibodies produced against PSA and a polyclonal rabbit IgG against alpha 1-antichymotrypsin in the design of three noncompetitive PSA assays: assay T, which detected PSA both when present as the active proteinase and when complexed to alpha 1-antichymotrypsin; assay F, which recognized the active proteinase but most poorly detected PSA complexed to alpha 1-antichymotrypsin; and assay C, which was specific for PSA complexed to alpha 1-antichymotrypsin. We used the three assays to measure PSA immunoreactivity in 64 patients' sera and in the effluent after gel chromatography of sera from four patients. This identified an 80- to 90-kDa complex between PSA and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin as the predominant fraction of the PSA immunoreactivity in blood plasma; an immunoreactive 25- to 40-kDa compound was the minor fraction.

Prostate-specific antigen in serum occurs predominantly in complex with alpha 1-antichymotrypsin.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is one of the three most abundant prostatic-secreted proteins in human semen. It is a serine proteinase that, in its primary structure, manifests extensive similarities with that of the Arg-restricted glandular kallikrein-like proteinases. When isolated from semen by the addition of chromatography on aprotinin-Sepharose to a previously described procedure, PSA displayed chymotrypsin-like activity and cleaved semenogelin and the semenogelin-related proteins in a rapid and characteristic pattern, but had no trypsin-like activity. About one third of the purified protein was found to be enzymatically inactive, due to cleavage carboxy-terminal of Lys145. Active PSA formed SDS-stable complexes with alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, alpha 2-macroglobulin-analogue pregnancy zone protein. PSA formed inhibitory complexes with alpha 1-antichymotrypsin at a molar ratio of 1:1, a reaction in which PSA cleaved the inhibitor in a position identical to that reported from the reaction between chymotrypsin and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin. The formation of stable complexes between PSA and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin occurred at a much slower rate than that between chymotrypsin and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and at a similar or slightly slower rate than that between PSA and alpha 2-macroglobulin. When added to normal blood plasma in vitro, active PSA formed stable complexes both with alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin. This complex formation may be a crucial determinant of the turnover of active PSA in intercellular fluid or blood plasma in vivo.

Enzymatic activity of prostate-specific antigen and its reactions with extracellular serine proteinase inhibitors.

https://www.sjsu.edu/people/steven.lee/courses/c3/s2/New%20Non%20destructive%20confirmatory%20tests-1.pdf

Analysis of body fluids for forensic purposes: from laboratory testing to non-destructive rapid confirmatory identification at a crime scene.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), the major serum carrier protein for the IGFs, is absent from Western ligand blots of seminal plasma, but is detectable by RIA. IGFBP-3 protease activity has recently been described in pregnancy serum. We investigated the possibility that seminal plasma contains an IGFBP-3 protease, by incubating seminal plasma with 125I-labeled human IGFBP-3. Seminal plasma was found to have potent IGFBP-3 protease activity with a cleavage pattern different from that of pregnancy serum. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a serine protease found in semen. Autoradiographs measuring IGFBP-3 protease activity demonstrated that purified PSA cleaved IGFBP-3, yielding a cleavage pattern identical to that of seminal plasma. IGFBP-2 and -4 in seminal plasma were not degraded by PSA. Cleavage of IGFBP-3 by PSA resulted in a marked reduction in the binding affinity of the fragments to IGF-I, but not IGF-II. We speculate that PSA may serve to modulate IGF function within the rep...

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 protease found in seminal plasma.

Human seminal vesicle and prostatic fluids were obtained separately and reconstituted in vitro to test the hypothesis that proteolytic enzymes of prostatic origin would degrade seminal vesicle-specific antigen (SVSA). Using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis to follow the fate of SVSA over time, we found that upon mixing the two secretions, SVSA was converted to forms of intermediate and low molecular weight identical to transformations seen in normal liquefied ejaculates. Diisoproprylfluorophophate, a serine protease inhibitor, prevented this degradation, indicating serine protease involvement in the proteolysis of SVSA. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA; also known as P-30), recently identified as a serine protease, was examined for its ability to mimic the effects of prostatic fluid on SVSA. Purified PSA catalyzed degradation of SVSA to produce proteolytic fragments that comigrated and were immunologically related to SVSA fragments produced by prostatic fluid. Purified PSA in the presence of serine protease inhibitors was unable to degrade SVSA. These results demonstrate that SVSA is a substrate for PSA during human semen liquefaction.

Human seminal vesicle-specific antigen is a substrate for prostate-specific antigen (or P-30).

A novel sperm-coating antigen from the human seminal vesicles was discovered. We identified a monoclonal antibody MHS-5, recognizing an epitope with characteristics of a forensic semen marker: conservation in all vasectomized or normal semen samples tested (421); absence in all human tissues or biological fluids other than semen; and immunolocalization on the surface of ejaculated sperm. Western blots of ejaculates allowed to liquefy for 5 min demonstrated the MHS-5 epitope to be located on peptides of a wide range of molecular masses from 69 to 8 kDa. After 15 h of semen liquefaction, immunoreaction peptides of higher molecular mass were undetectable in semen, while peptides of lower molecular mass from 8 to 21 kDa retained antigenicity. Three peptides of 10, 11.9, and 13.7 kDa were the most immunoreactive species in semen liquified for 15 h. Using the MHS-5 monoclonal, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed sensitive to 1 ng of seminal protein. This assay showed that the MHS-5 antigen was undetectable in semen of common domestic animals and monkeys but was present in chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan semen. ELISA of homogenates from human organs and reproductive tissues demonstrated the antigen only in samples of seminal vesicles. Epididymal sperm obtained at vasovasostomy lacked the MHS-5 epitope, a fact that, together with immunolocalization on ejaculated sperm, demonstrated that the MHS-5 antigen functions as a "sperm-coating antigen." The MHS-5 monoclonal detected semen in sexual-assault evidence obtained six months previously and in mixtures of semen with vaginal or cervical fluid. Assay systems employing the MHS-5 monoclonal may be useful for identification of semen in sexual-assault casework. The MHS-5 epitope resides on novel seminal vesicle-specific peptides whose functions, aside from sperm coating, are uncharacterized.

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody to a conserved epitope on human seminal vesicle-specific peptides: a novel probe/marker system for semen identification.

Binding of monoclonal antibody MHS-5 to western blots of human seminal plasma was employed to follow the fate of a seminal vesicle-specific antigen (SVSA) during semen liquefaction. Ejaculates from four vasectomized donors were collected in a manner to inhibit liquefaction or to allow liquefaction to proceed at room temperature. Aliquots of the liquefying seminal fluid were removed at specific time points and further liquefaction inhibited with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Western blot analysis using monoclonal antibody MHS-5 demonstrated that the SVSA epitope in all donors was located on multiple bands ranging in mass from 15-92 kDa in unliquefied ejaculates; immunoreactive peptides below 15 kDa were not detected. As early as 5 min post ejaculation, immunoreactive bands below 15 kDa were identified in liquefying samples. During the same time period (5 min), immunoreactive bands of 69-71 and 58 kDa could not be immunologically detected in liquefying samples. A decrease in immunoreactive staining of components higher molecular mass was accompanied by a concomitant increase in immunoreactive staining of intermediate and small molecular mass molecules during the first 2 h of liquefaction. After 8-24 h of liquefaction, two immunoreactive bands of 10.9 and 12.5 kDa predominated. Between 24 and 48 h, each donor's ejaculate demonstrated a common single immunoreactive band of 10.9 kDa. These results indicate that there is a rapid transformation in mass of the SVSA with major 69-71 and 58 kDa bands being converted to forms of lower mass within 5 min of ejaculation.

/pdf/human-seminal-vesicle-specific-antigen-during-semen-9jm9od1ctc.pdf

Human seminal vesicle-specific antigen during semen liquefaction.

Purification of low molecular weight forms of seminal vesicle specific antigen by immunoaffinity chromatography on bound monoclonal antibody MHS-5.

Summary The present paper is concerned with the temporal alterations and tissue localization of a seminal antigen scrected by the human seminal vesicle. This antigen is recognized by antibody MHS-5, which is one of a set produced in mice by immunization with human sperm. The respective clone produced an antibody of the IgG1 subtype, which reacted with seminal fluid from over 400 normal donors and 21 semen samples from vasectomized men. Incubation of seminal vesicle secretion with either prostatic fluid or prostate specific antigen (PSA) resulted in degradation on the antigen. The experiments showed that MHS-5 antigen is a substrate for the serine protease PSA: Immunohistochemical studies suggested that MHS-5 is a “sperm-coating” antigen and is exclusively synthesized and secreted by the seminal vesicle.



Zusammenfassung Die vorliegende Arbeit befast sich mit der zeitabhangigen Veranderung der Zusammensetzung und der topischen Lokalisation eines in der menschlichen Blaschendruse sezernierten Antigens. Dieses Antigen wird durch den Antikorper MHS-5 erkannt, das aus einer Reihe monoklonaler Antikorper nach Immunisierung von Mausen mit menschlichen Spermien gewonnen wurde. Der betreffende Klon produzierte einen Antikorper des IgG1-Subtyps, der mit dem Seminalplasma von uber 400 normalen Spendern und 21 Samenproben von vasektomierten Mannern positiv reagierte. Inkubation von Blaschendrusensekret mit Prostatasekret oder gereinigtem Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) hatte einen Abbau des Antigens zur Folge. Die Versuche zeigen, das das MHS-5 Antigen das Substrat fur die Serinprotease PSA darstellt. Die immunhistochemischen Untersuchungen beweisen die “Sperm coating antigen”-Natur des Proteins, das exklusiv in der Blaschendruse synthetisiert wird.

Robert S. Mcgee

Papers

Human seminal vesicle-specific antigen is a substrate for prostate-specific antigen (or P-30).

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody to a conserved epitope on human seminal vesicle-specific peptides: a novel probe/marker system for semen identification.

Human seminal vesicle-specific antigen during semen liquefaction.

Purification of low molecular weight forms of seminal vesicle specific antigen by immunoaffinity chromatography on bound monoclonal antibody MHS-5.

Dynamics of a human seminal vesicle specific protein: Charakteristik eines Bläschendrüsen‐spezifischen Proteins des Menschen