Major role of human KLK14 in seminal clot liquefaction
(2008) In Journal of Biological Chemistry 283(28). p.19561-19569- Abstract
- Liquefaction of human semen involves proteolytic degradation of the seminal coagulum and release of motile spermatozoa. Several members of human kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) have been implicated in semen liquefaction, functioning through highly regulated proteolytic cascades. Among these, KLK3 (also known as prostate-specific antigen) is the main executor enzyme responsible for processing of the primary components of semen coagulum, semenogelins I and II. We have recently identified KLK14 as a potential activator of KLK3 and other KLKs. This study aims to elucidate the cascade-mediated role of KLK14 ex vivo. KLK14 expression was significantly lower (p = 0.0252) in individuals with clinically delayed liquefaction. Concordantly,... (More)
- Liquefaction of human semen involves proteolytic degradation of the seminal coagulum and release of motile spermatozoa. Several members of human kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) have been implicated in semen liquefaction, functioning through highly regulated proteolytic cascades. Among these, KLK3 (also known as prostate-specific antigen) is the main executor enzyme responsible for processing of the primary components of semen coagulum, semenogelins I and II. We have recently identified KLK14 as a potential activator of KLK3 and other KLKs. This study aims to elucidate the cascade-mediated role of KLK14 ex vivo. KLK14 expression was significantly lower (p = 0.0252) in individuals with clinically delayed liquefaction. Concordantly, KLK14 expression was significantly (p = 0.0478) lower in asthenospermic cases. Specific inhibition of KLK14 activity by the synthetic inhibitor ACT(G9) resulted in a significant delay in semen liquefaction, a drop in the "early" (30 min postejaculation) "chymotrypsin- like" and KLK1 activity, and an increase in the "late" (90 min postejaculation) chymotrypsin-like activity. Conversely, the addition of recombinant active KLK14 facilitated the liquefaction process, augmented the early chymotrypsin-like activity, and lowered late chymotrypsin-like activity. Given that the observed chymotrypsin-like activity was almost completely attributed to KLK3 activity, KLK3 seems to be regulated bidirectionally. Accordingly, a higher level of KLK3 fragmentation was observed in KLK14-induced coagula, suggesting an inactivation mechanism via internal cleavage. Finally, semenogelins I and II were directly cleaved by KLK14. Semenogelins were also able to reverse KLK14 inhibition by Zn2+, providing a novel regulatory mechanism for KLK14 activity. Our results show that KLK14 exerts a significant and dose-dependent effect in the process of semen liquefaction. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1186877
- author
- Emami, Nashmil ; Deperthes, David ; Malm, Johan LU and Diamandis, Eleftherios P
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of Biological Chemistry
- volume
- 283
- issue
- 28
- pages
- 19561 - 19569
- publisher
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000257387600042
- scopus:50349086382
- ISSN
- 1083-351X
- DOI
- 10.1074/jbc.M801194200
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8e059f7b-d00b-4cd8-b098-a0e8570ac5b3 (old id 1186877)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:08:32
- date last changed
- 2022-04-29 01:17:51
@article{8e059f7b-d00b-4cd8-b098-a0e8570ac5b3,
abstract = {{Liquefaction of human semen involves proteolytic degradation of the seminal coagulum and release of motile spermatozoa. Several members of human kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) have been implicated in semen liquefaction, functioning through highly regulated proteolytic cascades. Among these, KLK3 (also known as prostate-specific antigen) is the main executor enzyme responsible for processing of the primary components of semen coagulum, semenogelins I and II. We have recently identified KLK14 as a potential activator of KLK3 and other KLKs. This study aims to elucidate the cascade-mediated role of KLK14 ex vivo. KLK14 expression was significantly lower (p = 0.0252) in individuals with clinically delayed liquefaction. Concordantly, KLK14 expression was significantly (p = 0.0478) lower in asthenospermic cases. Specific inhibition of KLK14 activity by the synthetic inhibitor ACT(G9) resulted in a significant delay in semen liquefaction, a drop in the "early" (30 min postejaculation) "chymotrypsin- like" and KLK1 activity, and an increase in the "late" (90 min postejaculation) chymotrypsin-like activity. Conversely, the addition of recombinant active KLK14 facilitated the liquefaction process, augmented the early chymotrypsin-like activity, and lowered late chymotrypsin-like activity. Given that the observed chymotrypsin-like activity was almost completely attributed to KLK3 activity, KLK3 seems to be regulated bidirectionally. Accordingly, a higher level of KLK3 fragmentation was observed in KLK14-induced coagula, suggesting an inactivation mechanism via internal cleavage. Finally, semenogelins I and II were directly cleaved by KLK14. Semenogelins were also able to reverse KLK14 inhibition by Zn2+, providing a novel regulatory mechanism for KLK14 activity. Our results show that KLK14 exerts a significant and dose-dependent effect in the process of semen liquefaction.}},
author = {{Emami, Nashmil and Deperthes, David and Malm, Johan and Diamandis, Eleftherios P}},
issn = {{1083-351X}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{28}},
pages = {{19561--19569}},
publisher = {{American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology}},
series = {{Journal of Biological Chemistry}},
title = {{Major role of human KLK14 in seminal clot liquefaction}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M801194200}},
doi = {{10.1074/jbc.M801194200}},
volume = {{283}},
year = {{2008}},
}